Beacon Hill Roll Call records local representatives’ and senators’ votes on roll calls from the week of Oct. 25 to Oct. 29.
The House, 159 to 0, approved and sent to the Senate a $3.82 billion package that spends the federal money the state received through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and the surplus left over from the state’s fiscal year 2021 budget on relief and recovery from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic over the past 18 months. The plan includes one-time investments in health and human services, education, housing, the environment including climate mitigation, economic development and jobs. The House added an estimated $174 million to the package through the passage of four mega-amendments.
Provisions include $500 million to provide premium pay bonuses for low- and middle-income workers who worked in-person during the COVID-19 state of emergency; $250 million for financially strapped hospitals; $20 million for community health centers; $10 million for community-based gun violence prevention programs; $78 million to address food insecurity; $100 million for homeownership assistance; $100 million for production and preservation of affordable rental housing for residents of municipalities disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic; $100 million for infrastructure for communities to adapt and become climate resilient; $100 million for grants to public school districts with high concentrations of low-income students, English language learners and communities disproportionately impacted by COVID-19; $75 million for capital and maintenance projects for higher education; $10 million for programs focused on recruiting and retaining educators of color; $40 million for youth summer and school-year jobs; $50 million to close the digital divide; $12 million to assist in the resettlement of Afghan refugees in Massachusetts; and $5 million for the Inspector General’s Office to create a public database and website to track total spending, including the percentage of funds spent in communities that were disproportionally impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and to track the number of projects awarded to minority-owned businesses and organizations.
“The funds distributed in this legislation have the potential to be transformative,” said Rep. Ann-Margaret Ferrante, D-Gloucester, vice chair of the House Committee on Ways and Means. “Every dollar appropriated toward areas such as workforce development, housing and mental health services has the ability to reverse the secondary crises caused by the pandemic and assist Massachusetts residents in resetting their lives.”
A “Yes” vote is for the bill.
Rep. Natalie Blais — Yes
Rep. Paul Mark — Yes
Rep. Susannah Whipps — Yes
The House, 159 to 0, approved a consolidated amendment adding an estimated $11.7 million in spending on housing and food security.
Rep. Jim Arciero, D-Westford, the House chair of the Committee on Housing, said investing in housing is critical to the creation of new affordable housing opportunities and the preservation of existing affordable housing.
“This funding will be used to modernize and revitalize our state-aided public housing, create pathways to permanent housing for those who have experienced chronic homelessness and empower first-time homebuyers to secure a home in an increasingly competitive market,” he said. “These strategic investments will prioritize those communities across our commonwealth that have been most impacted by this pandemic.”
A “Yes” vote is for the amendment.
Rep. Natalie Blais — Yes
Rep. Paul Mark — Yes
Rep. Susannah Whipps — Yes
The House, 158 to 1, approved a consolidated amendment adding an estimated $26.6 million in spending on environment, climate and infrastructure.
“The consolidated amendment currently being considered by the House includes $26.6 million in funding that our colleagues have let us know is most essential for their communities,” said Rep. Carolyn Dykema, D-Holliston, House chair of the Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture. “From the very beginning of our conversations with our federal partners about how we can best utilize recovery funds, it was clear that including environmental and climate investments would be essential for Massachusetts to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic stronger than before.”
“This bill has many very important spending priorities to help small businesses, housing and other critical needs related to the pandemic that has taken its toll over the past two years,” said Rep. Peter Durant, R-Spencer, the only member to vote against the amendment. “What I simply don’t understand is how spending tax dollars on environmental justice issues are related to COVID. It seems to just be an excuse to go on a spending spree.”
A “Yes” vote is for the amendment.
Rep. Natalie Blais — Yes
Rep. Paul Mark — Yes
Rep. Susannah Whipps — Yes
The House, 158 to 0, approved a consolidated amendment adding an estimated $90.7 million in spending on labor and economic development.
“Here in Massachusetts, we’re not blessed with the greatest weather,” said Rep. Josh Cutler, D-Duxbury, House chair of the Committee on Labor and Workforce Development. “We don’t have vast oil and gold reserves or other abundant natural resources. Our greatest resource is our skilled workforce. That’s what drives our economy. This legislation represents an historic investment to match this pivotal moment in the commonwealth’s history with the resources necessary for our workforce development system.”
A “Yes” vote is for the amendment.
Rep. Natalie Blais — Yes
Rep. Paul Mark — Yes
Rep. Susannah Whipps — Yes
The Senate, 36 to 3, and the House on a voice vote without a roll call, approved and sent to Gov. Charlie Baker a bill redrawing the boundaries of all 40 senators’ districts. The plan is based on the 2020 census and will be in effect until the next redistricting cycle following the census in 2030. Both branches, on a voice vote without a roll all, also approved and sent to the governor a measure redrawing the boundaries of all 160 representatives’ districts.
Senate President Karen Spilka’s office said the Senate plan would increase from three to six the number of districts where minorities make up the majority of the population.
“The efforts to increase majority-minority representation include the strengthening of a Black ‘ability-to-elect’ district in Boston and the creation of a Hispanic ‘ability-to-elect’ district in the Merrimack Valley, along with the creation, strengthening or preservation of four ‘opportunity-to-elect’ districts in the Chelsea area, the Brockton area, Springfield and Boston,” the analysis from her office reads.
Sen. Will Brownsberger, D-Belmont, Senate chair of the Redistricting Committee, praised the redistricting as a high-quality plan.
“I’m really pleased that the House and Senate were able to work together to bring these bills across the finish line at the same time,” Brownsberger said. “I’m grateful to the many citizens who participated in our inclusive process. I’m also grateful to my colleagues for their guidance and ultimate strong support of our plan.”
Sen. Diana DiZoglio, D-Methuen, said she agrees strongly with some of the bill’s provisions, including its creation of new majority minority districts. She noted she voted against it because it needs even more work and doesn’t go far enough in representation for communities of color and many other communities in Massachusetts that have been shut out for too long.
“It has been very clear that the most powerful amongst us saw very light touches in the redistricting process, while the majority of rank-and-file members absorbed notable if not substantial changes to their district lines,” DiZoglio said. “Communities need to have their voices heard before we move forward with finalizing this legislation. Many residents have been left begging the question as to why their districts and communities have been sliced and diced while the district lines of the most powerful have not. And those folks deserve answers.”
“The Senate redistricting map accurately reflects the numerous changes that have occurred over the past 10 years,” said Sen. Anne Gobi, D-Spencer. “While I am personally experiencing seismic changes in my district, I was very pleased with the process and the work that was done to preserve full Senate representation in our Western Massachusetts districts while increasing the number of majority minority districts across the commonwealth.”
“What I want to focus my comments on today is two of the communities I am losing, especially the city of Lawrence,” said Sen. Barry Finegold, D-Andover, who voted against the bill. “For the past two decades, I have had the privilege of representing the city of Lawrence … and I’ve also been proud to serve the town of Dracut. … In my time as an elected official, both of these communities have embraced me with open arms. … Helping out the city of Lawrence has been my life’s work. … Overall, there is so much more work to do and I will continue to advocate wholeheartedly on behalf of these communities I currently represent for the remainder of the session.”
A “Yes” vote is for the redistricting plan.
Sen. Joanne Comerford — Yes
Sen. Anne Gobi — Yes
Sen. Adam Hinds — Yes
The Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery Committee held a virtual hearing on legislation that would require all first responders, including police, firefighters and EMTs, to carry Naloxone, or another overdose-reversal medication, with them when on duty. It also requires them to undergo training in administering it.
“An individual in my district died of an overdose in the presence of a first responder while waiting for Naloxone to arrive,” said sponsor Rep. Smitty Pignatelli, D-Lenox. “In Berkshire County, nearly 60 percent of first responders do not carry Naloxone. When first responders arrive on the scene — whether it’s an EMT, police officer or firefighter — it should be a guarantee that they can administer life-saving treatments.”
The Committee on Health Care Financing held a virtual hearing on a measure creating a state-run “Medicare for All” single-payer health care system. Provisions include establishing a 7.5 percent employer payroll tax, a 2.5 percent employee payroll tax and a self-employed 10 percent payroll tax.
The Massachusetts Legislature’s Medicare For All Caucus is co-chaired by Sens. Adam Gomez, D-Springfield, and Jamie Eldridge, D-Acton, and Reps. Denise Garlick, D-Needham, and Lindsay Sabadosa, D-Northampton. The group sent written testimony to the committee, saying the bill will fix the state’s broken health care system and ensure health care equity.
“Health care is a right, not a privilege, and yet financial barriers continue to restrict access to our health care system for those that need it the most,” the testimony reads. “High deductibles and high co-payments burden low-income families who come from disproportionately impacted communities. Massachusetts residents in deep poverty are often underinsured or uninsured and prescription drug costs are significantly higher in the U.S. than in any other country. Health care coverage has generated an overwhelming cost on households, businesses, municipalities and state budgets.”
“Socialized medicine hasn’t worked and won’t work here or anywhere else,” said Paul Craney, spokesperson for the Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance.
“The Medicare for All bill would be detrimental to the residents of Massachusetts,” said Sen. Ryan Fattman, R-Sutton. “We already have one of the best taxpayer-funded health care systems in the nation, proven by the point that it consumes 70 percent of the annual state budget, not to mention the fact that our health care system in Massachusetts covers about 98 percent of residents already. The bill also tacks on a payroll tax for employers that will go toward covering the cost of this bill, which is an egregious request to make at a time where employers are expected to foot the bill for replenishing the Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund that was diminished through overreaching COVID-19 policies that forced businesses to shut their doors.”
A virtual hearing by the Committee on Financial Services included a bill that would establish a publicly owned, state-run Bank of Massachusetts funded with up to $2 billion through the sale of bonds, funding from the Legislature and unclaimed property proceeds. A 10-member board of directors, chaired by the state treasurer, would provide a list of potential chief financial officers and chief operating officers to the governor, secretary of state and state treasurer who would appoint the officers by a majority vote.
The bank would focus on providing capital access to underbanked populations, industries, small businesses, public-private partnerships or local governments for development of infrastructure and businesses that may have broader public benefits in the climate, equity, health, clean water and education fields.
“There are communities throughout Massachusetts, particularly in Western Massachusetts, that are underserved by traditional banking,” said the measure’s sponsor, Sen. Adam Hinds, D-Pittsfield. “A state-owned bank would provide underbanked populations such as minority-owned businesses and the cannabis industry the opportunity to access much-needed capital.”
“Have its sponsors spoken with actual bankers before launching this ruinous debacle?” asked Chip Ford, executive director of Citizens for Limited Taxation. “Banks are not charities. They exist in a free market to earn money for their shareholders by providing financial services to the public. Banks succeed or fail based on investment decisions. Banking institutions are not subsidized by government — but regulated by it. Of course, your local bank isn’t backed up by the full faith and credit of the commonwealth of Massachusetts — meaning its taxpayers. The Legislature opening its own ‘too-big-to-fail’ state bank begs the question, ‘What could possibly go wrong?’”
The Advanced Information Technology, the Internet and Cybersecurity Committee’s virtual hearing included a bill that would create an Office of Data Protection, Cybersecurity and Privacy to serve as a resource on best practices related to data privacy and security for state agencies, local governments and the general public.
Responsibilities would include conducting an annual privacy review of all state agencies; privacy training for all employees of state agencies; articulating privacy principles and best practices for state agencies; and coordinating data protection in cooperation with state agencies
“Massachusetts has to get ahead of the curve and become a leader on cybersecurity,” said sponsor Sen. Barry Finegold, D-Andover. “Over the past several months, dangerous cyberattacks have disrupted critical infrastructure, health care organizations, municipal governments, school districts and local businesses. Unfortunately, this problem is not going to go away. Criminals are having success and finding new ways to commit crimes online. We need to get smart and take proactive measures to ensure that our systems are safe and secure.”