Page 16 THE REVERE ADVOCATE – FRIDAy, SEpTEmbER 26, 2025 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 Volume 50 - Report No. 38 September 15-19, 3025 Copyright © 2025 Beacon Hill Roll Call. All Rights Reserved. THE HOUSE AND SENATE: Beacon Hill Roll Call records local representatives’ and senators’ votes on roll calls from the week of September 15-19. FINANCIAL RELIEF TO HOSPITALS AND COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS (H 4530) House 148-1, Senate 390, approved and sent to Gov. Maura Healey $234 million supplemental budget that would provide financial relief to hospitals and community health centers across the state. The bill includes $199 million in relief for acute care hospitals, including $122 million in targeted payments to facilities serving low-income patients and facing the greatest financial distress. Another $77 million would be transferred to the Health Safety Net Trust Fund, which helps reimburse hospitals and health centers for care provided to uninsured residents. Community health centers would receive $35 million, including $2.5 million directed to the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers for initiatives such as shared services. “Massachusetts has a healthcare ecosystem that is the envy of other states, and that doesn’t happen by accident,” said Senate President Karen Spilka (D-Ashland). “Supporting every resident is part of what it means to be a leader in healthcare access. This funding will help our hospitals and community health centers provide high-quality care in every region, and provide critical services to our veterans, seniors and municipalities.” “This funding will help to ensure that financially strained hospitals and community health centers can continue to serve patients across Massachusetts,” said House Speaker Ron Mariano (D-Quincy). “As broad fiscal uncertainty and actions taken by the Trump Administration continue to exacerbate the challenges that hospitals are already facing, this supplemental budget is the latest example of the work that we are doing here in Massachusetts to provide targeted support where it is needed most.” “Our hospitals and community health centers continue to step up to care for those most in need despite being under enormous financial pressure,” said Sen. Cindy Friedman (D-Arlington), Senate Chair of the Committee on Health Care Financing. “New policies from the federal government will only exacerbate the strain on our health care infrastructure, so for Massachusetts to continue to be a leader in providing exceptional health care, we need to ensure that care is accessible, especially to our most vulnerable populations. This supplemental budget provides necessary funding to help live up to this goal.” Rep. Nick Boldyga (R-Southwick) cast the lone vote against the budget. $250,000,000 bailout is due to the failed policies of the Democrats,” said Boldyga. “Once again they blamed President Trump but the reality is Democrats allowed ‘uninsured’ illegal aliens to flood our hospitals. Our healthcare system is now overwhelmed, bankrupt and broke.” (A “Yes” vote is for the budget. A “No” vote is against it.) Rep. Jessica Giannino Yes Rep. Jeff Turco Yes Sen. Lydia Edwards Yes CAR RENTALS (S 2367) Senate 39-0, approved and sent to the House a bill that supporters said would align the Bay State with the majority of other states by updating car rental insurance requirements to maintain liability coverage on a secondary basis, making rental companies responsible only if the renter is uninsured or underinsured. If a lessee or operator of a leased vehicle already has a valid liability policy or equivalent financial security meeting the state minimum requirements, the lessor’s coverage obligation is considered satisfied. Supporters said that by shifting primary liability to the renter’s personal auto insurance, the legislation helps make car rentals more affordable and accessible for Massachusetts residents, reducing costs while maintaining necessary protections. “When friends visited me on “This Cape Cod this summer, they were stunned at just how expensive it was to rent even a small sedan for the weekend,” said sponsor Sen. Julian Cyr (D-Truro). “And they’re not wrong — rental car prices in Massachusetts are higher than almost anywhere else in the country, in part because we’ve kept an outdated insurance requirement on the books. We’re one of the only states where rental companies, not your own insurance, are required to carry primary coverage, and the cost of that policy gets passed right along to consumers. Cyr continued, “By aligning Massachusetts with the rest of the country, we’re helping lower rental car prices for families, travelers and anyone who needs to rent a car in a pinch. I’m proud the Senate has taken this step to make life just a little more affordable for our residents and visitors.” (A “Yes” vote is for the bill.) Sen. Lydia Edwards Yes LSO UP ON BEACON HILL MOVE 2026 PRIMARY ELECTION DATE TO SEPTEMBER 1 (H 4531) - The House and Senate approved and sent to Gov. Healey legislation setting next year’s state primary election date for Tuesday, September 1, 2026. Supporters said this action is a standard step in the lead up to an election year to ensure the primary date complies with state and federal requirements. It ensures that local clerks are given necessary time to send and process vote-by-mail ballots for Massachusetts residents, and gives election officials the ability to meet a required federal timeline for sending ballots to military servicemembers and citizens overseas. “Given the calendar, holidays, requirements that we allow time for overseas ballots, including for members of the military, and to allow time for the printing of ballots, setting a date can sometimes be difficult,” said Sen. John Keenan (D-Quincy), Senate Chair of the Committee on Election Laws. “This legislation will put the commonwealth in position to meet these obligations and run another smooth, safe and secure primary election on September 1, 2026. Now, more than ever, our democratic process must remain steadfast in the face of unprecedented federal uncertainty.” “It is always important to be proactive in setting the primary election to ensure we select a date that encourages voter participation,” said Senate President Karen Spilka (D-Ashland). “I am glad that we settled the date a year in advance, giving voters ample time for public awareness and giving our hardworking election administrators ample time to prepare.” FENTANYL TEST STRIPS (S 1057) – The Senate approved and sent to the House a bill that would exclude fentanyl test strips and fentanyl drug testing equipment from the definition of drug paraphernalia. It also includes a Good Samaritan Law that would provide that anyone who, in good faith, provides, administers or utilizes fentanyl test strips or fentanyl drug testing equipment shall not be subject to any criminal or civil liability or any professional disciplinary action. The legislation expands a 2024 law that provided criminal and civil liability protections for those in the harm reduction community who provide or use fentanyl test strips in good faith. The bill would expand the liability protections beyond those just in the harm reduction community and ensure police officers and others who seek to distribute the tests or others acting in good faith are afforded legal protection. Supporters said that under current law, selling or distributing these items could be a crime. As a result, police departments and others who are interested in distributing fentanyl test strips are concerned that doing so would subject them to criminal or civil liability. They noted that Massachu
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