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THE REVERE ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2025 Page 19 BHRC | FROM Page 17 ing so we knew what we had to plan to do to respond to that crisis. He argued it is time to reinstate that system. (A “Yes” vote is for the amendment.) Sen. Lydia Edwards Yes ALSO UP ON BEACON HILL HANDICAPPED PARKING SPACE (H 3613) — The Transportation Committee held a hearing on legislation that would establish a special commission to study the feasibility of setting time limits for handicapped parking placard use in metered spots. The commission would include legislators, state offi cials and appointees of the governor, who would be tasked with gathering input from experts and the public. Its purpose is to explore potential benefi ts, impacts and options such as reduced or standardized fees after time limits expire. “I fi led this legislation to promote fairness and improve accessibility in metered parking spots,” said sponsor Rep. Bruce Ayers (D-Quincy). “Establishing this commission to study the feasibility of time limits for handicapped placard use will help ensure that these spaces remain available throughout the day for as many people as possible who rely on them.” SMOKING IN NON-SMOKING APARTMENTS (S 1137) — A bill heard by the Judiciary Committee would create a legal assumption about whether there has been smoking in a non-smoking apartment. The assumption relies on the fact that there is no legitimate reason why a renter should take down, unplug or cover their smoke detectors. If a renter does this, they will be assumed to have been smoking. The landlord must prove the detectors were there when the renter moved in. A third party, like the fi re department, must testify or provide a report that the detectors were not there after the incident. “This bill would provide property owners with the ability to address smoking complaints, which in turn, protects tenants, neighbors and public health,” said sponsor Sen. John Keenan (D-Quincy). “It closes a statutory loophole which causes tenants and property owners to struggle when faced with complaints against tenants for smoking in non-smoking buildings.” COMMITTEE ON CONSUMER PROTECTION AND PROFESSIONAL LICENSURE HOLDS HEARING ON SEVERAL BILLS INCLUDING: PROHIBIT HEALTH BOARDS FROM UNILATERALLY BANNING THE SALE OF LEGAL PRODUCTS (H 371) — Would prohibit municipal Boards of Health from banning the sale of any legal consumer product by authorized retailers without authorization of the local town meeting or city council. “This bill seeks to ensure that local boards and committees, be they elected or appointed, don’t overstep their authority to pursue idealistic, but potentially unconstitutional, bans on consumer products,” said sponsor Rep. Joe McKenna (R-Sutton). “It maintains the ability for a community to come together through its ordinary legislative process, whether city council or town meeting, to pass such a local bylaw should the constituency of the community want it. Government entities must respect individuals’ rights and liberties and ability to choose to live their life free of onerous government mandates or restrictions. FLAVORED HOOKAH TOBACCO PRODUCTS (S 270) — Would exempt flavored and menthol hookah tobacco from the 2019 law that prohibits the sale of any fl avored or menthol tobacco products. REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS BUYER1 Blyde, Oscar Connolly, Anntoin C Pacheco, Yaqueline V Padalkar, Nakul R BUYER2 Blyde, Gisela S Connolly, Andrew B Gaviria, Jhonatan B SELLER1 Cook, Anthony N Hayes, Mhairi L Elia, Manuela Eastmen LLC SELLER2 Cook, Rafael S ADDRESS 350 Revere Beach Blvd #2X 34 Endicott Ave 230 Crescent Ave 36 Florence Ave #2 10.07.25 Revere Copyrighted material previously published in Banker & Tradesman/The Commercial Record, a weekly trade newspaper. It is reprinted with permission from the publisher, The Warren Group. For a searchable database of real estate transactions and property information visit: www.thewarrengroup.com DATE PRICE 10.08.25 610000 87500 10.09.25 920000 10.06.25 730000 “This bill will ensure that small businesses and consumers are responsible in the sale, purchase and consumption of certain fl avored tobacco products,” said sponsor Sen. Patrick O’Connor (R-Weymouth). “This would place regulations on the sale of certain tobacco products that will ensure the safety of the business themselves, and their consumers, while allowing for an exemption from the flavored tobacco ban in Massachusetts. Overall, this bill is meant to protect our members of the public and ensure responsibility when participating in recreational tobacco.” DIGITAL GROCERY COUPONS (H 470) — Would mandate that all grocery food stores offering digital coupons also offer identical paper coupons to shoppers. It also requires digital coupons to be automatically applied to the purchases of any consumer over the age of 65, or any consumer who asks about available digital coupons. Violators would be fi ned $2,500 for the fi rst offense and $5,000 fi ne for each subsequent off ense. “This bill seeks to create fairness for senior citizens who might not have access to a socalled smart phone and thus currently do not have access to electronic coupons,” said sponsor Rep. Jeff Turco (DWinthrop). BAN COSMETICS WHICH USE ANIMAL TESTING (S 263) — Would prohibit a manufacturer from selling any cosmetic product in the Bay State that the manufacturer knew, or reasonably should have known, that animal testing was used to produce the product. “The testing of cosmetic products on animals is shocking and inhumane, supporting abusive environments and tortured lives for rabbits, primates, dogs and other types of animals that can feel pain and experience emotions,” said co-sponsor Sen. Mike Moore (D-Millbury). “This legislation, which I am proud to co-sponsor, would disrupt the status quo and encourage companies to be better by disallowing the sale of products that were created at the expense of these innocent animals.” The chief sponsor of the bill, Sen. Mark Montigny (D-New Bedford), did not respond to repeated requests by Beacon Hill Roll Call asking him to comment on his bill and why he thinks it should be approved. HOW LONG WAS LAST WEEK’S SESSION? Beacon Hill Roll Call tracks the length of time that the House and Senate were in session each week. Many legislators say that legislative sessions are only one aspect of the Legislature’s job and that a lot of important work is done outside of the House and Senate chambers. They note that their jobs also involve committee work, research, constituent work and other matters that are important to their districts. Critics say that the Legislature does not meet regularly or long enough to debate and vote in public view on the thousands of pieces of legislation that have been fi led. They note that the infrequency and brief length of sessions are misguided and lead to irresponsible late-night sessions and a mad rush to act on dozens of bills in the days immediately preceding the end of an annual session. During the week of October 20-24, the House met for a total of four hours and 41 minutes and the Senate met for a total of eight hours. Mon. Oct. 20 House 11:00 a.m. to 11:12 a.m. Senate 11:38 a.m. to 12:14 p.m. Tues. Oct. 21 No House session. No Senate session. Wed. Oct. 22 House 11:01 a.m. to 3:16 p.m. No Senate session. Thurs. Oct. 23 House 11:01 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. Senate 11:07 a.m. to 6:31 p.m. Fri. Oct. 17 No House session. No Senate session. Bob Katzen welcomes feedback at bob@beaconhillrollcall.com Bob founded Beacon Hill Roll Call in 1975 and was inducted into the New England Newspaper and Press Association (NENPA) Hall of Fame in 2019.

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