12-28-2025 4:47am

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 52

December 22-26, 2025

By Bob Katzen

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THE HOUSE AND SENATE: There were no roll calls in the House and Senate last week.

This week, Beacon Hill Roll Call reports on the number of times each senator sided with Gov. Maura Healey on her 15 vetoes of state budget items in the 2025 legislative session.

In the current 39-member Senate, a two-thirds vote is required to override a gubernatorial veto. That means the governor needs the support of 14 senators to sustain a veto.

Healey fell far short of that goal as five votes was the most support she received on any veto. The Senate easily overrode all 15 vetoes, including eight that were overridden unanimously.

None of the 33 Democrats ever sided with Healey to support/sustain a single veto.

All five Republicans sided with Democratic Gov. Healey to support/sustain a veto at least once. Sen. Ryan Fattman (R-Sutton) supported Healey seven times – the most times of any Republican. Sen. Kelly Dooner (R-Taunton) supported Healey five times; Sens. Peter Durant (R-Spencer) and Bruce Tarr (R-Gloucester) each supported Healey three times; and Sen. Patrick O'Connor (R-Weymouth) supported Healey only once.

PERCENTAGE OF TIME SENATORS VOTED TO SUPPORT GOV. HEALEY’S 15 BUDGET VETOES

The percentage is the percentage of times that the senators supported Gov. Healey’s 15 vetoes. The number in parentheses is the number of times the senator supported her vetoes.

Sen. Rebecca Rausch 0 percent (0) Sen. Karen Spilka President rarely votes

ALSO UP ON BEACON HILL

TAX RELIEF FOR PERSONAL CARE ATTENDANTS (PCAs) – Gov. Healey announced that an estimated 18,000 of the state’s 60,000 of live-in PCAs who take care of MassHealth members will no longer pay state or federal income taxes on their wages, under a new IRS ruling that was sought by the Healey administration. PCAs are health care professionals who help people with disabilities keep their independence by aiding with activities of daily living, such as bathing and dressing. The exemption, projected to save a PCA $5,000 or more per year in taxes, applies only to PCAs who live in the same household as the individual receiving the care.

Under the ruling, income earned by live-in workers qualifies as "difficulty of care" payments, a federal tax law classification that excludes certain caregiving wages from taxable income. Because the Bay State generally follows federal income tax definitions, the payments would also be exempt from the state’s 5 percent income tax.

“We are working every day to identify ways to make life more affordable for the people of Massachusetts,” said Gov. Healey. “Personal Care Attendants do incredibly challenging work to care for the most vulnerable among us, and they shouldn’t have to also worry about being able to afford to meet their own basic needs.”

Justin Graceffa, PCA Workforce Council Vice Chair said, “As a longtime consumer-employer and vice chair of the PCA Workforce Council, I have seen firsthand how hard PCAs work and how dedicated they are to the people they support. Even though they do amazing work, PCAs are often overlooked and underpaid. This tax break will help address that issue and allow PCAs to continue providing high-quality care.”

“During an affordability crisis in our country, our administration is exploring every action we can take to ease financial burdens on Massachusetts residents and support critical segments of our workforce,” said Secretary of Health and Human Services Kiame Mahaniah. “This exemption brings substantial tax relief for trained live-in friends and family members who are providing crucial health care services for MassHealth members with disabilities.”

TUSKEGEE AIRMEN COMMEMORATION (H 3306) - The House approved and sent to the Senate a bill that would establish the fourth Thursday in March as Tuskegee Airmen Commemoration Day “in recognition of the service and sacrifice during World War II of the Black pilots, bombardiers, navigators, flight surgeons, nurses, mechanics, instructors, crewmembers and all support personnel who changed the course of history.”

Chief sponsor Rep. Michelle Ciccolo (D-Lexington) said that these heroes embodied excellence while facing persistent segregation and discrimination. “This history is in danger of being erased by the federal government, with references to the Tuskegee Airmen being removed from Air Force basic training materials until public outcry saw the materials restored,” said Ciccolo. “Massachusetts should join our fellow states in committing to recognizing and remembering this history and legacy of excellence.”

“I cosponsored this bill to honor the Tuskegee Airmen, the first Black military pilots, to remind generations they represent courage, excellence and the fight for equality in U.S. history,” said co-sponsor Rep. Rodney Elliott (D-Lowell). “At the time, segregation and racism were common, and many people wrongly believed Black Americans couldn’t be effective pilots. They broke racial barriers and proved that Black Americans could be effective pilots, even in the face of injustice. To me they serve as role models for leadership, service and resilience and we owe the Airmen a debt of gratitude for their service.”

5 POSSIBLE BALLOT QUESTIONS FOR NOVEMBER 2026 ELECTION CLEAR ANOTHER HURDLE – Secretary of State Bill Galvin announced that petitions for five potential ballot questions have been determined to contain the 74,754 certified signatures needed to advance another step toward going on the November 2026 ballot for voters to decide.

The proposed laws that were certified and the numbers of certified signatures are:

Allow prospective voters to register and cast a ballot in a single trip to the polls on Election Day (87,408). Current law does not allow same-day registration.

Impose rent control by establishing a limit on any annual rent increase -- capping the increase to an amount not to exceed the annual increase in the Consumer Price Index or 5 percent, whichever is lower (88,132).

Reduce the personal income tax rate from 5 percent to 4 percent over a three-year period (86,970).

Repeal the laws that legalize, regulate and tax the retail sale of adult recreational use marijuana in Massachusetts. (78,301).

Implement All-Party State Primaries that would eliminate political party primaries for state elections and instead establish a system where there would be a single, all-party primary in which all candidates, regardless of their party affiliation, would be listed on one ballot, and voters could vote for any candidate on the ballot. The two candidates receiving the most votes in the primary would advance to the general election ballot (79,032).

The proposals will be sent by the secretary of state to the Legislature by January 7, 2026 and if not approved by the Legislature by May 6, 2026, proponents must gather another 12,429 signatures by July 1, 2026, in order for the question to appear on the November 2026 ballot.

Five additional proposals are being reviewed to see if they contain sufficient signatures.

QUOTABLE QUOTES

"I'm a no, because if you look at the studies — if you look at the studies, you effectively halt production. I will tell you that investors in housing have already pulled out of Massachusetts because they're concerned about rent control.”

---Gov. Healey on her opposition to a possible 2026 ballot question that would impose rent control by establishing a limit on any annual rent increase -- capping the increase to an amount not to exceed the annual increase in the Consumer Price Index or 5 percent, whichever is lower.

“Measles is a highly contagious, airborne disease, which has increased significantly in the United States because of the unfortunate decrease in vaccination rates. It is also a preventable disease.”

---Public Health Commissioner Robbie Goldstein, announcing that an out-of-state adult visitor who spent time in Boston and Westborough earlier this month was diagnosed with measles and was present in a number of locations possibly resulting in other people being exposed to the measles virus.

"Outdoor recreation should be for everyone—regardless of age, ability, or access. Nature is a wonderful place where people can come together, whether they're seasoned adventurers or just starting out. By investing in community events and programs, we're removing barriers that keep people from enjoying the outdoors and discovering new experiences.”

---Paul Jahnige, director of the Massachusetts Office of Outdoor Recreation, announcing nearly $190,000 in grants to support equitable access to outdoor recreation events for low-income residents, communities of color and people living with disabilities.

“This law means peace of mind for the officers who have already paid a heavy price in service to their communities. This law strengthens the safety net for the men and women who run toward danger. It reflects the voices of injured officers and families who fought for years to be seen and supported.”

---Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll on a recently approved new law that enhances protections for state law enforcement officers who suffer catastrophic injuries due to an act of violence while in the line of duty and ensures that injured state police officers receive the same disability and retirement benefits as other first responders.

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 December 22-26, the House met for a total of 26 minutes and the Senate met for a total of 29 minutes.

Mon. Dec. 22 House 11:01 a.m. to 11:08 a.m.

Senate 11:13 a.m. to 11:20 a.m.

Tues. Dec. 23 No House session.

No Senate session.

Wed. Dec. 24 House 11:01 a.m. to 11:20 a.m.

Senate 11:34 a.m. to 11:56 a.m.

Thurs. Dec. 25 No House session.

No Senate session.

Fri. Dec. 26 No House session.

No Senate session.

Bob Katzen welcomes feedback at bob@beaconhillrollcall.com