Page 22 THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2022 Beacon Hill Roll Call By Bob Katzen GET A FREE SUBSCRIPTION TO MASSTERLIST – Join more than 22,000 people, from movers and shakers to political junkies and interested citizens, who start their weekday morning with MASSterList—the popular newsletter that chronicles news and informed analysis about what’s going on up on Beacon Hill, in Massachusetts politics, policy, media and infl uence. The stories are drawn from major news organizations as well as specialized publications selected by widely acclaimed and highly experienced writers Chris Van Buskirk and Keith Regan who introduce each article in their own clever and inimitable way. MASSterlist will be e-mailed to you FREE every Monday through Friday morning and will give you a leg up on what’s happening in the blood sport of Bay State politics. For more information and to get your free subscription go to: www. massterlist.com/subscribe THE HOUSE AND SENATE. Beacon Hill Roll Call records local representatives’ and senators’ votes on roll calls from the week of January 24-28 ELECTION LAW CHANGES (H 4359) House 124-34, approved a bill making permanent the mail-in and early voting options used in Massachusetts in 2020. Other provisions include reducing the registration blackout period from 20 days prior to an election to 10 days; ensuring that non-felons who are incarcerated who are currently eligible to vote are provided with voting information and materials to exercise their right to vote; mandating that felons who are incarcerated but prohibited from voting are notifi ed of their right to vote upon release and given the opportunity fi ll out a voter registration form; and requiring the secretary of state to conduct a comprehensive public awareness campaign to publicize the new voting and registration options. The Senate has already approved a diff erent version of the bill which includes same day registration that allows people to register to vote on the same day that they actually vote. The House version does not include that provision. Rep. Dan Ryan (D-Boston), House chair of the Elections Laws Committee, led the charge on the House fl oor for the bill but did not respond to several requests by Beacon Hill Roll Call to comment on passage of the bill. “With nationwide assaults on voting rights and upcoming elections in November, our democracy can’t be taken for granted,” said Carol Rose, executive director of the ACLU of Massachusetts. “It must be protected and strengthened, not just in Congress but in every state. Passage of [this bill] in the Massachusetts House represents important progress, and we are grateful that state lawmakers adopted reforms—from widespread mail-in voting to improved access for eligible incarcerated voters—that will address barriers to the ballot and expand the hardwon right to vote.” “Speaker Ron Mariano and his leadership team passed a very partisan Democratic election bill,” said Paul Craney, spokesman for the Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance. “It’s important for Republicans and common-sense Democrats to speak up and hold accountable the majority party when they try to change the rules in favor of their party’s electoral success.” (A “Yes” vote is for the bill. A “No” vote is against it.) Rep. Joseph McGonagle Yes GET OPINION FROM SUPREME JUDICIAL COURT (H 4359) House 30-128, rejected an amendment that would require the Supreme Judicial Court to rule on whether the election bill is unconstitutional and to delay the measure’s implementation until the court renders its opinion. Amendment supporters said this is a very complicated bill and noted some analysts have said it might be unconstitutional. Amendment opponents said that the amendment is simply a tactic to delay passage of the bill and will impede approval of the bill which is aimed at voter integrity and ballot access. (A “Yes” vote is for getting the court’s opinion. A “No” vote is against getting it.) Rep. Joseph McGonagle No PRISON VOTING (H 4359) House 153-5, approved an amendment that would require prison offi cials to provide information to non-felon prisoners on how to register and then vote in local, state and federal elections while in prison. Under current law, prisoners serving time for a felony are banned from voting until their release from prison. The amendment also requires prison offi cials to help these felons register to vote just before their release. Amendment supporters said that lack of voting by prisoners, especially black and brown inmates, often occurs because they are not given suffi cient information. They said this is a subtle form of voter suppression. They noted the amendment would force prison offi cials to provide the information. “Currently, those few eligible incarcerated voters who are able to access a ballot application fi nd their application unduly rejected,” said Kristina Mensik, Democracy Behind Bars Coalition co-chair. “What’s more, we include provisions to help ensure that no eligible voter behind the wall is disenfranchised because they were unBHRC | SEE PAGE 23 Sa nir Sa a y Senior Seni BY JIM MILLER H Mdifi Dear Savvy Senior, My wife and I would like to make some aff ordable changes to our home so we can remain living there for as long as possible. Can you recommend some good resources that can help us determine what all we need to consider? Getting Old Dear Getting, Many older adults, like you and your wife, want to stay living in their own home for as long as possible. But being able to do so will depend on how easy it is to maneuver your living space as you get older. Here are some helpful resources you can turn to, to get an idea of the diff erent types of features and improvements that will make your house safer and more convenient as you grow older. Home Evaluation A good fi rst step in making your home more age-friendly is to do an assessment. Go through your house, roomby-room, looking for problem areas like potential tripping or slipping hazards, as well as areas that are hard to access and diffi cult to maintain. To help with this, there are several organizations that have aging-in-place checklists that point out potential problems in each area of the home, along with modifi cation and solutions. For example, Rebuild Together has a two-page “Safe at Home Checklist” that’s created in partnership with the Administration on Aging and the American Occupational Therapy Association. Go to AOTA. org and search for “Rebuilding Together Safe at Home Checklist.” You also need to get a copy of AARP’s “HomeFit Guide.” This excellent 36-page guide has more than 100 aging-inplace tips and suggestions that can be made to an existing house or apartment or incorporated into designs for a new residence. It explains how a smartly designed or modifi ed home can meet the varied and changing needs of its older residents. It also features easy-todo, low-cost and no-cost fi xes that lessen the risk of trip hazards and increase the safety of nior i Ti ior Home Modifi cation Tips for ‘Aging-in-Place’ high-use areas like the bathroom, kitchen and stairway. In addition, they also off er videos and a HomeFit AR app (available for iPhone and iPad) that can scan a room and suggest improvements to help turn your house into a “lifelong home,” free from safety and mobility risks. Visit AARP.org/HomeFit to order or download a free copy of this guide, or to watch their videos. In-Home Assessments If you want some personalized help, you can get a professional in-home assessment with an occupational therapist. An occupational therapist, or OT, can evaluate the challenges and shortcomings of your home for aging in place, recommend design and modifi cation solutions, and introduce you to products and services to help you make improvements. To fi nd an OT in your area, check with your physician, health insurance provider or local hospital, or seek recommendations from family and friends. Many health insurance providers, including Medicare, will pay for a home assessment by an OT if prescribed by your doctor. However, they will not cover the physical upgrades to the home. Another option is to contact a builder who’s a Certified Aging in Place Specialist (CAPS). CAPS are home remodelers and design-build professionals that are knowledgeable about aging in place home modifi cations and can suggest ways to modify or remodel your home that will fi t your needs and budget. CAPS are generally paid by the hour or receive a fl at fee per visit or project. To fi nd a CAPS in your area visit the National Association of Home Builders website at NAHB.org/capsdirectory where you can search by state and city. Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book.
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