Page 18 THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – Friday, March 8, 2019 Beacon Hill Roll Call By Bob Katzen THE HOUSE AND SENATE. Beacon Hill Roll Call records local representatives' votes on the only roll call from the week of February 25-March 1. There were no roll calls in the Senate last week. Hey Readers: Keep your eyes on the 2019 Legislature and the rough and tumble political scene in the Bay State with something that you will read every weekday morning. There aren’t many things out there that are free and valuable. But MASSterlist is a rarity. WHAT IS MASSTERLIST? More than 15,000 people, from movers and shakers to political junkies and interested citizens, start their morning with a FREE COPY of MASSterList! MASSterList is a daily ensemble of news and commentary about the Legislature, Politics, Media and Judiciary of Massachusetts drawn from major news organizations as well as specialized publications selected by widely acclaimed and highly experienced editor Jay Fitzgerald. Jay introduces each article in his own clever and never boring, inimitable way. IT’S FREE! SO, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? BEACON HILL ROLL CALL RECOMMENDS THAT READERS SIGN UP TODAY TO GET YOUR FREE SUBSCRIPTION TO MASSTERLIST. IT’S EASY! GO TO: www.massterlist.com/subscribe. $135 MILLION SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET (H 3505) House 154-0 approved and sent to the Senate a $135 million supplemental budget to cover expenses and to fund various state programs and agencies that are running out of money. The package is some $30 million less than the one proposed by Gov. Charlie Baker in early February. Provisions include $30 million in funding for the Low Income Heating Energy Assistance Program to help low-income elders, working families and other households pay a portion of winter heating bills; $10 million for emergency shelter assistance for families; $8 million for the collection and testing of sexual assault evidence kits; and $1.4 million for an independent statewide examination of the safety of the gas distribution infrastructure. Other funding includes $494,662 for the Sex Offender Registry; $28 million for the Department of Corrections; and creation of the Massachusetts Veterans and Warriors to Agriculture Program to enhance the education, training, employment of veterans currently working or aspiring to work in the field of agriculture. Suppor ters said the package is a reasonable and fiscally responsible one. “It will tackle immediate needs, including $30 million going to the Low Income Heating Energy Assistance Program ensuring that no family in the commonwealth will be forced to put off paying heating bills,” tweeted newly-minted House Ways and Means chair Aaron Michlewitz (D-Boston). (A "Yes" vote is for the $135 million budget.) Rep. Joseph McGonagle Yes 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 February 18-22, the House met for a total of four hours and 50 minutes while the Senate met for a total of two hours and 16 minutes. Mon., February 25 House 10:59 a.m. to 11:05 a.m. Senate 11:06 a.m. to 11:11 a.m. Tues., February 26 No House session No Senate session Wed., February 27 House 11:04 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. No Senate session Thurs., February 28 House 1:00 p.m. to 1:03 p.m. Senate 11:13 a.m. to 1:24 p.m. Fri., March 1 No House session No Senate session Bob Katzen welcomes feedback at bob@beaconhillrollcall.com LAW OFFICES OF JOSEPH D. CATALDO, P.C. “ATTORNEYS AND COUNSELORS AT LAW” • ESTATE/MEDICAID PLANNING • WEALTH MANAGEMENT • WILLS/TRUSTS/ESTATES • RETIREMENT PLANNING • INCOME TAX PREPARATION • ELDER LAW 369 Broadway, Everett, MA 02149 (617)-381-9600 JOSEPH D. CATALDO, CPA, MST, PFS, ESQUIRE. AICPA Personal Financial Specialist Designee DiDomenico speaker at Women’s Bar Association Legislative Breakfast B OSTON – Last week, State Senator Sal DiDomenico joined with Senate President Karen Spilka and a number of other elected officials to speak to the Women’s Bar Association (WBA). Every year WBA hosts a legislative breakfast in the Great Hall in order to meet with legislators and advocate for their legislative DIDOMENICO | SEE PAGE 22 BREAKAWAY | FROM PAGE 16 level or two, the world-famous The Blushing Brides – The Rolling Stones tribute band who are celebrating 40 years – will play the Music Hall on Saturday, April 20. The Who tribute band called 5:15 will play on March 29; the Aerosmith tribute fave Draw The Line will play May 6. Just last weekend, the U2 tribute band The Joshua Tree packed the club with hundreds of fans. Breakaway will also feature national acts, such as John Cafferty & The Beaver Brown Band, which is slated to play the club on Saturday, April 6, and tickets have been selling steadily, says Crowley. Country star Ayla Brown will appear on May 3. The venue has also featured Rick Derringer (“Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo”) as well as the band Boston guitarist Barry Goudreau with his new band, Engine Room. Ozzy Osbourne tribute band Ozzmosis joined Judas Priest, The Priest for a recent double metal bill that packed the music hall. According to Crowley, he’s just getting started with building the club’s rep for not just local bands, but national acts from rock and country to alternative. Crowley credits Breakaway General Manager Dan Muccio’s background in music management and his many contacts in the industry with the band bookings. “I think we’ve firmly planted DAYLIGHT | FROM PAGE 11 The $2,600 Senior Safe grant that Saugus received for the current fiscal year enables the Fire Department to provide fire and life safety education to the town’s elderly. Seniors have a high risk of dying in a fire. Fire and burns risks for seniors include cooking, smoking, home oxygen use, and electrical and heating dangers. Senior SAFE also aims to improve safety in senior housing. Programs include the following: • smoke and carbon monoxthe flag in Danvers as a great live club setting, and bands and their agents have been taking notice,” said Crowley. “I hope to see major national acts stop in for either an intimate club show during their major stadium tours or solo acoustic shows. It’s all wait-and-see.” Crowley has also planted the seeds for the local music scene by offering up the Music Hall stage for local performers to play with a professional musician, Brian Maes and his band on Tuesday Open Mic nights. Budding musicians of all ages can work on their chops by signing in at 6:30 pm and jam with the pros. “I want to give the local musicians an opportunity to play – kind of like giving back to the musical community, said Crowley. “Maybe someday they can return with their own band or as a solo act and get paid as a professional. I can say ‘I knew them when they first played at Breakaway’, he said with a smile. If fans of rock, metal, alternative grunge and country can’t see the real thing, they can come to Breakaway to see the next best thing. Judging from the packed parking lot every weekend, music fans love it. Breakaway Music Hall, 221 Newbury St., Route 1 North, Danvers, Mass. – telephone: 978-7747270 / Hours: Tuesday–Thursday, 11 a.m. –11 p.m.; Friday, 11 a.m.– 1 a.m.; Saturday, 11 a.m.–1 a.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m.–10 p.m. / www. breakawaydanvers.com ide alarm installation • testing and replacing batteries • installation of clearly displayed house street numbers • heating limiting devices on stoves • in-hood stove fire extinguishers • night-lights Education is key to improving the safety of seniors at home. Senior SAFE creates partnerships between agencies that serve seniors and fire departments. Together, these agencies collaborate on local fire and life safety education programs.
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