Page 22 THE REVERE ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, JUNE 2, 2023 BEACON | FROM Page 20 did not respond to repeated requests by Beacon Hill Roll Call asking him to comment on his opposition to the amendment. (A “Yes” vote is for the $575 reserve fund. A “No” vote is against it.) Sen. Lydia Edwards No $500,000 FOR FREE FEMININE HYGIENE PRODUCTS (S 3) Senate 39-0, approved an amendment providing $500,000 to The “Free Period Project” to provide free feminine hygiene products to students and low-income workers across the state. This program currently serves only the South Shore and the additional funding would expand it statewide. “It’s become apparent that Free Period’s work is needed throughout Massachusetts,” said sponsor Sen. Patrick O’Conner (R-Weymouth). “In a needs assessment conducted in 300 schools throughout the commonwealth, it was found that 92 percent of schools have inadequate funding for feminine hygiene products and many have no funding at all. Over 60 percent of schools rely on school nurses, teachers or parent teacher organizations to step up and provide these products. It’s time for the state to step up.” (A “Yes” vote is for the $500,000.) Sen. Lydia Edwards Yes $200,000 FOR YOUTH SUICIDE PREVENTION PROGRAM (S 3) Senate 39-0, approved an amendment providing $200,000 for The NAN Project to provide mental health awareness and suicide prevention programming in schools and communities. According to its website, the NAN Project is dedicated to the memory and legacy of Nancy Cavanaugh, – an inspiring, caring young woman who took her life because she could not fi nd the services, support or hope needed to defeat the pain of anxiety, depression, and OCD “I am deeply proud my amendment supporting The NAN Project was adopted so this crucial organization can continue its important work amplifying the mental health needs of students across our commonwealth,” said sponsor Sen. Joan Lovely (D-Salem). (A “Yes” vote is for the $200,000.) Sen. Lydia Edwards Yes $200,000 FOR WOMEN VETERANS’ OUTREACH (S 3) Senate 39-0, approved an amendment providing $200,000 for hiring additional staff for women veterans’ outreach, centralizing the administration of services and expanding transitional support for women veterans returning to the state. “While women are the fastest growing population of veterans, veteran organizations and care have historically been geared towards men,” said sponsor Sen. John Velis (D-Westfi eld). “An amendment of mine to the fi scal 2022 budget commissioned the study that outlined these discrepancies. This follow-up amendment authorizes the necessary funding to implement the study’s recommendations, including expanding outreach services to identify women veterans and inform them of the benefi ts they qualify for.” (A “Yes” vote is for the $200,000.) Sen. Lydia Edwards Yes ALSO UP ON BEACON HILL COURT RULES AGAINST EQUITY THEFT – The United States Supreme Court ruled that cities and towns that foreclose on properties on which the owner owes back property taxes, cannot keep all of the profi ts when the city or town sells the property at auction. Current Massachusetts law allows this practice. Since 2019, Sen. Mark Montigny (D-New Bedford) has sponsored a bill at the state level that would have outlawed the practice in the Bay State. He applauded the court’s decision. “Permitting municipal officials and private, profi t-driven companies to prey upon the misfortunes of homeowners, robbing them of every cent of their equity, is unconscionable,” said Montigny. “Homeowners must be provided with enhanced protections so that their COMMERCIAL & RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY SALES & RENTALS Happy Spring! Sandy Juliano Broker/President EVERETT - 26-26A Victoria Street. 2 family, 5 & 6 room, $850,000. Call Sandy at 617-448-0854 UNDER AGREEMENT LISTED BY NORMA! Follow Us On: UNDER AGREEMENT EVERETT 5 Bedroom Single Family. 129 Walnut St., Everett $629,900. Call Norma for details 617-590-9143 List Your Home or Apartment With Us! Open Daily From 10:00 A.M. - 5:00 P.M. 433 Broadway, Suite B, Everett, MA 02149 www.jrs-properties.com Joe DiNuzzo 617-680-7610 Norma Capuano Parziale 617-590-9143 Rosemarie Ciampi 617-957-9222 residences are not stolen under the guise of a bureaucratic process, and that they have every opportunity to settle their debt. Pushing out senior citizens, people with disabilities, and those facing tremendous personal challenges is atrocious. Local officials who have allowed [this] must immediately reverse their decision and provide restitution to anyone who suff ered from this predatory practice. Frankly, those offi cials are not worthy to serve the public. Prospectively, I hope my bill to protect homeowners will be expedited through the legislative process and signed by the governor so that we can put an end to this shameless profi teering and bring Massachusetts in line with constitutional requirements.” REVIVE “HAPPY HOURS” (S 157) – The Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure Committee held a hearing on legislation that would allow cities and towns to permit restaurants that are licensed to serve alcohol to off er discounted prices on alcoholic beverages during dates and time periods specifi ed by the city or town. The measure prohibits any alcohol from being discounted after 10 p.m. Under current law, passed in 1984, restaurants have been prohibited from holding “happy hours” during which some alcoholic drinks are free or the price is reduced. The 1984 law was sparked by the September 1983 death of Kathleen Barry, a 20-year-old from Weymouth, when Barry and her friend won free pitchers of beer at a Braintree Ground Round. After leaving the bar, Barry and a friend climbed on top of a drunk friend’s car for a ride around a Braintree parking lot and Barry fell under the car and was dragged 50 feet to her death. “Much has changed in Massachusetts since a happy hour ban was enacted in 1984,” said sponsor Sen. Julian Cyr (D-Truro). “The drinking age has long been settled at 21, stiff penalties have been established to deter drunk driving and ride hailing apps have become a popular way to safely get around on a night out. While alcohol-related off enses decline across the country and little compelling evidence exists linking happy hour with higher rates of alcohol-related DUIs, Massachusetts remains the last state in the country to have an absolute ban on happy hour. In the aftermath of COVID-19 and advent of remote work, happy hour is a tool that can help revitalize main streets and downtowns struggling for foot traffi c. This legislation empowers municipalities to determine if they want to allow local restaurants to off er happy hour specials and decide if it is the right choice for their community.” COLLEGE STUDENTS’ TRANDenise Matarazzo 617-953-3023 617-294-1041 SCRIPTS (H 1277) – The Higher Education Committee held a hearing on a measure that would prohibit public and private colleges from withholding a student’s entire academic transcript if the student owes the school money for any loan payments, fi nes, fees, tuition or other expenses. The measure would allow schools to withhold from the transcript only any academic credits and grades for any specifi c course for which that student’s tuition and mandatory course fees are not paid in full. Supporters said currently schools can withhold a student’s entire transcript even though it might be just one course for which the student has not paid. They said this means that these students cannot use any credits to transfer to more aff ordable institutions or to obtain employment. “Higher Education institutions are supposed to be vehicles of opportunity, economic mobility and promises of a better future,” said sponsor Rep. David LeBoeuf (D-Worcester). “Continuing to foster adverse practices that disproportionally penalize low-income students go against these principles, and the principles of the commonwealth. It is our responsibility to make sure those who pursue higher education are not saddled with debt or denied advancement opportunities because of limited fi nancial resources. This bill begins to address this issue by eliminating a counterintuitive practice that has no place in Massachusetts.” HOW LONG WAS LAST WEEK’S SESSION? Beacon Hill Roll Call tracks the length of time that the House and enate were in session each week. Many legislators say that legislative sessions are only one aspect of the Legislature’s job and that a lot of important work is done outside of the House and Senate chambers. They note that their jobs also involve committee work, research, constituent work and other matters that are important to their districts. Critics say that the Legislature does not meet regularly or long enough to debate and vote in public view on the thousands of pieces of legislation that have been fi led. They note that the infrequency and brief length of sessions are misguided and lead to irresponsible late-night sessions and a mad rush to act on dozens of bills in the days immediately preceding the end of an annual session. During the week of May 22-26, the House met for a total of 20 minutes and the Senate met for a total of 34 hours and 25 minutes. Mon. May 22 House 11:00 a.m. to 11:08 a.m. Senate 11:17 a.m. to 5:16 p.m. Tues. May 23 No House session Senate 10:08 a.m. to 7:53 p.m. Wed. May 24 No House session Senate 10:09 a.m. to 7:49 p.m. Thurs. May 25 House 11:00 a.m. to 11:12 a.m. Senate 10:15 a.m. to 7:16 p.m. Fri. May 26 No House session No Senate session Bob Katzen welcomes feedback at bob@beaconhillrollcall. com Bob founded Beacon Hill Roll Call in 1975 and was inducted into the New England Newspaper and Press Association (NENPA) Hall of Fame in 2019.
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