Page 18 THE REVERE ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 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: 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 in the 2022 session. The votes of the 2022 membership of 26 Republicans were compared with those of GOP House Minority Leader Brad Jones (RNorth Reading). The votes of the 2022 membership of 124 Democrats were compared to House Speaker Ron Mariano (D-Quincy). Beacon Hill Roll Call uses 99 votes from the 2022 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 53 (42.7 percent) of the 124 Democrats voted with Mariano 100 percent of the time. Another 55 Democrats (44.3 percent) voted against Mariano only once. That means a total of 108 (87.0 percent) of the 124 Democrats either never voted against Mariano or voted against Mariano only once. Only three Democrats (2.4 perWASTE REMOVAL & BUILDING MAINTENANCE • Landscaping, Lawn Care, Mulching • Yard Waste & Rubbish Removal • Interior & Exterior Demolition (Old Decks, Fences, Pools, Sheds, etc.) • Appliance and Metal Pick-up • Construction and Estate Cleanouts • Pick-up Truck Load of Trash starting at $169 • Carpentry LICENSED & INSURED Call for FREE ESTIMATES! KITCHEN CABINETS To Look Like New 508-840-0501 FURNITURE STRIP & FINISH cent) voted with Mariano less than 90 percent of the time. The Democratic representative who voted the lowest percentage of times with Mariano is Rep. Colleen Garry (D-Dracut) who voted with Mariano only 72.4 percent of the time. She is followed by Reps. Jeff Turco (D-Winthrop) 84.8 percent; David Robertson (D-Tewksbury) 86.8 percent; Patrick Kearney (DScituate) 92.8 percent; and Chris Markey (D-Dartmouth) 93.9 percent THE REPUBLICANS: Only four (15.3 percent) of the 26 GOP members voted with Jones 100 percent of the time. Eighteen Republicans (69.2 percent) voted with Jones at least 90 percent of the time. Four Republicans (15.3 percent) voted with Jones less than 90 percent of the time. The Republican representative who voted the lowest percentage of times with Jones was Rep. Marc Lombardo (R-Billerica) who voted with Jones only 86.8 percent of the time. He is followed by Reps. Nick Boldyga (R-Southwick) 87.7 percent; Donald Berthiaume (RSpencer) 88.8 percent; Alyson Sullivan (R-Abington) 89.8 percent; and Peter Durant (R-Spencer) 90.9 percent. REPRESENTATIVES’ SUPPORT OF THEIR PARTY’S LEADERSHIP IN 2022 The percentage next to the representative’s name represents the percentage of times the representative supported his or her party’s leadership in 2022. The number in parentheses represents the number of times the representative opposed his or her party’s leadership Some representatives voted on all 99 roll call votes. Others missed one or more roll calls. The percentage for each representative is calculated based on the number of roll calls on which he or she voted. Rep. Jessica Giannino 98.9 percent (1) Rep. Jeff Turco 84.8 percent (15) ALSO UP ON BEACON HILL U.S. LABOR SECRETARY MARTY WALSH TALKS UNIONS AND THE FUTURE - The momentum of labor, including the growth of unions and the increased leverage of workers, is reshaping the traditional workplace dynamic In Massachusetts and beyond. Join Labor Secretary Marty Walsh and Massachusetts labor leaders for a special event hosted by the State House News Service and MASSterList that will explore the important labor trends: labor’s gains, goals and the outlook for the future. The in-person event is Wednesday, September 28, at the Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) at 10 Winter Place (Downtown Crossing) in Boston. Doors open for networking and light refreshments at 7:30 a.m., with the program kicking off at 8:15 a.m. Register at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ the-new-power-of-labor-in-massachusetts-and-beyond-tickets414176953417?aff =BHRCSept EDUCATION BILLS SENT TO A STUDY COMMITTEE – Several bills aff ecting public schools and education were sent to a study committee where bills are rarely actually studied and are essentially defeated. It is a way to kill a proposal without holding a vote on the bill itself. Here are some of the education bills that were sent off to a study committee: SEX ED IN SCHOOLS (H 662) – Would require grades 7, 8 or 9 in all public schools to off er a required course to educate students about the development of the child in utero. Each school would be required to inform at least one parent or guardian of each student at least one week prior to the beginning of the course. The parent or guardian would have the right to exempt a student from the course. The course would be designed to educate students of the anatomical and physiological characteristics of unborn children at increments of four weeks from fertilization to full term. It would include visual images, including ultrasound images of fetal development at eight, 12, 18 and 24 weeks, and include the basics of prenatal and postnatal care for the purpose of educating students about the real expectations and responsibilities of parenthood. “As expanding sex-ed continues to be a priority agenda item, I feel it is important to have equal education and focus on a very real possible outcome of sex— pregnancy and children,” said Sponsor Rep. Joseph McKenna (R-Webster). “I believe that it’s critical to ensure that the health and wellness curriculum includes the development of a fetus into a baby and ultimately through birth. This should include [how] a pregnant mother’s decisions and lifestyle, including nutrition and substance use, impact fetal development and baby health.” “I am not surprised, nor discouraged, that this bill did not pass this session,” continued McKenna. Nearly every bill, especially when addressing potentially controversial items such as sexed and pregnancy, take many years and multiple sessions to get passed. As such, I will happily refi le this bill next session.” “Rep. McKenna’s bill is timely, warranted and appropriate, and would be a useful addition to any health or biology curriculum,” said C.J. Doyle, Catholic Action League executive director. “McKenna’s bill would be more suitable for secondary school students than for junior high school students, who could be as young as eleven years old. Advances in the science of embryology have given us new insights into fetal development, including the capacity of the unborn child to experience pain. Meanwhile, improvements in health care and medical technology have expanded the gestational parameters of viability for a child outside the womb.” “McKenna’s idea would probably fi nd, however, a more receptive environment in private and religious schools and among home schoolers,” continued Doyle. “In public education, it would face unrelenting opposition from an administrative class, and from a teaching profession, ideologically hostile to any curriculum which affi rmed, or even implied, the humanity of the unborn child.” Several pro-choice organizations and state representatives and senators did not respond to repeated requests by Beacon Hill to comment on this legislation, including the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts, Planned Parenthood Advocacy Fund of Massachusetts, Reproductive Equity Now, Sens. Cindy Friedman (D-Arlington) and Harriette Chandler (D-Worcester) and Rep. Ruth Balser (D-Newton). COMPUTERS FOR ALL STUDENTS (H 637) – Would establish a 14-member commission to research the best way of acquiring technology for Massachusetts students, including how to incentivize companies to take part in a program to provide personal computers or tablets to students. As part of its research, the commission will review the current policies in place to provide students with a personal computer or tablet and the barriers to providing all students with one. It would also evaluate the eff ect on benefi ts or drawbacks to providing students with a personal computer or tablet and its eff ects on the digital divide. “As the pandemic has shown, a lack of access to technology can inhibit students’ ability to learn and thrive,” said sponsor Rep. Brad Jones (R-North Reading). “Through the work of this commission, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education would have a better understanding of how to equip students with the technology they need at a manageable cost. I am disappointed the bill was placed in a study order, but plan to refi le it for the upcoming legislative session.” SCHOOL MANDATES (H 634) – Would establish an 11-member task force to review all existing state mandates placed on public schools. In addition to determining the cost of these unfunded mandates for budgeting purposes, the task force would also develop recommendations to streamline, consolidate or eliminate any mandates and reporting requirements that are outdated, duplicative or unnecessary. Sponsor Rep. Brad Jones said that the bill addresses one of the biggest concerns voiced by school officials not only in his district, but across the state. “The state cannot continue to impose new mandates on our cities and towns without providing them with the financial resources to help fulfi ll those requirements,” said Jones. “I am extremely frustrated [the bill] did not advance out of committee, but I plan to make a renewed push for its passage next year so we can begin the process of providing meaningful relief for our cities and towns.” INFORM PARENTS ABOUT STANDARDIZED ASSESSMENT TESTS (H 659) – Would require school districts, at the beginning of each school years to provide parents or guardians of students from kindergarten through twelfth grade information about each standardized assessment test that will be given during that school year including the date of the assessment; the estimated time a student will take to complete each assessment; whether students will be required to take assessments online, or have the option of paper and pencil; and the availability of appropriate acBEACON | SEE Page 20
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