THE REVERE ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2025 Page 17 mittee chair,” said a state representative who requested anonymity. They told Beacon Hill Roll Call, “It’s no secret that Speaker Mariano controls the fl ow of legislation and a bill makes progress in the House only when he wants it to. Every member knows that one of the biggest sins is to publicly make a motion to discharge a bill from a committee. The leadership frowns upon that.” House Ways and Means Committee chair Aaron Michlewitz (D-Boston); Margaret Ann Ferrnate (D-Gloucester), vice chair of House Ways and Means; Todd Smola (R-Warren), the ranking Republican on the committee; and House Speaker Ron Mariano did not respond to repeated requests by Beacon Hill Roll Call asking them to comment on the committee bottling up the bill and killing it. Beacon Hill Roll Call asked Sen. Pat Jehlen (D-Somerville), the bill’s sponsor and Sen. Patrick O’Connor (R-Weymouth), a strong supporter of the bill, to comment on the killing of the bill. “I support our House colleagues’ efforts this session, and in prior ones, to advance this important legislation,” Jehlen responded. O’Connor responded, “Unfortunately, all too often within the legislative process we see bills that would benefi t individuals across the commonwealth not make it across the fi nish line with the other priority bills the House and Senate both have on the docket. With the overwhelming support of [this bill] this session, I am confi dent now more than ever that we will fi nally be able to get this through the House and I will continue to urge my colleagues in both chambers to get this done.” Spokespersons for two groups that are lobbying for House rules changes, including preventing bills from being unilaterally being killed by a committee chair, did not mince words when asked to respond to the death of the bill. “As long as representatives forfeit their power, Michlewitz and a few unknown staff ers will keep sorting bills into yes/ no piles behind closed doors,” said Aaron Singer, the producer and director of “Shadows on the Hill,” an upcoming documentary that he says asks why common-sense bills don’t pass the Massachusetts Legislature. “We don’t even know if there are women in that room. The real question is which representative will rally a coalition to rewrite House rules and reclaim the lawmaking process. Without reform, even small disagreements with leadership demand an outsized, confl ict-heavy push.” Scotia Hille, Executive Director of Act on Mass said, “Every session, our elected representatives in the Statehouse allow popular, commonsense legislation like this bill to die without a vote. Unfortunately, they would rather leave our state’s neediest without adequate menstrual care than defy leadership by using their own power to initiate a vote. So long as we allow chamber leaders to control member’s salaries, I fear we will continue to see this pattern unfold. Our legislators should be empowered to act independently and organize their peers behind legislation their constituents need. This situation and unfortunately many others like it motivate Act on Mass to support a reform to legislative stipends.” (A “Yes” vote is for the bill.) Sen. Lydia Edwards Yes COMPANIES MUST DISCLOSED INGREDIENTS OF MENSTRUAL PRODUCTS (S 1483) Senate 39-0, approved and sent to the House a proposal that would require manufacturers of menstrual health products to clearly disclose and display a list of ingredients. The ingredients would have to be easily accessible on both retail packages and manufacturers’ websites. “A person who menstruates will use, on average, over 10,000 menstrual products in their lifetime,” said sponsor Sen. Jo Comerford (DNorthampton). “Yet, menstrual products have increasingly been found to contain harmful substances such as PFAS, heavy metals and other toxic chemicals.” “Menstrual equity is not only about making products free—it’s about ensuring those products are safe, high quality and labeled with full ingredient disclosure,” said Sasha Goodfriend, Executive Director of Mass NOW. “We are deeply grateful that the Senate understands that dignity requires both access and accountability. Today’s vote sends a powerful message: menstruators in Massachusetts deserve not just products, but the ability to make informed choices about what products they use for their menstrual health.” (A “Yes” vote is for the bill.) Sen. Lydia Edwards Yes EXPAND THE “MOVE OVER” LAW (S 2653) Senate 39-0, approved and sent to the Senate legislation that would require motorists to slow down if they are approaching a stationary utility truck or a stopped vehicle with fl ashing lights on the shoulder of a road or breakdown lane of a highway. Drivers on a highway with multiple lanes in each direction would also be required, if practicable, to change lanes to ensure greater safety for vehicles and individuals in the breakdown lane. The bill expands the state’s existing Move Over Law which provides this protection for emergency response vehicles, highway maintenance vehicles and tow trucks. “This essential legislation is a critical upgrade to our Move Over Law, expanding its lifesaving protections to everyone who must work or wait on the side of a busy highway,” said sponsor Sen. Brendan Crighton (D-Lynn), Senate Chair of the Committee on Transportation. “By including disabled vehicles and utility workers and implementing stronger penalties, we are making everyone on our roads safer.” “National Grid employees perform critical repairs and maintenance to ensure safe, reliable energy service across Massachusetts every day when customers need it most,” said Shaun Vacher, Vice-President of Electric Operations for National Grid. “We thank the Senate for passing this important legislation to provide essential protections for roadside utility crews, helping ensure they can do this vital work safely and without unnecessary risk.” “The Massachusetts State Police shares the HealeyDriscoll Administration’s support for this bill, which provides important additions to the commonwealth’s existing Move Over Law,” said Col. Geoff rey Noble, a spokesperson for the Massachusetts State Police. “While these expanded provisions support our ability to address dangerous behavior through enforcement, above all else, we want drivers to slow down and change lanes away from stationary vehicles when it’s safe to do so. Taking these common-sense steps will prevent the serious injuries and fatal outcomes that change lives forever.” (A “Yes” vote is for the bill.) Sen. Lydia Edwards Yes ALSO UP ON BEACON HILL THE HOUSE GAVE INITIAL APPROVAL TO SEVERAL BILLS INCLUDING: FIRE CHIEF MUST BE A FORMER FIREFIGHTER (H 2646) — Would require that any candidates for appointment to the position of Fire Chief, Fire Commissioner or head of a fi re department in any city or town, must have been a uniformed member of the Massachusetts fi refi ghting force of a Massachusetts Fire Department for a minimum of fi ve years. Supporters said this would ensure that anyone appointed to one of these high positions has some fi rsthand experience as a fi refi ghter and has come up through the ranks. BHRC | SEE Page 21 ~ HELP WANTED ~ Type of Person Needed: * Are you an experienced/willing to learn, motivated person looking for a shop where your skills can be valued? services and public State inspection services. We are seeking a talented Automotive Technician or mechanical knowledge to in automotive technical work with a passion for excellent customer service, we want to talk to you. Location: Malden, MA Job Description: preventive duties, including Fleet preventive maintenance. * Miscellaneous shop duties Requirements: * Valid driver’s license with good driving history Hours: * Rate will be based on experience Contact: Ed Hyde or David Morovitz Call: 781-322-9401 Email: ehyde@maldentrans.com Website: www.maldentrans.com
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