8-17-2025 4:49am

Beacon Hill Roll Call

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.

Volume 50 - Report No. 33

August 11-15, 2025

By Bob Katzen

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THE HOUSE AND SENATE: There were no roll call votes in the House or Senate last week. This week, Beacon Hill Roll Call reports local representatives’ roll call attendance records for the 2025 session through August 15.

The House has held 72 roll calls so far in the 2025 session. Beacon Hill Roll Call tabulates the number of roll calls on which each representative voted and then calculates that number as a percentage of the total roll call votes held. That percentage is the number referred to as the roll call attendance record.

Oftentimes a representative is not able to attend only one or two sessions during which roll calls are held, but since there are sometimes multiple roll calls on each one of those days, the number of roll calls they missed can be high even though they only missed one or two sessions.

One hundred and seven (66.9 percent) out of 160 representatives did not miss any roll call votes and had a 100 precent roll call attendance record.

Fifty-three (33.1 percent) out of 160 representatives missed one or more roll call votes.

The representative who missed the most number of roll calls is Rep. John Lawn (D-Watertown) who missed 22 roll calls (69.4 percent roll call attendance record). Lawn did not respond to repeated requests from Beacon Hill Roll Call asking him why he missed so many roll call votes.

Rounding out the top 16 representatives who missed the most roll call votes are:

Reps. Nicholas Boldyga (R-Southwick) who missed 20 roll calls (72.2 percent roll call attendance record); Christopher Flanagan (D-Dennis), Chynah Tyler (D-Roxbury) and Judith Garcia (D-Chelsea) who each missed 19 roll calls (73.6 percent roll call attendance record.)

John Gaskey (R-Carver) who missed 17 roll calls (76.3 percent roll call attendance record); Patrick Kearney (D-Scituate) who missed 16 roll calls (77.7 percent roll call attendance record); and Mary Keefe (D-Worcester) and Tram Nguyen (D-Andover) who each missed 15 roll calls (79.1 percent roll call attendance record.)

James Murphy (D-Weymouth) and Alyson Sullivan-Almeida (R-Abington) who each missed 14 roll calls (80.5 percent roll call attendance record.)

Natalie Blais (D-Deerfield), Richard Haggerty (D-Woburn), Erika Uyterhoeven (D-Somerville), Susannah Whipps (I-Athol) and Kathleen LaNatra (D-Kingston) who each missed 11 roll calls (84.7 percent roll call attendance record.)

Beacon Hill Roll Call contacted all 16 representatives and asked them why they missed some roll calls.

Reps. John Lawn, Christopher Flanagan, Chynah Tyler, Patrick Kearney, Mary Keefe, Tram Nguyen, James Murphy, Alyson Sullivan-Almeida and Erika Uyterhoeven did not respond to repeated requests asking them to explain their absences.

Here are the representatives who responded:

Nicholas Boldyga: "A couple of days were missed due to health-related issues in my immediate family. My responsibilities as a father of three young children came first on those days. Unfortunately, unlike the Senate that allows for fully remote participation on all levels, House rules make it difficult to even vote remotely."

Judith Garcia: "I missed two days due to illness and two days on official business with the Chelsea delegation, participating in the National All-America City competition in Denver, Colorado, which Chelsea won. One of those four days included 13 roll calls, so it’s important for readers to know that multiple roll calls in a single day do not equal multiple absences."

John Gaskey: “[Thirteen roll calls] were on the same day. I was out of town and unavailable. [Three more roll calls] were on the same day [that I was] involved with a delicate constituent issue and chose not to attend, determining it was more important to assist constituents in need than to throw a ‘No’ vote at something I don’t think should be legal.”

Natalie Blais: “I was unable to be present in the House chamber for the sitting held on February 6, 2025, due to a family conflict … My missing of roll calls that day was due entirely to the reason stated.”

Richard Haggerty: “I missed a single day of voting this session on February 6, 2025, when I was unfortunately not able to attend a session due to a family commitment.”

Susannah Whipps: “The missed votes all pertained to the engrossment or amendments to one bill, H 57, a supplemental budget. I headed out to Boston early but turned around after observing the conditions of the road. Schools across my district were also closed that day - February 6, 2025. In the ten years prior, I had only missed one vote.”

Kathleen LaNatra: “I missed those roll call votes because my husband was in the hospital undergoing emergency brain surgery. While I take my responsibility to be present and vote very seriously, during that period my priority had to be with my family. I have since returned to full participation in the House’s work.”

REPRESENTATIVES' 2025 ROLL CALL ATTENDANCE RECORDS THROUGH AUGUST 15, 2025

Here are the 2025 roll call attendance records of local representatives through August 15.

The percentage listed next to the reprentative's name is the percentage of roll call votes on which the representative voted. The number in parentheses represents the number of roll calls that he or she missed.

Rep. Jeffrey Roy 100 percent (0)

ALSO UP ON BEACON HILL

LANDLORD MUST PAY REAL ESTATE BROKER’S FEE – A new law that took effect on August 1 requires landlords, instead of renters, to cover the cost of broker fees unless a renter is the one to hire the broker first. The law was part of the $60.9 billion fiscal 2026 that was signed by Gov. Maura Healey in July.

“This is about saving you money, thousands of dollars you can now spend on whatever you need or put it away for the future,” said Healey. “And this is just one way I’m lowering costs and getting after high housing prices.”

“Between first and last month’s rent, a security deposit and a broker’s fee — moving to a new apartment was breaking the bank for far too many Massachusetts residents,” said Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll.

ALCOHOL DONATIONS FOR CHARITIES (H 442) – The House gave initial approval to legislation that would allow local licensing authorities to issue temporary licenses to charities in order for the charities to accept donations of wine, beer and alcohol for their charitable events.

Supporters said these licenses were previously allowed under 1997 legislation but the authorization has since expired.

“Today, more than ever, nonprofits are in need of charitable donations to stay afloat,” said sponsor Rep. Joan Meschino (D-Hull). “This bill would allow for safe and regulated alcohol licensure for nonprofits in order to raise revenue at charity events by partnering with alcohol manufacturers.”

FIRST RESPONDERS MUST HAVE NARCAN AVAILABLE (S 1410) – The Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery will hold a hearing on September 15 on legislation that would require government entities to supply first responders with Narcan, also known by its generic name naloxone, or another opioid antagonist which is used as an emergency treatment used for the complete or partial reversal of an opioid overdose. The bill also incorporates existing Department of Public Health-regulated naloxone training into the first-aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation training first responders already undergo.

Sponsor Sen. Joan Lovely (D-Salem) said the bill would require the opioid antagonist to be carried either by the responder or in their emergency response vehicle, or both. “Delays in the administration of opioid antagonists can be deadly,” said Lovely. “We cannot be sure which category of first responder will be the first to arrive on the scene, and training and providing all first responders with opioid antagonists will ensure we are able to effectively treat overdoses and save lives."

LOWER COST OPTIONS FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS – Secretary of State Bill Galvin’s Citizen Information Service has compiled information about new financial aid programs available to Massachusetts students at public colleges and universities.

The new informational brochure, “Low and No Cost Options for Higher Education,” highlights several new programs available through the state’s public colleges. Detailed information is provided about the state’s free community college program, free tuition at state schools for lower income students and scholarships available for high-achieving community college students transferring to one of the UMass campuses.

“In the last few years, Massachusetts has created several new pathways to affordable learning, but students and their parents may not be aware of these options,” Galvin said. “This publication is meant to educate the public about grants and scholarships that may be available, to help alleviate the burden of student loans.”

More information and details are available at https://www.sec.state.ma.us/divisions/cis/education/low-no-cost-options…

$46 MILION FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING – The Healey Administration announced a package of $46 million for electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure to support the buildout of EV chargers across Massachusetts. Supporters said that the funding will help address gaps identified by the Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Coordinating Council, including the need for more chargers along secondary corridors and to support medium- and heavy-duty vehicles.

“We’re making it easier for everyone to get around as more Massachusetts residents choose to drive electric,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rebecca Tepper. “Not only are these vehicles fun to drive but they are typically less expensive to maintain than their gas- and diesel- powered counterparts. We are committed to building a cleaner environment and vibrant economy for everyone.”

“Expanding our robust network of public EV chargers will enable electrification of passenger vehicles as well as highly polluting medium- and heavy-duty vans and trucks,” said Mass Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) Commissioner Bonnie Heiple. “This funding allows MassDEP to cut air and noise pollution in communities across the state — driving real change for a healthier Massachusetts.”

QUOTABLE QUOTES

“Massachusetts has over 25,000 culverts, most of which are undersized. By replacing these outdated culverts with larger, safer structures, we can better prepare our communities for severe weather. Investing in these projects now will save our cities and towns money on disaster recovery in the future.”

--- Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rebecca Tepper announcing $2.9 million in grants to support ecological restoration projects across Massachusetts to strengthen resilience against extreme weather events, improve water quality, reduce flood risk and restore crucial wildlife habitat.

“Our audit identified a number of issues that undermine and negatively impact the Cannabis Control Commission’s mission to equitably and effectively oversee the cannabis industry in Massachusetts. Our team appreciates the commission’s cooperation throughout this audit, which serves to identify areas for needed improvements to better serve the residents of the commonwealth. We encourage the Cannabis Control Commission to adopt our office’s recommendations for improvement and will be revisiting the commission’s progress in roughly six months as part of our post-audit review.”

---Auditor Diana DiZoglio upon releasing an audit of the Cannabis Control Commission (CCC) -- the independent agency responsible for developing and enforcing regulations over the marijuana industry in Massachusetts. Among the audit’s findings is that the CCC’s mismanagement of prorated fees for license extensions resulted in revenue loss, procedural inequity, noncompliance with state regulations and the appearance of potential favoritism and/or impropriety with respect to some being required to pay fees, while others inexplicably did not need to do so.

“Massachusetts is narrowing the digital divide by working with communities to deliver digital training and education services to residents statewide. The Municipal Implementation Program offers a road map to local leaders through a planning exercise and puts dollars on the table to implement the communities’ top priorities to close the digital divide.”

--- Massachusetts Interim Economic Development Secretary Ashley Stolba announcing $555,747 in grants as part of the Municipal Digital Equity Implementation Program designed to support a broad range of activities across the state including expanding digital literacy instruction, digital education and access, digital navigation services, laptop and tablet distribution and public Wi-Fi networks.

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 August 11-15, the House met for a total of 26 minutes and the Senate met for a total of 27 minutes.

Mon. August 11 House 11:01 a.m. to 11:12 a.m.

Senate 11:12 a.m. to 11:31 a.m.

Tues. August 12 No House session

No Senate session

Wed. August 13 No House session

No Senate session

Thurs. August 14 House 11:00 a.m. to 11:15 a.m.

Senate 11:01 a.m. to 11:09 a.m.

Fri. August 15 No House session

No Senate session.

Bob Katzen welcomes feedback at bob@beaconhillrollcall.com