Page 16 THE EVERETT ADVOCATE–Friday, November 15, 2019 can Revolution who disguised herself as a man in order to serve in the Continental Army. In 1782, Sampson used the name THE HOUSE AND SENATE. Beacon Hill Roll Call records the roll call votes of local senators and representatives from the week of November 4-8. SUBSCRIBE TO MASSTERLIST – IT’S FREE! Join more than 17,000 other people from movers and shakers to political junkies and interested citizens who start their mornings with a copy of MASSterList! MASSterList is a daily ensemble of news and commentary about the Legislature, Politics, Media and Judiciary of Massachusetts drawn from major news organizations as well as specialized publications selected by widely acclaimed and highly experienced editor Jay Fitzgerald. Jay introduces each article in his own clever and never-boring, inimitable way. Go to: www.massterlist.com/subscribe and type in your email address and in 15 seconds you will be signed up for a free subscription— with no strings attached. COUNSELORS FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE VETERANS (H 4177) House 154-0, approved and sent to the Senate a bill providing that UMass Medical School develop a continuing education program focusing on the needs of students who are veterans. Clinical and non-clinical counselors at the 29 state colleges across the state would be required to participate in the program. Issues covered would include post-traumatic stress disorder and its symptoms; military culture and its influence on the psychology of service members and veterans; and available resources and methods of referral for the treatment of deployment-related health conditions. “Conditions like PTSD can be incredibly debilitating and isolating on campus,” said Veterans and Federal Affairs Committee Chair Rep. Linda Dean Campbell (D-Methuen). “Veterans need to know that there are resources to help them. Training counselors at our institutions of higher learning to be familiar with the challenges that veterans face during the transition from active duty and combat to civilian life, and to assist them when the going gets tough, will greatly enhance the chances of a veteran completing their program of study and leading a productive civilian life.” (A “Yes” vote is for the bill.) Rep. Joseph McGonagle Yes COLLEGE CLOSURES (S 2387) House 158-0, approved a bill that would require colleges and universities to post financial information online in a publicly accessible fashion, undergo regular budgetary screening and alert state officials if they face imminent closure. The Senate approved the measure on a voice vote without a roll call and sent it to Gov. Charlie Baker. The bill was filed in response to Mount Ida College which in April 2018 caught everyone by surprise with the unexpected announcement that it would shut down at the end of that academic year. Under the bill, all higher education institutions would be required to alert the Board of Higher Education if they have any liabilities that create a risk of “imminent closure.” The measure also requires board members at every college and university to undergo regular fiduciary and accreditation training. If the board determines that a school does in fact face closure, the school would be required to create a contingency plan with details outlining how students can complete their programs, how their records would be maintained and how deposits would be refunded. The board would impose a fine of up to $1,000 per day if it determines that an institution has failed to comply with this new law. The board would also have the power to suspend state funding to the college or revoke degree-granting authority. “I look forward to the governor signing this important piece of legislation into law,” said Sen. Anne Gobi (D-Spencer), Senate chair of the Committee on Higher Education. “Just this week news of another Massachusetts College considering a merger punctuates the importance of having the law in place quickly to establish guidelines and give students, faculty, staff and the community a form of protection. This bill adds necessary protections to make sure that students, faculty and staff are protected from abrupt school closings and provides greater transparency and accountability relative to the financial stability of all institutions of higher learning.” (A “Yes” vote is for the bill.) Rep. Joseph McGonagle Yes ERECT A MEMORIAL FOR REVOLUTIONARY WAR HERO DEBORAH SAMPSON (H 4179) House 158-0, approved and sent to the Senate a bill that would establish a commission to investigate and report on a suitable memorial in the Statehouse to commemorate Massachusetts native Deborah Sampson, a heroine of the Ameri“Robert Shurtleff” to join the elite Fourth Massachusetts Infantry Regiment led by Captain George Webb at West Point, New York. Over the following year and a half, she participated in dangerous scouting missions, led a raid that brought about the capture of 15 Tory men, and stormed a British fort during the Siege of Yorktown. “Deborah Sampson was truly an unsung heroine of the American Revolution,” said Rep. David Vieira (D-East Falmouth). “It is time we begin to sing her story and the stories of the countless women veterans who have contributed to the freedom of our country and the strength of our democracy. I am pleased to introduce the Deborah Sampson Memorial Commission Resolve along with a woman veteran herself … Rep. Campbell. I look forward to the day when young men and women will enter the Massachusetts Statehouse, see the Deborah Sampson memorial and know that women have fought alongside men since the founding of our country.” (A “Yes” vote is for the bill.) Rep. Joseph McGonagle Yes CAMPAIGN FINANCE CHANGES (S 2391) Senate 39-0, approved a bill making changes in the state’s campaign finance laws. Current law exempts legislative candidates and some candidates for mayor from the requirement that they use a depository reporting system which currently must be followed by statewide, county and many other municipal candidates. The bill requires legislative candidates and some candidates for mayor to adhere to the same strict requirements. The depository reporting system requires candidates to file a monthly report that discloses all campaign finance activity. Legislative reports are under the current non-depository system and are filed only two or three times a year. Another provision directs the Office of Campaign and Political Finance (OCPF) to write regulations regarding appropriate use of websites and social media for campaign purposes. The measure also creates a special legislative commission to examine the feasibility of allowing candidates for state, county or municipal elected office to use campaign funds to pay for family care and child care services for the candidate “Nearly all candidates, including statewide officers, county officers, Governor's Council, mayors and councilors in cities over a population of 65,000, have participated in this depository reporting system — with the exception of some mayoral and all legislative candidates,” said the bill’s sponsor Sen. Diane DiZoglio (D-Methuen). “This landmark legislation enhances transparency and accountability in our campaign finance law by requiring that bank statements are sent to OCPF and that we disclose our sources of campaign contributions and expenditures much more often for the public to see.” “I’m proud of the Senate for passing this campaign finance reform legislation today,” said Elections Committee chair Sen. Barry Finegold (D-Andover). “The depository system will lead to increased transparency and uniformity, while minimizing the accidental errors in reporting that often plague campaigns. Voters deserve to know how we get our money as candidates and how we spend it, and the move to the depository system will make all of that data more readily available.” The House has already approved a different version of the bill and the Senate version now goes to the House for consideration (A “Yes” vote is for the bill.) Sen. Sal DiDomenico Yes CHILD CARE FOR CANDIDATES FOR PUBLIC OFFICE (S 2391) Senate 38-0, approved an amendment that would allow a candidate for public office to use Mon. November 4 House 11:00 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. Tues. November 5 No House session Wed. November 6 House 11:06 a.m. to 2:09 p.m. Thurs. November 7 House 11:06 a.m. to 12:02 p.m. Fri. November 8 No House session Bob Katzen welcomes feedback at bob@beaconhillrollcall.com OP-ED | FROM PAGE 6 And in addition to working with Mayor Walsh, I am working closely with the mayors of Lynn, Revere and Chelsea as well as our state Senator Sal DiDomenico and Representative Joe McGonagle, who also sits on the state transportation committee, to ensure that proposed investments in the Commuter Rail system benefit our communities. I’m happy to announce that thanks to our advocacy efforts, the MBTA Fiscal Control Board last week committed to making the Newburyport/Rockport line one of the first that will have frequent, affordable, electrically powered trains between Lynn and Boston. These trains will run every 15 minutes, include a new stop in Everett, and cost the same as an MBTA subway ride. One of the most difficult issues not only to discuss, but also change, is our City’s parking policies. However, the decisions we make with regard to parking will have some of the biggest effects on congestion, affordability and quality of life. Parking is one of the most expensive and least efficient uses of land in an urban area such as ours. A single space can cost upwards of $50,000 to construct, and under our current zoning, take up as much as 50 percent of available land area on a developed lot, OP-ED | SEE PAGE 17 campaign funds for child care while the candidate is campaigning on his or her own behalf or attending events directly related to his or her campaign. Under current law, candidates are prohibited from using campaign funds for their personal use. The state’s OCPF has classified child care, while performing campaign duties, as a personal expense rather than a campaign expense. “Campaigning is so hard and has so many barriers, especially with family to care for,” said the amendment’s sponsor Sen. Pat Jehlen (D-Somerville). “But today we are starting the process to remove one more barrier by examining whether candidates should be able to use donated funds to pay for family care services during campaign activities. We must take bold steps to diversify our elected office holders.” (A “Yes” vote is for the amendment.) Sen. Sal DiDomenico 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 October 28-November 1, the House met for a total of five hours and 30 minutes and the Senate met for a total of five hours and 47 minutes. Senate 11:06 a.m. to 11:59 a.m. No Senate session Senate 11:16 a.m. to 1:48 p.m. Senate 11:09 a.m. to 12:50 p.m. No Senate session
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