5-04-2026 4:48am

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 51 - Report No. 18

April 27-May 1, 2026

By Bob Katzen

GET A FREE SUBSCRIPTION TO MASSTERLIST – Join more than 30,000 people, from movers and shakers to political junkies and interested citizens, who start their weekday and Saturday mornings with MASSterList—the popular newsletter that chronicles news and informed analysis about what’s going on up on Beacon Hill, in Massachusetts politics, policy, media and influence. The stories are drawn from major news organizations as well as specialized publications.

MASSterList will be e-mailed to you FREE every Monday through Saturday morning and will give you a leg up on what’s happening in the blood sport of Bay State politics. For more information and to get your free subscription, go to: www.massterlist.com

THE HOUSE AND SENATE: Beacon Hill Roll Call records local representatives’ votes on roll calls from the week of April 27-May 1. All roll calls in the House were on matters relating to House passage of a $63.41 billion fiscal 2027 state budget. There were no roll calls in the Senate last week.

Most votes were strictly along party lines with most Republicans supporting the various tax cuts and other amendments, and most Democrats opposing them.

A LOOK BEHIND THE SCENES OF THE "MAKING OF THE BUDGET"

Most of the decisions on which representatives' amendments are included or not included in the budget are made behind closed doors. Of the more than 1,700 budget amendments proposed last week, most of them were bundled into consolidated “mega” amendments. This year there were seven mega amendments and all were easily approved on roll call votes.

The system works as follows: Individual representatives file amendments on various topics. All members then pitch their amendments to Democratic leaders who draft consolidated amendments that include some of the individual representatives’ amendments while excluding others.

The categories of consolidated amendments include many subjects including programs relating to public safety, judiciary, energy, environmental affairs, housing, labor and economic development.

Supporters of the system say that any representative who sponsored an excluded amendment can bring it to the floor and ask for an up or down vote on the amendment itself. They say this system has worked well for many years.

Opponents say that too much is decided behind closed doors without debate and noted that most individual amendments that are brought to the floor are defeated.

HOUSE APPROVES $63.41 BILLION FISCAL 2027 STATE BUDGET (H 5500)

House 149-9, approved and sent to the Senate a $63.41 billion fiscal 2027 state budget after three days of debate. The House version now goes to the Senate which will approve its own version. A House-Senate conference committee will eventually craft a compromise plan that will be presented to the House and Senate for consideration and then sent to Gov. Maura Healey.

“As a result of the Trump Administration’s sweeping federal funding cuts and reckless trade war, as well as two proposed ballot questions that seek to cut the commonwealth’s revenues by more than $5 billion annually, this budget has come during a period of significant economic uncertainty,” said House Speaker Ron Mariano. “That’s why I’m incredibly proud of the investments that this budget makes despite those challenges, from funding for free school meals and for the final year of the Student Opportunity Act, to robust support for the MBTA, to nearly $10 billion for cities and towns across the commonwealth.”

“This budget builds off the successes of the last few years by prioritizing our constituents,” said Rep. Aaron Michlewitz (D-Boston), chair of the House Committee on Ways and Means. “Whether it is greater investments into programs like housing stability, public transportation or early education, these initiatives are a reflection of our shared values. By reinvesting in the people of the commonwealth, we will continue to make our economy more competitive and equitable for years to come.”

“[This is] a strong, responsive budget that both serves the needs of our constituents and continues to address the commonwealth's initiatives for competitiveness and statewide excellence,” said Rep. Kip Diggs (D-Barnstable), assistant vice chair of the House Committee on Ways and Means.

“The budget is all wrong,” said Rep. John Gaskey (R-Carver). "Communities should be the first thing funded behind roads and other infrastructure. School funding needs to be reimagined. We need to work on cutting taxes and energy costs and returning that money back to citizens and communities. Democrats rejected multiple amendments that would move a little back to communities and eventually a little adds up to a lot and before we know it, everyone is fully funded, bills are lower and people have more money in their pockets, spending more and the state revenues climb, all by asking for less.

"The Massachusetts House budget is the largest in state history,” said Paul Craney, executive director of the Mass Fiscal Alliance. “It includes no reforms to the state's welfare system, which is spending $1 out of every $4 state dollars on welfare benefits, nor does it include any tax cuts, which were offered as budget amendments. In fact, it doesn't even address the concern that local aid in Massachusetts is now below the national average levels. State spending has become incredibly reckless and irresponsible, hurting local towns and cities with below national average local aid, and saddling taxpayers with obligations we cannot afford. The House leaders who pushed this state budget are not concerned with the taxpayers, just like they are not concerned with following the audit law that was passed by the voters."

(A “Yes” vote is for the $63.41 billion budget. A “No” vote is against it.)

Rep. Jeffrey Roy Yes

LOWER SALES TAX FROM 6.25 PERCENT TO 5 PERCENT (H 5500)

House 25-131, rejected an amendment that would reduce the state’s current 6.25 percent sales tax to 5 percent.

Amendment supporters said that this reduction will save consumers millions of dollars. They argued this is a reasonable way to provide relief to taxpayers who are suffering during these tough economic times, including the excessive cost of gas, groceries and so many other things.

Amendment opponents said that the reduction will cost the state up to $2 billion in revenue and result in reduced local aid and/or cuts in programs that help millions of Bay Staters.

(A “Yes” vote is for the amendment reducing the sales tax to 5 percent. A “No” vote is against reducing it.)

Rep. Jeffrey Roy No

EXEMPT OVERTIME WAGES FROM INCOME TAX (H 5500)

House 25-132, rejected an amendment that would exempt a worker’s hourly overtime wages from the state’s income tax. The exemption would not apply to salaried employees.

Amendment sponsor Rep. Marc Lombardo (R-Billerica) said if workers are willing to put in the extra time, take those additional shifts and work harder to support their families, they should reap the benefits and not be punished with taxes. He noted that overtime, often the difference between getting by and getting ahead, creates a real incentive for workers to step up and for businesses to meet their demands without adding a new bureaucracy or mandates.

Rep. Adrian Madaro opposed the amendment and said this exemption is untested, unsupported and would be unwise to implement. He noted that an identical bill received no support testimony at a public hearing.

(A “Yes” vote is for the amendment exempting a worker’s hourly overtime wages from the state’s income tax. A “No” vote is against exempting it.)

Rep. Jeffrey Roy No

EXEMPT TIPS FROM INCOME TAX (H 5500)

House 25-132, rejected an amendment that would exempt up to $25,000 of a worker’s tips from the state’s income tax.

Amendment sponsor Rep. Nick Boldyga (R-Southwick) said the amendment would provide meaningful tax relief to service industry workers at a time when costs are rising. He noted that these workers who serve our restaurants, our hotels, our hospitality businesses and deliver groceries often rely heavily on tips to support themselves and their families.

Rep. Adrian Madaro opposed the amendment and said it irresponsibly proposes hefty deductions for tips, mirroring a part of President Trump’s One “Big Beautiful Bill” and puts Massachusetts in lockstep with a shortsighted and fiscally irresponsible federal administration. He noted a separate similar bill pending in the Legislature has not received any support.

(A “Yes” vote is for the amendment exempting up to $25,000 of a worker’s tips from the state’s income tax. A “No” vote is against exempting them.)

Rep. Jeffrey Roy No

EXEMPT RETIREMENT INCOME FROM INCOME TAX (H 5500)

House 25-132, rejected an amendment that would exempt retirement income of seniors aged 69.5 and older from the current 5 percent tax on it.

Amendment sponsor Rep. Nick Boldyga (R-Southwick) said the cost of living is soaring and that the amendment would strengthen retirement income security for senior citizens. He noted that these seniors have worked for decades and saved as much as they can.

Rep. Adrian Madaro opposed the amendment and said it unfairly attempts to bypass the legislative process by proposing massive tax code changes as a budget amendment without public hearings and rigorous stakeholder engagement and review. He noted that the state’s current flat 5 percent tax on retirement income is modest in comparison to other states.

(A “Yes” vote is for the amendment exempting retirement income from the current 5 percent tax. A “No” vote is against exempting it.)

Rep. Jeffrey Roy No

TAX AMNESTY (H 5500)

House 27-129, rejected an amendment that would authorize cities and towns to conduct a municipal tax amnesty program over a two-month period, as determined by the local legislative body, any time prior to June 30, 2029. It specifically authorizes communities to waive any or all penalties, fees, charges and accrued interest if the original overdue tax assessment is paid in full.

“Many cities and towns are struggling to balance their budgets and still maintain essential services,” said amendment sponsor Rep. Brad Jones (R-North Reading). “Previous statewide tax amnesties offered by the Department of Revenue have proven to be highly successful, and that allowing municipalities to utilize their own amnesty program will give them a proven collection tool to recover back taxes that can help pay for critical local services.”

Rep. Madaro opposed the amendment and said that we all want to offer tax relief, but we need to do so without unintended consequences. He noted legislators need more time to consider the proposal which should be vetted through the legislative process including public hearings.

(A “Yes” vote is for the amendment authorizing cities and towns to conduct a municipal tax amnesty program. A “No” vote is against allowing it.)

Rep. Jeffrey Roy No

REQUIRE VOTER ID TO VOTE (H 5500)

House 27-131, rejected an amendment that would require voters to present a valid government-issued photo identification in order to vote, including a Massachusetts driver’s license or state identification card issued by the Registry of Motor Vehicles; a United States passport; a United States military identification card; a Massachusetts-issued firearm identification card; or any other federal or state government-issued identification card that includes a photograph of the voter.

Amendment sponsor Rep. Marc Lombardo, noting that 36 other states require an ID to vote, said the amendment would strengthen the integrity of our elections while guaranteeing fairness and access for every eligible voter. He noted that a key provision, ensuring voters would not have to pay for an ID, requires the Massachusetts secretary of state to provide a photo ID at no cost to any registered voter who files an affidavit requesting one.

Rep. Daniel Hunt (D-Boston) opposed the amendment and said similar bills have come before the Election Laws Committee and have had zero support while there was a significant amount of testimony opposing them. He noted that there is virtually no evidence of fraud in our elections and argued the amendment would cause undue delays.

(A “Yes” vote is for the amendment requiring voters to present an ID in order to vote. A “No” vote is against requiring it.)

Rep. Jeffrey Roy No

REDIRECT $10 MILLION FOR FREE PRISONER CALLS TO INSTEAD FUND LOCAL AID FOR CITIES AND TOWNS (H 5500)

House 26-130, rejected an amendment that would delete a section of the budget that provides $10 million to fund the No-Cost Calls Law that provides unlimited phone calls for inmates at county and state correctional facilities, and would redirect the $10 million to support unrestricted local aid for cities and towns.

“The Unrestricted General Government Aid (UGGA) account in the budget is only $10 million more than the current funding level and is $23 million less than what Gov. Maura Healey has proposed,” said amendment sponsor Rep. Brad Jones (R-North Reading). “The UGGA line item provides an important revenue source for helping communities fund non-education programs and services, including police and firefighters, but it has failed to keep pace with inflation. This amendment would take funding that is already earmarked in the budget for the controversial unlimited no cost calls for prisoners program and instead divert it to much better use to support essential local services in our communities.”

Opponents said that the No-Cost Calls Law works because when prisoners are able to communicate with their families and friends, the result is better success rates and less recidivism. They argued that this $10 million is wisely spent on this program and means the state would be able to spend less money on its criminal justice system.

(A “Yes” vote is for redirecting the $10 million to fund unlimited phone calls to instead fund $10 million in unrestricted local aid for cities and towns. A “No” vote is against redirecting and favors keeping the $10 million funding for the No-Cost Calls Law.)

Rep. Jeffrey Roy No

MUST BE A CITIZEN TO GET HOUSING AID (H 5050)

House 26-132, rejected an amendment that would require the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities to verify the United States citizenship of each applicant for any HomeBASE benefit and to deny the benefit to any applicant who fails to provide satisfactory evidence of citizenship. HomeBASE is a state-funded program that provides up to $30,000 over a 2-year period to help homeless families in the Emergency Assistance system secure stable housing, by covering rent, deposits, utilities, furniture and some moving expenses.

“This amendment reflects a straightforward effort to ensure that limited taxpayer-funded housing resources are directed to individuals who are lawfully eligible to receive them,” said amendment sponsor Rep. Ken Sweezey (R-Duxbury). “At a time when Massachusetts continues to face a significant strain on its shelter system—including the shifting of thousands of families between programs—it is both fiscally responsible and appropriate to establish clearer eligibility standards. This reform represents a commonsense step toward controlling costs and protecting local aid for cities and towns.”

Rep. Alice Peisch (D-Wellesley) opposed the amendment and said it would result in legal residents being prohibited from participating in this program which is one of the best ways we have to lead to more permanent housing and to help residents. She said the amendment would lead to women and children sleeping in tents.

(A “Yes” vote is for the amendment denying the housing benefit unless the applicant can provide satisfactory evidence of citizenship. A "No" vote is against the amendment and favors not requiring an applicant to prove U.S. citizenship.)

Rep. Jeffrey Roy No

INCREASE LOCAL AID BY 10 PERCENT (H 5500)

House 25-113, rejected an amendment that would increase unrestricted local aid to cities and towns by 133,310,951 (10 percent) from $1,333,109,519 to 1,466,420,470.

Amendment sponsor Rep. Alyson Sullivan-Almeida (R-Abington) said many of our local cities and towns are sounding the alarm because they are facing a budget crisis with local budgets soaring while the promises for funding from the state are only at a 4 percent increase. She noted that costs are rising for education, public safety, transportation, health care and basic needs, but the state support has not kept pace. As a result, she said we are seeing a sharp increase in local override requests. These overrides are not happening because our communities want to raise taxes. They're happening because they feel that they have no other options.

Rep. Jack Lewis (D-Framingham) opposed the amendment and said that while further increasing unrestricted aid to our communities may be a tempting prospect, it is important to note that the budget already increases local aid over last year's final budget and over the governor's proposed budget, and it does so in a deliberate, responsible and targeted way. He noted that this amendment ignores the broader fiscal realities of our state budget and treats this single amendment as if it exists in isolation, ignoring the other local line items with substantial increases in local aid this year.

(A “Yes” vote is for increasing unrestricted local aid for cities and towns by 133,310,951. A “No” vote is against increasing it.)

Rep. Jeffrey Roy No

LOWER INCOME TAX FROM 5 PERCENT TO 4 PERCENT (H 5500)

House 25-132, rejected an amendment that would reduce the state’s income tax rate from 5 percent to 4 percent.

Amendment sponsor Rep. Marc Lombardo said that this is another attempt to make the state more affordable and more competitive. He noted that too many residents, including working families and seniors on fixed incomes, are feeling the pressure of rising costs, and businesses and residents are fleeing Massachusetts.

Rep. David Linsky (D-Natick) said that he recognizes that this amendment would lower the state tax rate for personal taxable income and thus lower tax costs, but noted “it must not go unsaid that such cuts would disproportionately benefit the ultra-wealthy while forcing the commonwealth to cut the programs that our communities rely on to survive." Linsky continued, “The implementation [of the reduction] would result in a $5.1 billion revenue loss to the commonwealth, a loss that would force severe cuts to the resources our residents depend on: our public schools, our police and fire departments, our hospitals and nursing homes, and all in the immediate aftermath of the Trump administration’s reduction in state funding. As such, this would be a deeply irresponsible step for us to take.”

(A “Yes” vote is for the amendment reducing the income tax to 4 percent. A “No” vote is against reducing it.)

Rep. Jeffrey Roy No

ALSO UP ON BEACON HILL

BILL RUSSELL AND BOB COUSY HIGHWAY (H 3727) – The House, on a voice vote without a roll call, approved a new version of legislation that would name the portion of the Massachusetts Turnpike between Boston and Auburn, “The Bill Russell and Bob Cousy Highway.”

“I believe we should pay homage to celebrated Boston Celtics teammates and NBA champions, Bob Cousy and the late Bill Russell, who were not only exceptional athletes who brought many championships home to Boston, but who were also two great pillars of our community here in the commonwealth,” said sponsor Rep. David Linsky.

Linsky continued, “Bill Russell, as the first black coach in the NBA, was a frequent target of racially motivated harassment and abuse. Even as he received death threats and hate crimes from his own fan base, he courageously continued to pioneer player activism. Russell marched alongside civil rights leaders such as Martin Luther King, Jr. and Medgar Evans and continued to fight for civil rights his entire life. Bob Cousy was also much more than a basketball player. He played a tremendous role in organizing the first player’s union in the NBA which helped kickstart a new era of player empowerment in sports. Russell and Cousy both risked their careers and their lives to fight for what they believed in, and we should continue to honor them for their incredible work for our community.”

SKY BAR CANDY (HD 5583) – A bill before the House Rules Committee would make the candy Sky Bar the official chocolate bar in Massachusetts.

“Sky Bar has been a great chocolate candy bar for generations,” said sponsor Rep. Carmine Gentile (D-Sudbury). “I enjoyed it growing up. It was a favorite of mine. After its previous manufacturer closed down years ago, I was delighted to celebrate its rebirth at Duck Soup in Sudbury by filing legislation to recognize it as the commonwealth’s official chocolate bar.”

Gentile promoted the bill to House members in a unique way – by placing a Sky Bar on each member’s desk before last week’s Monday session began. Gentile noted, “I distributed the Sky Bars before the session without other members present in the House chamber. After the session began, I informed the speaker’s staff that I had to leave to go to the ER at Brigham where I remained until late evening voting remotely. When I returned to the House the next day, many members thanked me.”

MAKE ASPARAGUS THE OFFICIAL STATE VEGETABLE (S 3073) – Another effort to make “something” the official state “something” is also underway.

The House sent a bill, sponsored by Sen. Jo Comerford (D-Northampton) and Rep. Homar Gomez (D-Easthampton) to the State Administration and Regulatory Oversight Committee. It was requested by some third-grade students at Hadley Elementary School.

“It kind of started by us asking what our state vegetable was, and we really didn’t have one,” said 8-year-old student James Rathbun. “We thought that was interesting, and it would be cool to invite the senator and representative to the class and ask them to make a bill.”

According to the students, back in the 1950s and 1960s, almost 100 percent of asparagus grown in the Bay State came from fields in Hadley, unofficially making the town the asparagus capital of the world.

“I filed this bill because Western Massachusetts should be more visibly represented across the commonwealth, and there’s no better way to do that than through our amazing farms,” said Rep. Gomez. “The work the children did truly made this a no-brainer for me.”

“When a classroom filled with passionate third graders advocating for asparagus to become the official state vegetable, I listen closely,” said Sen. Comerford. “It was inspiring to meet with these students at Hadley Elementary School as they shared the history and regional significance of asparagus — also known as Hadley Grass. I am grateful to these young people for reminding us how democracy works.”

AG CAMPBELL SECURES $5 MILLION SETTLEMENT FOR UNFAIR AND DECEPTIVE SALES AND ADMINISTRATION OF HEALTH PLANS - Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell announced that her office has reached a $5 million settlement with Adroit Health Group LLC, a Texas-based private health insurance agency that sold plans to thousands of Massachusetts consumers beginning in 2016.

The settlement resolves allegations that the company used deceptive and unfair business practices to sell supplemental health insurance products and non-insurance health programs that failed to meet state and federal requirements.

Under the terms of the consent judgement entered by the Suffolk Superior Court, Adroit will pay $5 million to the state which will then distribute some of it as restitution to Massachusetts consumers who purchased plans through Adroit. Once payment is received from Adroit, the Attorney General’s Office will determine the best way to return money to impacted consumers and will contact consumers with more information about refunds.

In addition, Adroit is permanently barred from selling, offering or administering any health insurance policy or non-insurance health program to Bay State residents.

$1.9 MILLION FOR LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENTS TO DELIVER LIFE SAFETY EDUCATION TO CHILDREN AND OLDER ADULTS – The Healey Administration announced $1.9 million in grants that will help 229 local fire departments deliver vital life safety education to school-aged children and older adults. The grants are for two longstanding fire safety programs coordinated by the Massachusetts Department of Fire Services. The Student Awareness of Fire Education (SAFE) program sends firefighter-educators into schools to deliver clear, consistent lessons to young people. The senior adult program is geared toward older adults and delivered through senior centers, councils on aging and home visits.

“No family should have to experience the tragedy of a preventable fire,” said Gov. Maura Healey. “That’s why we’re making sure kids, families and older adults across Massachusetts have the knowledge and support they need to stay safe at home — working with the firefighters they know and trust. We’re proud to deliver this support to nearly 230 communities and help protect families across our state.”

“We know that education and prevention save lives,” said Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll. “The SAFE program has helped drive down child fire deaths for decades, and we’re building on that success by reaching more families and older adults across Massachusetts. This is how we prevent tragedies and keep our communities safe.”

“Older adults face the highest risk of fire-related injury or death in the home,” said Public Safety and Security Secretary Gina Kwon. “The senior grants help firefighters reach residents with critical fire and fall prevention education, smoke and carbon monoxide alarm installations and home safety assessments that save lives and help make communities safer across Massachusetts.”

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 27-May 1, the House met for a total of 27 hours and 19 minutes and the Senate met for a total of four hours and 49 minutes.

Mon. April 27 House 11:00 a.m. to 8:22 p.m.

Senate 11:16 a.m. to 12:07 p.m.

Tues. April 28 House 11:00 a.m. to 8:33 p.m.

No Senate session.

Wed. April 29 House 11:01 a.m. to 7:10 p.m.

No Senate session.

Thurs. April 30 House 11:00 a.m. to 11:15 a.m.

Senate 11:15 a.m. to 3:13 p.m.

Fri. May 1 No House session.

No Senate session.

Bob Katzen welcomes feedback at bob@beaconhillrollcall.com