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Page 18 THE REVERE ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, JULY 8, 2022 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 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: Beacon Hill Roll Call records representatives’ and senators’ votes on roll calls from the week of June 27-July 1. REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH CARE (H 4930) House 136-17, approved and sent to the Senate legislation designed to further protect reproductive health care and those who perform abortions in the Bay State. The measure specifically declares that both reproductive health care and genderaffi rming care is a “right secured by the constitution or laws” of Massachusetts and would shield providers of reproductive and gender-affi rming care and their patients from out-of-state legal action. Key provisions include prohibiting Massachusetts law enforcement from providing information related to an investigation or inquiry into legally protected health care services to federal or another state’s law enforcement agencies or private citizens; protecting Massachusetts residents from eff orts to enforce court rulings from other states based on health care activity that is legally protected in Massachusetts; prohibiting any Massachusetts court from ordering a person in Massachusetts to give testimony or produce documents for use in connection with any proceeding in an out-of-state tribunal concerning legally protected health care activity; prohibiting medical malpractice insurers from discriminating against a provider that offers reproductive or gender-affi rming health care services; and requiring insurance coverage for abortion and abortion-related care without being subject to deductibles, coinsurance, copayments or other costsharing requirements. “The progress we’ve made to protect abortion rights in Massachusetts distinguishes us at a time when millions of people across the country are losing their access to care,” said Dr. Jennifer Childs-Roshak, President of Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts. “Now we must urgently expand access by making abortion care more aff ordable and supporting providers so they can safely provide care,” Rep. Ruth Balser (D-Newton), a 73-year old House member, said she is “a woman who is old enough to remember the days before Roe v. Wade,” and described “the pain that in particular my generation of women are feeling, that that hard-fought and won right has been ripped from us.” Rep. Colleen Garry (D-Dracut) was the only representative to speak against the measure during debate on the House fl oor. “I voted against [it] because it went way beyond making abortions available and safe for women from other states and protecting our abortion providers,” said Garry. “The bill makes abortions free in Massachusetts eliminating any copays or cost sharing and allowing women from other states to qualify for MassHealth coverage for abortions. Nothing is free in this world. The health insurance ratepayers in Massachusetts will be paying for all of these abortions through their own insurance premiums. It also expanded availability for late term abortions to include not only the ‘fatal fetal anomaly’ provision from the Roe Act but went further to include access when the mother and her doctor decide that there is a ‘severe’ fetal anomaly, which is not defi ned in the legislation.” “The Supreme Court’s decision to completely overturn Roe v. Wade represents a fundamental attack on women’s rights,” said House Speaker Ron Mariano (D-Quincy). “Now, more than ever, it is the responsibility of leaders in Massachusetts to ensure that the commonwealth can serve as a sanctuary for women seeking reproductive health care, and for providers whose licenses could be at risk because of this recent Supreme Court decision.” “Infl icting pain and death on another living, developing individual is not a right protected by the Constitution, no matter how warped the Democrats’ logic may be,” said Massachusetts Republican Party Chairman Jim Lyons. (A “Yes” vote is for the bill. A “No” vote is against it). Rep. Jessica Giannino Rep. Jeff Turco Yes No LIMIT STEP THERAPY (H 4929) House 153-0, approved and sent to the Senate a bill that limits the use of health care plan mandated prescription drug “step therapy” protocols and provides more exemptions to the mandate. Step therapy requires the patient to try less expensive options before “stepping up” to drugs that cost more. “This is a great bill for patients,” said Health Care Financing Committee chair John Lawn (D-Watertown). “This legislation balances the need to manage utilization and control costs of expensive treatments with the moral imperative to protect patients who need life-saving treatments. Thanks to this bill, patients will get the right drug at the right time without delay.” “A top priority of the House is to ensure that every resident of the commonwealth has access to quality, aff ordable health care, but controlling costs should never come at the expense of positive patient outcomes,” said House Speaker Ron Mariano (D-Quincy). “This legislation helps to achieve that goal by ensuring that patients in Massachusetts can circumvent step therapy protocols in instances where the process will result in delayed access to the only adequate medication. Conditions which would exempt a patient from trying the less expensive drug fi rst include if the treatment will harm the patient, or if the patient previously tried the required treatment, or similar treatment, and it was ineff ective. (A “Yes” vote is for the bill). Rep. Jessica Giannino Rep. Jeff Turco Yes Yes $56 MILLION FOR FAMILIES OF VICTIMS OF HOLYOKE SOLDIERS’ HOME (H 4932) House 153-0, approved $56 million in funding for the families of the victims of the COVID-19 outbreak at the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home. “No amount of money will ever make up for the devastating loss and heartbreak that these families have been through,” said Sen. John Velis (D-Holyoke) the chair of the Veterans and Federal Aff airs Committee. “That anguish and grief will always be there, but this settlement does ensure that the families will not have to continue to endure the painful process of litigation. I am glad that the House has passed this swiftly and am committed to getting these funds across the fi nish line in the Senate.” “No amount of money can make up for the loss these families have suff ered,” said Rep. Patricia Duff y (DHolyoke). “But I am gratifi ed that an agreement has been reached and fulfi lled.” (A “Yes” vote is for the bill). Rep. Jessica Giannino Rep. Jeff Turco Yes Yes REPEAL ARCHAIC LAWS (S 2979) Senate 39-0, approved and sent to the House a measure that would repeal several archaic laws, still on the books in Massachusetts, which many people no longer see as criminal and/or may be unconstitutional. The bill would repeal archaic laws that intrude on an individual’s privacy regarding sexual activity by removing the statute that criminalizes sodomy, removing language that criminalizes “unnatural” acts and removing language pertaining to “common nightwalkers.” The bill would also establish a permanent law revision commission. The bill leaves in place statutes prohibiting prostitution and statutes prohibiting sex with animals. “In my America, there is a personal space the government has no business in,” said sponsor Sen. Will Brownsberger (D-Belmont). “These laws intrude into people’s personal space and they shouldn’t be on the books. The Supreme Court, for a while, has agreed with that. But lately, we are not sure where they are going. The repeal is long overdue but especially timely given [the recent] Supreme Court decision.” “At a time when conservative Supreme Court justices are invoking discriminatory 18th century laws, we want to make sure there are no laws in Massachusetts that invoke hateful treatment of the LBGTQ community or Puritan attitudes towards sex,” said Senate Judiciary chair Sen. Jamie Eldridge (D-Acton). “I’m also grateful that this legislation will repeal the common night walking statute, which has led to the mistreatment of many trans residents.” “It is undeniable that when it comes to human rights, we cannot rest on our assumptions at this moment in history,” said Sen. Julian Cyr (D-Truro). “First and foremost, the government has no business in people’s sex lives. Furthermore, in a commonwealth that prides itself on our social progressiveness, inclusivity and equality, our laws must refl ect these vital ideals. By removing harmful, homophobic and transphobic language from our statutes, we are taking a well overdue step to ensure the letter of the laws promotes equity and justice for the most vulnerable members of our population.” (A “Yes” vote is for the bill). Sen. Lydia Edwards Yes CHANGE CIVIL ASSET FORFEITURE LAW (S 2944) Senate 31-9, approved and sent to the House a bill that would make changes to the current civil asset forfeiture law that allows law enforcement and prosecutors to seize property which is alleged to have been involved in a crime. Under current law, the burden of proof is on the owner of the items who believes that their possessions were improperly forfeited. That person is required to demonstrate that these items were not involved in a crime. The bill puts the burden of proof on law enforcement and prosecutors who would be required to prove, by a preponderance of the evidence, that property seized is in fact subject to civil asset forfeiture under Massachusetts law. Forfeiture hearings would also include accused individuals’ legal counsel and the bill also limits the value of items taken in civil asset forfeiture to $250 or less. “Massachusetts civil asset forfeiture laws are ranked among the worst in the nation,” said sponsor Sen. Becca Rausch (D-Needham). “The Senate took steps to change that … Through collaboration with law enforcement, social justice advocates and legislative partners, I believe the fi nal bill strikes a good balance between supporting the good work done by our public safety personnel and enhancing the forfeiture process to better protect Bay Staters from any unjust confi scation.” “In my capacity as Senate Chair of the Committee on the Judiciary, I served as co-Chair of the Special Commission on Asset Forfeiture,” said Sen. Jamie Eldridge (D-Acton). “That special commission produced a powerful report calling for change to the commonwealth’s outdated approach to asset forfeiture. Massachusetts has one of the most unfair civil asset forfeiture laws in the country, with little due process - and has taken a bold step forward to reform that. For those facing criminal prosecution or those who are innocent co-owners of property that may have been tangentially related to crime, this bill represents transformational change for the good.” Opponents said the bill goes too far and off ered several unsuccessful amendments including one that would strike the right to free counsel and replace it with a commission to study whether counsel should be off ered at no cost to indigents. Sen. Bruce Tarr (R-Gloucester), the chief opponent of the measure, did not respond to several requests by Beacon Hill Roll Call to comment on why he opposed the bill. (A “Yes” vote is for the bill. A “No” vote is against it). Sen. Lydia Edwards Yes JUVENILE DIVERSION (S 2942) Senate 32-8, approved and sent to the House a bill that would expand the number of off enses for which BEACON | SEE Page 20

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