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THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – FRiDAy, NOVEmbER 14, 2025 Page 17 BEACON | FROM PAGE 16 their families.” “I’m proud that Massachusetts continues to seek out ways to support our active military members and veterans and their families,” said Senate President Karen Spilka (D-Ashland). “In advance of Veterans Day, it was important that the Senate reinforce our commitment to meeting veterans, active military members and their families where they are and provide support to those who have served and are serving our nation.” “Military families very often face difficult situations when parents are called to duty, never knowing when or where their service to our country will take them,” said Sen. Mike Rodrigues (D-Westport), Chair of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means. “This bill will help create a more stable environment for military serving families by ensuring continuous education and a smooth transition for special education services when changing school districts.” “I have seen firsthand the power of legislation that seeks to improve the lives of our military and military-connected families,” said Jeffrey Chin, Executive Director of Blue Star Families of New England. “[The bill] will provide our military families a vital component that has all too often been missing in their ability to properly provide educational resources for their children. These families are often required to move to various duty stations as part of their duty and lifestyle, and this legislation will allow our military families to access the same choices that non-military families have available to them with regard to schools and access to appropriate educational resources for their children.” (A “Yes” vote is for the bill.) Sen. Sal DiDomenico Yes DUTIES OF THE ADJUTANT GENERAL (S 2675) Senate 38-0, approved and sent to the House a bill that supporters say would clarify the duties of the state’s Adjutant General. The measure provides that the Adjutant General, Massachusetts’ highest-ranking military office, has command of all troops in the state National Guard while carrying out the orders of the governor. The bill also brings state laws about the National Guard chain of command into line with the model used by the vast majority of other states. “The legislation currently before us … seeks to make a technical change to streamline our National Guard’s chain of command structure and bring Massachusetts in line with the vast majority of our sister states,” said Sen. John Velis (D-Westfield). “As currently written, [Massachusetts law] states that the Adjutant General shall not personally excercise command of troops.” Velis continued, “This legislation clarifies that the Adjutant General, in carrying out the policies and orders of the governor, has command of all Massachusetts National Guard troops -- ensuring that the leadership of the Guard is unified and capable of implementing directives with precision. Currently, the Adjutant General lacks the clear statutory authority to personally command our troops during state missions. This gap can cause confusion in command structure and limits the Adjutant General from enforcing the Massachusetts code of military justice.” “It [is] important to make a technical clarification to the command structure of the Massachusetts National Guard that brings us in line with most other states,” said Senate President Karen Spilka (D-Ashland). (A “Yes” vote is for the bill.) Sen. Sal DiDomenico Yes GUARD MEMBERS MUST FOLLOW ONLY LAWFUL ORDERS (S 2675) Senate 38-0, approved an amendment that would require that Massachusetts National Guard service members undergo training on their obligation to follow only lawful orders and that they receive guidance on how to respond to orders that violate Americans’ constitutional or statutory rights. “National Guard troops across the country are being asked to violate the sovereignty of other states and the constitutional rights of ordinary Americans by a president who wants to use them like pawns in his game of intimidation,” said amendment sponsor Sen. Mike Moore (D-Millbury). “This amendment is simple. By creating a comprehensive training curriculum for servicemembers, Massachusetts is empowering our National Guard with the knowledge they need to determine, in the event that they are federalized, whether the orders they receive are lawful. The rights guaranteed by the United States Constitution are non-negotiable – the commonwealth of Massachusetts will not let our Guard be illegally used against its own people.” (A “Yes” vote is for the amendment.) Sen. Sal DiDomenico Yes ALSO UP ON BEACON HILL GRADUATE STUDENTS AND FAMNovember 14, 2025 ILY LEAVE AND UNEMPLOYMENT (S 747) - The Financial Services Committee held a hearing on a measure that would strike the exclusion of graduate student workers from the definition of “employee” in order to allow for graduate student workers to have access to paid family and medical leave and unemployment insurance. BEACON | SEE PAGE 18 ~ Legal Notice ~ ADVERTISEMENT TO BID MGL c.30 §39M Over $50K EVERETT HOUSING AUTHORITY, the Awarding Authority, invites sealed bids from Contractors for the Front Patio Reconstruction at State Aided Development: Glendale Towers (667-2) in Everett, Massachusetts, in accordance with the documents prepared by ALLEN & MAJOR ASSOCIATES, INC. The Project consists of but not limited to: Remove existing concrete patio and sidewalk. Reconstruct concrete sidewalk and construct paver patio. Adjust existing irrigation to new plant and lawn areas. Remove existing vegetation. Install new plantings. Remove and reset granite curb. Cleanly sawcut asphalt drive and patch drive aisle. Remove existing iron fence, refurbish and repair fence, reinstall iron fence. Purchase and install new site amenities. Erosion control measures and temporary construction fence. Misc. associated site improvements and grading. The work is estimated to cost $107,000.00. All bidding Requests for Information (RFIs) shall be submitted online by 11/25/2025 at 10:00AM EST for general bids. Bids are subject to M.G.L. c.30§39M and to minimum wage rates as required by M.G.L. c.149 §§26 to 27H inclusive. THIS PROJECT IS BEING ELECTRONICALLY BID AND HARD COPY BIDS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. Please review the instructions in the bid documents on how to register as an electronic bidder. All Bids shall be submitted online at biddocs.com and received no later than the date and time specified. General Bids will be received until 05 December 2025 at 11:00AM EST and publicly opened online, forthwith. General bids and sub-bids shall be accompanied by a bid deposit that is not less than five (5%) of the greatest possible bid amount (including all alternates) and made payable to the EVERETT HOUSING AUTHORITY. Bid Forms and Contract Documents will be available for review at biddocs.com (may be viewed and downloaded electronically at no cost). The Contractor and all subcontractors (collectively referred to as “the Contractor”) agree to strive to achieve minority and women workforce participation. The Workforce Participation benchmark is set at 6.9% for women and 15.3% for minorities. The Workforce benchmark percentages are a statutory requirement under MGL c. 149 § 44A(2)(G). PRE-BID CONFERENCE / SITE VISIT: Scheduled Date and Time: 11/19/2025 at 11:00AM EST Address: 381 Ferry Street, Everett, MA 02149 Instructions: Meet at front patio. The hard copy Contract Documents may be seen at: Nashoba Blue Inc. 433 Main Street Hudson, MA 01749 978-568-1167

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