Beacon Hill Roll Call records local representatives’ and senators’ votes on roll calls from the week of Sept. 15 to Sept. 19.
Financial relief to hospitals, community health centers (H 4530)
The House, 148-1, and the Senate, 39-0, approved and sent to Gov. Maura Healey a $234 million supplemental budget that would provide financial relief to hospitals and community health centers across the state.
The bill includes $199 million in relief for acute care hospitals, including $122 million in targeted payments to facilities serving low-income patients and facing the greatest financial distress. Another $77 million would be transferred to the Health Safety Net Trust Fund, which helps reimburse hospitals and health centers for care provided to uninsured residents. Community health centers would receive $35 million, including $2.5 million directed to the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers for initiatives such as shared services.
“Massachusetts has a health care ecosystem that is the envy of other states, and that doesn’t happen by accident,” said Senate President Karen Spilka, D-Ashland. “Supporting every resident is part of what it means to be a leader in health care access. This funding will help our hospitals and community health centers provide high-quality care in every region and provide critical services to our veterans, seniors and municipalities.”
“This funding will help to ensure that financially strained hospitals and community health centers can continue to serve patients across Massachusetts,” said House Speaker Ron Mariano, D-Quincy. “As broad fiscal uncertainty and actions taken by the Trump administration continue to exacerbate the challenges that hospitals are already facing, this supplemental budget is the latest example of the work that we are doing here in Massachusetts to provide targeted support where it is needed most.”
Rep. Nick Boldyga, R-Southwick, cast the lone vote against the budget.
“This $250,000,000 bailout is due to the failed policies of the Democrats,” Boldyga said. “Once again they blamed President Trump but the reality is Democrats allowed ‘uninsured’ illegal aliens to flood our hospitals. Our health care system is now overwhelmed, bankrupt and broke.”
A “Yes” vote is for the budget.
- Rep. Natalie Blais — Yes
- Rep. Aaron Saunders — Didn’t Vote
- Rep. Susannah Whipps — Yes
- Sen. Joanne Comerford — Yes
- Sen. Paul Mark — Yes
Car rentals (S 2367)
The Senate, 39-0, approved and sent to the House a bill that supporters said would align Massachusetts with the majority of other states by updating car rental insurance requirements to maintain liability coverage on a secondary basis, making rental companies responsible only if the renter is uninsured or underinsured. If a lessee or operator of a leased vehicle already has a valid liability policy or equivalent financial security meeting the state minimum requirements, the lessor’s coverage obligation is considered satisfied.
Supporters said that by shifting primary liability to the renter’s personal auto insurance, the legislation helps make car rentals more affordable and accessible for Massachusetts residents, reducing costs while maintaining necessary protections.
“When friends visited me on Cape Cod this summer, they were stunned at just how expensive it was to rent even a small sedan for the weekend,” said sponsor Sen. Julian Cyr, D-Truro. “And they’re not wrong — rental car prices in Massachusetts are higher than almost anywhere else in the country, in part because we’ve kept an outdated insurance requirement on the books. We’re one of the only states where rental companies, not your own insurance, are required to carry primary coverage, and the cost of that policy gets passed right along to consumers.
Cyr continued, “By aligning Massachusetts with the rest of the country, we’re helping lower rental car prices for families, travelers and anyone who needs to rent a car in a pinch. I’m proud the Senate has taken this step to make life just a little more affordable for our residents and visitors.”
A “Yes” vote is for the bill.
- Sen. Joanne Comerford — Yes
- Sen. Paul Mark — Yes
Also up on Beacon Hill
Move 2026 primary election date to Sept. 1 (H 4531)
The House and Senate approved and sent to Gov. Healey legislation setting next year’s state primary election date for Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2026.
Supporters said this action is a standard step in the lead-up to an election year to ensure the primary date complies with state and federal requirements. It ensures that local clerks are given necessary time to send and process vote-by-mail ballots for Massachusetts residents, and gives election officials the ability to meet a required federal timeline for sending ballots to military servicemembers and citizens overseas.
“Given the calendar, holidays, requirements that we allow time for overseas ballots, including for members of the military, and to allow time for the printing of ballots, setting a date can sometimes be difficult,” said Sen. John Keenan, D-Quincy, Senate chair of the Committee on Election Laws. “This legislation will put the commonwealth in position to meet these obligations and run another smooth, safe and secure primary election on Sept. 1, 2026. Now, more than ever, our democratic process must remain steadfast in the face of unprecedented federal uncertainty.”
Fentanyl test strips (S 1057)
The Senate approved and sent to the House a bill that would exclude fentanyl test strips and fentanyl drug testing equipment from the definition of drug paraphernalia. It also includes a Good Samaritan Law that would provide that anyone who, in good faith, provides, administers or uses fentanyl test strips or fentanyl drug testing equipment shall not be subject to any criminal or civil liability or any professional disciplinary action.
The legislation expands a 2024 law that provided criminal and civil liability protections for those in the harm reduction community who provide or use fentanyl test strips in good faith. The bill would expand the liability protections beyond those just in the harm reduction community, and would ensure police officers and others who seek to distribute the tests or others acting in good faith are afforded legal protection.
Supporters said that under current law, selling or distributing these items could be a crime. As a result, police departments and others who are interested in distributing fentanyl test strips are concerned that doing so would subject them to criminal or civil liability. They noted that Massachusetts already has a similar Good Samaritan Law to shield anyone who administers naloxone, an opioid antagonist that is used as an emergency treatment for the complete or partial reversal of an opioid overdose, from liability.
“Fentanyl test strips are inexpensive, easy to use, and, most importantly, they are an evidence-based tool that saves lives,” said Senate Majority Leader Cindy Creem, D-Newton, the sponsor of the measure. “By making them widely available, Massachusetts can give people one more way to prevent overdoses and protect families from tragedy.”
Expand Nicky’s Law (S 165)
The Senate approved and sent to the House legislation that would expand current law by including day habilitation programs contracted by MassHealth in the existing statewide registry that prevents individuals with substantiated abuse allegations from being hired in care positions.
Supporters said the bill would expand “Nicky’s Law,” which was proposed by Sen. Mike Moore, D-Millbury, and signed into law in 2020 by former Gov. Charlie Baker. Nicky’s Law established a registry of care providers found guilty of registrable abuse after Nicky Chan, a young man with a disability, was abused by an employee at a day program he attended.
“Because no registry existed, this employee, and the witness who never reported the abuse, were able to find employment at another agency,” Moore said. “This new bill will ensure no individual with a disability will be subject to abuse while receiving services from a MassHealth day habilitation program.”
“When Nicky’s Law was first passed, it was about creating protections and accountability for some of our most vulnerable residents,” said Sen. Robyn Kennedy, D-Worcester, Senate chair of the Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities. “By expanding these safeguards to include day habilitation programs, we are making sure that no one falls through the cracks.”
$9 million in Literacy Launch grants
Gov. Healey announced that the state is awarding more than $9 million in Partnership for Reading Success – Massachusetts (PRISM) continuation grants to 15 school districts as part of her Literacy Launch initiative. These grants enable districts to implement evidence-based reading instruction through literacy materials, technical support, coaching and professional development.
“Literacy Launch is a historic investment in early literacy for our students,” Healey said. “These continuation grants represent our commitment to make sure all of our students can read and read well.”
“Ensuring every student has access to high-quality, evidence-based instruction in early literacy is essential for Massachusetts families,” Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll said. “Through PRISM continuation grants, we are providing children the support they need to excel and thrive in the future.”
“Culturally and linguistically sustaining practices and evidence-based early literacy are fundamental to achieving excellence and equity in education,” Secretary of Education Patrick Tutwiler said. “The PRISM 1 program will continue to help districts improve literacy programming, ensuring that our youngest learners build a strong literacy foundation that will support their success throughout their education.”