Page 18 THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – FRiDAy, AugusT 7, 2026 BEACON | FROM PAGE 17 current law, the four specific categories do not account for the full spectrum of medical conditions encountered by women and their doctors: protecting the patient’s life or physical or mental health, or cases involving a lethal fetal anomaly or a grave fetal diagnosis. “No family should have to leave Massachusetts to receive the vital medical care their own doctors recommend, especially in the most heartbreaking moments of a pregnancy,” said Sen. Joan Lovely (D-Salem). “With this vote, the Senate makes clear that these deeply personal decisions belong to patients and the physicians who know them best.” “As the Trump Administration ramps up attacks on reproductive care and abortion access nationwide, Massachusetts must continue closing gaps in care so that women have full autonomy over the care they need, when and where they need it,” said Sen. Robyn Kennedy (D-Worcester). “[The bill] ensures Massachusetts patients do not have to leave the commonwealth to get the care they need, and empowers physicians to support their patients throughout their pregnancies.” “Throughout relentless attacks on reproductive rights, Massachusetts has prioritized the fundamental rights and health care of its residents,” said Rep. Christine Barber (D-Somerville), House sponsor of the bill. “This bill continues that work. It ensures access to care by empowering physicians to use their professional judgment to make decisions in the best interest of their patients. Pregnancy is complex, and this bill eliminates barriers and guarantees medical expertise as the standard of care. It comes down to a simple, but powerful conviction: decisions about abortion care must remain between a patient and their provider. No one else. With today’s vote, we show our commitment to protecting the rights of our residents of the commonwealth.” Opponents said the legislation allows elective abortions up to birth based solely on a physician’s professional judgment. They said it eliminates the current - LEGAL NOTICE - CITY OF EVERETT 84 Broadway, Everett, MA 02149 Jacob St. Louis, Tree Warden jacob.stlouis@ci.everett.ma.us TREE REMOVAL HEARING In accordance with the provisions of Massachusetts General Law, Chapter 87, Section 3, notice is herewith given that a public hearing will be held at Thursday, August 20th at 6:00 pm At Everett City Hall, 484 Broadway, Everett, MA 02149 3rd Floor, Office of the Tree Warden To determine if the following public shade trees shall be removed or remain per the Tree Warden of the City of Everett. The trees are located at or near the addresses identified below: Location 19 Carlson St., Everett, MA DBH Common Name 22 Freeman Maple OBJECTIONS TO THE REMOVAL OF ANY TREE(S) MUST BE RECEIVED IN WRITING BY THE TREE WARDEN AT THE ABOVE LISTED ADDRESS PRIOR TO OR AT THE TREE HEARING. LETTERS CAN BE MAILED OR EMAILED TO THE ABOVE ADDRESS. Jacob St. Louis, Tree Warden, City of Everett August 07, 14, 2026 requirement that complex lateterm abortions be performed in a hospital setting, thus allowing abortions on healthy mothers and healthy infants at a stage when unborn children can feel pain and may be able to survive outside the womb. “Late-term abortions present a number of significant risks to women, which is why the procedures have long been performed in hospitals,” said Myrna Maloney Flynn, president of Massachusetts Citizens for Life. “There is one reason why pro-abortion activists want to remove hospitals from abortion policy, and it has nothing to do with women’s care or safety. Not one legislator who voted for this has been brave enough to acknowledge the truth, the inconvenient fact that this bill allows heinous dismemberment abortions on perfectly healthy and viable babies. It is accepted science that an unborn baby’s nervous system is developed enough at 24 weeks of pregnancy so that the baby can feel pain. By passing this bill, Massachusetts lawmakers have decided that an abortionist can crush the skull of any infant then tear that baby apart, limb by limb.” “This bill, pushed by radical pro-abortion activist groups like Planned Parenthood, is a dangerous attempt to remove virtually all remaining protections in the commonwealth for unborn babies,” said the Massachusetts Family Institute in a press release. “It allows abortion past 24 weeks with no requirement of medical justification, meaning abortions could be performed at full term, just days before natural birth, for any reason or no reason at all.” The release continued, “In addition, current law requires lateterm abortions to be performed in a hospital — recognition that a procedure this serious, at this stage of pregnancy, demands a hospital’s resources and safeguards. This bill eliminates that requirement. A late-term abortion could legally be performed anywhere a provider chooses, with none of the protections a hospital setting is meant to guarantee. This is not healthcare – this is a direct attack on the dignity of life.” (A “Yes” vote is for the bill. A “No” vote is against it.) Rep. Joseph McGonagle Yes PROTECT THE PRESS WITH A SHIELD LAW (S 3200) Senate 40-0, approved an amendment creating the Press Shield Law that would prohibit government bodies from compelling journalists to reveal their sources, except in certain limited circumstances and only with clear and convincing evidence that the source disclosure is necessary and there is an overriding public interest in the disclosure. “As Trump and his Administration accelerate and intensify their attacks on journalism and sources are increasingly afraid to speak up, the Massachusetts Senate takes an historic stand to strengthen our free press and fortify our democracy,” said sponsor Sen. Becca Rausch (D-Needham). “The need for a statutory press shield law in our commonwealth has never been more urgent. By passing this legislation, we show the federal government and our constituents that we will defend the First Amendment and support a free press, without which our democracy cannot survive.” (A “Yes” vote is for the bill.) Sen. Sal DiDomenico Yes ALSO UP ON BEACON HILL NOW YOU CAN BUY MASS LOTTERY TICKETS ONLINE – The Lottery has launched Mass Lottery Online, featuring a variety of both new and old games that registered players age 21 or older can play on the Mass Lottery app and website on a mobile device, computer or tablet. Profits generated from online sales will be used to fund a grant program to support early childhood education and care. “The launch of our online platform marks an exciting new chapter for the Lottery as we continue to evolve and meet the needs of today’s players,” said State Treasurer Deb Goldberg, chair of the Massachusetts State Lottery Commission. “Online Lottery will allow us to compete on a more level playing field in the state’s gaming marketplace and sales will help make childcare more affordable for families across Massachusetts.” “Since selling our first ticket in 1972, the Mass Lottery has become one of the top performing lotteries in the world thanks to our exciting portfolio of games, attractive prize payouts, innovative business and marketing strategies and of course, our dedicated retail partners and loyal player base,” said Mark William Bracken, executive director of the Mass Lottery. “In creating Mass Lottery Online, we took a similar approach that gives our players new play experiences with the same standards they have grown to expect, wherever in Massachusetts they find themselves to be.” Several popular draw-based games, now sold only at retail stores, will be available for purchase online including Mass Cash, Megabucks, Mega Millions, Powerball and Millionaire for Life. Several games remain available only for retail purchase including traditional Keno, The Numbers Game and The Wheel of Luck. Mass Lottery Online is also introducing 20 new eInstant Games which are digital games featuring cascading or tumbling symbols that result in instant winning experiences when a cluster of symbols match. Other play styles include key number match and find the symbol. To play Mass Lottery games online, players must be 21 or older and physically located in Massachusetts at the time of play and must make a deposit to their account. Players need to have a Mass Lottery Player Account, which can be created at masslottery.com or by downloading the Mass Lottery App on a mobile device or tablet. Registration requires a full nine-digit Social Security number along with player’s legal full name, date of birth, residential address and other standard information. The Lottery has implemented numerous features to its online platform which it says will promote responsible play. As a required step in the registration process, players will be informed of the option of setting personalized deposit and play limits and instructed how to do so if desired. Players who have not set limits will continue to be notified of this option on a monthly basis. At any time, players will be able to adjust their personal limits. Stricter limits take effect immediately, while any increase requires a 48hour period, helping prevent impulsive behavior. Online players will be able to opt for a cooling-off period that will prevent them from being able to make a deposit or place a bet or receive direct marketing communications from the Lottery, for a set period of time, ranging from BEACON | SEE PAGE 19
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