Page 16 THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – FRiDAy, FEbRuARy 21, 2025 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. 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://MASSterList/subscribe/ THE HOUSE AND SENATE: Beacon Hill Roll Call records local senator’s votes on roll calls from the week of Feb. 10-14. There were no roll Calls in the House last week. $425 MILLION FOR EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE (EA) SHELTER SYSTEM (S 16) Senate 33-6, approved a fi scal 2025 supplemental budget that includes $425 million to fund the state’s emergency shelter system and make some changes to tighten eligibility for it. The vote was almost strictly along party lines with all Republicans voting against it and all but one Democrat voting for it. The Democrats say the measure makes major reforms. The Republicans say while the bill includes some reforms they have long sought, it does not go far enough, and they all voted against it. The House has already approved a diff erent version of the bill and a House-Senate conference committee will likely hammer out a compromise version. The bill would cap capacity in the system at 4,000 families for the period Dec. 31, 2025 through Dec. 31, 2026. There were more than 6,000 families relying on the system at the end of January. Other provisions reduce the maximum length in a shelter from nine to six consecutive months; phase out the use of hotels and motels for emergency housing by the end of this year; require a report on strategies to prevent homelessness and promote stable rehousing; and make temporary respite sites available to families that appear eligible for the system for up to 30 days upon arrival in Massachusetts. “Today we struck a balance between our fi scal responsibility to Massachusetts taxpayers and our moral obligation to moms, dads and kids who are in a diffi - cult moment,” said Senate President Karen Spilka (D-Ashland). “We prioritize Massachusetts families in need, ensure transparency in the program and lay the groundwork for long-term solutions to homelessness.” “I’m pleased that the Senate has passed this supplemental budget to provide funding and further clarify supportive services for unhoused families in the commonwealth,” said Sen. Mike Rodrigues (D-Westport), Chair of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means. “The Senate has largely concurred with the House in making these important but necessary changes to the family shelter system. These adjustments will allow families to transfer out of these temporary housing units more readily, continue our track of providing sustainable employment and provide a glide path for exiting the system.” Rodrigues continued, “This bill strikes a balance by supporting families in crisis, while responsibly managing taxpayer dollars as we redouble our eff orts to move the EA shelter system towards a fi scally sustainable future. Going forward, this legislation also puts more stringent reporting requirements from the Administration, so the Legislature can continue to track and monitor the EA shelter program.” “I strongly oppose spending an additional $425 million on the unaccountable, unsustainable EA shelter program,” said Sen. Ryan Fattman (R-Sutton). “For years, I have sounded the alarm bell that the right to shelter law is in desperate need of reform. Yesterday, the Legislature embarrassed itself by loudly rejecting amendments to prioritize Massachusetts residents in shelters and to perform background checks. We’ve seen countless cases of rape, assault, drug traffi cking and even death in the shelters.” Sen. Patrick O’Connor (R-Weymouth) said he voted against the bill, as he has voted against every spending bill that has included exorbitant funding for our shelter system since a migrant crisis emerged in late 2023. “Simply put, our state cannot aff ord to keep pouring massive sums of money into this unsustainable system,” said O’Connor. “We need serious reforms to our EA shelter system and our Right to Shelter law, which is why I’ve also fi led a bill to restrict the right to shelter to Massachusetts residents - as was the original intent of the law. It is my hope that we will achieve significant reforms to the EA shelter system that will ensure its longterm fiscal sustainability and protect this valuable resource for Massachusetts residents.” “For the last three years, the Senate and legislature has been spending billions of dollars for the shelter program riddled with active criminals, yet they still refuse to impose comprehensive background checks,” said Paul Craney, executive director of the Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance. “How many more years will it take before the Legislature fi nally sees the value in national and international background checks is unknown. What is known is that the Senate is happy to join the House in spending more of our taxpayer money to bail out the failed shelter program.” BEACON | SEE PAGE 17
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