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THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – FRiDAy, MARCH 21, 2025 Page 27 BEACON | FROM PAGE 26 a report. A “No” vote is against allowing a minority to issue a report.) Sen. Sal DiDomenico No PROHIBIT LATE VOTES ON CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REPORTS (S 15) Senate 6-32, rejected an amendment that would prohibit any conference committee bills from being considered less than 72 hours before the end of a formal legislative session. The amendment would allow the Legislature to consider a conference committee bill at any time only if the House and Senate vote unanimously to allow consideration. The amendment would replace a rule that allows the Legislature to consider conference committee reports at any time during the legislative session. “This amendment … closes a loophole that allows leadership to push through last-minute conference committee reports and then reconvene after the formal sessions to vote on them,” said Sen. Kelly Dooner (R-Taunton). “By prohibiting these reports from being fi led within 72 hours of the end of formal sessions, this change ensures major legislation is properly reviewed and prevents rushed, last-minute decision-making.” Sen. Joan Lovely (D-Salem) said the amendment would tie the hands of the House and Senate by establishing an arbitrary deadline that would prevent them from voting on important bills. She said that would result in the bills essentially dying from lack of action. (A “Yes” vote is for the amendment prohibiting any conference committee reports from being considered less than 72 hours before the end of formal legislative sessions. A “No” vote is against the amendment.) Sen. Sal DiDomenico No ALSO UP ON BEACON HILL $6.4 MILLION TO CLIMATECH COMPANIES – The Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) announced $6.4 million in funding for 25 clean energy and climatetech companies and researchers. The investment is designed to accelerate innovation and business growth in 13 cities and towns across Massachusetts. “These companies have made Massachusetts a leader in climate technologies,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rebecca Tepper. “As the rest of the world races for the competitive edge in climatetech, Massachusetts is leading the way with smart investments in growing businesses. With these investments, big ideas become jobs and economic growth for our state.” “The climatetech industry is an economic development opportunity for every city and town in Massachusetts,” said Emily Reichert, CEO of MassCEC. “These MassCEC emerging climatetech grants empower innovative ideas and transformative solutions that will shape the future of the state’s economy. By supporting entrepreneurs and innovators, we’re accelerating the deployment of technologies that will lower energy costs and create jobs right here in Massachusetts.” $825,000 TO IMPROVE WATER QUAILTY - The Healey Administration announced $825,000 in water quality grants to several Cape Cod towns - Barnstable, Brewster, Chatham, Dennis, Falmouth, Mashpee, Wellfleet and Yarmouth. The grants are aimed at reducing nitrogen pollution, which mostly comes from wastewater. Nitrogen can cause serious problems in the water, such as harmful algae blooms that can aff ect both the environment and public health. “This funding represents a critical step in helping Cape Cod communities address the longstanding challenges of nitrogen pollution,” said MassDEP Commissioner Bonnie Heiple. “By supporting local initiatives, we are protecting our treasured coastal ecosystems and ensuring that future generations can enjoy clean and healthy waterways. The health of Cape Cod’s waters is directly tied to the well-being of its residents, its economy and its unique environmental heritage.” “Protecting our fragile natural environment has always been one of my top priorities,” said Sen. Julian Cyr (D-Truro). “We’ve worked hard to bring sustained funding to subsidize the astronomical costs of nitrogen-pollution-reduction programs across Cape Cod, including the establishment of the Cape Cod and Islands Water Protection Fund in 2018. I am thrilled that MassDEP is awarding grants to these six Cape Cod towns. If we keep up with these eff orts, we can restore our waterways and relegate excessive nitrogen pollution to the history books.” $7.2 MILLION FOR LOCAL CLEAN ENERGY PROJECTS – Gov. Healey announced $7.2 million in grants to cities and towns across Massachusetts to fund clean energy projects. “We are happy to help our cities and towns move forward with initiatives that create healthier communities and boost local economies,” said Gov. Healey. “These projects will ultimately save people, businesses and municipalities money and will help Massachusetts achieve energy independence.” “These projects reflect the hard work and dedication of our local offi cials to make Massachusetts a healthier, more affordable place for families and businesses,” said Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll. “We are committed to partnering with our local leaders to support eff orts that save cities and towns money and strengthen communities.” STRENGTHEN HUMAN TRAFFICKING TRAINING IN MASSACHUSETTS HOTELS - Massachusetts state legislators, hospitality industry leaders and survivor advocates gathered at the Statehouse to highlight the urgent need to implement human traffi cking recognition training across the hotel industry in the Bay State. They urged approval of legislation that would mandate human traffi cking training for all hotel employees in the Bay State, from the front desk to housekeeping and food service, in order to equip them to recognize and respond to traffi cking situations. “Prevention training is already a standard practice at many hotels in Massachusetts, and we remain committed to partnering with law enforcement and survivor advocacy organizations to ~ LEGAL NOTICE ~ CITY OF EVERETT strengthen these eff orts,” said Kevin Carey, President and CEO of the American Hotel and Lodging Association. “Human traffi cking remains a vicious crime and modern-day version of slavery that exists in almost every community across the commonwealth and the United States,” said Sen. Mark Montigny (D-New Bedford), the lead author of the fi rst anti-human traffi cking law approved in Massachusetts and the sponsor of this new legislation (S 1729) which would mandate human traffi cking training for all hotel employees. “This is not simply some awful problem occurring in some far away land. Many victims are vulnerable women or children from our own communities, and hotels and motels are often exploited by traffi ckers to perpetuate this heinous crime. We must break through the inertia on Beacon Hill and mandate training for hospitality workers who can play a lifesaving role in combatting traffi cking.” DON’T MISS THIS SPECIAL BEACON | SEE PAGE 28 PUBLIC HEARING FOR PETITION FROM BOSTON GAS COMPANY D/B/A NATIONAL GRID, WALTHAM, MASSACHUSETTS To all parties interested in the public hearing. Be it hereby ordered: Boston Gas Company d/b/a National Grid, Waltham, Massachusetts hereby respectfully requests consent to the locations of mains as hereinafter described for the transmission and distribution of gas in and under the following public streets, lanes, highways and places of the City of Everett and of the pipes, valves, governors, manholes and other structures, fixtures and appurtenances designed or intended to protect or operate said mains and accomplish the objects of said Company; and the digging up and opening the ground to lay or place same. The following are the streets and highways referred to: Work Order #’s 1575064 – To install approximately 300 feet of new gas main to service 380 Second Street in accordance with the attached documents. Wherefore it prays that after due notice and hearing as provided by law, it be granted permission to excavate the public highways and to run and maintain underground gas main and conduits, together with such sustaining and protecting fixtures as it may find necessary for the transmission of gas, said underground conduits to be located substantially in accordance with the plan filed herewith marked: Second Street - Everett - Massachusetts - March 11, 2025. Hearing to be held with the Everett City Council, held on Monday at 7:00PM, on the 14th of April, 2025 at the Everett City Council Chambers, 3rd Floor, Everett City Hall. March 21, 2025

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