Page 16 THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – FRiDAy, NOVEmbER 21, 2025 Bay Staters.” (A “Yes” vote is for the bill.) Sen. Sal DiDomenico Yes PROTECT ALL PUBLIC TRANSIT WORKERS FROM ASSAULT AND BATTERY (S 2697) Senate 38-0, approved legTHE HOUSE AND SENATE: Beacon Hill Roll Call records local senators’ votes on roll calls from the week of November 10-14. There were no roll calls in the House last week. DIGITAL AND PRINT MATERIALS IN LIBRARIES (S 2710) Senate 37-0, approved and sent to the House a bill that would establish a commission to study the challenges public libraries face with digital resources, including costs, access, privacy and licensing differences between digital and print materials. The commission would be required to submit a report with recommenType of Person Needed: * Are you an experienced/willing to learn, motivated person looking for a shop where your skills can be valued? A local company with a fleet shop is a busy, family-owned business dedicated to providing high-quality transportation services and public State inspection services. We are seeking a talented Automotive Technician or mechanical knowledge to join our close-knit crew. If you are dependable and proficient in automotive technical work with a passion for excellent customer service, we want to talk to you. Location: Malden, MA Job Description: * Be able to acquire and maintain a certification for the State Inspection License. Perform light duty mechanical preventive duties, including Fleet preventive maintenance. * State Inspection Services * Miscellaneous shop duties Requirements: * Valid driver’s license with good driving history * Possess or pass the required State Inspector License Hours: Tuesday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM Saturday 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM * Rate will be based on experience Contact: Ed Hyde or David Morovitz Call: 781-322-9401 Email: ehyde@maldentrans.com Website: www.maldentrans.com dations to improve digital resource sustainability, protect patron data and ensure equitable access across the state. “E-books, audio books and other digital resources are increasingly in demand by the public, but providing these resources is cost prohibitive for libraries and often come with unwieldy sets of restrictions,” said sponsor Sen. Michael Moore (D-Millbury). “The commission established by this bill will help streamline the process for libraries to license books and other digital materials, expanding access to knowledge to more ~ HELP WANTED ~ islation that would expand the current law which punishes anyone who commits assault and battery against a public employee. The bill ensures that all transit workers are covered, including those who are not directly employed by the state, such as workers employed by Keolis, the state’s contracted commuter rail operator. The bill would also add “assault and battery by means of a bodily substance including saliva, blood or urine” to the current law. “Transit workers are among the most essential employees of our commonwealth, carrying out the steady and often unseen work that allows tens of thousands of people to travel safely and reliably each day,” said sponsor Sen. Nick Collins (D-South Boston). “Their commitment keeps our cities moving, even under challenging and unpredictable circumstances. When the rights and safety of these workers are impinged upon, it is an aff ront to the invaluable service they provide and the trust the public places in them.” Collins continued, “We must remain vigilant in safeguarding their wellbeing, as they encounter nearly every facet of public life in this line of work. Legislation like this, which strengthens protections and expands the defi nition of what constitutes an assault against a transit worker, sends a clear message that we do not take their hard work for granted and that we stand fi rmly behind those who keep our commonwealth connected.” The House already approved a diff erent version of the measure, and the Senate version now goes to the House for consideration. (A “Yes” vote is for the bill.) Sen. Sal DiDomenico Yes BANNING SCHOOL LIBRARY BOOKS AND MATERIALS (S 2696) Senate 35-3, approved and sent to the House a bill that supporters said would require that school library materials be age-appropriate, serve an educational purpose and be chosen based on a teacher or employee’s professional training—leaving aside personal, political or doctrinal views which could aff ect their decision to place the book on the shelf. Supporters noted that the bill would give local school districts and municipal public libraries the flexibility to craft their own policies that align with state protocols and the standards of the American Library Association. They argued that for school libraries, an appropriate process for considering whether to remove a book would include assurance that a challenged book remains available to library patrons while the process plays out, guarding against frivolous or unfounded complaints. They said the bill would protect librarians and school employees from retaliation over their selection of library books, ensuring that they do not suff er professional, civil or criminal penalties if they have acted in good faith and followed their library materials policy. “I am thrilled that the Senate has taken decisive bipartisan action to push back against cowardly attempts to ban books in our schools and public libraries,” said Sen. Julian Cyr (D-Truro), the lead sponsor of the bill. “Massachusetts is not immune from the un-American panic gripping the nation in recent years. Today, the Senate defends the right to read and ensures that decisions about library materials are made by trained professionals, not political actors. This bill is about protecting the people who make our libraries and schools places of discovery, inclusion and belonging.” “I’m proud to stand with my Senate colleagues today in support of this bipartisan bill to protect values we hold so dear: the freedom to create, to think for one’s self, to explore ourselves and our world through books and art and pass the legacy of free expression to our children and grandchildren,” said Senate President Karen Spilka (D-Ashland). “This bill is just one of many that the Senate is prioritizing and passing this session as part of our Response 2025 initiative to protect our residents, defend our values and lead Massachusetts during these dark days when our basic civil and constitutional rights are under constant attack.” “I don’t believe in restricting knowledge, as long as it’s age appropriate, and believe in setting up a process where adults can deliberate on the appropriateness,” said Sen. Ryan Fattman (R-Sutton), one of three senators who voted against the bill. “The Senate’s fi nal version of the bill restricts parental notifi cations and involvement, diminishes the school committee as the ultimate authority of school policy and will certainly lead to increased legal costs for school districts. It is essential that school committees retain BEACON | SEE PAGE 17
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