20

Page 20 THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, JULY 30, 2021 Beacon Hill Roll Call By Bob Katzen THE HOUSE AND SENATE: Beacon Hill Roll Call records the votes of local representatives and senators from the week of July 19-23. LEGALIZE SPORTS BETTING IN THE BAY STATE (H 3977) House 156-3, approved and sent to the Senate a bill that would legalize sports betting on professional and college sports for Massachusetts residents over 21 years old. The betting would be regulated by the Gaming Commission, the same commission that regulates the state’s casino gambling. The commission would award in-person licenses at casinos, racetracks and simulcast racing facilities as well as mobile licenses to allow companies to accept bets online. The measure includes a 12.5 percent tax on in-person wagering and a 15 percent tax on mobile wagering. The measure includes an amendment sponsored by Rep. Paul McMurtry (D-Dedham), House chair of the Committee on Veterans and Federal Affairs that would permit the commission to grant licenses that would allow some veterans’ organizations to operate up to five slot machines. Supporters said legalization will generate up to an estimated $60 million annually in tax revenue as well as up to $70 million to $80 million in initial licensing fees that are required to be renewed every five years. They noted the revenue will be distributed to cities and towns, and used for economic, workforce, education and public health programs. “Massachusetts residents are passionate about their sports,” said Rep. Jerry Parisella (D-Beverly), the House chair of the Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies. “This bill will allow residents to bet on their favorite teams but do so in a regulated manner that promotes responsible gaming, while bringing in revenue to the commonwealth that is currently going to our neighboring states or to illegal online operators and bookies. This legislation was drafted after reviewing laws in other states, speaking with experts in the industry and takes the best practices and incorporates them into this legislation.” “I voted no on legalizing sports betting because this bill largely benefits near-monopolistic corporations that run online gambling platforms, such as Draft Kings, by further increasing their profits,” said Rep. Erika Uyterhoeven (D-Somerville). “This bill is another example of the state Legislature prioritizing the interest of corporate lobbyists over the needs of their constituents. With all the struggles the constituents of Massachusetts are facing 16 months into the pandemic; it’s absurd that this bill was a priority for the Legislature this summer.” “Massachusetts has the opportunity to generate job opportunities and bring millions of tax dollars annually by legalizing an industry that already exists, but in the black market and other states,” said Speaker of the House Ron Mariano (D-Quincy). “The House of Representatives has passed legislation that would make our state competitive in this industry in which dozens of states have already gotten a head start.” “I see the value in bringing sports wagering out of the shadows, but one of the goals of the bill before us is to drive customers to casinos like the one next door in Everett—and the Somerville and Cambridge district I represent voted to oppose casinos — so I think more needs to be done to address these impacts,” said Rep. Mike Connolly (D-Cambridge) who voted against the bill. “Moreover, this bill will generate billions in corporate revenues from gambling on college athletics—and this needs a closer examination given the ongoing exploitation of college athletes. Legalized sports betting is probably inevitable in Massachusetts, but as this bill moves to the Senate, I’m hoping more will be done to address these and other concerns.” Rep. Dan Cahill (D-Lynn) gave a simple reason why he supports the bill. “Most important, it’s just fun,” said Cahill. “People are allowed to have fun and sports betting is fun.” (A “Yes” vote is for legalized sports betting. A “No” vote is against it.) Rep. Joseph McGonagle Yes DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION (H 3977) House 159-0, approved an amendment to a section of the sports betting bill that provides for a study by the Gaming Commission into the feasibility of allowing retail locations in the state to operate sports wagering kiosks. The amendment requires the commission to include in the study the economic impact of authorizing this method of sports wagering on businesses owned by people of color; recommendations to ensure diversity, equity and inclusion are included in this method of sports wagering; and a requirement that the commission consult retailers, convenience stores, restaurants, women and minority-owned businesses and small business owners. “As we prepare to once again welcome a multi-billion-dollar industry into the commonwealth of Massachusetts, I humbly ask my fellow colleagues … to join me in supporting and prioritizing diversity, equity and inclusion, said Rep. Orlando Ramos (D-Springfield) on the House floor during debate. “Allowing for casinos and existing online gaming apps to monopolize yet another multi-billion-dollar industry will only help further widen the wealth and income gap because I’m certain that there are no Black and Brownowned casinos in Massachusetts and to my knowledge there are no major Black and Brown-owned sports apps.” “You may also be wondering what does a freshman rep from Springfield know about sports betting?” continued Ramos. “And I’ll be the first one to admit that I am no expert in the field of sports wagering but what I do know and what I am very intimately familiar with is what it’s like to be a person of color. And I know what it’s like to be shut out of an opportunity. I learned at an early age that there were certain places where I was welcome and there were other places where I was not welcome. I humbly ask you to join me in making sure that we tell every Black and Brown business owner … and entrepreneur everywhere that they are welcome in this new industry and that we will not shut them out from this opportunity. This amendment accomplishes exactly that and is a step in the right direction to help create new opportunities for businesses of color and opens the door for them to be successful in this new space.” (A “Yes” vote is for the amendment). Rep. Joseph McGonagle Yes $261.6 MILLION FISCAL 2021 SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET (H 3973) Senate 40-0, approved and House, on a voice vote without a roll call, approved and sent to Gov. Charlie Baker a $261.6 million fiscal 2021 supplemental budget to begin to close out the books on the fiscal year that ended on June 30, 2021. A key provision extends until December 15, 2021, the practice of voting early by mail that was implemented during the 2020 election held in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Other provisions in the bill include $12.5 million to cover costs related to the implementation of last year’s law making major changes in the state’s policing system; $27.9 million for onetime payments, ranging from $525 to $580 per child, to families that receive Transitional Aid to Families with Dependent Children benefits; $13 million for National Guard activations, including COVID-19-related activations; $7.8 million for home health aide rate increases; $5.4 million for the Chelsea and Holyoke Soldiers’ Homes for pandemic-related expenses; and the establishment of a new MBTA Board of Directors which replaces the current Fiscal Management and Control Board. “This budget allows us to pay our bills and address time sensitive needs, while meeting the immediate challenges facing our commonwealth by investing in our early educator workforce, helping vulnerable families and fulfilling our funding obligations to ensure timely implementation of the police reform law,” said Senate Ways and Means chair Sen. Mike Rodrigues (D-Westport). “The voting provisions put forward in the supplemental budget will allow cities and towns to offer safe, accessible election options this fall while we continue to work on their permanency,” said Rep. Dan Ryan, House Chair of the Committee on Election Laws (D-Charlestown). The measure was approved in the House during an informal session at which there can be no roll calls, but where it only takes one member to stop the proceedings if he or she disagrees with anything. Any representative who was against the voting by mail extension or any other part of the bill could have objected to taking up the measure and postpone its consideration until a formal session when there could be a roll call vote. But no one did. Although no legislators spoke against the extension or the entire bill on the floor, there were critics following the House vote. The Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance said that “important policies that fundamentally change the way Massachusetts holds elections should go through the scrutiny of the normal legislative vetting process and not be bundled into an unrelated bill with little public transparency.” “Even without the pandemic related vote by mail program, the regular law in place allows any voter who cannot vote in person on Election Day to request an absentee ballot and vote,” added the group’s spokesman Paul Craney. “Massachusetts also continues to have several weeks of early voting available. There’s simply no reason to put potentially millions of ballots in the mail, expanding room for error. As the Legislature continues to keep the Statehouse locked down and play games with the process to change the way elections are held, they will continue to erode trust in our election system.” “Rather than make the Democrats come in and actually have to vote on this legislation, [GOP House Minority Leader] Rep. Brad Jones, as he has done time and time again, stood by and did nothing,” said Massachusetts Republican Party Chairman Jim Lyons. “The GOP has to stand up and be an effective opposition party. Anyone with even minor concerns about mail-in voting should be outraged by this maneuver. Election integrity is one of the most important issues in America right now and based upon our experience with Boston election officials massively undercounting votes in 2020; our concerns are 100 percent valid.” “Chairman Lyons seems to have forgotten or been distracted by the referral of his campaign finance activities to the attorney general for investigation to recognize that on June 10, the entire House Republican Caucus voted unanimously to oppose an amendment to make mail-in voting permanent in Massachusetts,” responded Rep. Jones. “Introducing such a significant change to our election laws will have far-reaching implications and therefore deserves to be vigorously debated and vetted by the House and Senate. The final language contained in the supplemental budget is very narrow in scope and simply responds to concerns raised by multiple communities to provide for a temporary extension through December 15 so they can have more flexibility in conducting municipal elections this fall on the same basis as communities with elections on June 30 or prior.” (A “Yes” vote is for the bill.) Sen. Joseph Boncore Yes Sen. Brendan Crighton Yes Sen. Sal DiDomenico Yes Sen. Jason Lewis 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 July 19-23, the House met for a total of nine hours and 58 minutes while the Senate met for a total of one hour and ten minutes. Mon. July 19 House 11:04 a.m. to 11:28 a.m. Senate 11:10 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. Tues. July 20 No House session No Senate session Wed. July 21 House 11:01 a.m. to 1:13 p.m. Senate 12:12 p.m. to 1:14 p.m. Thurs. July 22 House 11:00 a.m. to 6:22 p.m. Senate 12:19 p.m. to 12:22 p.m. Fri. July 23 No House session No Senate session Bob Katzen welcomes feedback at bob@beaconhillrollcall.com

21 Publizr Home