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Page 20 THE REVERE ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, MAY 12, 2023 sentatives who voted diff erently than Mariano on any roll calls. The three representative who 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 mornings 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 influence. The stories are drawn from major news organizations as well as specialized publications selected by widely acclaimed and highly experienced writers Keith Regan and Matt Murphy who introduce each article in their own clever and 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: https://lp.constantcontactpages. com/su/aPTLucK THE HOUSE AND SENATE: There were no roll calls in the House or Senate last week. This week, Beacon Hill Roll Call reports on the percentage of times local representatives voted with their party’s leadership during the fi rst four months of the 2023 session. The votes of the 2023 membership of 24 Republicans were compared with those of GOP House Minority Leader Brad Jones (R-North Reading). The votes of the 2023 membership of 131 Democrats were compared to House Speaker Ron Mariano (D-Quincy). Beacon Hill Roll Call uses 25 votes from the 2023 House session as the basis for this report. This includes all roll calls that were not quorum calls or votes on local issues. Rep. Susannah Whipps (UAthol) is unenrolled and not affi liated with either the Republican or Democratic party. We based her voting record on how many times she voted with Democratic House Speaker Ron Mariano. THE DEMOCRATS: A total of 125 (95.4 percent) of the 131 Democrats voted with Mariano 100 percent of the time. There were only six Democratic repreYour Hometown News Delivered! EVERETT ADVOCATE MALDEN ADVOCATE REVERE ADVOCATE SAUGUS ADVOCATE One year subscription to The Advocate of your choice: $150 per paper in-town per year or $200 per paper out-of-town per year. Name_________________________________________ Address_______________________________________ City_______________ State_______ Zip ____________ CC# _______________________________ Exp. _____ Sec. code____ Advocate (City):___________________ Clip & Mail Coupon with Credit Card, Check or Money Order to: Advocate Newspapers Inc. PO Box 490407, Everett, MA 02149 voted the most times against Mariano were Reps. Erika Uyterhoeven (D-Somerville); Russell Holmes (D-Boston); and Colleen Garry (D-Dracut). All three voted against Mariano twice. There were only three other representatives who voted against Mariano: Reps. Mike Connolly (DCambridge), Danillo Sena (D-Acton) and Jeff Turco (D-Winthrop). Each one voted against Mariano only once. THE REPUBLICANS: One hundred percent of the 24 GOP members voted with Jones 100 percent of the time. REPRESENTATIVES’ SUPPORT OF THEIR PARTY’S LEADERSHIP FROM JANUARY TO MAY 2023 The percentage next to the representatives’ name represents the percentage of times the representative supported his or her party’s leadership so far in 2023. The number in parentheses represents the number of times the representative opposed his or her party’s leadership. Some representatives voted on all 25 roll call votes. Others missed one or more roll calls. The percentage for each representatives is calculated based on the number of roll calls on which he or she voted. Rep. Jessica Giannino 100 percent (0) Rep. Jeff Turco 96 percent (1) ALSO UP ON BEACON HILL GROWING HEMP (S 40) - The Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture Committee heard testimony on a bill that would allow Massachusetts farmers to grow and sell hemp that is used to make products for commercial sale. Under current law, only industrial hemp (hemp used solely for industrial purposes) can be grown in the Bay State. If the bill passes, many allowable products would be made from hemp including cosmetics, personal care and grooming products; animal and human products intended for consumption such as dietary supplements, foods and beverages; and products intended for other uses such as cloth, fi ber, fuel, paint, paper, particleboard and plastics. The measure allows land with hemp crops to be considered farmland for tax purposes and sets up a licensing system for hemp growers. Sponsor Sen. Jo Comerford (DNorthampton) said she fi led the bill to bring the state defi nition of hemp in line with the federal defi nition, to allow for the sale of edible CBD products from locally grown hemp in marijuana stores and to authorize the Department of Public Health to regulate CBD in food. “Hemp is a valuable agricultural crop, with many uses, but the commonwealth currently does not allow farmers to sell this product in ways that maximize its full potential,” said Comerford. “You can buy CBD products in the state of Massachusetts but they won’t be made with Massachusetts-grown hemp. That does not make sense. The hemp industry and hemp farmers deserve sensible policies.” RAW OR UNPASTEURIZED MILK SALES (S 43) – The Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture’s hearing also included legislation that would allow licensed raw milk farmers to deliver raw milk directly to the consumer. Current law allows only the on-farm sale of raw milk. The measure also allows raw milk farmers to sell raw milk from their farm stands even if the stand is not contiguous to their raw milk dairy. The bill would also allow farmers to sell raw milk to consumers through third-party cooperative buying clubs. This would allow consumers to join together and have the milk delivered to a nearby location so each individual consumer does not have to travel miles to the few farms that sell on-site. “Our farms and farmers struggle and allowing the sale of raw milk off farm premises, such as at a Farmers Market, not only helps farmers economically but makes it easier for consumers,” said sponsor Sen. Anne Gobi (DSpencer). CHOKING ON FOOD (H 2130) – The Public Health Committee held a hearing on a proposal expanding the current law that requires restaurants with more than 25 seats to have on the premises an employee trained in manual procedures to remove food lodged in a customer’s throat. The measure would make the requirements apply to all restaurants regardless of their seating capacity. The measure exempts take-out only restaurants and food trucks. It also eliminates the option of having a manual device on the premises for removing stuck food because critics say it has been determined that such devices are dangerous. Another provision prohibits any person who has been properly trained from being held liable for any civil damages as a result of any acts or omissions provided during the emergency assistance. Supporters noted that ChokeSave classes are given by the American Red Cross and are inexpensive. They are also often offered by municipal Departments of Health and Human Services. “[This bill], known as the ‘Choke Save’ bill, removes the 25-person threshold to require choke response training for restaurant employees because someone can choke as easily in a smaller venue as a larger one,” said sponsor Rep. Ruth Balser (D-Newton). “This bill will save lives by ensuring that restaurant employees will be able to respond to a choking emergency immediately, rather than delaying a response until emergency personnel might arrive.” QUOTABLE QUOTES “Labor issues are still hindering employers, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the number of problems small business owners face in Massachusetts. It is not the time to put the brakes on tax relief for small businesses, as estate tax reform is long overdue in Massachusetts.” --- Christopher Carlozzi, the Massachusetts state director of the National Federation of Independent Business. “The threat of tick-borne disease is not going away. In fact, Massachusetts has seen one of the fastest growing increases of tick-borne disease cases in the nation in the past 30 years. It is our duty as a Legislature to act. This bill would establish a special commission of fi eld experts and legislators charged with leading the way in identifying the best practices for increasing Lyme Disease awareness, combatting its harmful spread and assisting those suffering from its longterm eff ects.” ---Sen Patrick O’Connor (R-Weymouth) testifying in favor of his bill creating a special BEACON | SEE Page 22

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