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Page 16 THE REVERE ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2022 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 GET A FREE SUBSCRIPTION TO MASSTERLIST – Join more than 22,000 people, from movers and shakers to political junkies and interested citizens, who start their weekday morning with MASSterList— the popular newsletter that chronicles news and informed analysis about what’s going on up on Beacon Hill, in Massachusetts politics, policy, media and influence. The stories are drawn from major news organizations as well as specialized publications selected by widely acclaimed and highly experienced writers Keith Regan and Matt Murphy who introduce each article in their own clever and inimitable way. MASSterlist will be e-mailed to you FREE every Monday through Friday morning and will give you a leg up on what’s happening in the blood sport of Bay State politics. For more information and to get your free subscription, go to: https:// lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/ aPTLucK THE HOUSE AND SENATE: There were no roll calls in the House or Senate last week. This week, Beacon Hill Roll Call begins a series on highlighting the bills that were approved by the Legislature in 2022 and signed into law by Gov. Charlie Baker. LEGISLATURE OVERRIDES BAKER’S VETO OF BILL ALLOWING DRIVER’S LICENSE FOR UNDOCUMENTED/ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS (H 4805) House 119-36, Senate 32-8, gained the two-thirds vote necessary to override Gov. Charlie Baker’s veto of legislation that would allow, starting July 1, 2023, undocumented/illegal immigrants to apply for a Massachusetts standard driver’s license. The legislation requires an applicant “without legal presence” in the United States to provide the Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) with a foreign passport and at least one of fi ve other documents: a driver’s license from another state, a foreign driver’s license, a birth certifi - cate, a foreign national identifi cation card or a marriage certifi cate or divorce decree from any U.S. state. Opponents of the bill gathered suffi cient signatures to put the proposed law on the November ballot for voters to decide. Voters approved the law at the recent November election. “This is a victory for all, making our roads safer and allowing the 185,000 immigrants without status the ability to earn a driver’s license,” said sponsor Sen. Brendan Crighton (D-Lynn). “No one should fear deportation over essential everyday tasks, such as getting to work, school, doctor’s appointment and grocery stores.” “I cannot sign this legislation because it requires the Registry of Motor Vehicles to issue state credentials to people without the ability to verify their identity,” Baker had said in his veto message. “The Registry does not have the expertise or ability to verify the validity of many types of documents from other countries. The bill also fails to include any measures to distinguish standard Massachusetts driver’s licenses issued to persons who demonstrate lawful presence from those who don’t.” (A “Yes” vote is for the bill. A “No” AAA Service • Lockouts Trespass Towing • Roadside Service Junk Car Removal 617-387-6877 26 Garvey St., Everett MDPU 28003 ICCMC 251976 Your Hometown News Delivered! EVERETT ADVOCATE MALDEN ADVOCATE REVERE ADVOCATE SAUGUS ADVOCATE One year subscription to The Advocate of your choice: $150 per paper in-town per year or $200 per paper out-of-town per year. Name_________________________________________ Address_______________________________________ City_______________ State_______ Zip ____________ CC# _______________________________ Exp. _____ Sec. code____ Advocate (City):___________________ Clip & Mail Coupon with Credit Card, Check or Money Order to: Advocate Newspapers Inc. PO Box 490407, Everett, MA 02149 vote is against it.) Rep. Jessica Giannino Yes Rep. Jeff Turco Sen. Lydia Edwards No Yes FORBID DISCRIMINATION AGAINST A PERSON WITH A NATURAL HAIRSTYLE (H 4554) House 155-0, Senate 40-0, approved and Gov. Baker signed into law a bill that would prohibit any person or entity including educational institutions, workplaces and public spaces from implementing any policy that would explicitly target someone who wears their natural hairstyle. The measure defi nes natural hairstyle as “hair texture, hair type and protective hairstyles including braids, locks, twists and other formation.” The bill also expands existing anti-bullying law in schools to include recognition for students who may be more vulnerable to bullying or harassment because of their natural hairstyle. Another provision requires the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination to investigate complaints fi led against employers who have discriminated based on natural hairstyle. “On the long march toward justice, and especially racial justice, the Senate’s unanimous passage of this legislation marks another step forward,” said Sen. Jason Lewis (D-Winchester). “We would not be at this point without the great courage and strength of Mya and Deanna Cook, who as 15-year-old students faced discrimination and abuse from their high school for their hairstyles, and bravely stood up for their rights and those of so many other Black women.” “This is an historic moment for Massachusetts. I am beyond delighted that the [bill] passed unanimously in the House, and words cannot describe how great it is to see the years of hard work from advocates, staff , legislators and community members bear fruit,” said co-sponsor Rep. Steve Ultrino (DMalden). The votes in our chamber sent a clear message: race-based discrimination has no place in our commonwealth. On this day, we ensured that a person’s racial and cultural identity will no longer be an obstacle to their education, professional career and path to success.” There was a light moment during fl oor debate on the bill. “As you may have guessed, I have never experienced hair discrimination,” said Rep. Ultrino, who is bald. (A “Yes” vote is for the bill.) Rep. Jessica Giannino Yes Rep. Jeff Turco Sen. Lydia Edwards REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH CARE (H 5090) House 137-16, Senate 40-0, approved and Gov. Baker signed into law a bill designed to further protect reproductive health care and those who perform abortions in the Bay State. The measure specifically declares that both reproductive health care and gender-affi rming care are rights secured by the constitution or laws of Massachusetts and would shield providers of reproductive and gender-affi rming care and their patients from outof-state legal action. The measure would ensure that patients over 24 weeks of pregnancy are able to receive an abortion in Massachusetts because of a grave fetal diagnosis that indicates the fetus is incompatible with sustained life outside of the uterus without extraordinary medical interventions and requires that those decisions are made between the patient and their treating physician. Other provisions include preventing the state’s cooperation with antiabortion and anti-gender-affi rming care laws in other states; mandating health insurance coverage for abortion and abortion-related care with no cost-sharing; ensuring access to emergency contraception; and providing confidentiality to providers of reproductive and genderaffi rming care; clarifying that vending machines may dispense overthe-counter drugs, such as Plan B – the “morning after” pill; and ensuring access to medication abortion on all public college and university campuses. “Massachusetts remains steadfast in its commitment to protect access to reproductive health care services, especially in the aftermath of the Supreme Court’s decision overturning Roe v. Wade,” said Gov. Baker. “The court’s decision has major consequences for women across the country who live in states with limited access to these services, and our administration took quick acYes Yes tion in the hours following that decision by issuing an executive order to protect access here in the commonwealth. This new legislation signed today builds on that action by protecting patients and providers from legal interference from more restrictive laws in other states.” “In the face of an increasing amount of anti-abortion and antigender-affi rming care laws enacted across the country, Massachusetts continues to serve as a national leader in protecting these essential rights with the passage of this legislation,” said Sen. Cindy Friedman (D-Arlington), the lead sponsor of the measure and Senate chair of the Committee on Health Care Financing. “We must do everything we can to protect the rights of our providers, patients and visitors to the commonwealth. “As a candidate for governor in 2014, Charlie Baker was sold as a Bill Weld-style Republican—socially liberal but fi scally conservative,” said Catholic Action League Executive Director C.J. Doyle. “The abortion expansion bill which he signed … imposes new burdens on taxpayers and business owners, increases the scope of government—with state colleges now dispensing Plan B abortion pills and denies personal freedom of choice for those opposed to abortion. There is no conscience clause for pharmacists, business owners or non-profi t organizations, and the religious exemption is so narrowly drawn that most Catholic educational institutions will not qualify under it. Baker’s legacy on this legislation is one of higher spending, bigger government, and less personal freedom.” (A “Yes” vote is for the bill. A “No” vote is against the bill.) Rep. Jessica Giannino Yes Rep. Jeff Turco Sen. Lydia Edwards No Yes CLEAN ENERGY AND REDUCED EMISSIONS (H 5060) House 143-9, Senate 38-2, approved and Gov. Baker signed into law legislation that would expand the clean energy industry and reduce emissions from the transportation and building sectors across the state with the goal of reaching net-zero emissions by 2050. “Massachusetts has an opportunity to meet the urgency of the climate crisis through our nation-leading innovation, workforce and energy resources,” said Rep. Jeff Roy (DFranklin), House chair of the Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy. “This timely and comprehensive piece of legislation is carefully calibrated to provide a portfolio of robust clean energy, including off shore wind and decarbonize our largest-emitting industries, all while attracting a worldclass supply chain, intensive workforce training initiatives and the investment necessary to prepare our electric distribution system for the energy needs of the future.” “The bill dramatically increases the cost of energy in Massachusetts at a time when energy costs already

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