Beacon Hill Roll Call records local representatives’ and senators’ votes on roll calls from the week of June 23 to June 27.

Approve joint rules for 2025-2026 session (S 2545)

The House, 157-3, and the Senate, 40-0, approved a package of joint House-Senate rules under which the House and Senate will operate in the 2025-2026 session.

Provisions include increasing from three days to 10 days the advance notice that must be given before a committee hearing is held; allowing the public to participate remotely in committee hearings; and posting on the Legislature’s website the attendance record of each legislator at hearings of his or her committees and how each senator or representative voted on the bills acted upon by the committee.

Other provisions include requiring committees to produce and post on the Legislature’s website plain-language summaries of all bills in time for their hearings; requiring committees to adopt rules making written testimony submitted to the committee to be made publicly available; requiring committees to report out bills by the first Wednesday in December of the first year of the two-year session; allowing the Legislature to meet in formal session after July 31 in the second year of the legislative session to take up only reports of conference committees formed on or before July 31, appropriation bills filed after July 31 and gubernatorial vetoes or amendments; requiring that the public be allowed to attend the first meeting of any conference committee that is working on hammering out a compromise version when the House and Senate approve different versions of a bill; and requiring a minimum of 24 hours between when a conference committee report is filed and when legislators are asked to vote on it.

“These critical reforms are representative of the House’s strong commitment to the pursuit of a more accessible and efficient Legislature that is responsive to the concerns of our constituents,” said House Speaker Ron Mariano, D-Quincy. “We remain focused on the all-important responsibility of bettering the General Court as an institution, a goal that I know so many of my colleagues are committed to.”

“These updates to the joint rules will streamline legislative work to aid efficiency and allow for more public involvement in the process,” said Rep. Bill Galvin, D-Canton, House chair of the Joint Committee on Rules. “Our constituents are increasingly engaging in the legislative process online and expect ample access to information on the progress of bills. These changes make information more accessible to the public on the legislative website in real time and provide more opportunities for residents to be involved.”

Reps. Marc Lombardo, R-Billerica, and Nick Boldyga, R-Southwick, were the only two legislators to vote against the rules package. Neither one responded to repeated requests by Beacon Hill Roll Call asking them to explain why they opposed the package.

“These rules reforms are a welcome and potentially valuable step in making the Legislature’s procedures more timely, accessible and transparent,” said Peter Enrich, a member of the steering committee of the Coalition to Reform Our Legislature. “It is gratifying to see this responsiveness of the Legislature to the criticism and demands for reform coming from frustrated citizens and organizations. At the same time, it is important to recognize that these rules changes are at best a small, first step in rebuilding an effective, accountable and transparent Legislature, where legislators are more responsive to the citizens who elect them than to the legislative leaders who presently dominate the system.”

“These new rules should be the beginning, not the end, of democratic reforms,” said Progressive Mass Policy Director Jonathan Cohn. “That we have them at all is a credit to years of advocacy and popular education, the landslide win of Question 1 on the ballot last year and the willingness of candidates to make Beacon Hill’s inertia and lack of transparency a key issue. There is more to do, such as structural reforms like fixing a stipend system that centralizes power or the deeper work of changing the culture of Beacon Hill in a way that encourages legislators to be more willing to speak out, stand out, and not settle for inertia and small wins. But today, we celebrate.”

A “Yes” vote is for the new joint rules.

Rep. Natalie Blais — Yes

Rep. Aaron Saunders — Yes

Rep. Susannah Whipps — Yes

Sen. Joanne Comerford — Yes

Sen. Paul Mark — Yes

Reproductive and transgender care protections (S 2538)

The Senate, 37-3, approved and sent to the House legislation that would strengthen health care protections. The bill is designed to fortify protections for people seeking and providing reproductive and transgender care.

The legislation would prohibit state agencies and law enforcement from cooperating with other states or federal investigations into legally protected reproductive or transgender health care provided in Massachusetts. Under the bill, businesses that manage electronic health information would similarly be limited in sharing patient data connected to these services.

Other provisions would allow prescriptions to be issued with the name of a health care practice rather than an individual practitioner; exclude certain reproductive and gender-affirming medications from the state’s drug monitoring programs; limit third-party access to related medical records; enhance license protections for attorneys and anyone providing reproductive or transgender health care services; and forbid insurance companies from discriminating against or penalizing providers who offer reproductive and transgender health services.

“As we face new, more unpredictable threats from a hostile federal government that is targeting those engaged in care that is legally protected under Massachusetts law, we must again stand up to defend our autonomy and the rights of Massachusetts residents,” said Sen. Cindy Friedman, D-Arlington. “The passage of the [the bill] upholds the Senate’s commitment to always keep the health and safety of Massachusetts residents at the forefront of our work.”

“With today’s vote, Massachusetts is reinforcing its legacy of safeguarding abortion care despite ever-evolving and escalating efforts from a hostile federal administration to empower anti-abortion extremists and undermine access to reproductive health care and our fundamental right to bodily autonomy nationwide,” said Rebecca Hart Holder, president of Reproductive Equity Now.

“This bill is looking to solve a problem that doesn’t exist, and in doing so, actually creates problems,” said Sen. Ryan Fattman, R-Sutton, one of only three senators to vote against the bill. “For example, the bill prevents the disclosure of health information when requested by other states even during criminal investigations. If a child is raped by a family member and then trafficked to Massachusetts for abortion services, this bill would allow the commonwealth of Massachusetts to prohibit outside agencies from obtaining any information that may be germane to a criminal investigation. The bill also calls into question parental rights and custodial issues regarding minors from out of state who are seeking health care services unbeknownst to their parents.”

Sens. Kelly Dooner, R-Taunton, and Peter Durant, R-Spencer, the only other members who voted against the proposal, did not respond to repeated requests by Beacon Hill Roll Call asking them to explain why they opposed the legislation.

A “Yes” vote is for the bill.

Sen. Joanne Comerford — Yes

Sen. Paul Mark — Yes

Regulate document requests (S 2538)

The Senate, 5-34, rejected an amendment that would require the Executive Office of Health and Human Services (HHS) to promulgate regulations related to document requests made by other states and the federal government and maintain a database of the requests. The amendment would also require HHS to provide a record of the requests to the House and Senate clerks.

“The top priority we should all have is the safety of our friends, family and neighbors,” said Sen. Patrick O’Connor, R-Weymouth, who voted for the amendment. “I will continue to work to ensure that the rights and protections that these individuals have are safeguarded by the Legislature and that everyone has access to their right to proper health care without interference from other states or legislative bodies.”

Sen. Bruce Tarr, R-Gloucester, the sponsor of the amendment, did not respond to repeated requests by Beacon Hill Roll Call asking him to explain why he proposed the amendment.

“I voted against [the amendment] because, while I agreed with the intent [of the amendment], I didn’t believe it could be implemented without a lot of further research to make it possible to implement as written,” said Sen. Cindy Friedman, D-Arlington. “Having not spoken with HHS, we couldn’t do that in time to redraft it.”

A “No” vote is against the amendment.

Sen. Joanne Comerford — No

Sen. Paul Mark — No

Also up on Beacon Hill Gov. Healey signs $1.3 billion transportation and education package (H 4227)

Gov. Maura Healey signed into law a $1.3 billion fiscal year 2025 supplemental budget that uses funds generated from the surtax imposed on taxpayers’ earnings of more than $1 million annually to fund $593 million for education-related projects and $716 million for transportation-related ones.

A total of $535 million of the $716 million for transportation will be used for various Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) projects. Other provisions include $80 million for Chapter 90 aid to ensure every city and town receives funding to maintain local roads and bridges; $16.4 million for municipally owned small bridges and culverts; $7 million for the improvement and maintenance of unpaved roads; and $5 million for transportation improvements associated with the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The $593 million for education includes $248 million for special education; $115 million for public higher education infrastructure investments; $25 million for tutoring to support accelerated literacy growth and success for students in kindergarten through third grade; $10 million for English language learning programs; $10 million to support the Holocaust Museum in Boston; and $10 million for grants to eligible local school districts for clean energy infrastructure improvements and upgrades.

“I proposed this bill to address two of the most critical needs we have as a state — transportation and education,” Healey said. “For decades, our transportation system has been underinvested in, and Massachusetts residents and businesses have been paying the price. We’re delivering an historic infusion of funding to upgrade roads and bridges and finally stabilize the finances at the T. We’re also expanding access to the programs that have been proven to support students and help them recover from the learning losses they suffered due to the pandemic, like tutoring and career and technical education.”

“As the school year comes to a close, educators and families can head into summer break knowing that significant funding is coming their way that delivers the support they need for special education, child care and tutoring,” said Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll. “At the same time, we’re ushering in a new era of modern, reliable transportation across Massachusetts.”

Change date of state primary elections (S 532)

The Election Laws Committee held a hearing on legislation that would change the primary election date in Massachusetts from September to the second Tuesday in June. The bill also permits municipalities to schedule local elections on the same dates as presidential or state primaries, which supporters say would enhance voter engagement, improve efficiencies and reduce costs.

“It is outrageous that voters continue to face barriers to engagement, clerks continue to face significant administrative burdens and taxpayers continue to bear overly high costs due to our woefully outdated primary election schedule,” said sponsor Sen. Becca Rausch, D-Needham. “The proof is in the pudding — our state’s primary date has conflicted with Jewish holidays, rendered our clerks unable to comply with federal election law or clashed with other conflicts every single cycle for the better part of two decades, necessitating a date change each time.”

Rausch added, “The replacement dates have not been much better, falling on the Tuesday after Labor Day more than once. To the greatest extent we can, we should fix the aspects of our democracy that are broken, and our last-in-the-nation primary date is among the top of the list.”

Tax credit for elderly or disabled residents (H 3018)

A bill heard by the Revenue Committee would provide up to a $600 state income tax credit to any Massachusetts resident who cares for an elderly or disabled relative with Alzheimer’s disease in the person’s home. Taxpayers are eligible if they provide more than half of the support for a relative age 70 or older or a disabled relative with Alzheimer’s disease; if their income is less than $20,000 for a single filer or less than $35,000 for a joint filer; and if the cared-for relative lives with the taxpayer for more than six months of the tax year.

“Caring for an aging parent or a loved one with Alzheimer’s can be emotionally and financially overwhelming,” said sponsor Rep. Bruce Ayers, D-Quincy. “This bill provides a modest but meaningful tax credit to help families offset the high costs of home care, and to support those who are making great personal sacrifices to care for someone they love in the comfort and dignity of their own home.”

Prohibit Level 3 sex offenders from living with other Lever 3 offenders (H 1786)

Legislation that would prohibit individuals who have been classified as Level 3 sex offenders from renting, residing or otherwise occupying a single-family dwelling or a unit in a multi-family dwelling with another Level 3 sex offender, unless they are legally related by consanguinity, affinity or adoption, was among the bills before the Judiciary Committee. Violators would be subject to a $1,000 fine and/or up to a 2.5-year prison sentence.

“Individuals classified as Level 3 sex offenders have committed serious crimes and pose a significant threat of reoffending in the future,” said sponsor House Minority Leader Rep. Brad Jones, R-North Reading. “Having two or more dangerous sex offenders residing together can create an extremely volatile situation that makes it even more likely they will reoffend. By preventing these individuals from living together, we can protect the public by minimizing their ability to potentially work in concert to reoffend.”

Dungeons & Dragons (H 4124)

The Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security held a hearing on a measure that would ban prisons from prohibiting an inmate from playing Dungeons & Dragons or other role-playing games.

“Current law allows correctional facilities to ban role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons under the misguided belief that they promote gang activity or inappropriate behavior,” said sponsor Rep. Jack Lewis, D-Framingham. “This restriction is not only baseless, but it echoes the outdated paranoia of the 1980s ‘Satanic Panic.’ Denying incarcerated individuals the opportunity to engage in creative, collaborative and mentally stimulating games is an unreasonable infringement on their free time and rehabilitation potential.”

No right turn on red (S 1715)

Another bill heard by the Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee would prohibit vehicles from turning right on a red or stop signal.

“Eliminating right turns on red improves pedestrian safety by reducing conflicts between turning vehicles and people crossing the street, especially protecting children, seniors and individuals with disabilities,” said sponsor Sen. Robyn Kennedy, D-Worcester. “It supports walkable, equitable communities with minimal impact on traffic flow while addressing risks from distracted or rushed driving.”