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Page 14 THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – FRiDAy, FEbRuARy 17, 2023 package,” said Senate President Karen Spilka (D-Ashland). 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 influence. The stories are drawn from major news organizations as well as specialized publications selected by widely acclaimed and highly experienced writers Keith Regan and Matt Murphy 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: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/aPTLucK THE HOUSE AND SENATE: Beacon Hill Roll Call records local senators’ votes on roll calls from the week of February 6-10, 2023. There were no roll calls in the House last week. ADOPT SENATE RULES (S 17) Senate 37-1, approved the set of rules by which the Senate will operate during the 2023-2024 session. Key rules include continuing the option, implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic, which allows senators to participate, debate and vote remotely in Senate sessions, at their owns discretion, from their homes or offices; allowing legislators and citizens to testify at hearings in person or from their home or other remote location; and requiring Senate committee votes to be posted on the Legislature’s website. “The rules package released today takes the lessons learned during this unprecedented time and incorporates them into the Senate’s practices and procedures,” said Sen. Joan Lovely (D-Salem), Chair of the Temporary Senate Committee on Rules. “By continuing remote participation options for hearings, publishing committee votes and allowing public access to testimony, we can create better pathways for people across our commonwealth to access and participate in state government.” “I am proud of the Senate for its commitment to increased transparency, inclusivity and equity as reflected in this rules “We have learned the lessons of the COVID-19 pandemic, and this rules package ensures that operations in the Senate continue to reflect the reality of work and civic engagement in the digital age.” “The Massachusetts Senate must be a place of transparency and accountability,” said Sen. Ryan Fattman (R-Sutton), the lone opponent of the rules package. “The people we represent deserve that type of Senate and our reform amendments demand that type of Senate. Showing up to vote, in-person, doing the people’s business during the light of day, stopping lobbying by those who corrupted the public’s trust and providing transparency in how a senator votes are reforms that can restore good governance to the Massachusetts Senate.” (A “Yes” vote is for the rules package. A “No” vote is against it.) Sen. Sal DiDomenico Yes REQUIRE A TWO-THIRDS VOTE TO GO BEYOND 10 P.M. (S 17) Senate 4-34, rejected an amendment that would require a two-thirds vote for the Senate to continue any session beyond 10 p.m. This would be in addition to a current Senate rule that requires a two-thirds vote to continue a session beyond 8 p.m. and a two-thirds vote to continue a session beyond midnight. Amendment supporters said requiring the two-thirds vote will ensure that late-night sessions between 10 p.m. and midnight when legislators are tired and many citizens are already sleeping do not become the norm but are allowed only when a vast majority of senators favor it. Amendment opponents said the current rules requiring a two-thirds vote to go beyond 8 p.m. and another twothirds vote to go beyond midnight are sufficient and argued there is no need to add another layer. (A “Yes” vote is for requiring a two-thirds vote to go beyond 10 p.m. A “No” vote is against it.) Sen. Sal DiDomenico No REQUIRE UNANIMOUS VOTE TO GO BEYOND MIDNIGHT (S 17) Senate 4-34, rejected an amendment that would require a unanimous vote for the Senate to continue any session beyond midnight. Current Senate rules require a two-thirds vote to go beyond midnight. Amendment supporters said sessions after midnight, when taxpayers are sleeping, and some members are barely awake, are irresponsible and should only be held if 100 percent of the senators agree there is a major emergency. Amendment opponents said going beyond midnight currently is only done when there is an emergency. They said it is often impossible to get a unanimous vote on anything and argued it is not wise to give a single member the power to adjourn the Senate. (A “Yes” vote is for requiring a unanimous vote to go beyond midnight. A “No” vote is against requiring it.) Sen. Sal DiDomenico No REPEAL TERM LIMITS FOR THE SENATE PRESIDENT (S 17) Senate 32-6, approved an amendment that would repeal a current rule that limits the Senate president to eight years in that position. Sponsor Sen. Mike Rodrigues (D-Westport) said there are negative restrictions the term limit provision places on the Senate. “The governor’s office has no such limitation, the House removed term limits for the speaker’s office almost ten years ago and both minority leaders in the House and Senate are not subject to any limit on their term in office,” said Rodrigues. “You could say, in real terms, that we have de-facto term limits in place, as any candidate for Senate president must win re-election by their peers. With the commonwealth now finally emerging from three years of the COVID-19 pandemic, stability and continuity are paramount for the passage of pressing and long-overdue legislation stalled by three years of uncertainty.” “I just think it’s good to have that opportunity for change,” said Sen. John Keenan (D-Quincy). “We have it every two years when we elect the Senate president, but to know that every eight years, there’ll be a change and people can move to different committees, develop different areas of expertise—I think that’s quite valuable.” “The integrity of the Senate has always been my top priority as Senate president, and it is my honor to lead this body,” said Senate President Karen Spilka (D-Ashland). “The adoption of this amendment means that the Senate will be on equal footing with all the other branches of our government.” “Each elected official should be equally empowered to ensure everyday citizens have a voice in their Republic,” said Sen. Ryan Fattman (R-Sutton). “Term limits for the Senate President was passed in 1993 as a reform to prevent the centralization and homogenization of power after one Senate president held his position over the course of three different decades. Reversing this rule isn’t a step towards progress, it’s an unfortunate step back in time.” “By eliminating the term limit protection, the senate is allowing Sen. Karen Spilka to remain Senate President for life,” said Paul Craney, spokesman for the Mass Fiscal Alliance. “This type of absolute power will lead to corruption in the Massachusetts Legislature, it’s just a matter of time.” (A “Yes” vote is for repealing the 8-year term limit. A “No” vote is for the keeping the 8-year term limit.) Sen. Sal DiDomenico Yes LIMITED REMOTE VOTING (S 17) Senate 4-34, rejected an amendment that would allow a senator to participate in any Senate session remotely from their office, home or any other location only under certain circumstances. The amendment would replace a section that allows a senator to participate remotely without a specific reason. The circumstances under which a senators could participate remotely would include disability, illness, the need for a member to provide care for an immediate family member, pregnancy or childbirth of a member or said member’s spouse, domestic partner or partner. “The legislative process works best when members are present and interacting with one another during formal sessions,” said sponsor Sen. John Keenan (D-Quincy). Amendment opponents said the unlimited remote voting during the pandemic shows that that system worked well. They noted that the amendment does not include several other legitimate reasons including bad weather. They noted that it is time for the Senate to get into modern times and make permanent the rule allowing remote voting at the discretion of each senator. (A “Yes” vote is for the amendment allowing remote voting only in certain circumstances. A “No” vote is against the amendment and favors remote voting at the discretion of each member.) Sen. Sal DiDomenico No MORE TIME TO CONSIDER CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REPORTS (S 18) Senate 4-35, rejected an amendment that would change a current joint rule that requires any conference committee reports to be filed by 8 p.m. and not considered and debated until 17 hours later at 1 p.m. on the following day. The amendment would require the report to be filed by 5 p.m. and not considered and debate until 72 hours later. A conference committee report is a compromise version of legislation, drafted by a 6-member committee consisting of three House members and three senators, when the House and Senate approve different versions of a bill and each branch rejects the other’s version. Amendment supporters said that conference committee legislation is often lengthy and complicated. They argued that legislators should be given more time to read and understand it. They noted that the current 17 hours is actually a lot less than that because it does not account for legislators having to go home and go to sleep. Amendment opponents said that conference committee legislation is sometimes drafted near the end of a legislative year. They noted that the 72-hour rules might result in the legislation not being approved and sent to the governor. (A “Yes” vote is for allowing 72 hours. A “No” vote is against allowing 72 hours.) Sen. Sal DiDomenico No ALSO UP ON BEACON HILL More bills that have been proposed for consideration in the 2023-2024 session include: ALLOW LOW STAKES CARD GAMES AT SENIOR CENTERS (HD 171) – Would allow low stakes card games and other recreational games at senior centers. The bill would limit the amount of money contributed by a single player during the entire session to $5 and the winnings of a single player to $20. Games included are pitch, cribbage, mahjong, rummy, pinochle, canasta, dominoes, bridge and bingo. Supporters said that some senior centers have banned these games because under current law they are technically illegal and the centers fear legal repercussions. “It just makes sense to let these folks play card games,” said sponsor Rep. Angelo Puppolo (D-Springfield). “They aren’t high rollers who are looking to make money. They just want to play cards and recreational bingo with their friends and peers.” MENTAL HEALTH OF STUDENTS (HD 2208) – Adds mental health of students to the current list of physical illnesses that qualify as a legitimate reason for a student’s absence from school. Under the bill, students who are absent due to mental or behavioral health will also be offered the opportunity to meet with a certified school counselor upon returning to school but will not be required to do so. Rep. Carol Doherty (D-Taunton) sponsored the legislation that was originally initiated and backed by the Class of 2021 at Oliver Ames High School in Easton. “Mental health is just as important as physical health, BEACON | SEE PAGE 16

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