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Page 16 THE MALDEN ADVOCATE–Friday, October 15, 2021 Carolyn Dykema (D-Holliston). Beacon Hill Roll Call By Bob Katzen A NOTE FROM BOB KATZEN, PUBLISHER OF BEACON HILL ROLL CALL: Join more than 22,000 people, from movers and shakers to political junkies and interested citizens, who start their weekday morning with MASSterList – the popular newsletter that chronicles news and informed analysis about what going on up on Beacon Hill, Massachusetts politics, policy, media and influence in Massachusetts. The stories are drawn from major news organizations as well as specialized publications selected by widely acclaimed and highly experienced writers Chris Van Buskirk and Keith Regan who introduce each article in their own clever and never-boring inimitable way. MASSterlist will be e-mailed to you FREE every Monday through Friday morning and will give you a leg up on what’s happening in the blood sport of Bay State politics. For more information and to get your free subscription go to: www.massterlist.com/subscribe THE HOUSE AND SENATE: Beacon Hill Roll Call records local representatives' and senators' votes on roll calls from the week of October 4-8. HENS (H 4194) House 156-1, approved a bill that would make changes and put Massachusetts in line with other larger egg-producing states that have put in place standards for hen confinement. In 2016, Massachusetts voters overwhelmingly passed Question 3 to prevent cruelty to farm animals. At the time it was the strongest law for farm animals in history but since then leading retailers, producers and other states mandated even stronger standards in the shift to cagefree conditions for hens. Supporters said the bill will ensure the Bay State adapts to the new science unavailable in 2016. “The updates in today’s bill are consistent with the goals of the law passed in 2016 and in certain cases actually strengthen animal protections,” said Rep. ~ LEGAL NOTICE ~ COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS THE TRIAL COURT PROBATE AND FAMILY COURT Middlesex Divison Docket No. MI21P5028EA Estate of: Yvette M.C. Cooks Also Known As: Yvette Cooks Date of Death: 06/21/2020 INFORMAL PROBATE PUBLICATION NOTICE To all persons interested in the above captioned estate, by Petition of Petitioner Augusta Cooks of Malden, MA a Will has been admitted to informal probate. Augusta Cooks of Malden, MA has been informally appointed as the Personal Representative of the estate to serve without surety on the bond. The estate is being administered under informal procedure by the Personal Representative under the Massachusetts Uniform Probate Code without supervision by the Court. Inventory and accounts are not required to be filed with the Court, but interested parties are entitled to notice regarding the administration from the Personal Representative and can petition the Court in any matter relating to the estate, including distribution of assets and expenses of administration. Interested parties are entitled to petition the Court to institute formal proceedings and to obtain orders terminating or restricting the powers of Personal Representatives appointed under informal procedure. A copy of the Petition and Will, if any, can be obtained from the Petitioner. October 15, 2021 “This legislation is time sensitive. Without these updates, we know that many egg producers both inside and outside of Massachusetts who have upgraded their facilities to the emerging national standards won’t be able to provide eggs to our residents as early as the first of the year. This is particularly concerning because we know that many families, particularly those experiencing food insecurity, rely on eggs as an essential, low-cost source of protein.” Rep. Susannah Whipps (I-Athol), the only representative to vote against the bill, did not respond to repeated requests by Beacon Hill Roll Call for a comment. The Senate approved a different version of the bill in June. The House version now goes back to the Senate for consideration. “Massachusetts is now an outlier, which could threaten our supply of eggs,” said Senate sponsor Sen. Jason Lewis (D-Winchester). “Fortunately, the egg producers and animal welfare groups have come together to agree on this legislation, ensuring safe and humane conditions for egg-laying hens and affordable eggs for Massachusetts consumers.” (A “Yes” vote is for the bill. A “No” vote is against it.) Rep. Paul Donato Yes Rep. Steven UltrinoYes FREE SCHOOL BREAKFAST AND LUNCH (H 3999) House 157-0, Senate on a voice vote without a roll call, approved and sent to Gov. Charlie Baker a bill that would require schools in which a majority of students come from low-income families to provide universal free breakfast and lunch to all students. The program would be paid for by the federal government. The legislation also abolishes policies which can shame students for having unpaid school meal debt. It prohibits schools from publicly identifying a student who has a meal debt; disposing of an already served meal because of the student’s lack of funds to pay for the meal or because of unresolved meal debt; denying a student a meal as a form of behavioral discipline or punishment; prohibiting a student or a sibling of a student from attending or participating in extracurricular activities, field trips or school events and from receiving grades, official transcripts, report cards or from graduating or attending graduation events solely because of unresolved meal debt. “With this bill, we will feed more kids, eliminate meal debt shaming and stigma and maximize federal resources for schools across the commonwealth,” said co-sponsor Rep. Andy Vargas (D-Haverhill). “With the historically high percentage of economically disadvantaged students across the state, it makes sense to lock in this data now, which the federal government recognizes for at least the next four years.” The practice of identifying and shaming children and families who are unable to afford food is archaic and must end immediately,” said co-sponsor Rep. Sean Garballey (D-Arlington). “This legislation is in line with the commonwealth's values of supporting our most vulnerable citizens." (A “Yes” vote is for the bill.) Rep. Paul Donato Yes Rep. Steven UltrinoYes ELECTION LAW CHANGES (S 2545) Senate 36-3, approved and sent to the House a bill making permanent the mail-in and early voting options used in Massachusetts in 2020. Other provisions include same-day voter registration; increased ballot access for service members serving overseas; ensuring that individuals who are incarcerated who are currently eligible to vote are provided with voting information and materials to exercise their right to vote and that individuals who are incarcerated but prohibited from voting are notified of their right to vote upon release and given the opportunity fill out a voter registration form; allowing U.S. service members and other citizens residing overseas to cast their votes electronically; and requiring the secretary of state to conduct a comprehensive public awareness campaign to publicize the new voting and registration options. “I am incredibly proud of the Senate’s work on the [bill] which will not only protect but expand voting access in the commonwealth,” said Senate President Karen Spilka (D-Ashland). “The provisions contained within this bill, including same-day voter registration, early voting and permanent vote-by-mail will make it much easier to vote in Massachusetts—which is especially important for those individuals and communities that have struggled to vote or who have been disenfranchised in the past. I am excited to see this bill signed into law so that all of our citizens will have expanded access to voting, our most sacred right as Americans.” “This bill was too far reaching in the election policies it sets out to accomplish,” said Sen. Ryan Fattman (R-Sutton), one of the three senators who voted against the bill. “Measures like universal mail-in ballots were specifically intended to keep people safe during the pandemic, but the costs levied by making this measure permanent would be too costly for small municipalities like some that I represent. I am not sure at this point that we have the safeguards in place to ensure confidence in our electoral system. Eighteen thousand mail-in ballots were rejected in last year's state primary, and we must work to improve the efficacy of this system before we implement sweeping measures.” “After thoughtful debate on the floor of the Senate, I am thrilled that we have passed this landmark legislation to make voting more accessible than ever for all citizens of Massachusetts,” said Sen. Mike Rodrigues (D-Westport), Chair of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means. “I am proud of the collective effort of this body to improve the bill through the amendment process to ensure safe and secure access to the ballot box.” “Democrats in the State Senate are quick to rush through a very controversial election bill without bi-partisan support because many of their members are either seeking higher office or considering higher office,” said Paul Craney, spokesman for Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance. “They want this to help them in Democratic primaries. There is no good reason why something this momentous and controversial needs to be rushed without support from both parties and without buy-in from groups with differing ideological viewpoints.” (A "Yes" vote is for the bill. A "No" vote is against it.) Sen. Jason Lewis Yes DROP BOXES FOR VOTERS (S 2545) Senate 13-25, rejected an amendment that would require each city and town to have at least one ballot drop box for voters to deposit their ballots from the day the ballots are printed and available to voters until the polls close on Election Day. The amendment requires municipalities with more than 25,000 voters to provide one drop box per 25,000 voters and requires the boxes to be in a public location that is accessible to voters for at least 12 hours per day. “During the 2020 election, we witnessed how the expanded use of ballot drop boxes provided a safe, convenient and accessible way of voting amid a global pandemic,” said amendment sponsor Sen. Becca RausBHRC | SEE PAGE 18

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