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THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – FRiDAy, OCTObER 31, 2025 Page 27 BEACON | FROM PAGE 26 A key provision provides $2.04 billion for MassHealth, the state’s Medicaid program that provides health care for low-income and disabled persons -- with a net cost to the state of only $539 million after reimbursements from the federal government. The bill restores $18.3 million in funding for student financial aid assistance ahead of the spring semester and proactively protects additional support for community college students earning degrees through the MassEducate program. A new Public Higher Education Student Support Fund ensures that a key stipend for books and supplies remains fully funded. Other provisions include $12 million to support the universal meals program for school children; $12.5 million to cover no-cost phone call communications for incarcerated people; $14 million to aid people in treatment for substance use and alcohol addiction; $18.5 million to support public health hospitals; $5 million for reproductive health care; $60.7 million for snow and ice removal expenses; $75 million for the Housing Preservation and Stabilization Trust Fund which supports affordable rental housing in the Bay State; creation of an investigation of sheriffs’ fiscal year 2025 spending in response to sharp annual growth in the sheriffs’ spending deficits; and protection for federal workers and Armed Forces service members to prevent them from losing their housing to a residential eviction or foreclosure during the federal government shutdown. “I’m proud the Senate has taken this opportunity to support our residents and insist on important transparency measures in this closeout supplemental budget,” said Senate President Karen Spilka (D-Ashland). “We are reconfirming our commitment to public higher education by restoring and protecting key funding to support college students’ success. We are protecting our residents from dangerous federal actions by ensuring they have access to the vaccines they need to keep themselves and their families safe.” “With uncertainty persisting in the federal government, it is important to demonstrate the state’s fiscal integrity,” said Sen. Mike Rodrigues (D-Westport), Chair of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means. “That is why, today, the Senate responsibly closed the books on fiscal year 2025 with a fiscally sound closeout budget that ensures the commonwealth meets its obligations while continuing to support critical programs that serve Massachusetts residents. This budget also establishes fiscal oversight of all county sheriffs’ departments, a necessary step to rein in years of overspending that has significantly escalated in fiscal year 2025.” (A “Yes” vote is for the budget.) Sen. Sal DiDomenico Yes REQUIRE REPORT ON THE EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE FAMILY SHELTER SYSTEM (S 2655) Senate 38-0, approved an amendment that would reinstate the requirement that the Healey Administration submit a biweekly report on the cost and occupancy of the emergency assistance family shelter system. The previous requirement of reports lapsed at the end of fiscal year 2025. Sen. Bruce Tarr (R-Gloucester), the sponsor of the amendment, said one of the things both parties have always held as a shared value in the Senate chamber is accountability. He noted that when we entered a difficult time in our shelter system, we required more information about the cost and occupancy of the shelter system. He said it helped us understand what was happening so we knew what we had to plan to do to respond to that crisis. He argued it is time to reinstate that system. (A “Yes” vote is for the amendment.) Sen. Sal DiDomenico Yes ALSO UP ON BEACON HILL HANDICAPPED PARKING SPACE (H 3613) – The Transportation Committee held a hearing on legislation that would establish a special commission to study the feasibility of setting time limits for handicapped parking placard use in metered spots. The commission would include legislators, state officials and appointees of the governor, who would be tasked with gathering input from experts and the public. Its purpose is to explore potential benefits, impacts and options such as reduced or standardized fees after time limits expire. “I filed this legislation to promote fairness and improve accessibility in metered parking spots,” said sponsor Rep. Bruce Ayers (D-Quincy). “Establishing this commission to study the feasibility of time limits for handicapped placard use will help ensure that these spaces remain available throughout the day for as many people as possible who rely on them.” SMOKING IN NON-SMOKING APARTMENTS (S 1137) – A bill heard by the Judiciary Committee would create a legal assumption about whether there has been smoking in a non-smoking apartment. The assumption relies on the fact that there is no legitimate reason why a renter should take down, unplug or cover their smoke detectors. If a renter does this, they will be assumed to have been smoking. The landlord must prove the detectors were there when the renter moved in. A third party, like the fire department, must testify or provide a report that the detectors were not there after the incident. “This bill would provide property owners with the ability to address smoking complaints, which in turn, protects tenants, neighbors and public health,” said sponsor Sen. John Keenan (D-Quincy). “It closes a statutory loophole which causes tenants and property owners to struggle when faced with complaints against tenants for smoking in non-smoking buildings.” COMMITTEE ON CONSUMER PROTECTION AND PROFESSIONAL LICENSURE HOLDS HEARING ON SEVERAL BILLS INCLUDING: PROHIBIT HEALTH BOARDS FROM UNILATERALLY BANNING THE SALE OF LEGAL PRODUCTS (H 371) - Would prohibit municipal Boards of Health from banning the sale of any legal consumer product by authorized retailers without authorization of the local town meeting or city council. “This bill seeks to ensure that local boards and committees, be they elected or appointed, don’t overstep their authority to pursue idealistic, but potentially unconstitutional, bans on consumer products,” said sponsor Rep. Joe McKenna (R-Sutton). “It maintains the ability for a community to come together through its ordinary legislative process, whether city council or town meeting, to pass such a local bylaw should the constituency of the community want it. Government entities must respect individuals’ rights and liberties and ability to choose to live their life free of onerous government mandates or restrictions. FLAVORED HOOKAH TOBACCO PRODUCTS (S 270) – Would exempt flavored and menthol hookah tobacco from the 2019 law that prohibits the sale of any flavored or menthol tobacco products. “This bill will ensure that small businesses and consumers are responsible in the sale, purchase and consumption of certain flavored tobacco products,” said sponsor Sen. Patrick O’Connor (R-Weymouth). “This would place regulations on the sale of certain tobacco products that will ensure the safety of the business themselves, and their consumers, while allowing for an exemption from the flavored tobacco ban in Massachusetts. Overall, this bill is meant to protect our members of the public and ensure responsibility when participating in recreational tobacco.” DIGITAL GROCERY COUPONS (H 470) – Would mandate that all grocery food stores offering digital coupons also offer identical paper coupons to shoppers. It also requires digital coupons to be automatically applied to the purchases of any consumer over the age of 65, or any consumer who asks about available digital coupons. Violators would be fined $2,500 for the first offense and $5,000 fine for each subsequent offense. “This bill seeks to create fairness for senior citizens who might not have access to a so-called smart phone and thus currently do not have access to electronic coupons,” said sponsor Rep. Jeff Turco (D-Winthrop). BAN COSMETICS WHICH USE ANIMAL TESTING (S 263) – Would prohibit a manufacturer from selling any cosmetic product in the Bay State that the manufacturer knew, or reasonably should BEACON | SEE PAGE 30

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