8-16-2026 4:35am

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.33

August 10-14, 2026

By Bob Katzen

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THE HOUSE AND SENATE: Beacon Hill Roll Call reports local representatives' votes on roll calls from recent sessions. There were no roll calls in the House or Senate last week.

MEDAL OF FIDELITY LICENSE PLATE (H 5624)

House 157-0 approved and sent to the Senate a bill that would authorize the creation of a license plate honoring Medal of Fidelity recipients and their families. This medal is provided to the next of kin of a Massachusetts service member or veteran whose death was a result of service-connected post-traumatic stress disorder; a service-connected traumatic brain injury; or a service-connected disease or injury related to exposure to harmful toxins, herbicides, agents or materials, where the exposure occurred while serving in the U.S. armed forces (active duty or reserves), or while serving in the Massachusetts National Guard. The new license plate created under this bill would be made available by the Registry of Motor Vehicles free of charge to recipients of the Medal of Fidelity.

“The Medal of Fidelity was established four years ago to honor our state’s fallen veterans and their surviving family members,” said sponsor Rep. Brad Jones (R-North Reading). “Providing a Medal of Fidelity license plate is a way to further recognize and thank our military families and their loved ones for their service and sacrifice on behalf of our country.”

(A "Yes" vote is for the bill.)

Rep. Jeffrey Roy Yes

EXPAND THE “MOVE OVER” LAW (H 5622)

House 154-0, approved a bill that would expand a current law that requires motorists to slow down and make every effort to change lanes if they are approaching a stationary emergency, maintenance or recovery vehicle with flashing lights on a highway. The bill would expand the law to require motorists to do the same when approaching a stationary utility truck–defined as a vehicle being used to install, maintain, repair, operate or restore communications service, electric or gas distribution or transmission service in an emergency.

The Senate has approved a different version of the measure and the House version now goes to the Senate for consideration.

Rep. Jim Arciero (D-Westford), House chair of the Committee on Transportation, said the that the bill is a sensible change to an important law and updates the “move over” law to extend its protections to utility vehicles and workers at the roadside. He noted that the measure, which got overwhelming support in the Transportation Committee, also increases penalties for repeat offenses and requires an education component for motorists who commit multiple offenses. He said that the Registry of Motor Vehicles would be required to produce a public service campaign on the move over law.

(A "Yes" vote is for the bill.)

Rep. Jeffrey Roy Yes

ALSO UP ON BEACON HILL

BANNING SCHOOL AND PUBLIC LIBRARY BOOKS AND MATERIALS (H 5489) - Gov. Healey signed into law a bill that supporters said would protect people’s access to library materials and guard against politically motivated book bans in Bay State school libraries and public libraries. The bill requires local policies to be developed using nationally recognized library standards and lays out a process around challenges to library materials. The measure also protects librarians and school library professionals from retaliation.

Provisions include ensuring that students have free and open access to library books and other school library materials by establishing clear standards for library teachers and other employees to follow as they select school library materials; requiring that school library materials be age-appropriate, serve an educational purpose and be chosen based on a teacher or employee’s professional training—leaving aside any of their own personal, political or doctrinal views that could affect whether or not they place the book on the shelf; requiring all school districts, charter schools and local education agencies to adopt their own policies on how to select library materials as long as the policies align with American Library Association standards; guarding against spurious or unfounded challenges to school library books by keeping a book in question on the shelves unless and until a public hearing has taken place and the appropriate authority has voted to remove it; and protecting school employees and public librarians from professional, civil or criminal penalties based on their selection of library materials.

“Massachusetts is home to the first public library, public school and university,” said Gov. Healey. “We have always believed that our communities are stronger when people, especially young people, have access to knowledge and a free exchange of ideas. This bill is about protecting the freedom to read, to learn, to ask difficult questions and to encounter ideas we might agree or disagree with. It’s also about protecting our teachers and librarians and allowing them to do their jobs. At a time when President Trump is defunding education and trying to censor any ideas he doesn’t agree with, it is more important than ever that states step up to lead. That’s what we’re doing here in Massachusetts."

“Books open doors for students to explore new ideas, deepen their understanding of the world and develop the critical thinking skills they need to succeed,” said Education Secretary Steve Zrike. “Our schools should encourage that curiosity and give students access to books that challenge them, inspire them and help them grow as learners. This law affirms that commitment and supports the educators and librarians who make those opportunities possible every day.”

"Politically motivated book challenges are dangerous acts of censorship that harm us all,” said Carol Rose, Executive Director of the ACLU of Massachusetts. “This new law builds a firewall against such cynical acts, protecting students' freedom to read and learn and respecting the expertise of professional educators and librarians. All students should have access to a diverse collection of materials, reflecting a wide range of experiences, identities and challenges. This promotes free expression and helps our society build tolerance, empathy and understanding.”

Rep. John Gaskey (R-Carver) was the only legislator to vote against the measure when it was approved by the House and Senate. “[The bill] makes it more difficult for school committees to challenge book selections made by librarians, especially regarding LGBT+ type books that are usually so explicit that they cannot be read in public meetings or even on YouTube without being age restricted,” Gaskey said. “This is not about banning books as they are all available in a multitude of locations, especially the public library. This is about protecting youth from explicit material, regardless of the topic.”

ABORTION (H 5595) – Gov. Healey signed into law legislation that would loosen restrictions on abortions that can be performed after 24 weeks of gestation. The bill removes existing requirements that limit abortions at 24 weeks of pregnancy or later to four specific medical circumstances, and instead allows licensed physicians and providers to rely on their best medical judgment when caring for patients.

Supporters said that under current law, the four specific categories do not account for the full spectrum of medical conditions encountered by women and their doctors: protecting the patient's life or physical or mental health, or cases involving a lethal fetal anomaly or a grave fetal diagnosis.

“I've heard heartbreaking stories from women and families who were preparing to welcome a healthy baby into their family, only to receive devastating news later in their pregnancy,” said Gov, Healey. “Instead of being able to rely on the doctors they knew and trusted at home, they were forced to travel hundreds of miles and pay out of their pockets while navigating unimaginable grief. That should never happen in Massachusetts. This law continues our efforts to have the strongest abortion protections in the country because in Massachusetts, we believe health care decisions should be made between women and their doctors.”

“As the Trump Administration ramps up attacks on reproductive care and abortion access nationwide, Massachusetts must continue closing gaps in care so that women have full autonomy over the care they need, when and where they need it,” said Sen. Robyn Kennedy (D-Worcester), Senate sponsor of the bill. “The Prioritizing Patient Access to Care Act ensures Massachusetts patients do not have to leave the commonwealth to get the care they need, and empowers physicians to support their patients throughout their pregnancies. Thank you to all the advocates who have brought this bill to fruition, especially the women who have shared their experiences.”

"Throughout relentless attacks on reproductive rights, Massachusetts has prioritized the fundamental rights and health care of its residents," said Rep. Christine Barber (D-Somerville), House sponsor of the bill. "This law ensures access to care by empowering physicians to use their professional judgment to make decisions in the best interest of their patients. Pregnancy is complex, and I am grateful the House advanced this bill to eliminate barriers and guarantee medical expertise as the standard of care. It comes down to a simple, but powerful conviction: decisions about abortion care must remain between a patient and their provider. No one else. Today, we show our commitment to protecting the rights of our residents of the commonwealth."

Opponents said the legislation allows elective abortions up to birth based solely on a physician’s professional judgment. They said it eliminates the current requirement that complex late-term abortions be performed in a hospital setting, thus allowing abortions on healthy mothers and healthy infants at a stage when unborn children can feel pain and may be able to survive outside the womb.

Myrna Maloney Flynn, president of Massachusetts Citizens for Life said, “Legalizing elective abortion up to birth on healthy moms and healthy, pain-capable infants is not about a doctor-patient relationship but rather abortionists normalizing infant death and pressuring vulnerable women to permit their unborn children to die in heinous acts of violence, which are among the most severe human rights assaults allowed in only a few places, among them China and North Korea.”

Flynn continued, “The fight for life in Massachusetts has been built over decades by advocates, supporters, volunteers and organizations willing to stand for life even when the political environment was difficult. The signing of this law does not erase that work. Instead, it gives us a new opportunity to build on it. We can use this national exposure to educate new audiences about abortion later in pregnancy and about the options available to women instead of abortion. We can earn hearts and minds with the truth. Abortion is a choice, and we can make that choice unthinkable. That's our main effort now.”

"It should shock the conscience that tens of thousands of unborn Americans are barbarically dismembered limb by limb and torn apart every single year,” said Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the pro-life group Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America. "Sadly, that number will only increase with Gov. Healey’s approval of the Abortion Up Until Birth Bill. The GOP must abandon the ‘leave it to the states’ position – a stance that permits egregious late-term abortion laws like this one – and advance national protections for unborn children. Without a minimum national standard, the United States remains one of only eight countries worldwide that allows abortion at any point in pregnancy. We must do all we can to turn the page on America’s ugly chapter of late-term abortion."

“Every legislator who voted for this bill needs to be held accountable — and that starts with people like you taking action, running for office or volunteering,” said the Massachusetts Family Action on its website. “The coming fall elections are a critical moment for the future of Massachusetts.”

FIREFIGHTERS (S 3251) - The Senate approved legislation that would establish serious criminal penalties for fire code and building code violations that cause the injury or death of a firefighter, construction worker or any member of the public. The measure was first proposed after the March 2014 deaths of firefighters Edward Walsh and Michael Kennedy who perished while fighting a fire that was caused by welders, working without a city permit, on a building next door to the brownstone in which they died.

Provisions include a sentence of up to ten years in state prison and a fine of up to $500,000 if a person commits certain violations of the state fire code or building code that cause a death; up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 if the violation causes serious bodily injury; enhancement of the penalty for violations of the state fire prevention law related to hot work, increasing the fine for a first offense to $1,000 from the current $100 fine. Third and subsequent offenses for hot work violations could be penalized with up to 2.5 years in a house of correction and a share of the building project’s total value.

Other provisions require the Department of Fire Services to administer an accessible electronic database that can be used to check a worker’s status; and require the establishment of a system of public notification and recording of non-compliance with regulations.

The measure also codifies standards for the training and certification programs used to prepare people for hot work, cutting and welding processes. It requires initial training to be in person, with subsequent annual continued-education programming to be either online or in person.

“This legislation is an important step toward setting clear standards for this dangerous work, strengthening accountability and creating stronger incentives to put safety first,” said Sen. Nick Collins (D-South Boston). “We learned from past tragedies, and we have a responsibility to carry those lessons forward to better protect workers, firefighters and the neighborhoods where this work is taking place.”

“This is about justice,” said Sen. Will Brownsberger (D-Belmont). “Carelessness can kill people. Everyone needs to know that there will be consequences when safety rules are recklessly ignored.”

“Lt. Walsh and Firefighter Kennedy’s lives were tragically cut short because someone chose to cut a corner,” said Senate President Karen Spilka (D-Ashland). “Absolutely no one should lose a parent, spouse or loved one because fire code was not followed, and this bill makes clear that we will hold people accountable if they ignore safety rules and put other people in danger.”

The House has approved a different version of the measure and the Senate version now goes to the House for consideration. Rep. Dan Ryan (D-Charlestown), the sponsor of the House version of the bill, did not respond to repeated requests by Beacon Hill Roll Call asking him to comment on Senate passage of its proposal.

MAKE JURASSIC ARMORED MUD BALL THE OFFICIAL SEDIMENTARY STRUCTURE OF THE STATE (H 3438) – The House approved and sent to the Senate a bill that would designate the Jurassic Armored Mud Ball (JAMB) as the official sedimentary structure of the state.

Supporters said that these mud balls are one of the rarest sedimentary structures in the world, representing a unique geologic environment and are only easily seen in Massachusetts. They noted that they can be found in Greenfield, Turners Falls, Gill and Deerfield. They noted that famous Greenfield native and magician, Penn Jillette of Penn and Teller once said, "I may live in Las Vegas and travel the world, but my armored mud balls will always be in Greenfield. Let’s protect them.”

Richard Little, Professor Emeritus of Greenfield Community College is leading the fight to preserve and publicize the JAMB. “The intriguing and amusingly named armored mud balls formed as mud rolled down flooding streams and became coated with pebbles - the armor,” said Little. “These sedimentary structures are so rare that, in the whole world, they are only easily seen in the red sedimentary rocks of the Connecticut River Valley of Massachusetts. Officially celebrating them as one of Massachusetts’ symbols, will preserve them for future generations. After all, they are in the same Jurassic rock layers as our State Dinosaur (Podokesaurus) and State Fossil (Dino Footprints). That is why I am leading a working group of scientists and citizens to preserve these rare features.”

Rep. Susannah Whipps (U-Athol), the sponsor of the bill, did not respond to repeated attempts by Beacon Hill Roll Call asking her why she filed the measure and how she feels about its passage.

ALCOHOL DONATIONS FOR CHARITIES (H 5351) – The Senate approved 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. These licenses were previously allowed under 1997 legislation, but the authorization has since expired.

In April, the House approved a different version of the bill and the Senate version now goes to the House for consideration.

"As the Senate Chair of the Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure, I worked with Senate colleagues on this legislation once it was passed by the House,” said Sen. Pavel Payano (D-Lawrence). “This bill would permanently codify the ability for local licensing authorities to issue and regulate temporary licenses for charitable organizations to serve alcohol at their events. We look forward to working with our House colleagues to finalize the legislation."

“Today, more than ever, nonprofits are in need of charitable donations to stay afloat,” said sponsor Rep. Joan Meschino (D-Hull) when a different version of the measure was approved by the House in April. “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, wholesalers or retailers.”

ALLOW CREDIT UNIONS TO PAY THEIR BOARD MEMBERS (H 1338) – The Senate approved a House-approved bill that would allow credit unions to compensate their board members for their service. Under current law, board members may only be reimbursed for expenses incurred in the performance of their duties.

“I was proud to sponsor this legislation which would modernize current law by allowing credit unions to compensate their board members for their service,” said Sen. Pavel Payano (D-Lawrence). “This bill would permit compensation to be set and approved by the membership at an annual meeting, giving credit unions the flexibility to determine appropriate levels of compensation as needed … Credit unions play a vital role in supporting our communities, and this update will help them attract and retain strong leadership, strengthen their institutions, and enhance their ability to serve their members.”

QUOTABLE QUOTES

“This moment is personal to me because before I was a state rep, I was a rideshare driver. I know what it feels like to sit behind a wheel. A fair contract means drivers can put food on the table. It means we can pay rent and mortgages. It means we can take care of our children. It means we can spend money in stores, restaurants and small businesses in our neighborhood."

--- Rep. Christopher Worrell (D-Boston) on rideshare drivers with the App Drivers Union beginning negotiations with Uber and Lyft for the first-ever union contract for rideshare drivers in the United States.

“Surpassing 2,000 approvals is a strong early result and clear evidence of what can happen when we remove unnecessary barriers and allow ADUs by right. The programs we launched this year address the next set of barriers homeowners face, including design, early project planning and financing. Together, they will build on this momentum and make it even easier for homeowners to turn their plans into completed homes.”

---Housing and Livable Communities Secretary Juana Matias on the Healey Administration announcing that municipalities across Massachusetts have approved 854 accessory dwelling units (ADUs) during the first six months of 2026, bringing the statewide total to 2,084 approved ADUs since the start of 2025. ADUs, also known as in-law apartments, are small, independent homes located on the same lot as another home and may be created within an existing home, built as an addition or constructed as a separate structure.

"Teacher apprenticeships create new opportunities for aspiring educators while helping school districts meet their workforce needs. We're proud to support local partnerships that will prepare the next generation of teachers across Massachusetts."

---Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll on the state awarding $250,000 in planning grants to help ten school district partnerships create Registered Teacher Apprenticeship Programs that open new pathways into the teaching profession.

"The Career Technical Initiative is one of the strongest workforce development tools we have to connect untapped talent directly to job training that leads to industry-recognized credentials and employment opportunities. These investments open doors for unemployed and underemployed adult learners, strengthen regional talent pipelines and help ensure businesses have the skilled workforce they need today and into the future.”

---Labor and Workforce Development Secretary Lauren Jones announcing $15.5 million in Career Technical Initiative grants to 24 organizations to train 1,636 individuals for careers in high-demand occupations within the skilled trades, construction and manufacturing sectors across the state.

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 10-14, the House met for a total of 17 minutes and the Senate met for a total of one hour and three minutes.

Mon. August 10 House 11:00 a.m. to 11:04 a.m.

Senate 12:02 p.m. to 12:34 p.m.

Tues. August 11 No House session.

No Senate session.

Wed. August 12 No House session.

No Senate session.

Thurs. August 13 House 11:01 a.m. to 11:14 a.m.

Senate 11:08 a.m. to 11:39 a.m.

Fri. August 14 No House session.

No Senate session.

Bob Katzen welcomes feedback at bob@beaconhillrollcall.com