Beacon Hill Roll Name data native representatives’ and senators’ votes on roll calls from the week of July 29 to Aug. 2.
The Home, 158-0, authorized and despatched to the Senate a invoice that will create a particular fee to assessment present federal, state and native legal guidelines governing the use and misuse of service animals by people with disabilities. The fee would advocate the potential introduction of laws prohibiting and civilly penalizing service animal fraud and figuring out the feasibility of certification, registration or licensing of service animals.
Supporters mentioned that greater than half the states within the nation have already got legal guidelines prohibiting misuse of service animals. They argued it’s time for Massachusetts to start the step towards adopting an analogous regulation. They famous that there are at present no penalties for individuals who misrepresent a non-service canine as being a service canine.
Sponsor Rep. Kim Ferguson, R-Holden, didn’t reply to repeated requests from Beacon Hill Roll Name asking her to touch upon her invoice’s passage.
A Sure” vote is for the invoice.
Rep. Natalie Blais — Sure
Rep. Aaron Saunders — Sure
Rep. Susannah Whipps — Sure
The Home, 134-24, overrode Gov. Maura Healey’s veto of $7.5 million (decreasing funding from $10 million to $2.5 million) for scholarship and mortgage compensation for college kids looking for a instructing diploma within the state’s public faculties. The Senate didn’t act on the veto.
“I’m decreasing this merchandise to the quantity projected to be vital,” Healey mentioned in her veto message. “The quantity as adjusted right here, together with the out there stability from fiscal yr 2024, is enough to fulfill projected demand and end in no discount in fiscal yr 2025 deliberate spending for this merchandise.”
A “Sure” vote is for the $7.5 million.
Rep. Natalie Blais — Sure
Rep. Aaron Saunders — Sure
Rep. Susannah Whipps — Sure
The Home, 154-4, overrode Gov. Healey’s veto of the whole $250,000 for a grant program to highschool districts to assist the implementation of economic literacy programs and requirements for college kids in kindergarten by way of twelfth grade, together with coaching and creating applications to help academics in incorporating monetary literacy ideas into classroom instruction. The Senate didn’t act on the veto.
“I’m vetoing this merchandise to an quantity according to my Home [budget] suggestion,” Healey mentioned. “Different sources of funding for monetary literacy appropriated on this price range will mitigate the results of this veto.”
A “Sure” vote is for the $250,000.
Rep. Natalie Blais — Sure
Rep. Aaron Saunders — Sure
Rep. Susannah Whipps — Sure
The Senate, 40-0, authorized and despatched to Gov. Healey a invoice that supporters say would guarantee authorized parentage equality by defending LGBTQ households, and youngsters born by way of surrogacy and assisted copy, in forming the authorized bond of a parent-child relationship. They mentioned the measure would dismantle archaic authorized boundaries to primary parenting duties for contemporary households, opening the door to legally attend and make choices throughout medical appointments, handle a baby’s funds, take part in instructional choices and supply authorizations for a kid’s journey.
“In the present day we acted to make sure that if you’re a guardian, whether or not a organic guardian or not, the regulation will acknowledge you as a guardian simply as society does,” mentioned Rep. Mike Day, D-Stoneham, Home chair of the Committee on the Judiciary. “This invoice will take away one of many final vestiges of the regulation that treats same-sex mother and father and fogeys who engaged in assisted copy in a different way from each different guardian. It’s a good day for all households in Massachusetts.”
“With unprecedented and alarming motion in different states to strip away the rights of LGBTQ+ individuals and our households, Massachusetts’ outdated and heterocentric parentage legal guidelines put LGBTQ+ households in danger day by day,” mentioned Sen. Julian Cyr, D-Truro. “The Massachusetts Parentage Act is private — LGBTQ+ households like mine face extreme and costly hoops simply to make sure our youngsters have the safety of authorized parentage. The Legislature’s passage of this invoice is a essential step to ensure that each one kids can profit from the soundness of a authorized parent-child relationship irrespective of how they got here to be on this world.”
A Sure” vote is for the invoice.
Sen. Joanne Comerford — Sure
Sen. Paul Mark — Sure
The Senate, 40-0, authorized a invoice that will enable the Massachusetts Division of Agricultural Sources to determine guidelines and laws for canine kennels in Massachusetts, to make sure animal welfare, defend shoppers and maintain kennel workers secure. An individual who violates the laws can be fined $500 for a primary offense and $1,000 for a second or subsequent offense. The Home has already authorized a special model of the measure and the Senate model now goes to the Home for consideration.
Rules would come with acquiring a license from the municipality, an annual inspection, dog-to-staff ratio specs, harm reporting, indoor and out of doors bodily facility necessities, insurance coverage, and minimal housing and care necessities.
Supporters mentioned the state has no oversight of canine day care or boarding kennels. They argued it’s estimated {that a} canine is injured or killed each 9 to 10 days in Massachusetts at these kennels. They famous that many households have suffered the loss or harm of an animal at a canine day care or kennel that might have been prevented by laws over these amenities.
The invoice was filed in reminiscence of “Ollie,” a 7-month-old labradoodle who was attacked by different canines at a boarding kennel in East Longmeadow. Ollie wanted round the clock care and surgical procedure and was within the hospital for 2 months earlier than succumbing to his accidents. Whereas the power was shut down by city officers, Ollie’s proprietor Ann Baxter was shocked to be taught that there have been no state laws concerning boarding amenities, and shortly took up the battle to assist guarantee tragedies like this by no means occur once more.
“Pets are household who present boundless love and affection that we’re fortunate to obtain,” mentioned Sen. Mark Montigny, D-New Bedford, Senate sponsor of the invoice. “For that reason, it’s essential that we guarantee all companies entrusted with the care of our household adhere to correct well being and security protocols it doesn’t matter what city they function in throughout the commonwealth. Too usually, we now have heard devastating tales of pets like Ollie who’ve been injured or killed as a result of negligent care. These individuals don’t have any place caring for such treasured creatures and it’s time that we implement constant requirements throughout Massachusetts.”
A “Sure” vote is for the invoice.
Sen. Joanne Comerford — Sure
Sen. Paul Mark — Sure
Gov. Healey, after vetoing a number of gadgets, signed into regulation a $58 billion fiscal yr 2025 price range for the fiscal yr that started July 1, 2024. The value tag represents a 1.97 billion, or 3.5%, improve over the fiscal yr 2024 price range.
“Massachusetts is the chief in innovation and training, the most effective place to boost your loved ones or develop a enterprise,” Healey mentioned. “However we additionally face challenges, so we aren’t resting — we’re occurring offense. This price range delivers on our shared priorities and drives our state ahead with urgency and function. It invests in areas that we’re already main on and makes them higher, together with our No. 1-ranked colleges and our nation-leading baby care technique. We’re additionally tackling our largest challenges by decreasing family prices and bettering transportation.”
“As soon as once more, the Massachusetts price range is the newest state price range to cross within the nation and as soon as once more, it’s the biggest state price range in our commonwealth’s historical past,” mentioned Paul Craney, spokesperson for the Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance. “What also needs to concern each Massachusetts taxpayer is the truth that the Legislature and governor are spending over $1 billion a yr on the unlawful and inadmissible migrants, which comes out to be about $3 million a day. Each city and metropolis in Massachusetts may use that cash for his or her staff, colleges and first responders, however as an alternative State Home leaders are spending these helpful taxpayer assets on unlawful and inadmissible migrants.”
Gov. Healey signed into regulation a invoice, named the Frances Perkins Office Fairness Act, in honor of the primary lady to function U.S. labor secretary. The measure would require employers with 25 or extra staff to reveal a wage vary when posting a job place. The measure additionally would require employers with 100 or extra staff to file annual employment information stories, together with info on worker demographics and salaries, with the state.
“I’ve lengthy supported wage fairness laws and, as legal professional common, I used to be proud to work along with the enterprise neighborhood to implement the 2016 Equal Pay Act,” Healey mentioned. “This new regulation is a crucial subsequent step towards closing wage gaps, particularly for individuals of coloration and ladies.”
“I’m proud that we as a commonwealth are taking concrete and nation-leading steps to shut longstanding gender and racial wage gaps that persist throughout our financial system,” mentioned Sen. Paul Feeney, D-Foxborough, a lead supporter of the invoice. “These gaps not solely erode the integrity of labor within the commonwealth but additionally proceed to exacerbate an uneven financial system for working individuals, particularly ladies and other people of coloration who’ve traditionally confronted persistent and obtrusive inequities within the office. By bringing companions in labor, enterprise and neighborhood collectively to determine commonsense wage and office transparency, we’ll guarantee Massachusetts can proceed attracting and retaining numerous and expert staff that allow our commonwealth to compete and thrive.”
Gov. Healey signed into regulation a invoice that will spend money on info know-how (IT) upgrades, enhancements and new tasks throughout state authorities. The measure authorizes $1.23 billion in bonded spending and $400 million in anticipated federal funds.
“We’ve talked loads about this administration’s want to lean into utilized synthetic intelligence in ways in which profit not solely the best way the state delivers companies to residents and companies, but additionally the best way that our companies and financial sector are in a position to thrive,” Healey mentioned. “We expect that making utilized AI a cornerstone of our financial growth invoice is basically necessary. It’s additional supported by this FutureTech Act.”
“In terms of advancing the supply of presidency companies for our residents and for our state and municipal staff, info know-how opens that digital door to fulfill individuals the place they’re,” mentioned Chief Info Officer and Know-how Providers Secretary Jason Snyder. “The affect of IT on the companies the commonwealth gives can’t be overstated. To that finish, we’re already exhausting at work on lots of the investments on this laws.”
Gov. Healey signed into regulation laws that can present law enforcement officials who’ve suffered a violent act harm with 100% common compensation and pension advantages till they attain the age of obligatory retirement. Violent act harm is outlined as “a critical and everlasting private bodily harm sustained as a direct and proximate results of a violent assault upon an individual by the use of a harmful weapon, together with a firearm, knife, vehicle, explosive gadget or different harmful weapon.”
“Our first responders go above and past to maintain our communities secure and reply to emergencies,” Healey mentioned. “That’s why it’s essential that we assist them once they expertise emergencies of their very own. This laws ensures that first responders who’re injured within the line of responsibility have entry to the pay and well being care, together with psychological well being care, that they should assist their households and their highway to restoration.”
Supporters mentioned that underneath present regulation, a primary responder who’s compelled to retire as a result of a violent act harm can solely obtain advantages by way of the native retirement board by way of the house rule legislative course of. They mentioned this course of is onerous and has resulted in disparate advantages being granted on a case-by-case foundation.
“This laws ensures that first responders who’re compelled to retire as a result of a violent harm obtained within the line of responsibility don’t battle to make ends meet,” mentioned Sen. Cindy Friedman, D-Arlington. “Frankly, this can’t come quickly sufficient. Recognizing the intense burden positioned on these first responders and their households, mandating 100% compensation till retirement age is the best option to honor their service and sacrifice.”
Rep. Steve Xiarhos, R-Barnstable, mentioned staff who’re the victims of traumatic occasions at work would even be eligible to obtain sure psychological well being companies to help with their restoration.
“The invoice was impressed partly by a number of current circumstances of first responders who suffered critical accidents within the line of responsibility, together with retired Somerville Police Detective Mario Oliveira and Springfield Police Officer Nestor Santos,” Xiarhos mentioned.
The Home and Senate authorized and despatched to Gov. Healey laws that, efficient Jan. 1, 2025, would ban elephants, bears, lions, tigers, leopards, jaguars, cheetahs and different wild animals from being utilized in touring circuses and different touring exhibits in Massachusetts. Violators can be fined between $500 and $10,000. The ban wouldn’t apply to zoos or to performances that happen at different non-mobile, everlasting amenities if the coated animal is a resident animal on the similar facility during which the efficiency takes place.
“We’re ecstatic that after so a few years of advocating for the state to take a stance on the struggling of animals, in addition to the general public well being and security dangers, the invoice to ban elephants, primates, bears, giraffes and large cats in touring animal acts handed each chambers within the Legislature unanimously and is on the governor’s desk,” a press release from the MSPCA reads. “That is really a testomony to the perseverance of advocates and legislators to talk for individuals who can’t. We’re optimistic that the governor will signal the invoice and put an finish to those archaic acts in our state.”