7-12-2026 4:27am

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. 28

July 6-10, 2026

By Bob Katzen

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THE HOUSE AND SENATE: Beacon Hill Roll Call reports local representatives' and senators' votes on roll calls from the week of July 6-10.

$561 MILLION ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PACKAGE (H 5562)

House 148-2, approved and sent to the Senate a $561 million economic development bond bill that supporters say will strengthen key innovation sectors, support small businesses, expand housing opportunities and position the state for long-term economic growth and competitiveness. They note that the measure makes targeted updates across dozens of state programs to improve efficiency, encourage investment, reduce barriers to economic development and better prepare Massachusetts for emerging industries and workforce needs.

A controversial section of the bill would create a local option allowing municipalities to adopt a local tenant right of first refusal for the sale of multifamily residential properties, giving tenants the opportunity to purchase their building after receiving notice of the owner's intent to sell. This provision is based on a separate proposed law, known as the Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act (TOPA), which has been debated for years.

Provisions of the package include authorizing cities and towns to adopt commercial conversion zoning to transform underutilized commercial properties into housing and mixed-use developments through streamlined local approvals; allowing multifamily housing on qualifying land of less than four acres owned by religious institutions and mandating that 20 percent of the units be affordable; lowering the filing fee for a new limited liability company (LLC) from $500 to $100; establishing safety standards and operational rules for personal transportation devices such as motorized bicycles; extending the period during which taxpayers may claim the Massachusetts film tax credit from 12 months to 24 months; and creating a tax credit program to encourage digital game development in the Bay State.

The $561 million includes $100 million to strengthen the state’s defense leadership and accelerate the development of cutting-edge national security solutions; $75 million to support AI tools, infrastructure and emerging technologies; $25 million to support downtown revitalization through capital funding for infrastructure and public spaces; $20 million in capital funding to invest in sites designed to attract international companies to Massachusetts; and $20 million for the veterans supported housing initiative program

“This legislation will bolster the commonwealth’s competitiveness by expanding the housing supply, by safeguarding critical institutions and jobs, by attracting new investments and by positioning Massachusetts for long-term economic success,” said House Speaker Ron Mariano (D-Quincy). “As the commonwealth continues to navigate a housing crisis, the reforms in this legislation will help to increase housing production – a prerequisite for bringing costs down.”

“This well-rounded economic development package makes significant, targeted investments into major sectors of the commonwealth’s economy,” said Rep. Aaron Michlewitz (D-Boston), the chair of the House Committee on Ways and Means. “By advancing this legislation, we will be helping our small businesses cope with an ever-changing economic picture, while also making key advances for housing developments and protections across the commonwealth.”

“This legislation reflects Massachusetts' commitment to building an economy that is innovative, competitive and inclusive,” said Rep. Carole Fiola (D-Fall River), House chair of the Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies. “By investing in housing, supporting entrepreneurs and small businesses, strengthening our innovation ecosystem, and preparing for emerging industries like artificial intelligence, AgTech, and the defense sector, we are making strategic investments that will create jobs and expand opportunity across every region of the commonwealth. Just as importantly, this bill gives our cities and towns new tools to address local challenges, helps safeguard our economy against federal uncertainty and ensures Massachusetts remains the best place to start a business, grow a company and bring new ideas to market."

“I am concerned, among other things, that the TOPA component of this legislation will have a severely detrimental impact on small property owners,” said Rep. Dave DeCoste (R-Norwell), one of only two members who voted against the bill. “I believe TOPA will diminish the value of existing properties and discourage potential investors from buying existing properties or building new multi-family homes.”

Rep. Ken Sweezey (R-Duxbury), the only other legislator to vote against the bill, did not respond to repeated attempts by Beacon Hill Roll Call asking him why he opposed the measure.

“The spending package does nothing to cut taxes, lower costs or make Massachusetts more competitive with states like New Hampshire, Florida, Texas and North Carolina,” said Paul Craney, executive director of the Mass Fiscal Alliance which opposed the bill. “Massachusetts cannot spend its way to economic competitiveness. Rather than reducing the tax burden on residents, employers and small businesses, the bill relies on more borrowing, diverting funds to create new programs and government-directed spending while avoiding the broad-based tax relief Massachusetts needs.”

“Businesses do not choose where to locate based on another grant program coming out of Beacon Hill,” continued Craney. “They look at the overall cost of doing business, the tax climate, the regulatory environment and whether a state is committed to long-term economic growth. Massachusetts continues to fall behind because lawmakers refuse to tackle those fundamentals. If Massachusetts wants to compete for jobs and investment, the answer is not another spending package,” said Craney. “The answer is making the commonwealth a more affordable place to live, work, invest and start a business. Until Beacon Hill embraces meaningful broad based tax relief and begins to hit the brakes on the growth of our state government, Massachusetts will continue losing ground to states with lower taxes and a stronger commitment to economic growth.”

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

Rep. Jeffrey Roy Yes

CONSOLIDATED AMENDMENT (H 5562)

House 145-6, approved a lengthy amendment that consolidated 29 amendments into one. The consolidated amendment includes the controversial section that allows cities and towns to adopt a local tenant right of first refusal for the sale of multifamily residential properties, giving tenants the opportunity to purchase their building after receiving notice of the owner's intent to sell.

"I was proud to support the consolidated amendment because it directly advances critical initiatives to address our housing challenges and increase much-needed housing stock across the commonwealth," said Rep. Richard Haggerty (D-Woburn), Chairman of the Committee on Housing. "Converting underutilized commercial properties into new housing and streamlining local zoning and permitting are some of the key reforms that provide our communities the tools they need to expand our housing supply, make housing more affordable and allow our hard-working residents to stay in the communities they love. With targeted investments and reforms, this Economic Development bill helps to support our cities and towns, create more jobs, help our current businesses while attracting new ones and unlock economic growth throughout Massachusetts."

"The consolidated amendment included language around providing tenants the right of first refusal to purchase a residential building should it be for sale, what was previously called TOPA - Tenants Opportunity to Purchase Act,” said amendment opponent Rep. Joe McKenna (R-Sutton). “Though it was included [in this bill] as an opt-in local option, which is certainly better than a statewide policy, TOPA is bad policy. It does nothing to create new housing while actually creating a more costly and overregulated climate for property ownership in Massachusetts which will have the effect of driving out investment and reducing the amount of housing that is available. This policy is direct government infringement on private property rights, and will hurt, not help, housing in Massachusetts."

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

Rep. Jeffrey Roy Yes

SOCIAL MEDIA REGULATION (S 3164)

Senate 38-2, approved legislation that supporters said would require that all social media platforms adopt default settings for minors that limit the most addictive aspects of social media which are purposely designed to keep people scrolling for hours, often without realizing how long they have been on the app.

All platforms would be required to disable the “algorithmic feed’—where social media companies capitalize on users’ personal online data to pick what content they see; disable “autoplay” and ”infinite scroll;” require that users receive a reminder after using the app for one cumulative hour in a 24-hour period, then additional reminders every 30 minutes after that; and turning off notifications between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. Those default settings would also apply to users who decline to go through an age verification process.

Other provisions would require social media companies to offer at least one age verification method that does not require users to submit biometric data or a government ID; and allow only users who are not minors and have verified their age to share their locations.

“The question isn’t whether young people should be online—they already are,” said Senate President Karen Spilka (D-Ashland). “Social platforms can help children and teens learn, create and stay connected. But it is our responsibility as lawmakers to shield young people from harmful features that are designed to hook them rather than help them. Today, the Senate put the wellbeing of our kids over the interests of social media companies.”

“This legislation sends a clear message that children’s wellbeing must come before social media companies’ bottom line,” said Senate Majority Leader Cindy Creem (D-Newton), lead sponsor of the legislation. “Features like autoplay, infinite scroll and algorithm-driven feeds are intentionally designed to keep young people online for as long as possible, often at the expense of their mental health. This bill takes thoughtful steps to create a safer online experience for children while protecting privacy and free speech.”

“The bill passed today by the Senate aims to restore for younger users the original purpose of social media—when platforms were truly a place to connect with friends, not an endless rabbit hole of doomscrolling, self-doubt and misinformation,” said Sen. Julian Cyr (D-Provincetown). “We know that social media apps today are engineered to be incredibly addictive, relying on sophisticated behavioral science and data collection to trap users in an infinite cycle of content curated by corporations. We also know that young people are especially vulnerable to having their mental health negatively impacted by these unending algorithmic feeds. Our bill walks a careful line of shielding minors from harmful features, while preserving their ability to find connections and support online.”

Only Sens. Peter Durant (R-Spencer) and Kelley Dooner (R-Taunton) voted against the bill.

Dooner did not speak during debate on the Senate floor and also did not respond to repeated requests by Beacon Hill Roll Call asking her why she opposed the bill.

Durant said he wanted to see more parental rights included in the proposal. “Show me a bill that puts the device-level age signal in parents' hands, set it once as set up by a mom or dad, instead of handing it to the attorney general," Durant said. "Show me a bill whose defaults a parent can adjust in either direction because they know their 15-year-old better than anyone."

"It's not to say it's a horrible bill, it's not to say that there aren't many good portions of this bill, but for me the bill in front of us has to answer a question: Who raises the children of Massachusetts? And I'm afraid, and I'm worried that overall, the answer is, and is increasingly becoming more, that we do. The state. Parents, they can watch," Durant added.

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

Sen. Rebecca Rausch Yes Sen. Karen Spilka Yes

ALSO UP ON BEACON HILL

GOV. HEALEY SIGNS $63.4 BILLION FISCAL 2027 STATE BUDGET – Gov. Maura Healey signed into law the $63.4 billion fiscal 2027 state budget. She did not veto any funding or policies in the bill.

“This budget is about lowering people’s costs, driving economic growth and supporting our kids, all without raising any taxes or fees,” said Gov. Healey. “We’re helping families afford childcare, health care and higher education, increasing support for our cities, towns and schools that we know are facing financial challenges, speeding up housing production to lower costs and making health insurance more affordable. We’re also taking important steps to protect survivors of sexual assault and make sure anyone who commits these heinous crimes is held accountable.”

“Our fiscal year 2027 budget tackles some of the biggest challenges facing Massachusetts families by making smart investments that lower costs and strengthen our communities,” said Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll. “From lowering the cost of childcare and free school meals to public transportation, housing and mental health services, this budget delivers meaningful support for residents while remaining fiscally responsible and protecting taxpayer dollars.”

"Gov. Healey had an opportunity to provide taxpayers with some relief by vetoing unnecessary spending but instead signed a $63.4 billion budget without striking a single line item,” said Paul Craney, executive director of the Mass Fiscal Alliance. “Does the governor really believe there isn't a single dollar of waste, excess or lower-priority spending in a budget of this size? At a time when families are struggling with high housing, energy and tax costs, refusing to exercise the veto pen sends the message that Beacon Hill's spending habits matter more than taxpayers' ability to afford them."

USE OF PSYCHEDELICS IN MENTAL HEALTH CARE (H 5562) – Tucked into the House Economic Development bill approved by the House is a proposed new law that would establish a pilot program under the Department of Public Health, to explore the use of psychedelics in mental health care. The proposal authorizes a maximum of three specialized mental health clinics, excluding any tied to the cannabis industry, psychedelic development or pharmaceutical companies, to use psychedelics under strict supervision. Participating clinics are tasked with reporting patient outcomes to contribute to the development of refined treatment protocols and regulatory frameworks for psychedelic use in mental health care.

In 2024, voters rejected Question #4 (rejected 42.9 percent to 57.1 percent) asking voters if they approved of a proposed law that would allow persons aged 21 and older to grow, possess and use certain natural psychedelic substances for the treatment of PTSD, anxiety and depression. The substances could be purchased at an approved location for use under the supervision of a licensed facilitator.

“This is a triumph for a new kind of politics in the psychedelics movement, built on integrity, compromise and mutual, earned trust among grassroots advocates, lawmakers, scientific researchers, national organizations and philanthropists,” said Graham Moore, Educational Outreach Director of Mass Healing, an organization leading psychedelic reform in the Bay State.

“Mass Healing was born from the ashes of the failed 2024 psychedelic ballot question and fueled by my passion as a mother on a mission to keep fighting for legal access to psychedelic healing for my own family and others across Massachusetts,” said Jamie Morey, co-founder and Executive Director of Mass Healing. “The House's passage of this bill is a victory for everyone affected by PTSD, treatment-resistant depression, addiction and other serious mental and physical health conditions who urgently need new treatment options.”

“This is a triumph for a new kind of politics in the psychedelics movement, built on integrity, compromise, and mutual, earned trust among grassroots advocates, lawmakers, scientific researchers, national organizations and philanthropists,” said Graham Moore, Educational Outreach Director of Mass Healing. “At the beginning of this legislative session, the psychedelic movement was operating with a trust deficit in Massachusetts because of catastrophic mismanagement. This victory was possible only through responsible leadership: unafraid to confront bad actors, admit mistakes and operate dynamically.”

The Senate will eventually draft and approve its own version of the Economic Development bill which may or may not include the proposed psychedelic law approved by the House.

REPEAL RECREATIONAL USE OF MARIJUANA - The proposed possible November ballot question that would repeal adult-use of recreational marijuana is facing another challenge to the legitimacy of its nomination signatures. Last week, Kevin Gilnack filed an objection with Secretary of State Bill Galvin's office disputing the validity of some of the signatures.

Gilnack’s charges include that numerous signatures are not signed substantially as the same name under which the signer is registered to vote; some signatures are those of persons who are not registered voters within the city or town stated; some signatures are not genuine; numerous signatures were obtained through fraudulent means; and some signatures are those of voters who have subsequently requested that their names be removed from the petition.

He also notes that some of the signatures on the nomination papers should not be allowed because the papers contained extraneous marks; are not exact copies of the petition form as provided by the Secretary of State because they differ from the original petitions in size, color, text or format, or otherwise fail to conform to the requirements under state law.

Wendy Wakeman, chair of the committee backing the ballot proposal, called the objections “one last desperate attempt” to keep the question off the ballot.

The State Ballot Law Commission plans to hold hearings on Gilnack’s objections beginning on July 15.

QUOTABLE QUOTES

“Massachusetts continues to demonstrate why it is one of the best places in the world to start and grow a business. From the nation's top-ranked education system and our unmatched talent to our leadership in industries like life sciences, robotics, AI and advanced manufacturing, we're building an economy that attracts investment, creates jobs and strengthens our competitiveness.”

--- Economic Development Secretary Eric Paley on Massachusetts’ score and ranking in CNBC’s annual America’s Top States for Business ranking, gaining 23 spots over the past two years and coming in as the #1 state for education nationwide and for business in New England. However, the Bay State was 49th in the “Cost of Doing Business” category and 39th in the “Cost of living” category.

“The courts have repeatedly ruled that the Trump Administration does not have the power to arbitrarily revoke grant funding that provides critical mental health services to our students. Still, the federal government continues its attempts to terminate funding. Thousands of students across the commonwealth depend on these critical resources, and I will continue to fight for this funding and push back against unlawful federal actions that harm our children.”

--- Attorney General Andrea Campbell on her joining a coalition of 14 other attorneys general who filed a lawsuit to prevent the U.S. Department of Education from unlawfully terminating grants that are part of a congressionally approved school-based mental health program. After a court order found the Department’s attacks on these programs to be illegal, the administration is attempting again to terminate these grants at the end of July.

“Every child deserves the chance to have a fun, active and memorable summer, regardless of what their family can afford. Summer Nights gives young people a safe place to be with friends, discover new interests, build confidence and create memories that will last long after summer ends. Programs like this are part of what makes Massachusetts a great place to grow up.”

---Gov. Healey kicking off another summer of free activities for young people across Massachusetts through the Department of Conservation and Recreation's Summer Nights program that provides recreational, educational and leadership programs in cities and towns across the state.

“This investment is vital to ensuring that gender-affirming care remains accessible in Massachusetts. As federal attacks seek to severely restrict gender-affirming care across the country, these funds are critical in protecting trans and gender-diverse people.”

---Jo Erwin, CEO of Transhealth, on the state investing $7.5 million in the Affirming Health Care Trust Fund, including funding for PrEP access as well as a direct earmark for Transhealth.

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 July 6-10, the House met for a total of ten hours and 52 minutes and the Senate met for a total of three hours and 55 minutes.

Mon. July 6 House 11:00 a.m. to 11:05 a.m.

Senate 11:31 a.m. to 11:35 a.m.

Tues. July 7 No House session.

No Senate session

Wed. July 8 House 11:00 a.m. to 9:41 p.m.

No Senate session.

Thurs. July 9 House 11:01 a.m. to 11:07 a.m.

Senate 11:05 a.m. to 2:56 p.m.

Fri. July 10 No House session.

No Senate session.

Bob Katzen welcomes feedback at bob@beaconhillrollcall.com