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Page 18 THE REVERE ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, APRIL 5, 2024 By Bob Katzen If you have any questions about this week’s report, e-mail us at bob@beaconhillrollcall.com or call us at (617) 720-1562 GET A FREE SUBSCRIPTION TO MASSTERLIST – 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’s going on up on Beacon Hill, in Massachusetts politics, policy, media and infl uence. The stories are drawn from major news organizations as well as specialized publications. 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: https://lp.constantcontactpages. com/su/aPTLucKs THE HOUSE AND SENATE: Beacon Hill Roll Call records local senators’ votes on roll calls from the week of March 25-29. There were no roll calls in the House last week. DEBT COLLECTION PRACTICES (S 2713) Senate 39-0, approved and sent to the House a bill that would make some changes in the current state laws about debt collection practices. The measure includes reducing from 12 percent to 3 percent the maximum interest rate that can be charged for judgments on consumer debt; increasing from $750 per week to $975 per week the amount of a person’s wages that is protected from garnishment because of a debt; reducing from six years to fi ve years, the time in which a company can bring suit to collect a consumer debt; and ensuring that no one is imprisoned for failure to pay a consumer debt. “In Massachusetts, no family should have to choose between putting food on the table or making a minimum payment on a ballooning debt,” said Sen. Paul Feeney (D-Foxborough), Senate Chair of the Committee on Financial Services. “Debt collection practices can, at times, be predatory, unlawful and designed to squeeze every dime out of middle-class and lowincome families, especially with the added burden of accumulating interest and additional fees that are designed to push families over a fi nancial cliff . The [legislation] will not eliminate debt or an obligation to pay, but it will add needed guardrails to protect hard-working families from financial ruin, give a lifeline to those caught in a debt spiral and help deliver hope to those in a vicious cycle.” “This bill aims to implement stricter regulations on debt collectors in order to prevent fi nancial mistreatment of Massachusetts residents,” said chief sponsor Sen. Jamie Eldridge (D-Marlborough). “It seeks to safeguard consumers’ economic security during debt repayment, prohibit excessively high interest rates and eliminate the possibility of consumers being sent to ‘debtor’s prison’ when facing legal action.” (A “Yes” vote is for the bill.) Sen. Lydia Edwards Yes SAFETY FOR FIREFIGHTERS (S 2712) Senate 40-0, approved and sent to the House legislation that would create a public database of violations of the state’s fi re prevention laws and a public notifi cation system to alert workers of violations. The measure is designed to boost safety for fi refi ghters and people conducting “hot work” including welding, plasma cutting and spark-producing construction. The proposed law has been ten years in the making and was fi rst prompted by the March 2014 deaths of firefighters Edward Walsh and Michael Kennedy who perished while fi ghting a fi re that was caused by welders, working without a city permit, on a building next door to the brownstone in which they died. “This legislation represents historic regulatory reforms that the Walsh-Kennedy Commission helped institute across the hot works and welding industry in Massachusetts,” said chief sponsor Sen. Nick Collins (D-Boston). “Passing this legislation will ensure that the critical reforms, training, oversight and accountability needed to prevent tragedies like the Back Bay fi re, will be the law of the land. We do this in honor of Boston Fire Lieutenant Edward Walsh and Firefi ghter Michael Kennedy so that their sacrifi ces are not in vain.” “The heartbreaking loss of life in the 2014 Back Bay fi re is a constant reminder of the importance of fi refi ghter safety,” said Sen. Walter Timilty (D-Milton), Senate Chair of the Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security. “I am honored to have shepherded this crucial bill through the committee. Today, the Senate’s action represents an important step forward in ensuring that our remarkable firefighters have the resources that they need to keep themselves safe and protect our communities.” (A “Yes” vote is for the bill.) Sen. Lydia Edwards Yes ALSO UP ON BEACON HILL HOUSE APPROVES SEVERAL BILLS – The House gave initial approval to several bills last week including: CITY AND TOWN ASSESSORS (H 2112) – Amends current law which allows municipalities to give stipends to assessors who receive their Certified Assessment Evaluator certificate from the International Association of Assessing Offi cers, or their Certifi ed Massachusetts Assessor certifi cate from the Massachusetts Association of Assessing Offi cers, Inc. The bill increases the stipend municipalities may award for these certifi cates from $3,000 to $5,000 for full-time assessors and also adds two new certifi cates which would result in the stipend. “Assessors play a vital role in the fi nancial issues of every city and town in the commonwealth,” said sponsor Rep. Tom Stanley (D-Waltham). “This legislation improves the profession, enhances the assessor’s skillset and improves taxpayer effi ciency and services to property owners.” FREE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION FOR VETERANS WHO ARE GOING TO MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS (H 3527) - Provides free transportation on the MBTA system for veterans who travel to or from a Veterans Administration hospital for medical care. The veteran must present proof of a medical appointment on the date of travel in the form of a notice from the Veterans Administration indicating the veteran’s name and the date and the location of the appointment. “I have heard from a number of veterans who say it can be a challenge to get transportation to their medical appointments,” said sponsor Rep. Jerry Parisella (D-Beverly). “This bill would cover the cost of public transit for those seeking care at the Veterans Administration and help reduce one of the barriers, the cost of transportation, for those who have served our country with honor.” ALLOW YOUNGER YOUTH SOCCER REFEREES (H 1852) - Would allow minors who are 12- and 13-years-old to referee youth soccer games for matches in which the age bracket of the players is younger than the 12- or 13-yearold referee. Other provisions require the referee’s parents or guardians to provide the employer with a written consent form; require the employer to provide the parent or guardian with written policies describing the responsibilities of a referee and provide the minor with training; and mandating that an adult representing the employer is on the premise during the match. “This legislation would benefit both the youths in question and their communities as these programs are extended,” said cosponsor Rep. Kathy LaNatra (DKingston). ALLOW SOME 17-YEAR OLDS TO VOTE IN PRIMARIES (H 705) – Would allow voters who will turn 18 and be eligible to vote in a November general election to also vote in the preceding primary election even though they will only be 17 at the time of the primary election. Supporters said that allowing 17-year-olds olds to have a voice would establish a foundation for lifelong engagement in the democratic process and bolster civic engagement of these youths. Rep. Joan Meschino (D-Hull) fi rst sponsored the bill in 2020 at the request of then-16-year-old Hingham High School student Samantha Bevins, now a 21-year-old junior at Dartmouth College studying Government and Public Policy, who wanted this group to be allowed to vote in the Bay State’s March 2020 presidential primary. Bevins said she is thrilled to learn that the bill received initial approval. “I proposed this legislation … when I was 16 because I wanted fi rst-time voters in the commonwealth to have the same rights as my peers in 27 other states and Washington, D.C.,” said Bevins. “It is crucial that young people have the opportunity to fully participate in their fi rst election cycle by having a say in the primaries on candidates who will ultimately be on the ballot in the general election. I am hopeful our bill will [receive further approval] soon in order to fully enfranchise fi rst-time voters before the next Massachusetts state primaries.” “This legislation promotes a model of civic engagement and full enfranchisement that is critical to foster among our young people, who are the future of this country,” said Meschino. “Hingham resident Samantha Bevins and her peers’ continued engagement in the advocacy process during consecutive legislative sessions demonstrates that these young adults are fully equipped and ready for the opportunity to fully engage in the election process, and I commend them for their groundbreaking eff orts.” ”[The bill] will lead to increased voter turnout that transcends party lines and further engages the youngest voters,” said co-sponsor Rep. Jack Lewis (D-Framingham). “This furthers our civic engagement goals and aligns the commonwealth with 27 other states including Mississippi, Wyoming, West Virginia and Maine.” AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE (H 466) – Would require that American Sign Language (ASL) be taught in all Bay State public elementary and secondary schools to increase interactions between hearing persons and deaf and hard-ofhearing persons, as well as children with autism. Current law allows but does not require schools to teach ASL. “Every student deserves access to diverse linguistic opportunities,” said sponsor Rep. Carol Doherty (D-Taunton). “By requiring that ASL courses be off ered for credit alongside traditional world languages in Massachusetts public schools, we’re not only fostering inclusivity for the deaf and hard-of-hearing community but also enriching our educational landscape with a vibrant and vital language.” SUICIDE PREVENTION HOTLINE ON STUDENT IDS (H 1999) – Would require all public schools with grades 6 to 12, and all public and private colleges to include on BEACON | SEE Page 20

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