THE REVERE ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2024 Page 19 work during legally prohibited hours and in excess of the state’s limit of nine daily working hours for workers that are 16- and 17-years old. She also alleges that the Burger King franchise operator failed to pay minimum wage and make timely payments to workers, and in some instances, failed to pay any wages to workers. “Our workplace laws exist to provide crucial rights and protections to our workforce,” said Campbell. “My offi ce will continue to enforce these laws to protect and empower workers, including young workers who contribute to their communities and gain new skills and experiences.” AUDIT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF EARLY EDUCATION AND CARE — State Auditor Diana DiZoglio released the results of an audit of the Department of Early Education and Care (EEC), reviewing the period from January 1, 2021 to December 31, 2022. EEC, which licenses approximately 9,000 childcare-related programs that support an average of 55,000 children daily, has responsibilities including providing fi nancial assistance for childcare services to families with low incomes, providing parenting support to families and providing professional development opportunities to employees in the fi eld of early education and care. The audit’s fi ndings include charges that EEC did not conduct licensing visits to residential programs within the required timeframes. The report noted that EEC cannot ensure that its residential programs operate within safe and healthy environments if it does not complete licensing visits within the required period. The report also alleges that EEC did not review or initiate investigations of all reports of suspected child abuse and neglect in its licensed programs and failed to conduct all required background record checks for all employees of its licensed residential programs. “Our Early Education and Care audit has identifi ed serious issues that put children at risk,” said DiZoglio. “These concerns must be immediately addressed so children are protected. We urge the administration to respond with the urgency that this matter requires and look forward to our postaudit review in six months to track progress on our recommendations.” $3.8 BILLION TO ADDRESS SEXUAL AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE — Gov. Maura Healey announced that the state awarded $3.8 million in state and federal funds to support state, local and nonprofit agencies working to combat intimate partner violence, sexual assault, human traffi cking and stalking. “This grant funding reaffi rms our deep commitment to ensuring a future where every individual can live with dignity, respect and without fear of abuse,” said Healey. “By investing in programs that support healing and justice, these grants will provide essential resources for survivors of domestic and sexual violence, human traffi cking and stalking. Professionals across sectors will be empowered to deliver trauma-informed, accessible services to help survivors rebuild and thrive.” “Safe, reliable access to services is vital for survivors of sexual and domestic violence,” said Public Safety and Security Secretary Terrence Reidy. “By fostering strong partnerships among prosecutors, law enforcement and service providers, we create a network of life-saving support that reaches those who need it most. With these grants, state, local and nonprofit agencies are empowered to deliver critical interventions and services that help survivors on their path to healing and recovery.” GOVERNOR’S COUNCIL CERTIFIES PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION RESULTS — The Governor’s Council certifi ed the results of the election of Massachusetts’s eleven electors for the offices of U.S. president and vice-president. All 50 states have to certify their votes in the federal election and send them to Congress to be counted before the Electoral College gathers on December 17 to cast their state’s electoral votes to make President-elect Donald Trump’s victory offi cial. Preliminary results show Harris received more than 61 percent of the Massachusetts vote and Trump won 36.5 percent. Secretary of State Bill Galvin’s office announced that 3,512,866 Massachusetts voters participated in the Nov. 5 election, representing the second highest number of ballots cast in Massachusetts history, just behind the 3,657,972 ballots cast in 2020. “I … want to commend the secretary of state’s offi ce for their continued perfect administration of elections here in the commonwealth,” said Gov. Healey. “We thank you for your work in this election and all elections.” “The turnout in Massachusetts appears to refl ect a national trend, with a signifi cant drop in participation in several of our cities, especially those with larger minority populations, and a slightly smaller rise in turnout in the more rural and suburban areas of the state,” said Galvin. QUOTABLE QUOTES “Since launching our Offi ce of Outdoor Recreation, we have made it our mission to ensure that the outdoors is accessible and inclusive to everyone. Our approach is fueling local economies and empowering communities and organizations. This report demonstrates that we can drive business growth and foster connections with our natural resources at the same time.” ---Energy and Environmental Aff airs Secretary Rebecca Tepper on new figures from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Economic Analysis reporting the significant expansion of Massachusetts’ outdoor recreation economy which generated $13.2 billion in value added to the state’s economy in 2023 and created 103,600 jobs. “It is extremely important to deter bars from over-serving and prevent problems before they happen. We want to keep people safe and make sure everyone can enjoy the holidays with their family and friends, avoiding tragedies before they occur.” ---State Treasurer Deb Goldberg announcing that the Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission which she chairs, will be conducting alcohol enforcement at local bars in in Massachusetts cities and towns from Thanksgiving Eve through New Year’s Eve “The educational experience of all students — regardless of their racial and ethnic background — will be enriched by having diverse teachers throughout their learning journey. Our students need our public schools to recruit and retain more exceptional educators of color, and now we have one more tool to help us do that.” ---Massachusetts Teachers Association (MTA) President Max Page, applauding the inclusion of key elements of the MTA-backed “Educator Diversity Act” in the economic development bill just signed into law by the governor. 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 November 25-29, the House met for a total of 37 minutes and the Senate met for a total of 34 minutes. Mon Nov. 25 House 11:00 a.m. to 11:27 a.m. Senate 11:06 a.m. to 11:24 a.m. Tues. Nov. 26 No House session No Senate session Wed. Nov. 27 House 11:00 a.m. to 11:10 a.m. Senate 11:06 a.m. to 11:22 a.m. Thurs. Nov. 28 No House session No Senate session Fri. Nov. 29 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. Come enjoy Polymnia Choral Society’s “Merrily We Sing” holiday concert! F or over 70 years, Polymnia Choral Society has been delivering great performances to acknowledge and honor the important times in our lives. Every year people in our area look forward to starting off their holiday season with the Polymnia winter concert. We can promise a fun, festive and surprising choral concert for your family and friends! On December 7, Polymnia will kick off the season with our great holiday concert — titled Merrily We Sing! We will feature songs of peace and good cheer for you and your family. Join us for this joyous celebration of the holiday season! The concert will involve traditional carols and songs that celebrate diff erent aspects of the holiday season. Feel free to sing along with us as we sing holiday favorites! Please join us on December 7 and experience this great Polymnia holiday tradition! The concert promises to be a fun time for all ages. It will be held at St. Mary of the Annunciation Church (4 Herbert St., Melrose, Mass.). Doors open at 7:00 p.m. Tickets are $25 for adults, $20 for seniors, $15 for students and $5 for children under 12. We look forward to seeing you there! Accessibility Information: St. Mary’s Church has a ramp on the side entrance of the Church. A lift is available from the side entrance to reach the main entrance of the Church. Any accessibility questions, requests, or concerns can be emailed to accessibility@polymnia. org. To purchase tickets for this concert: https://polymnia.ticketleap.com/winterconcert/. For more information about Polymnia: www. polymnia.org/about
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