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Beacon Hill Rollcall

Alan Earls Editor

If you have any questions about this week's report, e-mail us at bob@beaconhillrollcall.com or call us at (617) 720-1562.

Beacon Hill Roll Call

Volume 50 -Report No. 15

April 7-11, 2025

By Bob Katzen

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THE HOUSE AND SENATE: Beacon Hill Roll Call records local representatives' votes on roll calls from the week of April 7-11. There were no roll calls in the Senate last week.

$1.3 BILLION FOR TRANSPORTATION AND EDUCATION (H 4005)

House 140-14, approved and sent to the Senate a $1.3 billion supplemental budget that uses funds generated from the recent surtax imposed on taxpayers’ earnings of more than $1 million annually, to fund $353 million for education-related projects and $828 million for transportation-related ones. It also includes non-surtax spending that pushes the combined bottom line to roughly $1.3 billion.

The surtax was created by voters in November 2022 when they voted for a constitutional amendment that allows a graduated income tax in Massachusetts and imposes an additional 4 percent income tax, in addition to the flat 5 percent one, on taxpayers’ earnings of more than $1 million annually. Language in the constitutional amendment requires that “subject to appropriation, the revenue will go to fund quality public education, affordable public colleges and universities, and for the repair and maintenance of roads, bridges and public transportation.”

A total of $818 million of the $828 million for transportation will be used for various MBTA projects while $10 million will fund unpaved roads.

The $353 million for education includes $190 million for Circuit Breaker reimbursements, which provide financial assistance to public school districts to offset the cost of delivering high-cost special education services to students; $50 million for capital improvements at vocational schools; $40 million for early education and care workforce; $10 million for universal school meals for all public-school students; and $10 million for Green SchoolWorks to decarbonize and increase efficiency in schools through green energy projects.

“Ensuring that every Massachusetts resident has access to a safe and reliable public transportation system, and that every student in the commonwealth receives a high-quality education, are two of the most fundamental responsibilities that we have as elected officials,” said House Speaker Ron Mariano (D-Quincy). “The investments being made in this supplemental budget are representative of the House’s continued focus on meeting those responsibilities and were made possible as a result of years of fiscally responsible, consensus driven budgeting.”

“The use of these one-time surplus of funds are a unique opportunity for us to better strengthen the commonwealth in numerous ways,” said Rep. Aaron Michlewitz (D-Boston), chair of the House Committee on Ways and Means. “By further improving our educational and transportation sectors, we will build off the work we have done in the last several budget cycles with a judicious use of the Fair Share funds.”

“[The] session was dominated by votes that favored pork barrel spending and neglected support for cities and towns in transportation and education,” said Rep. Marc Lombardo (R-Billerica) who voted against the package. “Instead of allocating critical funding for roads and bridges to benefit all communities, the bill was filled with pork spending for House leadership. Moreover, instead of fully funding special education costs that are straining municipal budgets, we allocated hundreds of millions of dollars to the MBTA. Overall, the bill failed to provide comprehensive financial support to communities across the commonwealth. Beacon Hill needs to do better.”

“While the education piece was strong, the transportation piece was not,” said Rep. Joe McKenna (R-Webster). “The stark disparity in funding between the MBTA getting nearly the entirety of funding while the 277 cities and towns without direct MBTA access were effectively left out, was too large a gap to support the bill.”

(A “Yes” vote is for the bill. A “No” vote is against it.)

Rep. Jeffrey Roy Yes

$50 MILLION TO CITIES AND TOWNS FOR LOCAL ROADS (H 4005)

House 25-125, rejected an amendment that would reduce funding for the MBTA by $50 million (from $818 million to $768 million) and instead give the $50 million to cities and towns for roads using a formula based strictly on each municipality’s local road mileage. Currently, communities receive roads funding based on their population, employment and total road miles.

“The amendment would have shifted only $50 million - just 6 percent out of $828 million - for the MBTA and reappropriate it to Chapter 90 to be allocated based on a town's road mileage,” said amendment sponsor Rep. Joe McKenna (R-Sutton). “This would have shown a strong commitment from the commonwealth to provide regional equity in transportation infrastructure in all corners of the state, while still infusing a massive $743 million dollars to the T.”

Rep. James Arciero (D-Westford) said that adequate funding for roads and bridges is always important, but it's part of a larger discussion. This is a subject that's better suited for examination before the public at the committee level. The Transportation Committee will take up this very subject tomorrow when it hears the governor's $1.5 billion proposal for the Chapter 90 program. The committee looks forward to hearing from legislators, stakeholders and municipal leaders across the state as we examine the governor's proposal.

(A “Yes” vote is for $50 million for cities and towns. A “No” vote is against it.)

Rep. Jeffrey Roy No

ALSO UP ON BEACON HILL

TRANSGENDER STUDENTS AND SCHOOL SPORTS - During the debate on the surtax, Freshman Rep. John Gaskey (R-Carver) proposed an amendment that would prohibit any public school from allowing a biological male athlete to participate on a girls’ sports team and also prohibit a biological female athlete from participating on a boys’ sports team. Any school found not in compliance with this ban would forfeit all games which violate the ban.

“For too long Massachusetts has put girls at risk in sports,” said Gaskey. “There have been several instances of boys seriously injuring girls on the field during matches. This is not a transgender issue alone, this is protecting children and creating a system of fair competition. Boys are stronger, faster and more aggressive, and put girls, who are more prone to injury (Harvard study), at greater risk. Massachusetts is putting federal funding at risk by not addressing this requirement as well."

The House did not vote on the ban itself because Rep. Ken Gordon (D-Bedford) offered a further amendment that would delay the ban from taking place until the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education studies the transgender students in school sports issue. The House approved the delay and essentially killed Gaskey’s bill. The vote was conducted on a voice vote without a roll call.

Rep. Gordon said that the issue is not a simple one but rather a complex one, involving issues of federal and state law, and also is the subject of multiple bills that are being considered by the Committee on Education, including one proposed by Gaskey himself. He argued that the study and a public hearing on the ban should be complete before the House votes on it.

In his first speech on the floor of the House, Gaskey called Gordon's maneuver "a way to bury this and make sure that nobody ever gets this on the record."

"We don't need a study on how this is going to affect people," he said. "We already know this is going to affect people. We already know how many students are going to be affected — every student is going to be affected. Every student athlete will play on the team they were born to play on. That's what this bill is."

He said his proposed ban would bring Massachusetts in line with the federal government because President Donald Trump signed an executive order in February prohibiting transgender women and girls from competing in female sports.

CONTRIBUTE VIA A MASSACHUSETTS TAX RETURN TO COUNTRIES COPING WITH GLOBAL WARMING (S 1922) – The Revenue Committee held a hearing on a measure that would give Massachusetts residents the option, on their Massachusetts income tax form, to contribute to a special United Nations Fund -- the Least Developed Countries Fund -- to help developing countries cope with the effects of global warming.

Supporters say the state income tax form currently features six “tax check-off" options that give residents the option, when filing their state income tax return, to contribute all or part of their tax refund to various causes.

Sen. Mike Barrett (D-Lexington), the sponsor of the bill, did not respond to repeated requests by Beacon Hill Roll Call to explain why he filed the bill.

“Sen. Barrett’s idea is incredibly silly and just shows how out of touch some lawmakers become when they get elected,” said Paul Craney, executive director of the Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance. “As ratepayers see their utility and energy bills increase by 30 to 50 percent to fund climate mandates passed by the Legislature, the senator wants to send more money to the climate causes.”

PUBLIC HEARINGS ON TAX HIKES AND NEW TAXES (S 2057) - Another bill heard by the Judiciary Committee would require the House and Senate Committees on Ways and Means to hold at the least three public hearings in Boston, Worcester and Springfield on any legislation referred to them that would increase or expand any existing taxes or fees or establish any new taxes or fees. Each hearing would require at least fourteen days’ notice to ensure that the public has sufficient time to prepare.

“I am sponsoring this bill because transparency of where taxpayer dollars are going between the Legislature and the public are of the utmost importance currently,” said sponsor Sen. Patrick O’Connor (R-Weymouth). “The sense of trust and understanding between lawmakers and taxpayers sought by this legislation is only possible through thoughtful action to include everyone in the legislative process.”

JUDICIARY COMMITTEE HEARING – The Judiciary Committee held a hearing on several bills including these three:

EMINENT DOMAIN (H 67) – This proposed constitutional amendment would prohibit private property from being taken by the government for private commercial enterprise, economic development or any other private use without the consent of the owner.

“The right to own property is a basic principle of the commonwealth and it is one that I feel should be protected,” said sponsor Rep. Brad Jones (R-North Reading). “I filed this proposed amendment in response to the Supreme Court’s actions in Kelo v. New London, where a majority of the justices ruled against private property holders and determined that the New London Development Commission could take private properties for the purpose of economic development. This is a blatant overreach of government power, and this amendment is an attempt to correct that and protect private property owners in Massachusetts.”

PROHIBIT GAMBLING ON POLITICAL OUTCOMES (S 1237) – This measure would make it illegal to wager on “political outcomes” including elections for public office within the state, appointments to public office, the passage, amending or failure of legislative measures and any other official decision-making processes conducted by political bodies within the state.

Supporters said that these platforms and wagering participation are problematic on many grounds, specifically misinterpreting political outcomes. They are commonly mistaken as indicators for who is winning an election when that is not the case.

"Since online gambling was legalized in Massachusetts, political wagering has significantly increased, with billions of dollars generated,” said sponsor Sen. Jake Oliveira (D-Ludlow). “In the 2024 presidential election, over $3.2 billion in wagers related were placed on one platform alone. I filed this legislation to ensure stronger safeguards for our election processes and their accuracy. The bill is rooted in preserving the integrity of democratic processes by prohibiting wagering on elections or legislative outcomes, preventing the commodification of our democratic processes."

PREVENT SUICIDE (S 1109) – This legislation would criminalize coerced suicide. The measure would impose up to a 5-year prison sentence on a person who has actual knowledge of another person’s suicidal ideation, and either coerces the other person to commit suicide, or provides the physical means, or knowledge of such means, to commit suicide.

“I filed this bill in honor of Conrad Roy, a young man who died after his girlfriend Michelle Carter relentlessly pressured him into taking his own life,” said sponsor Sen. Barry Finegold (D-Andover). “Conrad’s Law is a common-sense reform that has support from across the political spectrum. If passed, it will help save lives.”

QUOTABLE QUOTES

“Everything from gas to housing to taxes is too expensive. Too many kids aren’t receiving the education they need to compete in a global economy. Our transportation system is still broken. The unspeakable violence in migrant shelters is a human tragedy and a national embarrassment. Our beacon on a hill has become a beacon in the rearview mirror. I’m running for governor because I believe in the unlimited potential of our state through the power of our people.”

--- Mike Kennealy, former Secretary of Housing and Economic Development under former Gov. Charlie Baker, announcing his run for the Republican nomination for governor in 2026.

“The people of Massachusetts know that a vote for Mike Kennealy is a vote for Donald Trump’s agenda. From Trump’s tariffs to the Republican crusade to eliminate heath care to Elon Musk’s halting cures for cancer and Alzheimer’s — the people of Massachusetts need a governor like Maura Healey who is unafraid to take on Donald Trump and stand up for them.”

--- Massachusetts Democratic Party Chair Steve Kerrigan.

“Strategic partnerships with organizations like The Last Mile are essential to equipping individuals with skills necessary for success. As technology continues to shape the modern workforce, we must proactively implement transformative programs that empower individuals to pursue sustainable careers.”

--- Gov. Maura Healey on the Massachusetts Department of Correction and the Last Mile, a national leader in technology training and reentry support for incarcerated people, announcing the graduation of the first five students from an intensive web development and coding program.

“Preparing our children to engage with and thrive in a diverse society is a central premise of education. Local school districts have the right to determine that the use of LGBTQ-inclusive books helps to foster inclusive learning environments for all our students. I am proud to stand in defense of inclusive books, which teach our students to respect one another, regardless of, and without interfering with, their respective personal beliefs.”

---Attorney General Andrea Campbell joining a coalition of 19 attorneys general in filing an amicus brief in the U.S. Supreme Court to defend the discretion of public schools in Montgomery County, Maryland, to incorporate LGBTQ-inclusive books into their curricula without offering parents an opt-out option.

HOW LONG WAS LAST WEEK’S SESSION?

Beacon Hill Roll Call tracks the length of time that the House and Senate were in session each week. Many legislators say that legislative sessions are only one aspect of the Legislature’s job and that a lot of important work is done outside of the House and Senate chambers. They note that their jobs also involve committee work, research, constituent work and other matters that are important to their districts. Critics say that the Legislature does not meet regularly or long enough to debate and vote in public view on the thousands of pieces of legislation that have been filed. They note that the infrequency and brief length of sessions are misguided and lead to irresponsible late-night sessions and a mad rush to act on dozens of bills in the days immediately preceding the end of an annual session.

During the week of April 7-11, the House met for a total of seven hours and 26 minutes while the Senate met for a total of 20 minutes.

Mon. April 7 House 11:31 a.m. to 11:41 a.m.

Senate 11:12 a.m. to 11:19 a.m.

Tues. April 8 No House session

No Senate session

Wed. April 9 House 11:01 a.m. to 6:11 p.m.

No Senate session

Thurs. April 10 House 11:00 a.m. to 11:06 a.m.

Senate 11:15 a.m. to 11:28 a.m.

Fri. April 11 No House session

No Senate session

Bob Katzen welcomes feedback at bob@beaconhillrollcall.com