Page 20 THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – FRiDAy, FEbRuARy 14, 2025 BEACON | FROM PAGE 19 retary of Labor and Workforce Development Lauren Jones. “We appreciate the partnership with awarded organizations as we work together to strengthen employment outcomes, foster inclusivity and advance economic opportunities for individuals with disabilities in Massachusetts’ workforce.” ATTORNEY GENERAL CAMPBELL ON PROTECTING ACCESS TO GENDER-AFFIRMING CARE - Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell and a coalition of twelve other attorneys general issued a statement reaffirming their commitment to protecting access to gender-affirming care following a recent executive order by the Trump Administration. “As state attorneys general, we stand firmly in support of healthcare policies that respect the dignity and rights of all people,” read the statement. “Health care decisions should be made by patients, families and doctors, not by a politician trying to use his power to restrict your freedoms. Gender-affirming care is essential, life-saving medical treatment that supports individuals in living as their authentic selves.” The statement continued, “The Trump Administration’s recent executive order is wrong on the science and the law. Despite what the Trump Administration has suggested, there is no connection between “female genital mutilation” and gender-affirming care, and no federal law makes gender-affirming care unlawful. President Trump cannot change that by executive order.” DON’T MISS THIS EVENT - Join Massachusetts energy leaders in government, industry and advocacy at the MCLE in Boston on March 26 for an important discussion about the state’s energy policy and its goals for a net-zero future, hosted by the State House News Service. With the return of a new Trump administration and policies hindering wind power development, the state’s plan to expand its offshore wind portfolio faces uncertainty. While solar power offers potential, its scalability is limited by grid capacity issues and requires substantial investment. Other promising technologies like fusion and low-carbon hydrogen have yet to be implemented in the commonwealth. Tickets/more info: https:// www.eventbr it e.com/e/ power-interruption-tickets-1219762716119?aff=oddtdtcreator QUOTABLE QUOTES “The loss of these three workers is not just a statistic. It is a devastating reminder of the human cost of inadequate safety practices.” --- Massachusetts Coalition for Portal To Hope (“PTH”) serves people whose lives have been impacted by domestic violence and related assault crimes. Job Opportunities Available: PTH is seeking a Victim Advocate and a Licensed Social Worker to join our team! If you would like to join PTH’s award-winning team and share your leadership in the cause to end domestic violence, please call (781) 338-7678 for more information; or, email portaltohope@aol.com. Occupational Safety and Health (COSH) Executive Director Tatiana Sofia Begault on recent reports that three Massachusetts workers died in less than two weeks. “The history of Black Americans is deeply woven into the patchwork fabric and rich legacy of our country. A people who survived the torment of enslavement and consistently seek to lead this nation forward. A people who are the conscience of America and stand as a beacon of the great possibility of our democracy. To know the history of Black people in America is to understand our history is a testament to the enduring pursuit of America’s ideals.” --- Tanisha Sullivan, Chair of the Governor’s Black Empowerment Advisory Council at a celebration of Black History Month at the Statehouse. “This bill is vital because it addresses the pressing issue of allowing male athletes to compete in girls’ school sports when there is no equivalent boys’ team or when a boy identifies as a girl. [The bill] would give athletes and coaches the legal right to opt out of competitions against the opposite sex without fear of discipline.” --- Statement by the Massachusetts Family Institute (MFI). “It sickens me to see that any legislator in Massachusetts would partner with this organization to incite fearmongering and disinformation at the expense of children.” --- Tanya Neslusan, Executive Director of Mass Equality on what it calls MFI’s activities to promote discriminatory bills impacting transgender youth and anti-LGBTQ policies at the state and local level by engaging in disinformation campaigns and encouraging hateful propaganda against the LGBTQ communities across the state. “I think after witnessing last year’s coin toss, and to my knowledge -- and please correct me if I’m wrong -- there was no problem with betting integrity that took place. I looked in all the jurisdictions and I Googled as many news articles as I could to see if any betting integrity [issues] took place. There are other prop bets, like the Gatorade color over the coach, the national anthem length, and we, of course, decided we didn’t want to go that far. But I think the coin toss is something we should be revisiting.” --- Massachusetts Gaming Commissioner Brad Hill on the commission’s 3-2 vote to allow sports betting companies in the Bay State to offer wagers on the Super Bowl opening coin toss. HOW LONG WAS LAST WEEK’S SESSION? Beacon Hill Roll Call tracks the length of time that the House and Senate were in session each week. Many legislators say that legislative sessions are only one aspect of the Legislature’s job and that a lot of important work is done outside of the House and Senate chambers. They note that their jobs also involve committee work, research, constituent work and other matters that are important to their districts. Critics say that the Legislature does not meet regularly or long enough to debate and vote in public view on the thousands of pieces of legislation that have been filed. They note that the infrequency and brief length of sessions are misguided and lead to irresponsible late-night sessions and a mad rush to act on dozens of bills in the days immediately preceding the end of an annual session. During the week of Feb. 3-7, the House met for a total of six hours and 13 minutes while the Senate met for a total of 11 minutes. Mon. Feb. 3 House 11:02 a.m. to 11:10 a.m. Senate 11:20 a.m. to 11:26 a.m. Tues. Feb. 4 No House session No Senate session Wed. Feb. 5 No House session No Senate session Thurs. Feb. 6 House 11:01 a.m. to 5:06 p.m. Senate 11:28 a.m. to 11:33 a.m. Fri. Feb. 7 No House session No Senate session Bob Katzen welcomes feedback at bob@beaconhillrollcall.com Bob founded Beacon Hill Roll Call in 1975 and was inducted into the New England Newspaper and Press Association (NENPA) Hall of Fame in 2019.
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