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Page 16 THE REVERE ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2025 be by use of a bodily substance such as spitting or throwing 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 records local representatives’ and senators’ votes on roll calls from the week of October 20-24. The Senate votes include roll calls from several budget vetoes made by Gov. Maura Healey to the $60.9 billion fiscal 2026 state budget for the fi scal year that began July 1, 2025. The Senate overrode more than $70 million of Healey’s $130 million worth of budget vetoes. The House already overrode the same vetoes and the funding now stands and remains in the budget. “We are very confi dent that by overriding the governor’s vetoes, we can continue to fund services and programs and agencies that make up the fabric of our commonwealth, all while remaining fi scally responsible and living within our means,” said Sen. Jo Comerford, Vice Chair of the Senate Ways and Means Committee. “Beacon Hill politicians spent the better part of a year warning about fiscal uncertainty from Washington, and now that those cuts have arrived, they’re ignoring their own warnings,” said Paul Craney, Executive Director for the Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance. “Instead of learning to live within our means, the Legislature is proving once again that its only solution to a budget problem is more spending.” Craney added, “The governor’s vetoes were an extremely small step toward restraint, but the Legislature can’t even handle that. When state spending increases by billions year after year, even small, reasonable cuts become politically impossible. That’s why Massachusetts keeps lurching from one budget crisis to the next racking up one of the highest debts-per capita in the country.” PROTECT PUBLIC TRANSIT WORKERS FROM ASSAULT AND BATTERY (H 1877) House 160-0, approved and sent to the Senate legislation that would expand the current law which punishes anyone who commits assault and battery against a public employee. Current law applies to attempts to disarm a police offi - cer; assault and battery upon a police offi cer; and assault and battery on a public employee when they are engaged in the performance of their duties. The bill would specifically add assault and battery on transit workers to the current law. It also provides that the assault in any of these cases can substances like urine. “Our transit workers provide critical services all over the commonwealth, yet are many times assaulted by the very customers they serve,” said sponsor Rep. Joe McGonagle (D-Everett). “I am so thrilled to have this bill passed to provide our transit workers with the protections they deserve. The right to feel safe and supported on the job is just that, a right. I’m also extremely grateful to the brave men and women who came forward to share their stories.” “Our public transit system runs because of the dedication of workers who show up every day to serve us,” said Rep. Mike Day (D-Stoneham), House Chair of the Committee on the Judiciary. “Today we affi rmed the House’s continued commitment to protect those workers who are essential to the success of the commonwealth and our everyday lives.” “We thank the House for voting in favor of this important legislation to protect our MBTA train and bus operators, and all public transit employees,” said Jim Evers, President of the Boston Carmens Union Local 589. “Protecting transit workers is essential to maintaining a safe and quality public transportation system. This bill will ensure the safety of the essential workers who keep our communities moving every day. We look forward to swift passage in the Senate so that these vital protections can be signed into state law to safeguard transit workers for generations to come.” (A “Yes” vote is for the bill.) Rep. Jessica Giannino Yes Rep. Jeff Turco Yes ENHANCE CHILD WELFARE PROTECTIONS (H 4645) House 159-1, approved and sent to the Senate a proposal that supporters say would strengthen oversight, transparency and accountability within the state’s child welfare system. Provisions include consolidating reporting by the Department of Children and Families (DCF); clarifying the independence of the Offi ce of the Child Advocate; improving educational stability for children in care; and providing for the creation of a state child fatality review team. “Every child in Massachusetts deserves safety, stability and opportunity,” said House Speaker Ron Mariano (D-Quincy). “This bill strengthens oversight, improves coordination between agencies and ensures that children in state care receive the support that they need to thrive.” “This bill strengthens the systems that protect the commonwealth’s most vulnerable children,” said Rep. Jay Livingstone (D-Boston), House Chair of the Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities. “It gives DCF, the Legislature and the public more tools to better understand what’s working, identify where improvement is needed and continue improving outcomes for children.” “DCF is being weaponized against potential foster parents of Christian faith and laws are beginning to encroach on religious freedom,” said Rep. John Gaskey (R-Carver) the only member who voted against the measure. “Buried in this legislation is a requirement for gender affi rming care. We should be moving away from this practice and moving toward gender confi rming care. Gender dysphoria is still a mental health problem that children need help navigating through and toward a healthy lifestyle. Foster children are our most vulnerable children and they need our protection.” (A “Yes” vote is for the bill. A “No” vote is against it.) Rep. Jessica Giannino Yes Rep. Jeff Turco Yes UNION REPRESENTATION (H 4645) House 159-1, approved an amendment to ensure that DCF social workers have union representation on the state’s child fatality review team. “As a licensed DCF social worker with nearly 25 years of experience, I know firsthand the importance of hearing the voices of frontline care workers in policymaking,” said amendment sponsor Rep. Jim O’Day (D-West Boylston). “Therefore, I fi led a successful amendment to ensure that DCF social workers have union representation on the state child fatality review team. Ultimately, I’m proud of the work that the House is doing to strengthen our state’s child welfare infrastructure and prevent future tragedies.” “This amendment sought to include another member to a review board that is a union administration person,” said Rep. John Gaskey (R-Carver) the only member who voted against the amendment. “I am not opposed to union representatives standing up and assisting in the defense of a member, but they should not be a part of a review board.” (A “Yes” vote is for the amendment. A “No” vote is against it.) Rep. Jessica Giannino Yes Rep. Jeff Turco Yes $1.5 MILLION FOR SEWER RATE RELIEF (H 4240) Senate 38-0, override Gov. Healey’s veto of the entire $1.5 million for the Commonwealth Sewer Rate Relief Fund which was established in 1993 to help reduce the rising costs of sewer services in the Bay State. “This veto would eliminate important funding that is used to reduce [consumers’] sewer and water rates, and for the commonwealth’s cities and towns utilizing the MWRA systems,” said Sen. Jo Comerford (D-Northampton), Vice Chair of the Senate Ways and Means Committee. “These reductions directly affect the financial wellbeing of our residents. We have made this funding available for several years to lower the amount that individual ratepayers owe, ensure proper disposal of wastewater and process timely payments of debt service. It’s critical that we make these investments now to support the commonwealth’s long-term environmental and fi nancial goals.” In her veto message, Gov. Healy said, “I am vetoing this

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