THE REVERE ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2025 Page 17 fi nd deceased dogs or cats with identifi cation, to either attempt to directly contact the owner or to notify local animal control offi cers or the police department. “When a pet is hit on a highway and has a collar or microchip, the family should be notifi ed,” said sponsor Rep. Richard Haggerty (D-Woburn). “Right now, there’s no requirement for that to happen, leaving families wondering what happened to their beloved pets. This bill would give them answers and closure.” BILL RUSSELL AND BOB COUSY HIGHWAY (H 3727) — Legislation that would name the portion of the Massachusetts Turnpike between Boston and Worcester, “The Bill Russell and Bob Cousy Highway,” was also before the Transportation Committee. “I believe we should pay homage to celebrated Boston Celtics teammates and NBA champions, Bob Cousy and the late Bill Russell, who were not only exceptional athletes who brought many championships home to Boston, but who were also two great pillars of our community here in the commonwealth,” said sponsor Rep. David Linsky (D-Natick). Linsky continued, “Bill Russell, as the fi rst Black coach in the NBA, was a frequent target of racially motivated harassment and abuse. Even as he received death threats and hate crimes from his own fan base, he courageously continued to pioneer player activism. Russell marched alongside civil rights leaders such as Martin Luther King, Jr. and Medgar Evans, and continued to fi ght for civil rights his entire life. Bob Cousy was also much more than a basketball player. He played a tremendous role in organizing the fi rst player’s union in the NBA which helped kickstart a new era of player empowerment in sports. Russell and Cousy both risked their careers and their lives to fi ght for what they believed in, and we should continue to honor them for their incredible work for our community.” PROHIBIT RECORDING OR BROADCASTING WHILE DRIVING (S 2349) — The Transportation Committee’s agenda also included a bill, known as Charlie’s Law, which would prohibit anyone from video recording or broadcasting live while driving a vehicle. “I filed this legislation to honor my constituent, Charlie Braun of Northampton — a beloved partner, father, grandfather and community member — who was struck and killed by a motor vehicle while riding his bicycle,” said sponsor Sen. Jo Comerford (D-Northampton). “Reports indicate that the driver of the vehicle was engaged in a FaceTime conversation while driving. Charlie’s tragic death underscored a gap that remains in our distracted driving laws, one that this bill seeks to close.” Comerford continued, “In recent years, there has been a rapid rise in what’s known as ‘vlogging,’ or video recording or live broadcasting, while behind the wheel. A 2021 report from State Farm’s Auto Insurance Research Department found that between 2015 and 2020, the number of drivers recording videos while driving more than doubled, from 10 percent to nearly one in four. The data are particularly troubling among younger drivers: 44 percent of drivers aged 18 to 29 and 37 percent of those aged 30 to 39, reported recording videos while driving. Other states, including Georgia, Arizona, Tennessee and Utah, have taken action to explicitly prohibit this behavior. Massachusetts should do the same.” BREASTFEEDING AND JURY DUTY (H 2021) — The Judiciary Committee held a hearing on legislation that would exempt breastfeeding mothers from jury duty. Supporters said that current law only allows breastfeeding mothers to delay jury duty up to one year with a medical exemption. “Jury duty is a civic responsibility that is a crucial component of our justice system and democracy,” said sponsor Rep. Steven Ultrino (D-Malden). “But breastfeeding parents should not have to jump through excessive administrative hoops simply to request an exemption or postponement. Currently, breastfeeding parents are not guaranteed opportunity for postponement or a hardship transfer to a more convenient location to complete their juror service. This bill will ensure that our court system becomes more family-friendly and does not pose an undue burden on new parents and their infants.” PROHIBIT REVOCATION OF, DENIAL OF OR REFUSAL TO RENEW A STATE-ISSUED PROFESSIONAL LICENSE AS A RESULT OF STUDENT LOAN PAYMENT DELINQUENCY (S 2139) — The State Administration and Regulatory Oversight Committee’s hearing included a proposed measure that would repeal the state’s current law that allows for professional licenses to be revoked from, denied to or refused to be renewed for individuals due to a delinquent student loan. Under the terms of the proposed measure, with the exception of the Division of Banks, no state board of registration or agency would be permitted to revoke, deny or refuse to renew any professional license. Under current state law, a borrower’s state-issued professional license cannot be revoked from, denied to or refuse to be renewed for only a borrower who is in default on an education loan. It does not exempt students who are delinquent but have not yet defaulted. Many professionals including electricians, plumbers, accountants, real estate appraisers, real estate brokers and massage therapists are required to be licensed by the state. “This is a commonsense bill that would extend those unemployment protections to individuals who are behind on their student loan payments,” said sponsor Sen. Ryan Fattman (R-Sutton). “It ensures they don’t fall further behind, or risk defaulting, if their professional license is at risk of being withheld.” RANKED CHOICE VOTING (S 531) — The Elections Laws Committee held a hearing on legislation that would allow any city or town to adopt and implement ranked choice voting for local elections just by approving a local bylaw to do so — without having to go through the current process which requires a city or town to fi rst pass a local home rule petition and then requires approval by the Legislature. Under current law, any municipality seeking to adopt ranked choice voting for local elections must go through this lengthy and uncertain process. The bill will empower communities to adopt ranked choice voting without having to do so. Ranked choice voting is a system under which voters rank one or more candidates in order of preference. If one candidate receives more than 50 percent of the fi rst-place votes, that candidate would be declared the winner and no other rounds would be necessary. If no candidate receives a majority of fi rst-place votes, the candidate that receives the least number of fi rst-choice votes is eliminated. The second choice of the voters who supported the eliminated candidate now becomes their fi rst choice and is added to the totals of the remaining candidates. The same process is repeated, if necessary, until a candidate is the first choice of a majority of voters. “Ranked choice voting empowers voters and enhances ballot access, improving representative democracy,” said sponsor Sen. Becca Rausch (D-Needham). “It supports positive campaigns and bolsters voters’ confi dence in our electoral system. Massachusetts voters understand and support ranked choice voting, especially for their local elections. I’m proud to sponsor the bill to clear the red tape preventing municipalities from implementing the election system that voters want for their communities.” 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. 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