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THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – FRiDAy, MAy 30, 2025 Page 27 BEACON | FROM PAGE 26 as well as support for their families. “I am proud to secure additional funding for this critical program which will help clear the waiting list for these services and support the staff who work with these children,” said amendment sponsor Sen. Sal DiDomenico(D-Everett). “Families who are seeking pediatric palliative care do not have time to wait on a waitlist. These children deserve quality care and support throughout the duration of their illness and at the end of their lives, and their families deserve the support they need as they face one of the most traumatic times of their lives. This program has been one of my top priorities during my 15 years in the Senate and I will continue to ensure that all families have access to these vital services.” (A Yes” vote is for the $400,000.) Sen. Sal DiDomenico Yes ALSO UP ON BEACON HILL HEALTHY PUBLIC COLLEGES (S 949) – The Higher Education Committee will hold a hearing on June 3rd to hear testimony and consider legislation that would establish a Green and Healthy Public College and University Building Planning Commission to evaluate and make recommendations on campus infrastructure -- focusing on energy effi ciency, indoor air quality, accessibility, life safety and overall public health. The proposal creates a trust fund to alleviate campus debt and lower student fees currently used to fi nance aging infrastructure. It also ensures long-term investments so that all public higher education campuses meet Green and Healthy standards by 2037. The bill prioritizes renovations for buildings in greatest need and addresses longstanding environmental and health inequities across campuses. “I fi led this bill because every student deserves to learn in an environment that is safe, healthy and sustainable,” said sponsor Sen. Jake Oliveira (D-Ludlow). “By investing in our public college and university infrastructure now, we can reduce student debt, eliminate health disparities and build a more equitable, climate-resilient future for higher education in Massachusetts.” SENIOR SHELTERS (H 787) – The Committee on Elder Aff airs will hold a hearing on June 24th to consider a bill that would establish a special commission to study the feasibility of dedicated senior shelters in Massachusetts. The commission would examine the unique needs of homeless seniors, evaluate existing resources and propose recommendations to address gaps in services and housing for this population. Supporters say that homeless seniors are a growing part of the homeless population in the Bay State. They note they face unique challenges and need specialized support because of limited retirement savings, rising housing costs and a lack of aff ordable housing options. Rep. Sean Reid (D-Lynn), the sponsor of the measure, did not respond to repeated requests by Beacon Hill Roll Call asking him to comment on his bill. $500,000 FOR ENVIRONMENT - The Healey Administration announced nearly $500,000 in grants from the inaugural Environmental Justice Capacity Building Grant Program to help empower local organizations to build organizational capacity, strengthen local advocacy, advance community-driven solutions and improve the health and wellbeing of underserved communities. The Healey Administration said the grants represent an ongoing commitment to addressing environmental inequities and ensuring that all Massachusetts residents, particularly those in low-income and marginalized communities, have the tools and resources they need to tackle climate change and other environmental challenges. “We are committed to ensuring every community in Massachusetts has a seat at the table in shaping the decisions that impact our families and environment,” said Offi ce of Energy and Environmental Aff airs Secretary Rebecca Tepper. “From growing culturally relevant produce in community gardens to creating youth environmental employment opportunities – these organizations serve as vital resources in neighborhoods across Massachusetts.” $22.2 MILLION TO MODERNIZE AFFORDABLE HOUSING INTERNET – The Healey Administration announced $22.2 million in grants to upgrade internet access for 15,793 aff ordable housing units across 54 communities in Massachusetts. The projects will install modern fi ber-optic cables in public and aff ordable housing properties that will increase residents’ access to high-quality, reliable and aff ordable broadband service. “Massachusetts is leading the nation in its eff orts to improve internet access and adoption statewide,” said Massachusetts Interim Economic Development Secretary Ashley Stolba. “The Residential Retrofi t Program is a key component of our strategy to upgrade broadband infrastructure statewide and will expand economic opportunity to residents by enabling them to access essential online tools.” “The Residential Retrofit Program is an ambitious effort to revamp decades-old wiring affecting low-income families and we’re already seeing how much of an impact this work has had,” said Massachusetts Broadband Institute Director Michael Baldino. “This round of Residential Retrofi t Program grantees demonstrated a dedication to serving aff ordable housing residents and providing them with access needed to thrive in the digital age.” 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 fi led. 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. CITY OF EVERETT ~ Legal Notice ~ ~ Legal Notice ~ PUBLIC HEARING FOR PETITION FROM TC SYSTEMS INC To all parties interested in the public hearing. Be it hereby ordered: TC Systems Inc, a wholly owned subsidiary of AT&T requests permission to locate poles, wires, fixtures, including the necessary sustaining and protecting fixtures, along and across the following public way or ways hereinafter named. The following are the streets and highways referred to: ATT18-081 NSB - Broadway - TC Systems Inc proposes to construct (2) 2” PVC conduit approximately 282’ from utility pole #3235 on Cameron Street to utility pole #1781 on McKinley Street. The route crosses Broadway and requires the installation of (1) 3’ x 3’ manhole to be installed. Also, for permission to lay and maintain underground laterals, cables and wires in the above or intersecting public ways for the purpose of making connections with such poles and buildings as each of said petitioners may desire for distributing purposes. The petitioner agrees to reserve space for one cross-arm at a suitable point on each of said poles for fire, police, telephone, and telegraph signal wires belonging to the municipality and used by it exclusively for municipal purposes. Wherefore it prays that after due notice and hearing as provided by law, it be granted a location for and permission to erect and maintain poles and wires, together with such sustaining and protecting fixtures as it may find necessary, said poles to be erected substantially in accordance with the plan filed herewith marked: Broadway - Everett - Massachusetts. Hearing to be held with the Everett City Council, held on Monday at 7:00PM, on the 9th of June, 2025 at the Everett City Council Chambers, 3rd Floor, Everett City Hall. May 30, 2025 During the week of May 19-23, the House met for a total of seven hours and 15 minutes while the Senate met for a total of 33 hours and two minutes. Mon.May 19 House 11:04 a.m. to 11:08 a.m. Senate 11:08 a.m. to3:53 p.m. Tues. May 20 No House session. Senate 11:05 a.m. to 7:54 p.m. Wed. May 21 House 11:01 a.m. to 6:09 p.m. Senate 10:38 a.m. to 7:48 p.m. Thurs. May 22 House 11:01 a.m. to 11:04 a.m. Senate 10:06 a.m. to 8:24 p.m. Fri. May 23 No House session. No Senate session. BBob 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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