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The roll call of Beacon Hill recorded the roll call of local senators during the week of November 8-12. The House of Representatives did not call the names. Most of the Senate’s names were about the US$3.82 billion package, which spent the state’s federal funds received from the American Rescue Program Act (ARPA) and the rest of the state’s 2021 fiscal year budget for relief and assistance. Surplus recovered from the impact of COVID-19 pandemic in the past 18 months.
Behind the scenes
All decisions about including or not including the Senator’s amendment in the relief and recovery program are made "after the door is personally closed" or "after the door is closed by Zoom" in the COVID-19 era. Many of the 700-odd amendments proposed are for local projects in cities and towns in individual senator constituencies. Some amendments are considered individually, but many amendments are combined into a "yes" or "no" bundle, created by the Democratic leadership, and approved at one time through voice voting without debate and roll call Or refuse.
Supporters of the system say that any senator who supports an amendment placed in the "no" package can bring it to the meeting and ask for a vote for or against the amendment itself. They said the system has been working well for many years.
Critics claim that the system gives the Democratic leadership too much power and delegates all decision-making power to a few leadership senators with final decision-making power.
$3.82B for COVID relief and recovery
The Senate approved a $3.82 billion package 38 to 0, which plans to use the state’s federal funds received from ARPA and the remaining surplus of the state’s fiscal year 2021 budget for relief and restoration of past COVID-19 pandemics. Affected for 18 months. The plan includes one-time investments in health and human services, education, housing, and the environment (including climate change mitigation, economic development, and employment). The House of Representatives has approved different versions of the measure, and the House-Senate Conference Committee will finalize a compromise version.
The allocation includes US$400 million in mental and behavioral health support; US$118.4 million for public health infrastructure and data sharing; US$95 million to local health committees to prepare for future public health threats; US$60 million for food security Infrastructure; US$50 million for nursing facilities; US$25 million for community violence prevention grant programs, focusing on communities disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic; US$500 million for unemployment insurance trust funds for small businesses Provide relief; US$75 million for fair and affordable broadband access and infrastructure improvements to reduce the digital divide; US$75 million for the Committee on Popular Culture; US$50 million in grants to minority small businesses; US$600 million for investment in affordable accessible housing; US$25 million for tree planting; US$15 million for parks and recreational projects; US$10 million for clean energy transformation of affordable housing; and US$7.5 million for Community colleges to help train underserved people to engage in green jobs.
The Senate voted 5 to 32 to reject an amendment that would increase the amount of the bill into the state's unemployment trust fund from $500 million to $1 billion, which pays unemployment benefits to unemployed residents.
Proponents say that employers are currently burdened with repaying the US$7 billion borrowed by the country during the pandemic to stabilize the declining funds in the trust fund. The initiator of the amendment and Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr (Bruce Tarr) said that companies will find it difficult to recruit new employees while coping with the additional cost of repaying $7 billion.
"It's impossible to plan for a global pandemic," Tarr said, because the cost of the unemployment insurance trust fund will reach $7 billion." "They would say,'Can I afford that new employee? Me." Can you afford those new employees?" It's hard enough. We do not need this additional barrier to be higher than it must be. "
("Yes" vote is for the additional 500 million US dollars. "No" vote is against.)
Yes: Senator Bruce Tal. No: Senator John Cronin; Senator James Eldridge; Senator Barry Fingold; Senator Cindy Friedman; Senator Anne Goby; Senator Edward Kennedy. No vote: Senator Michael Barrett.
The Senate voted 3-34 to veto an amendment to provide $210 million for the two-week sales tax holiday in 2022, which allows consumers to purchase most of the price less than $2,500 during the two-week sales tax holiday Products without paying the state’s 6.25% sales tax. State law currently requires two days of sales tax holiday each year.
Supporters of the amendment said that this longer tax-free holiday would boost retail sales and pointed out that consumers would save millions of dollars. They say this is a reasonable way to provide relief to taxpayers who have suffered during the pandemic and are dealing with inflation, high natural gas, groceries and many other things.
Opponents of the amendment say that extending vacations is more of a feel-good policy, and that it does little to help families. They pointed out that the extension will not actually bring much extra revenue to the store, because even if there is no duty-free day, consumers will usually buy the product.
(The "yes" vote is in favor of an additional $210 million and a two-week sales tax holiday. The "no" vote is against.)
Yes: Senator Bruce Tal. No: Senator John Cronin; Senator James Eldridge; Senator Barry Fingold; Senator Cindy Friedman; Senator Anne Goby; Senator Edward Kennedy. No vote: Senator Michael Barrett.
US$5 million to meet the behavioral and mental health needs of college students
The Senate voted 37 to 0 to pass an amendment that will provide public higher education institutions with a grant of $5 million to meet the behavioral and mental health needs of students.
"University is the first time many young people experience independent living, and this is certainly a challenging transition," said sponsor Senator Julian Thiel (R-Truro). "With the increase in isolation and stress brought about by the pandemic, the number of college students who report that they suffer from anxiety, depression and suicidal thoughts has increased at an unprecedented rate. In short, young people are suffering. (This) amendment will help Address and support the mental health needs of students in our public higher education institutions."
Medal of Freedom is awarded to those who died during training
The Senate passed an amendment by a vote of 37 to 0 that would expand the qualifications of the Medal of Freedom to include family members of military personnel who died during training. The current law awards medals to men and women serving in Massachusetts who were killed in action or in the designated combat area of the mission or injured in the action.
Senator John Velis of D-Westfield told the story of Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Morris "Moose" Fontenot Jr., a resident of Longmeadow, who died in 2014 after his F-15C Eagle fighter jet crashed in a routine flight. According to 2014 and current laws, Fonteno does not and is not eligible for the Medal of Freedom.
The use of ambulances for injured police dogs is allowed-Nero Law
The Senate approved the legislation 38 to 0, requiring EMS personnel to provide emergency treatment for police dogs, and use ambulances to transport dogs injured during missions to veterinary clinics or veterinary hospitals when no one needs an emergency. Medical treatment or transportation at the time .
After the tragic death of the Yarmouth Police Sergeant, sponsor Senator D-New Bedford submitted the bill for the first time in 2019. Sean Gannon was shot during the mission. His K-9 partner Nero was seriously injured and had to sit in the back of a police car and was taken to the animal hospital. Nero survived. Montigny also cited the heartbreaking loss of the beloved K-9 Kitt from the Braintree Police Department.
Resume the meeting after 8pm
The Senate passed a motion to suspend Senate rules by 35 votes to 2 to allow the Senate meeting to continue after 8 p.m. According to Senate rules, the Senate cannot meet after 8pm unless the rules are suspended. The meeting lasted for nearly three hours after 8pm and was adjourned at 10:40pm
Supporters of the suspension of the rules stated that the Senate has important work to complete the $3.82 billion COVID relief and recovery plan and should continue to meet and work hard.
Opponents of the moratorium say that it is irresponsible for the Senate to debate and vote while taxpayers are asleep.
("Yes" votes are for meetings after 8 p.m., "No" votes are against.)
Yes: Senator John Cronin; Senator James Eldridge; Senator Barry Fingold; Senator Cindy Friedman; Senator Anne Goby; Senator Edward Kennedy. No: Senator Bruce Tal. No vote: Senator Michael Barrett.
Also at Beacon Hill
Parenting time: The Judiciary Committee held a hearing on the legislation, and supporters said the legislation would change Massachusetts law so that divorced parents have the right to continue to raise their children even after legally separated from their spouses. This measure replaces the word "visiting" in the state guardianship law with "parenting time."
"The concept is simple-divorce will put pressure on children, and no parent should be demoted as a visitor," said sponsor Rep. Shawn Dooley of R-Norfolk. "As we know, language has a powerful influence, and it is vital that the roles of both parents are not diminished by inferring that one person is a parent and caregiver, while the other person only visits occasionally as a visitor from time to time. Most judges have already ordered parenting time rather than visits, so the law should reflect this."
Exemption from some cosmetics regulations: A bill heard by the Consumer Protection and Professional Licensing Commission will allow people to practice "natural braided hair, blow-dry styling, eyelash extension applications, makeup art and threading" without permission or supervision. Hairdressing committee. A law recently approved by the legislature and signed by Governor Charlie Baker provides exemptions for hair weaving.
Prohibition of discrimination against persons with disabilities in child custody: The Judicial Committee held a hearing to discuss legislation prohibiting discrimination against persons with disabilities in child custody cases. This measure will require the court to make a written decision on whether the parent’s disability caused actual harm to their children and whether it was a factor in determining guardianship. The court also needs to determine whether any harm to the child can be mitigated by using adaptive equipment or providing support services for parents.
Senator Joan Lovely, the patron of D-Salem, stated that she submitted the bill because if parents with disabilities do not harm their children, they should not lose custody of their children.
"Requesting written findings will help eliminate unconscious bias and ensure that the parent's disability is not the only factor in determining custody of children," Loveli said.
Waterpipe products for waterpipe equipment: A bill heard by the Consumer Protection and Professional Licensing Commission will allow waterpipe tobacco products for waterpipe equipment to be sold in retail stores along with existing and legal tobacco products. According to current laws, these products are only allowed to be sold in hookah bars for on-site consumption.
How long was the meeting last week? Beacon Hill Roll Call tracks the length of weekly meetings of the House of Representatives and Senate. Many legislators said that the legislative assembly is only one aspect of the work of the legislature, and many important tasks are done outside the House of Representatives and the Senate. They pointed out that their work also involves committee work, research, voter work and other matters important to their region. Critics say that the legislature does not meet regularly or does not last long enough to debate and vote on thousands of submitted legislation in public view. They pointed out that the infrequent and short meeting times were misguided, leading to irresponsible late-night meetings and frantically taking action on dozens of bills a few days before the end of the annual meeting.
During the week of November 8-12, the House of Representatives met for 1 hour and 24 minutes, while the Senate met for 12 hours and 25 minutes.
Bob Katzen welcomes feedback via bob@beaconhillrollcall.com