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THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – FRiDAy, JunE 19, 2026 Page 17 BEACON | FROM PAGE 16 they remain that way across the commonwealth.” “Every person and student within the commonwealth deserves access to a strong and diverse selection of books professionally curated and set by national standards, not dictated by ideology or politics,” said Rep. Sean Garballey (D-Arlington), House Chair of the Committee on Tourism, Arts and Cultural Development. “By ensuring librarians are protected when performing their duties, and that our schools and public libraries have the support systems to comply with state law and national collection standards, we in Massachusetts are at the forefront of fighting against a new wave of censorship.” Only three representatives voted against the bill – Reps. John Gaskey (R-Carver), David DeCoste (R-Norwell); and Donald Berthiaume (R-Spencer). None of them responded to repeated requests from Beacon Hill Roll Call asking them why they opposed the bill. (A “Yes” vote is for the bill. A “No” vote is against it.) Rep. Joseph McGonagle Yes ELIMINATE LAW THAT PROTECTS EMPLOYEES FROM PROSECUTION (H 5489) House 2-154, rejected an amendment striking a current law which prevents employees of schools, libraires and museums from being prosecuted for violating obscenity laws if the evidence proves that the defendant was acting in the course of his or her employment as an employee of those entities. Rep. John Gaskey (R-Carver), the sponsor of the amendment, said current law unfairly grants absolute unchecked legal immunity to government employees, rendering them completely unaccountable to taxpayers who fund them. He said the House is establishing an elite class of citizens in Massachusetts and saying to the working class taxpayers who fund schools that if they distribute explicit adult material to a minor, they will go to state prison; but if a state-certified bureaucrat does it under the vague banner of an educational purpose, they get statutory immunity and can’t be fined, fired or prosecuted. Rep. Adam Scanlon (D-North Attleborough), who voted against the amendment, said that this existing protection is a good one that shields schools, libraries and museums from obscenity enforcement when materials have legitimate educational, literary, artistic or scientific value. He argued that the underlying bill already establishes clear, meaningful standards for what materials may be included in school libraries, and that removing the existing protection would expose educators and librarians to criminal obscenity proceedings simply for doing their jobs. (A “Yes” vote is for the amendment which strikes the protection and therefore opposes the protection. A “No” vote is against the amendment and therfore supports the protection.) Rep. Joseph McGonagle No SAFETY FOR FIREFIGHTERS (H 5488) House 156-0, approved and sent to the Senate legislation that would create a public database of violations of the state’s fire prevention laws and a public notification system to alert workers of violations. The measure is designed to boost safety for firefighters and people conducting “hot work” including welding, plasma cutting and spark-producing construction. The proposed law has been ten years in the making and was first prompted by the March 2014 deaths of firefighters Edward Walsh and Michael Kennedy who perished while fighting a fire that was caused by welders, working without a city permit, on a building next door to the brownstone in which they died. “By making these crucial reforms we will ensure the safety of the general public and our first responders,” said Rep. Aaron Michlewitz (D-Boston), Chair of the House Committee on Ways and Means. “While we can never undo the profound loss of Lt. Edward Walsh and Firefighter Michael Kennedy, we can honor their sacrifice by ensuring that the lessons learned from that tragic day are not forgotten,” said Rep. Daniel Cahill (D-Lynn), House Chair of the Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security. The Senate approved a similar bill in March 2024 but it died in the House Ways and Means Committee which did not act on it. (A “Yes” vote is for the bill.) Rep. Joseph McGonagle Yes NO-COST CALLS FOR PRISONERS (H 5493) House 28-128, rejected an amendment to a section of a $228 million fiscal year 2026 supplemental budget that provides $22.5 million to cover the additional costs associated with no cost calls for Massachusetts prisoners. The amendment would delay the distribution of this funding until the Secretary of Administration and Finance develops and presents a plan to keep the annual expenditure from this line item under $10 million. “While Massachusetts prisoners are able to make unlimited phone calls free of charge, there is still a significant cost associated with this program for the sheriffs’ offices and the commonwealth,” said amendment sponsor Rep. Brad Jones (R-North Reading). “Multiple sheriffs’ offices have testified that these costs are out of control and need to be reined in. This amendment would take steps to address this problem by making sure a plan is in place to cap expenses at no more than $10 million per year, which is still a significant number but is well below what the state is currently spending on the program.” Opponents said that the No-Cost Calls Law works because when prisoners are able to communicate with their families and friends, the result is better success rates and less recidivism. They argued that this $22.5 million is wisely spent on this program and means the state would be able to spend less money on its criminal justice system. (A “Yes” vote is for reducing the funding to $10 million. A “No” vote is against the $10 million reduction and favors the $22.5 million.) Rep. Joseph McGonagle No CHILD WELFARE (S 3111) Senate 39-0, approved and sent to the House a bill that supporters say would guarantee certain basic rights for children in foster care related to their safety, education and health care. They argued that the measure safeguards the wellbeing of children, especially those in state care and foster care; increases access to community support for children at risk of court involvement; and strengthens the Office of the Child Advocate to support robust investigations into reports of harm or abuse to a child. A key provision would expand the diversion of children dealing with behavior or attendance problems to Family Resource Centers (FRCs) instead of the court system. Supporters note that FRCs provide accessible, confidential support to children and families in crisis close to home and have proven successful in helping kids and teens stay in school, connecting families with services such as mental health or substance use treatment, housing aid and legal help. “The bill brought before the Senate today makes important changes to improve the efficiency, transparency, accountability and performance of the Department of Children and Families, the Office of the Child Advocate and the Children Requiring Assistance systems,” said Sen. Robyn Kennedy (D-Worcester), Senate Chair of the Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities. “These long-needed improvements to our child welfare ecosystem have passed today because of the tireless work of so many. Because of their efforts, Massachusetts will be a better place for our children to learn and grow. Just as it takes a village to raise a child, it also takes a village to make policy that helps all the children of the commonwealth thrive.” “The Senate is standing firm in its commitment to improve safety, stability and well-being for children across the commonwealth, with special attention to protecting children in foster care,” said Sen. Jo Comerford (D-Northampton), a key proponent of the measure. “This legislation includes a Foster Child Bill of Rights, which clarifies and affirms that every child deserves to be heard, supported and treated with dignity. It recognizes the importance of supportive and affirming placements, preserving family and kinship connections whenever possible, maintaining educational continuity, honoring cultural and gender identities and ensuring children with disabilities receive the accommodations they need.” (A “Yes” vote is for the bill.) Sen. Sal DiDomenico Yes ALSO UP ON BEACON HILL 2026 SALES TAX HOLIDAY (S 3119 and H 5495) – The House and Senate, on a voice vote without a roll call, approved a measure that would allow consumers to buy most products that cost under $2,500 on Saturday, August 8 and Sunday, August 9 without paying the state’s 6.25 percent sales tax. A 2018 state law, which made the sales tax holiday permanent, requires the Legislature to vote to set the dates of the holiday each year. The measure does not need the governor’s signature to become effective. Supporters of the bill said the holiday, which has been in effect for many years, would boost retail sales and noted that consumers would save millions of dollars. They argued that the state’s sales tax revenue loss would be offset by increased revenue from the meals and gas tax revenue generated by shoppers on those two days. They noted that according to the Department of Revenue, the 2025 sales tax holiday generBEACON | SEE PAGE 18

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