Page 20 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, MAY 13, 2022 Beacon Hill Roll Call By Bob Katzen 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 infl uence. 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: www.massterlist.com. THE HOUSE AND SENATE: Beacon Hill Roll Call records local senators’ votes on roll calls from the week of May 2-6. There were no roll calls in the House last week. Technical audio problems plagued the Senate live broadcast near the end of the session. All Senate sessions are broadcast live on the Legislature’s website at www.malegislature.gov After the Senate adjourned and the online video broadcast ended, the audio could still be heard online. Sen. Will Brownsberger (D-Belmont) who presided over the Senate debate, conducted several “mic checks” and could be heard asking a technician, “It doesn’t sound like I’m underwater anymore?” All Senate roll calls were on amendments to the bill allowing undocumented/illegal immigrants to apply for a Massachusetts standard driver’s license. Sen. Bruce Tarr (R-Gloucester), the sponsor of several failed amendments to the bill, did not respond to repeated requests from Beacon Hill Roll Call to comment on why he fi led the amendments. Sens. Brendan Crighton (D-Lynn) and Adam Gomez (D-Springfi eld), two key backers of the bill, did not respond to repeated requests from Beacon Hill Roll Call to comment on why they opposed all of Tarr’s amendments. UNDOCUMENTED/ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS CAN GET DRIVER’S LICENSE (S 2851) Senate 32-8, approved a bill allowing undocumented/illegal immigrants to apply for a Massachusetts standard driver’s license. The House has approved a diff erent version of the bill and the Senate version now goes to the House for consideration. The bills are similar and both branches approved their version by veto-proof margins. Once the two branches agree on a fi nal version, the measure goes to Gov. Charlie Baker. The legislation requires an applicant “without legal presence” in the United State to provide the 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 certificate, a foreign national identification card or a marriage certificate or divorce decree from any U.S. state. “The [bill] makes our roads safer and, just as importantly, makes the lives of more than 185,000 Massachusetts immigrants without status easier by allowing them to earn a standard driver’s license,” said Sen. Brendan Crighton (D-Lynn). “In the absence of a robust regional public transportation system, it is impossible for many Massachusetts residents to get through their day without the use of a car. No one should fear detention or deportation over essential everyday tasks such as getting to work, school, doctor’s appointments and grocery stores. It is time for Massachusetts to join the 16 other states who have passed this common-sense legislation.” “It was important to me to listen to my local police chiefs, many [of whom] indicated to me that they had concerns,” said Sen. Anne Gobi (D-Spencer), one of only fi ve of the Senate’s 37 Democrats to vote against the bill. “As well-meaning as the legislation is, I do believe there will be unintended negative consequences. For one, the legislation will task the RMV with verifying documentation. You do not have to look very far to see problems the RMV continues to have, including the Brockton RMV improperly awarding 2,100 drivers licenses without a road test.” “We are a nation of immigrants, and our commonwealth continues to be profoundly and positively shaped by immigrants from all over the world,” said Senate President Karen Spilka (D-Ashland). “They deserve to be able to safely get to work and school, care for their families and participate in the lives of their communities. I am thrilled that the Senate has moved forward with this proposal which will support families, improve public safety and be good for our economy.” “State-issued drivers licenses are a primary form of identifi cation in our society and they carry real-world consequences and responsibilities,’’ said GOP Minority Leader Sen. Bruce Tarr who led the opposition to the measure. “We proposed safeguards to ensure that a privilege to drive does not, under any circumstance, become misused for any purposes including access to voting in elections or anything else that could put the public at risk. The 9/11 Commission said that all layers of government should secure state-issued identifi cation documents describing it as a national security and law enforcement imperative to combat identity fraud and illegal immigration.” (A “Yes” vote is for the bill. A “No” vote is against it). Sen. Brendan Crighton Yes MUST HAVE DISTINGUISHING FEATURES (S 2851) Senate 8-31, rejected an amendment that would require the license to have a background color and other features which will distinguish it from all other licenses issued by the RMV. “[This] would have helped address issues raised by a number of local police chiefs in the district I represent who I consulted with prior to yesterday’s vote,” said Sen. Marc Pacheco (D-Taunton). “Based on the input I received, the possible corruption of our state licensing process was fl agged as a signifi cant concern.” Amendment opponents said law enforcement officers do not need a distinctive license to identify a driver. They said the amendment could create an opportunity for stigma and allow someone to discriminate against its holder. (A “Yes” vote is for the amendment. A “No” vote is against it). Sen. Brendan Crighton No NOT VALID FOR ID (S 2851) Senate 7-32, rejected an amendment that would require that the license include the words “Not valid for identifi cation” prominently in bold text.” Amendment supporters said that the license is meant to operate a motor vehicle and it should be made clear that it is not valid for identifi - cation purposes. Amendment opponents said the amendment is unnecessary and will only lead to and open up opportunities to discriminate. (A “Yes” vote is for the amendment. A “No” vote is against it). Sen. Brendan Crighton No REQUIRE RMV TO PROVIDE INFORMATION TO CITY AND TOWN CLERKS (S 2851) Senate 10-29, rejected an amendment that would require the RMV to provide information on the holder of a Massachusetts driver’s license to any city or town clerk requesting information to verify the identity and eligibility of any individual using a Massachusetts license to vote or to register to vote. Amendment supporters said this would ensure that anyone who receives a Massachusetts license who is not eligible to vote is not accidentally registered to vote. “The bill does very little to prevent the issue of an undocumented citizen using their driver’s license to register to vote,” said Sen. Ryan Fattman (R-Sutton). “This poses a challenge to the integrity of the process to register to vote, because city and town clerks will not be able to determine whether or not an individual is eligible to register. My amendment would add strength to the security of this process by ensuring that Massachusetts is in compliance with the law that enables U.S. citizens to vote.” Amendment opponents said getting a driver’s license has nothing to do with a person’s ability to vote. They noted there are many non-citizens, such as green card recipients, who have earned a license but are not eligible to vote. (A “Yes” vote is for the amendment. A “No” vote is against it). Sen. Brendan Crighton No PROMISE NOT TO USE LICENSE TO REGISTER TO VOTE OR FOR ID (S 2851) Senate 7-31, rejected an amendment to a section of the bill that requires the applicant to attest, under the pains and penalties of perjury, that their license to operate has not been suspended or revoked in another state or country. The amendment would also require the applicant to attest that he or she will not use his or her license for the purpose of registering to vote, voting or for identifi - cation. Amendment supporters said this is simply another safeguard to ensure that the license will not be misused with the intent to vote illegally. Amendment opponents said there are suffi cient safeguards in the bill to ensure there will not be improper use of this license. (A “Yes” vote is for the amendment. A “No” vote is against it). Sen. Brendan Crighton No 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 latenight 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 May 2-6, the House met for a total of 45 minutes and the Senate met for a total of fi ve hours and 32 minutes. Mon. May 2 House 11:01 a.m. to 11:21 a.m. Senate 11:08 a.m. to 11:11 a.m. Tues. May 3 No House session No Senate session Wed. May 4 No House session No Senate session Thurs. May 5 House 11:02 a.m. to 11:27 a.m. Senate 11:12 a.m. to 4:41 p.m. Fri. May 6 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.
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