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Page 24 THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – FRiDAy, DECEmbER 15, 2023 BEACON | FROM PAGE 23 support a bill are asked to stand up and be counted. Following that, members who oppose the bill are asked to stand up and be counted. Senators do not cast an individual vote so there is no recorded roll call vote on the bill. “I’m proud to sign this supplemental budget that dedicates critical funding for hard-earned raises for workers, supports municipalities with covering the costs of special education and fl ood relief, sustains our Emergency Assistance program and more,” said Gov. Healey. “The Senate understands how much of an impact our work has on the residents of the commonwealth—especially when pay raises for hard-working employees and funding for emergency shelter is on the line,” said Senate President Karen Spilka (D-Ashland). “The House Republican Caucus understands the importance of passing a fi nal defi ciency appropriations bill to address the unfunded union contract situation, provide disaster relief funding for cities and town and meet the fi duciary responsibilities associated with closing the books on fiscal year 2023,” said GOP House Minority Leader Rep. Brad Jones (R-North Reading). “At the same time, we remain deeply concerned about the lack of meaningful reforms contained in the bill to address the emergency shelter crisis created by the recent infl ux of thousands of migrants, which remains an untenable situation that must be resolved.” “Democratic leadership put us in an impossible situation by intentionally weaving these separate issues together,” continued Jones. “There is no legitimate reason that funding for union contracts and aid for cities and towns needed to be tied to controversial immigration policy. It was done by design.” “The Senate again acted swiftly and decisively to close the books and pass the closeout supplemental budget for fiscal year 2023,” said Senate Ways and Means chair Sen. Mike Rodrigues (D-Westport). “With $250 million in emergency funding, we met the challenge of an unprecedented humanitarian crisis head-on. We also allocated $378 million to fully fund over 90 collective bargaining agreements for state workers, absolved a $100 million pension liability from the 2015 Early Retirement Incentive Program and dedicated substantial funding to special education and disaster relief for municipalities across the commomwealth.” “Massachusetts taxpayers deserved a [rollcall] vote and transparency on this controversial spending bill,” said Paul Craney, a spokesman for the Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance. “Statehouse leadership routinely use procedural loopholes to pass controversial items outside of good legislative practices. “It’s refreshing to see some lawmakers try to change that. Let’s hope this sets a precedent for good government practices over backroom deals.” FINES FOR NOISE VIOLATIONS (H 2026) – The Municipalities and Regional Government Committee held a hearing on legislation that would allow cities and towns to make a property owner responsible for the cost of excessive noise complaint calls made to the police about noise at the owner’s address. Under the bill, the property owner would be required to reimburse the city or town for each police call that exceeds more than ten in a calendar year. “When our police departments respond to a disturbance, it represents a cost to the municipality and the taxpayers,” said sponsor Rep. Bruce Ayers (D-Quincy). “This bill creates a method by which cities and towns can recoup that cost when it comes to frequent offenders of issues such as disturbing the peace, excessive noise or suspicious activity. After ten police calls regarding complaints for a specific address or location within one calendar year, this bill permits local municipalities to impart the costs associated with these calls and subsequent actions taken on the property owner. This creates a further incentive to curb the behavior while also easing the burden on the police department, municipality and the taxpayers.” EQUIP ALL FIRST RESPONDER AND PUBLIC SAFETY VEHICLES WITH AUTOMATED EXTERNAL DEFIBRILLATORS(S 1517) – The Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee held a hearing on a bill that would create the Automatic External Defi brillator Trust Fund which would provide grants to municipalities, public colleges and universities to purchase Automated external defi brillators (AEDs). The fund would be fi nanced by a new 50cent tax on the rental of cars and other vehicles in the Bay State. “Passage of this legislation is critical to enhancing public safety. AEDs are life-saving devices which can be incredibly instrumental for individuals who undergo sudden cardiac arrest,” said sponsor Sen. Ryan Fattman (R-Sutton). “Setting aside dedicated funding to ensure all the commonwealth’s public safety vehicles are equipped with this device is paramount, especially in communities and locations where AEDs are not readily available and accessible.” REQUIRE SEAT BELTS ON SCHOOL BUSSES (S 1504) – Another proposal heard by the Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee would require that, eff ective July 1, 2026, every school bus transporting students to or from a public, vocational, private or parochial school be equipped with a seatbelt for each permanent seating accommodation. The bill permits a municipality to enact an earlier implementation date. It also prohibits lawsuits against cities and towns based on the failure of a school bus operator, school or municipality to ensure a passenger was wearing the restraint. “Ensuring the safety and wellbeing of children throughout the commonwealth is one of my top priorities,” said sponsor Sen. Sal DiDomenico (D-Everett). “This commonsense proposal will protect countless kids on their way to and from school each day without placing any signifi cant fi nancial burdens on our school districts.” BAN DISCRIMINATION BASED BEACON | SEE PAGE 25 Say nir Sa a y Senior Seni by Jim Miller How to Ease the Winter Blues Dear Savvy Senior, What can you tell me about seasonal aff ective disorder? I’ve always disliked winter, but since I retired and am home a lot more, the gray, cold winter months make me feel really blue. Sad Sam Dear Sam, If you get depressed in the winter but feel better in spring and summer, you may indeed have seasonal aff ective disorder, or SAD, a wintertime depression that affects roughly 5 percent of Americans. In most cases, SAD is related to the loss of sunlight in the winter months. Reduced sunlight can upset natural sleep-wake cycles and other circadian rhythms that can aff ect the body. It can also cause a drop in the brain chemical serotonin, which affects mood, and can increase the levels of the hormone melatonin, which can make you feel more tired and lethargic. If you think you may have SAD, a trip to your doctor’s offi ce is the best way to diagnose it or you can take a SAD “self-assessment” test at the Center for Environmental Therapeutics website at CET. org/assessments. If you fi nd that you have SAD, here are several treatment options and remedies that can help. Light therapy: The most effective treatment for SAD is sitting in front of a specialized light therapy box for 20 to 30 minutes a day, within the fi rst hour of waking up in the morning. Light therapy mimics outdoor light to cause a change in brain chemicals linked to mood. While you can buy a light box without a prescription, it’s best to use it under the guidance of a health care provider and follow the manufacturer’s guidelines. Most health insurance plans do not cover the cost. The best light therapy lamps provide 10,000 lux of illumination, many times stronger than typical indoor light, and have a diffuser screen that fi lters out ultraviolet rays and projects downward toward the eyes. Some top-rated light therapy products include the Carex Day-Light Classic Plus Bright Lamp ($145); Northern Light Technology Boxelite-OS ($205); and the budget friendly Verilux HappyLight Luxe ($70), all of which are available at Amazon.com. Cognitive behavioral therapy: Even though SAD is considered to be a biological problem, identifying and changing thought and behavior patterns can help alleviate symptoms too. To help you with this, choose a therapist who specializes in cognitive behavioral therapy and who has experience in treating SAD. To locate someone in your area, Psychology Today offers a search tool at PsychologyToday.com/us/therapists/cognitive-behavioral-cbt. Antidepressants: Some people with SAD benefit from antidepressant treatments too. Some proven medications to ask your doctor about are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and the extended-release antidepressant bupropion. But keep in mind that it may take several weeks to notice full benefi ts from an antidepressant. In addition, you may have to try diff erent medications before you fi nd one that works well for you and has the fewest side eff ects. Lifestyle remedies: Some other things you can do to help alleviate your SAD symptoms include making your environment sunnier and brighter. So, open up your blinds, sit closer to bright windows and get outside as much as you can. Even on cold or cloudy days, outdoor light can help, especially if you spend some time outside within two hours of getting up in the morning. Moderate exercise such as walking, swimming, yoga and even tai chi can also help alleviate SAD symptoms, as can social activities. Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book. nior ior

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