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THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, April 4, 2025 Page 19 BEACON | FROM PAGE 18 porters after his speech that the House would likely not pursue Healey’s idea to apply the state’s sales tax to candy. Healey’s budget sought a new tax on prescription drug manufacturers for excessive price increases. The Healey administration estimated it could generate $60 million for the state. Her bill would also reestablish a pharmacy assessment on prescription drugs sold in Massachusetts, where pharmacies would be charged 6 percent per prescription or $2, whichever is less. The estimated $145 million generated from the new charge would have paid for the costly MassHealth program. “I’m not a doctor … but I subscribe to the Hippocratic Oath,” said Mariano. “I do no harm, first. That’s why in our House budget coming out, we won’t include any taxes on prescription drugs in our budget. That means no arbitrary taxes tied to a drug’s list price, or on our consumers filling prescriptions. We’re concerned about competitiveness and people residing and staying in Massachusetts, and adding two dollars to a prescription just based on the fact that you have to have a prescription — it was not something we wanted to do. It’s the wrong message.” HONOR ABIGAIL ADAMS AND ELIZABETH FREEMAN – Senate President Karen Spilka (D-Ashland) announced that busts of women’s rights leader and first lady Abigail Adams, as well as freedom fighter Elizabeth Freeman, the first enslaved woman to successfully sue for her freedom in the U.S., will be commissioned and placed in the Massachusetts Senate Chamber. Adams and Freeman will be the first permanent busts depicting women in the Massachusetts Statehouse. “Whether by accident or design, the contributions of women who have shaped our commonwealth and nation have too long been absent from Statehouse art,” said Senate President Karen Spilka (D-Ashland). “Today we raise up Abigail Adams and Elizabeth Freeman as trailblazers and leaders who should rightfully be honored in the Senate Chamber. Their presence will help us send a clear message to every woman who walks our halls: you belong here.” “Representation is not meant to be a crumb,” said Sen. Julian Cyr (D-Cape and Islands), Chair of the Senate Art Committee. “The decision to place busts of two women in the Senate chamber is a meaningful testament to the extraordinary contributions of scores of women to our commonwealth. This marks an important step in our ongoing work to recognize the women and individuals who have shaped Massachusetts but have too often been overlooked in our history books.” Elizabeth Freeman, born into slavery in New York around 1744, became the first African American woman to successfully sue for her freedom in Massachusetts. Inspired by the promise of liberty in the Massachusetts Constitution, her 1781 case, Brom and Bett v. Ashley, helped establish that slavery was incompatible with the state’s founding principles. After gaining her freedom, Freeman became a respected healer and midwife, later securing her place in history as a trailblazer for civil rights. Abigail Adams, known for urging the Founding Fathers to “remember the ladies,” was an early advocate for women’s rights and education. As a trusted advisor to her husband, President John Adams, she managed their household and finances while influencing political discourse through her letters. INCREASE THE NUMBER OF JUVENILE JUSTICES (H 1929) – Rep. Francisco Paulino (D-Methuen) filed legislation to address the shortage of justices in the Massachusetts Juvenile Court Department by increasing the number from 42 to 80. “No child should have to wait months or years for justice,” said Paulino. “This bill will help us reduce the backlog, provide timely interventions for at-risk youth and save the commonwealth millions by reducing long-term foster care and detention costs.” Paulino noted that Massachusetts juvenile courts now handle a broader range of complex cases than when the current cap was enacted decades ago, including child protection, mental health, truancy and emergency custody. He said that thousands of cases are impacted annually by judicial delays, with serious consequences for vulnerable children and families. QUOTABLE QUOTES “Thank you to #ICE and @ EROBoston for removing dangerous #criminal #illegalaliens off the streets of #Massachusetts. @MassGovernor Healey and Beacon Hill Democrats are directly responsible for enabling these crimes through their sanctuary state policies.” ---Rep. Marc Lombardo (R-Billerica) via X “I don’t know what the fixation is, to be quite honest. We’re a very safe state. We’re not a sanctuary state. Local, state and federal law enforcement continue to work with and partner with one another.” ---Gov. Maura Healey on Trump Administration border czar Tom Homan. “Restoring the line item funding to $35 million is crucial to supporting Massachusetts residents living with HIV and preventing new diagnoses. This funding ensures continued access to essential services, including HIV/STI screening, PrEP and PEP access, Syringe Service Programs and peer support for those living with the virus.” ---Katie Weixler, Deputy director of the Prevention Division at Victory Programs urging lawmakers to restore $3 million that was cut last year for HIV/ AIDS and Hepatitis C testing and prevention. “We have 19,000 veterans on the Cape … and what’s important to me is if that third spot, maybe we can get it closer to the Cape. Because, honestly, it’s all about taking care of my area and making sure -- you know, our veterans have done so much and asked for so little. So, I think it’s something that’s just so poignant and so necessary that we bring something down towards the southern part of Mass.” ---Rep. Kip Diggs (D Barnstable) on the idea of building a third long-term care home for veterans, in addition to the current ones in Holyoke and Chelsea. “We join in solidarity with all supporters of free speech and immigrant rights in denouncing federal immigration authorities’ detention of Remeysa Ozturk, a graduate student at Tufts and a member of SEIU Local 509. The detention of Ms. Ozturk is part of Homeland Security’s despicable effort to stifle speech by immigrants who express views that Donald Trump and his surrogates simply don’t like.” ---Dave Foley, President of the SEIU MA State Council. 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 BEACON | SEE PAGE 22 - LEGAL NOTICE - COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS THE TRIAL COURT PROBATE AND FAMILY COURT Essex Division Docket No. ES25P0961EA Estate of: RICHARD ALAN HARRIS Also Known As: RICHARD A. HARRIS Date of Death: November 13, 2024 INFORMAL PROBATE PUBLICATION NOTICE To all persons interested in the above captioned estate, by Petition of Petitioner Mariann Harris of Saugus, MA Eric M. Harris of Chandler, AZ has been informally appointed as the Personal Representative of the estate to serve without surety on the bond. The estate is being administered under informal procedure by the Personal Representative under the Massachusetts Uniform Probate Code without supervision by the Court. Inventory and accounts are not required to be filed with the Court, but interested parties are entitled to notice regarding the administration from the Personal Representative and can petition the Court in any matter relating to the estate, including distribution of assets and expenses of administration. Interested parties are entitled to petition the Court to institute formal proceedings and to obtain orders terminating or restricting the powers of Personal Representatives appointed under formal procedure. A copy of the Petition and Will, if any, can be obtained from the Petitioner. April 04, 2025

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