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Page 16 THE REVERE ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, JULY 31, 2026 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 THE HOUSE AND SENATE: Beacon Hill Roll Call reports local representatives’ and senators’ votes on roll calls from the week of July 20-24. ABORTION (H 5595) House 119-33, approved and sent to the Senate legislation that would loosen restrictions on abortions that can be performed after 24 weeks of gestation. The bill removes existing requirements that limit abortions at 24 weeks of pregnancy or later to four specific medical circumstances, and instead allows licensed physicians and providers to rely on their best medical judgment when caring for patients. Supporters said that under current law, the four specific categories do not account for the full spectrum of medical conditions encountered by women and their doctors: protecting the patient’s life or physical or mental health, or cases involving a lethal fetal anomaly or a grave fetal diagnosis. “Throughout relentless attacks on reproductive rights, the Massachusetts House has prioritized the fundamental rights and health care of its residents,” said sponsor Rep. Christine Barber (D-Somerville). “This bill continues that work. It ensures access to care by empowering physicians to use their professional judgment to make decisions in the best interest of their patients. Pregnancy is complex, and this bill eliminates barriers and guarantees medical expertise as the standard of care. It comes down to a simple, but powerful conviction: decisions about abortion care must remain between a patient and their provider. No one else.” “The goal of passing this legislation is simple. Medical decisions should be made by a patient and their doctor,” said sponsor Rep. Lindsay Sabadosa (D-Northampton). “Massachusetts has one of the best health care systems in the country, and patients should be able to rely on their providers to deliver medically appropriate care without restrictions that can fail to account for the complexity of individual medical circumstances. By removing those barriers, we can ensure that no one has to leave Massachusetts to receive the care they need.” The Massachusetts Family Institute said in a press release that despite clear public outcry, the Massachusetts House passed what the group called the “Radical Abortion Expansion Bill.” They said that the bill removes virtually all remaining restrictions on abortion in Massachusetts. It allows abortions past 24 weeks with no requirement of medical justifi cation, meaning abortions could be performed at full term, just days before natural birth, for any reason or no reason at all. While abortion proponents argue that late-term abortions are rare, expanding this barbaric practice does serious damage to our society’s moral foundation. “The good intentions of this bill’s sponsors are gravely misplaced,” said Myrna Maloney Flynn, the president of Massachusetts Citizens for Life “As written, their abortion-up-tobirth bill permits one provider — not even a physician — to subjectively decide that any unborn infant can be killed, even babies capable of surviving outside the womb and feeling pain within it. Just as concerning is the fact that the bill endangers women, since late-term abortions are far more complex and carry greater risk. Yet legislators want to allow these abortions outside of hospitals. Women experiencing unimaginable, heart wrenching pregnancy complications absolutely deserve all the support they need, but that support is not what this bill provides. Instead, this bill increases risks to women’s safety, allows gruesome violence against unborn children and grows abortion industry profits via taxpayer-funded late-term procedures.” Rep. Kelly Pease (R-Westfi eld) said he was blindsided by the legislation and called abortion a “terrible thing.” “I think most of our caucus was [blindsided]. It’s like, where did this come from? I don’t see how I’m going to be in favor of a bill that allows babies over six months to be terminated when they’re probably viable outside the womb, unless there’s extenuating circumstances, and this kind of just takes away some of the safeguards that were in place before.” A “Yes” vote is for the bill. A “No” vote is against it.) Rep. Jessica Giannino Yes Rep. Jeff Turco No EXEMPT INCOME FROM OVERTIME AND TIPS FROM THE INCOME TAX (S 3178) Senate 7-32, rejected an amendment that would exempt from the state’s 5% income tax, up to $12,500 of income from overtime and up to $25,000 of income from tips, Amendment sponsor Sen. Ryan Fattman (R-Sutton) said his amendment will put more money back in the pockets of hardworking individuals including restaurant workers, construction workers and countless other individuals who are doing everything right. He said they are working overtime, picking up extra shifts, relying on tips and yet they feel like they’re falling further behind because the cost of living has exploded and housing prices have climbed beyond the reach of many fi rst-time homeowners. He noted that tipped workers earn their income by providing excellent service and putting in long hours and argued that if you work more, you should keep more of what you earn. Sen. Mike Rodrigues (DWestport) said that this amendment is responding to something real because service workers face the same cost of living pressures as every other resident in the state and deserve a break. But he added that the Senate should not be adopting this amendment at this time because there are serious unanswered questions like what separates voluntary overtime from mandatory overtime and how are tipped pools treated? He noted that the Legislature has already created better ways to help workers by increasing the Earned Income Tax Credit to 40 percent of the federal credit, expanding the child and family tax credit and raising the senior circuit tax break. “It’s unfortunate Massachusetts lawmakers did not give this tax cut to working people,” said Paul Craney, executive director of the Mass Fiscal Alliance. “Many retail workers benefi t largely from tips and exempting the state income tax to their tips which mean a fi ve percent raise for many retail workers. The Massachusetts state Senate missed a great opportunity to help keep more money in the pockets of working people.” (A “Yes” vote is for the amendment exempting some overtime and tips income from the income tax. A “No” vote is against the exemption.) Sen. Lydia Edwards No DEATH TAX/ESTATE TAX (S 3178) Senate 5-34, rejected an amendment that would abolish the tax that the estates of people who die are required to pay following their death, before the money is distributed to any benefi ciary. Current law only exempts the fi rst $2 million and then imposes the tax on the remainder based on a graduated rate schedule ranging from 7.2% for estates just over $2 million to 16% for estates over $10 million. Most Republicans are against this tax and coined the name “death tax” to imply that the government taxes you even after you die. Most Democrats support the tax and call it an “estate tax” to imply that this tax is only paid by the wealthy. Amendment supporters said this regressive tax is unfair and noted that Massachusetts is losing many residents who move to other states where this tax does not exist. They noted it is not fair to tax this money when a person dies because the person already paid taxes on it when he or she was alive. Amendment opponents said the state cannot aff ord the loss in revenue which would be hundreds of millions of dollars. They noted that recently the Legislature approved and the governor signed into law a bill that increased from $1 million to $2 million the amount of money that is tax exempt from this tax. (A “Yes” vote is for the amendment abolishing the tax. A “No” vote is against abolishing it.) Sen. Lydia Edwards No CHAPTER 62F — CHANGE WHAT TRIGGERS A REFUND TO TAXPAYERS (S 3178) Senate 31-8 approved an amendment that would change the conditions under which a current law (known as 62F), approved by voters on the 1986 ballot, is triggered. BHRC | SEE Page 18

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