Page 16 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, April 25, 2025 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. 16 April 14-18, 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: www. massterlist.com THE HOUSE AND SENATE: Beacon Hill Roll Call records local representatives’ votes on roll calls from recent House sessions. There were no roll calls in the House or Senate last week. CONSOLIDATED EDUCATION AMENDMENT (H 4005) House 151-4, approved a consolidated amendment adding $46.2 in education funding to the $1.3 billion supplemental budget. Much of the funding was for education projects and programs proposed by individual representatives for their local districts. “This consolidated amendment provides critical funding for a variety of education-reJ& • Reliable Mowing Service • Spring & Fall Cleanups • Mulch & Edging • Sod or Seed Lawns • Shrub Planting & Trimming • Water & Sewer Repairs Joe Pierotti, Jr. lated programs and projects at both the state and municipal levels, including $15 million to assist communities with regional school transportation costs,” said Rep. Brad Jones (R-North Reading). “These initiatives are funded with excess … surtax revenues, which is in keeping with the will of the voters to use this money to supplement spending for education and transportation-related initiatives.” Amendment opponents said that the amendment was full of pork barrel spending proposed by representatives for projects in their own district. They noted that the money should be used for education projects for all cities and towns, including fully funding special education costs for all the cities and towns in the state. (A “Yes” vote is for the $46.2 million. A “No” vote is against it.) Rep. Jessica Giannino Yes Rep. Donald Wong Yes CONSOLIDATED TRANSPORTATION AMENDMENT (H 4005) House 134-20, approved a consolidated amendment adding $28.8 million in transportation funding to the $1.3 billion supplemental budget. Much of the funding was for transportation projects and programs proposed by individS LANDSCAPE & MASONRY CO. Masonry - Asphalt • Brick or Block Steps • Brick or Block Walls • Concrete or Brick Paver Patios & Walkways • Brick Re-Pointing • Asphalt Paving www.JandSlandscape-masonry.com • Senior Discount • Free Estimates • Licensed & Insured 617-389-1490 Designing and Constructing Ideas that are “Grounds for Success” Landscaping ual representatives for their local districts. “This consolidated amendment includes funding for multiple transportation-related initiatives across the state, providing cities and towns with the funding needed to carry out essential transportation infrastructure repairs and maintenance,” said Rep. Brad Jones (R-North Reading). “When the voters approved the [surtax] amendment in 2022, they were clear that these revenues should be spent only on transportation and education, and this consolidated amendment upholds the will of the voters.” “We are seeing the necessity for overrides pop up all across the commonwealth and in multiple towns of the 6th Plymouth District, dominated mostly by school operational budgets,” said Rep. Ken Sweezey (R-Hanson). “I believe that the … funds would have been best used on education in the dire situation we fi nd ourselves in rather than the disproportionate amount we funneled to transportation and the MBTA.” (A “Yes” vote is for the $28.8 million. A “No” vote is against it.) Rep. Jessica Giannino Yes Rep. Donald Wong Yes ALSO UP ON BEACON HILL FORECLOSURE PREVENTION PROGRAM (S 765) – The Financial Services Committee held a hearing on a bill that would create a Massachusetts Foreclosure Prevention Program to assist homeowners in avoiding foreclosure through supervised pre-foreclosure conferences between creditors and borrowers regarding foreclosure alternatives. Conferences would result in a report, and foreclosures can only proceed with a Certifi cate of Compliance, contingent on a creditor’s goodfaith eff orts to negotiate. Judicial enforcement provisions allow sanctions against non-compliant creditors, including interest tolling, penalties or dismissal of foreclosure actions. The program would be funded by the Foreclosure Prevention Fund, supported by creditor fees to cover administrative costs such as conference monitors and outreach initiatives. “With Massachusetts foreclosures on the rise, updated state laws that better protect homeowners are long overdue,” said sponsor Sen. Adam Gomez (D-Springfield). “In the Pioneer Valley, more than half of all renters are ‘cost burdened,’ spending 30 percent or more of their income on housing. This trend is even worse for communities of color in the region, such as Springfi eld where we continue to face serious housing stability challenges.” DIVEST STATE RETIREMENT FUNDS FROM FIREARMS COMPANIES (H 49) - A bill heard by the Public Service Committee would require the Massachusetts Pension Reserves Investment Management (PRIM) Board to divest direct investments with companies that derive more than 15 percent of revenues from the sale or manufacture of ammunition, firearms or firearm accessories used for civilian purposes. “It is crucial that we take a stand against gun violence, which is now the leading cause of death for children ages 1 to nineteen,” said State Treasurer Deb Goldberg. “This bill takes a fi scally responsible approach in divesting from an industry that has repeatedly refused to work toward protecting our communities.” She noted that while this represents only a minuscule fraction of the state’s investment portfolio, divestment from ammunition and fi rearms sends a clear message to the victims and survivors of gun violence everywhere that Massachusetts stands with them. SENIORS’ FINANCIAL STABLITY (S 471) - The Elder Affairs Committee’s hearing included legislation that would require the state treasurer to develop and periodically review and update model curriculum to support seniors’ fi - nancial literacy and stability, in consultation with the Executive Offi ce of Elder Aff airs, the Massachusetts Councils on Aging and AARP Massachusetts. “Massachusetts is among the three states where older people are most likely to be fi - nancially insecure,” said sponBEACON | SEE PAGE 17
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