There were no roll calls in the House or Senate last week.

This week, Beacon Hill Roll Call reports on the percentage of times local senators voted with their party’s leadership in the 2026 session through Sept. 4.

Beacon Hill Roll Call uses 96 of the 122 votes from the 2026 Senate session as the basis for this report. This includes all roll calls except 26 that were on local issues.

The votes of 33 Democrats were compared to Senate Majority Leader Cynthia Creem, D-Newton, second-in-command in the Senate. Democrats’ votes could not be compared to those of Senate President Karen Spilka, D-Ashland, because, by tradition, the Senate president rarely votes.

Twelve (36.3%) of the 33 Democrats voted with Creem 100% of the time. Thirteen others (38.2%) voted against Creem only once.

The senator who voted with Creem least frequently is Sen. Mark Montigny, D-New Bedford, who voted with Creem only 87.5% of the time. A close second is Sen. John Velis, D-Westfield, who voted with her 88.5% of the time.

Rounding out the list of the top five senators who voted with Creem the least are Sens. John Keenan, D-Quincy, and Michael Moore, D-Millbury, who each voted with Creem 93.7% of the time; and Barry Finegold, D-Andover, who voted with her 94.7% of the time.

“When it comes to matters before the Senate, I do my research, value input from my colleagues and consider the positions of my constituents,” Keenan said when contacted by Beacon Hill Roll Call. “Ultimately, I vote for what I believe is best for my district and the commonwealth.”

“My voting record in the Massachusetts Senate reflects the priorities and interests of the people who sent me to Beacon Hill to represent them,” Moore said. “While I have deep respect for all of my colleagues, how they plan to vote is not a factor that I take into consideration. My decision on whether to support or oppose every bill that comes to the floor is based solely on whether it will be good for the people of the 2nd Worcester District.”

Three senators — Montigny, Velis and Finegold — did not respond to requests for comment.

Beacon Hill Roll Call also contacted all 12 senators who voted with Creem 100% of the time and asked them to comment. None of the 12 responded.

They are Sens. Mike Barrett, D-Lexington; Will Brownsberger, D-Belmont; Jo Comerford, D-Northampton; Jamie Eldridge, D-Marlborough; Dylan Fernandes, D-Falmouth; Cindy Friedman, D-Arlington; Adam Gomez, D-Springfield; Vanna Howard, D-Lowell; Robyn Kennedy, D-Worcester; Jason Lewis, D-Winchester; Pavel Payano, D-Lawrence; and Becca Rausch, D-Needham.

The votes of four Republican senators were compared with those of GOP Senate Minority Leader Sen. Bruce Tarr, R-Gloucester. None of the four voted with Tarr 100% of the time.

Sens. Patrick O’Connor, R-Weymouth, and Peter Durant, R-Spencer, voted with Tarr the least frequently — only 93.7% of the time. Sens. Kelly Dooner, R-Taunton, and Ryan Fattman, R-Sutton, were close behind and voted with Tarr 94.7% of the time.

The percentage next to the senator’s name represents the percentage of times the senator supported his or her party’s leadership in 2026 through Sept. 4. The number in parentheses represents the number of times the senator opposed his or her party’s leadership.

Some senators voted on all 99 roll call votes. Others missed one or more roll calls. The percentage for each senator is calculated based on the number of roll calls on which he or she voted.

  • Sen. Jo Comerford — 100% (0)
  • Sen. Paul Mark — 98.9% (1)

Also up on Beacon Hill

Autism and traffic stops

Following approval from the Legislature, Gov. Maura Healey launched the statewide Blue Envelope Program, a free and voluntary program designed to support safer, more effective communication between law enforcement officers and people with autism spectrum disorder during traffic stops. This program was adopted by Massachusetts State Police in 2024, but was not an actual law until now.

The measure, dubbed the “Blue Envelope Program,” creates a program giving people with autism the option to be given a blue envelope that holds the person’s driver’s license and vehicle registration. On the outside of the envelope, there is written information and guidance regarding ways to enhance effective communication between a police officer and a person with autism. The envelope also includes instructions for access to the envelope, including attaching it to the sun visor on the driver’s side of the vehicle. The bill is designed to enable the driver to quickly and easily hand the envelope to a police officer.

Blue Envelopes are now available at all Registry of Motor Vehicles Service Centers, participating AAA locations and through an online request form at mass.gov/forms/request-a-blue-envelope.

“The Blue Envelope Program is a practical and meaningful way to foster safer and more effective interactions between law enforcement and individuals with autism,” said interim Secretary of Transportation Phillip Eng. “By making these envelopes widely available through the RMV, AAA locations and an online request process, we are helping individuals and families feel more prepared and confident while giving officers useful information that they can use to support positive interactions and outcomes.”

“The Blue Envelope Program provides a supportive tool for individuals with autism to communicate with law enforcement, creating more understanding and making traffic stops safer for them,” said Registrar of Motor Vehicles Colleen Ogilvie. “We’re pleased to take this innovative program piloted by the Massachusetts State Police and make it available statewide in support of our ongoing efforts to make RMV services accessible and inclusive to all residents.”

Student loan repayment awards for 248 early educators

Gov. Maura Healey announced the awarding of $1.8 million in student loan repayment grants to 248 early educators and staff across Massachusetts.

This first-ever program provides eligible recipients with up to $7,500 per year in student loan repayment assistance and is designed to help experienced early educators stay in the field, build long-term careers, and continue providing high-quality care and education for children and families. Recipients were selected based on eligibility requirements and program priorities, with preference given to educators with five or more years of experience and those working in communities serving children and families with high needs or in regions experiencing shortages of early education and care seats.

“We want Massachusetts to be the best place to raise a family and build a career, and supporting early educators is a big part of that,” Healey said. “That’s why we’re helping 248 educators pay down their student loans and keep more of their hard-earned money. When we invest in early educators, we strengthen our workforce, give children a strong start and help families get the care they need.”

“Educators working in early education and childcare make an extraordinary commitment to the children and families they serve, and we want Massachusetts to be a place where they can build rewarding, sustainable careers,” said Early Education and Care Commissioner Amy Kershaw. “This first group of recipients represents educators working across our early education and care system, and this investment is one more way we are supporting their professional growth and compensation, while recognizing their experience and strengthening the workforce.”

Create ‘Dolly Parton 9 to 5 Day’ (SD 4203 and HD 6304)

Sen. Julian Cyr, D-Truro, and Rep. Sam Montaño, D-Boston, have introduced legislation to designate Sept. 25 as “9 to 5 Day,” recognizing “Dolly Parton’s emblematic cultural impact on the United States, her steadfast dedication to charitable causes, and her unwavering support of women, workers, LGBTQ+ people and children.”

“In Dolly Parton, we lost an icon: a legendary singer-songwriter, a philanthropist and a role model who showed generations of Americans what it means to lead and live with kindness and authenticity,” Cyr and Montaño said in a joint statement. “Dolly’s passing felt incredibly personal to millions of us, like we had all lost our ‘Aunt Dolly.’ To honor her legacy, this legislation would designate Sept. 25 as ‘9 to 5 Day’ across the commonwealth, following the lead of lawmakers from Tennessee in celebrating Dolly Parton and all people on the job working 9 to 5.”

Matt Fortin, Cyr’s director of communications, told Beacon Hill Roll Call, “It is our hope to have the bill passed by Sept. 25 this year.”

Alcohol donations for charities (H 5351)

The House and Senate, on a voice vote without a roll call, gave final approval to and sent to Gov. Maura Healey the Senate version of legislation that would allow local licensing authorities to issue temporary licenses to charities so they can 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. The House had earlier approved a different version of the bill but then agreed to the Senate version.

“I was happy to see the House concurred on the redraft of the charity alcohol licensure legislation the Senate passed in August,” said sponsor Sen. Pavel Payano, D-Lawrence. “Support from both chambers was crucial in helping get this bill this far in the legislative process. Our state will continue to support organizations doing charitable and community-focused work, and this bill is a reflection of that commitment.”

Domestic Workers’ Rights Day (H 3417)

The House and Senate, on a voice vote without a roll call, approved and sent to Gov. Maura Healey a measure that would annually establish June 16 as Domestic Workers’ Rights Day to honor all domestic workers who work in private homes and in recognition of Massachusetts’ historic enactment of basic labor standards in the Domestic Workers’ Bill of Rights.

“For me, [the bill] is really about building on the important work that began with the Domestic Workers’ Bill of Rights, which passed before I joined the House of Representatives,” said co-sponsor Rep. Judith Garcia, D-Everett. “This holiday is symbolic in nature, but deeply meaningful because it recognizes the domestic workers whose care and labor are so important to families across our commonwealth. I’m very grateful to see it receive final approval from both branches and reach Gov. Healey’s desk. … This moment really belongs to the domestic workers and advocates who have been doing this work for years.”