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Page 16 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, FEbrUAry 14, 2025 we serve.” “Though there were some If you have any questions about this week’s report, e-mail us at bob@beaconhillrollcall. com or call us at (617) 720-1562. Beacon Hill Roll Call Volume 50 - Report No. 6 February 3-7, 2025 Copyright © 2025 Beacon Hill Roll Call. All Rights Reserved. By Bob Katzen G ET 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 infl uence. The stories are drawn from major news organizations as well as specialized publications. 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://MASSterList/subscribe/ THE HOUSE AND SENATE: Beacon Hill Roll Call records local representatives’ votes on roll calls from the week of Feb. 3-7, 2025. There were no roll Calls in the Senate last week. $425 MILLION FOR SHELTER SYSTEM (H 57) House 126-26, approved and sent to the Senate a fi scal 2025 supplemental budget that includes $425 million to fund the state’s family shelter system and make some changes to tighten eligibility. The vote was almost strictly along party lines with all Repubicans voting against it and all but two Democrats voting for it. The Democrats say the measure makes major reforms while the GOP says the bill does not go far enough. “From the beginning of the shelter system crisis, the House has worked to reform the emergency assistance program to ensure that it remains fi nancially viable,” said House Speaker Ron Mariano (D-Quincy). “That’s why the House led the eff ort to cap the maximum length of stay, and to require job training programs for folks in the shelter system, reforms that this supplemental budget builds on. By creating stricter eligibility requirements, along with increased security measures, this supplemental budget is the latest iteration of the House’s continued commitment to protecting vulnerable children and families in Massachusetts in a fi scally sustainable manner.” “Over the past several years, as the population of the emergency shelter system has grown, the House has attempted to uphold the commonwealth’s right to shelter law while also being mindful of the long-term fi scal sustainability of the program,” said Rep. Aaron Michlewitz (D-Boston), Chair of the House Committee on Ways and Means. “The reforms contained in this bill will ensure that right to shelter is maintained by further capping the length of stay and verifying eligibility, while also enacting stricter background checks on those who enter the shelter system to better protect the families who need these services the most.” “I voted against [the bill] because Massachusetts cannot continue pouring taxpayer money into the emergency shelter system without implementing real, lasting reforms,” said Rep. Steven Xiarhos (R-Barnstable). “As a former police offi cer with 40 years of experience, I know fi rsthand how proper criminal background checks should be conducted, and the simple CORI check outlined in this bill doesn’t even come close. Without comprehensive background screenings at the state, federal and international levels, we risk compromising public safety and failing to protect the communities small reforms to the shelter system, they were only temporary and fell far short of what was necessary to address the problems associated with the program,” said Rep. Joseph McKenna (R-Sutton). “Without substantial and permanent reforms, many of which were proposed by Republican amendments that were unfortunately rejected out of hand without even cursory consideration, this was not a bill that will adequately address the longterm fi nancial stability of the EA shelter program, so was not a bill I could support.” (A “Yes” vote is for the bill. A “No” vote is against it.)r Rep. Jessica Giannino Yes Rep. Donald Wong No BROADER BACKGROUND CHECKS (H 57) House 26-125, rejected an amendment that would expand the background checks that the state must conduct on emergency assistance shelter applicants by mandating universal criminal background checks that include criminal records at the state, federal and international levels; immigration or residency status; and presence on international or domestic criminal watch lists. “While the underlying bill requires individuals applying for emergency assistance housing benefi ts to disclose prior criminal convictions and calls for CORI checks to be conducted prior to placement, these checks are limited to crimes committed in Massachusetts,” said amendment sponsor Rep. Brad Jones (R-North Reading). “If we are serious about keeping dangerous criminals out of the shelter system, then we need to strengthen the background check requirement and mandate more comprehensive universal background checks that will disclose criminal records not only at the state level, but also at the federal and international levels.” Rep. Michael Day (D-Stoneham) said that the amendment was an attempted Republican “backdoor” to “strangle our emergency shelter law altogether and kill it from within.” He said the background checks the amendment would require would also check the education backgrounds of applicants, credit scores and fi nancial information. “Now we want to fi nd out the credit-worthiness of a young family applying for emergency shelter,” said Day. He sarcastically asked if this credit check was going to make the shelters and residents safer -- fi nding out what Kohl’s thinks about their ability to get a credit card.” (A “Yes” vote is for the broader background checks. A “No” vote is against them.)r Rep. Jessica Giannino No Rep. Donald Wong Yes REDUCE FUNDING FROM $425 MILLION TO $200 MILLION House 26-126 rejected an amendment that would reduce funding for the emergency assistance shelter program from $425 million to $200 million. “The emergency assistance shelter program continues to cost the state’s taxpayers approximately $1 billion annually, which is not sustainable without implementing substantive reforms to help reduce costs and promote greater transparency,” said amendment sponsor Rep. Brad Jones (R-North Reading). “The State Auditor is currently conducting a comprehensive audit of the Executive Offi ce of Housing and Livable Communities, including the emergency shelter system, which should help to identify ways to improve effi ciency, while recent changes in immigration laws at the federal level should help to lower costs by reducing the number of people coming to Massachusetts seeking shelter. By reducing the shelter program’s funding allocation to $200 million, the state can continue to provide core services to Massachusetts residents in need while allowing additional time to see how the recent changes will impact enrollment.” Rep. Aaron Michlewitz (D-Boston) said he is under no illusion that if the House approves this reduction, the Republicans will actually vote for the bill itself. He noted that reforms we’re implementing in the bill are major and the House needs to give the Healey administration time to see these through. He argued that the bill allows the state to get through the remainder of the fi scal year, and during the upcoming fi scal 2026 budget debate in April we can see how the reforms are going and if we have to make changes. (A “Yes” vote is for the reduction to $200 million. A “No” vote is against the reduction.)r Rep. Jessica Giannino No Rep. Donald Wong Yes 12-MONTH RESIDENCY REQUIRED (H 57) House 26-126, rejected an amendment that would require that in order to be eligible for benefi ts under the emergency assistance shelter program, an applicant must have resided in Massachusetts for twelve consecutive months immediately prior to the date of application. The applicant must also provide an acceptable form of verifi cation such as tax returns; a MA REAL-ID; a utility bill, lease or mortgage; or pay stubs showing Massachusetts employment. The residency requirement would not apply to victims of domestic violence or to any person whose living situation has been aff ected by a fi re or other natural disaster that occurred in the Bay State. “The original Right to Shelter law was implemented more than 40 years ago to help provide housing assistance for Massachusetts residents in need, particularly pregnant women and children,” said amendment sponsor Rep. Brad Jones (R-North Reading). “Over the last two years, the scope of the program has expanded to the point that people are coming to Massachusetts from other states seeking assistance, which is not in keeping with the original intent of the law. This amendment will restore the focus of the law to prioritize Massachusetts residents in need of housing services.” Rep. Alice Peisch (D-Wellesley) said that we are talking about families with children and to place further restrictions on this program during the cold winter months is cruel. She noted that the bill already places more signifi cant verifi cation requirements regarding residency.” (A “Yes” vote is for the 12-month residency requirement. A “No” vote is against it.)r Rep. Jessica Giannino No Rep. Donald Wong Yes REQUIRE REPORTS (H 57) House 152-0, approved an amendment that would require the Healey administration to report the number of families exiting the emergency assistance housing program each week because of a durational limit. “This data will reveal whether families are leaving because they’ve secured stable housing BEACON | SEE PAGE 17

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