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THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, MAy 16, 2025 Page 17 Yes or No, and, in fact, they don’t say a word. The outcome was predetermined earlier behind closed doors. “This bill answers the clear If you have any questions about this week’s report, e-mail us at bob@beaconhillrollcall. com or call us at (617) 7201562. Beacon Hill Roll Call Volume 50 -Report No. 19 May 5-9, 2025 Copyright © 2025 Beacon Hill Roll Call. All Rights Reserved. By Bob Katzen G ET A FREE SUBSCRIPTION TO MASSTERLIST – Join more than 30,000 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. MASSterList will be e-mailed to you FREE every Monday through Saturday 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 the only roll call from the week of May 5-9. There were no roll calls in the House last week. $1.3 BILLION FOR TRANSPORTATION AND EDUCATION (S 2512) Senate 40-0, approved a $1.3 billion supplemental budget that uses funds generated from the recent surtax imposed on taxpayers’ earnings of more than $1 million annually, to fund $617 million for education-related projects and $670 million for transportation-related ones. The House has already approved its own version of the budget and a House-Senate conference committee will hammer out a compromise version that will be sent to Gov. Maura Healey. The surtax was created by voters in November 2022 when they voted for a constitutional amendment, dubbed by supporters as the “Fair Share Amendment,” that allows a graduated income tax in Massachusetts and imposes an additional 4 percent income tax, in addition to the flat 5 percent one, on taxpayers’ earnings of more than $1 million annually. Language in the constitutional amendment requires that “subject to appropriation, the revenue will go to fund quality public education, affordable public colleges and universities, and for the repair and maintenance of roads, bridges and public transportation.” A total of $370 million of the $670 million for transportation will be used for various MBTA projects. The $617 million for education includes $248 million for special education; $190 million for higher education; $50 million for local school construction; $25 million for literacy growth; $100 million for Career Technical Education Capital Grants; and $10 million for English Language Learning Programs. Senators had filed 317 amendments to the budget but there were no roll call votes on any of the individual amendments. Instead, the Senate approved or rejected some individual amendments, some with debate and some without debate, on unrecorded voice votes which do not allow the public to see how individual senators voted. To move things along even faster, the Senate also did its usual “bundling” of many amendments. Instead of acting on each amendment one at a time, dozens of the proposed amendments are bundled and put into two piles— one pile that will be approved and the other that will be rejected, without a roll call, on voice votes where it is impossible to tell which way a senator votes. Senate President Karen Spilka, or the senator who is filling in for her at the podium, orchestrates the approval and rejection of the bundled amendments with a simple: “All those in favor say ‘Aye,’ those opposed say ‘No.’ The Ayes have it and the amendments are approved.” Or: “All those in favor say ‘Aye,’ those opposed say ‘No.’ The No’s have it and the amendments are rejected.” Senators don’t actually vote message that our residents sent us in 2022—to invest these dollars across the state to continue building the high-quality education and transportation systems Massachusetts deserves,” said Senate President Karen Spilka (D-Ashland). “At a time of economic uncertainty, we are committed to supporting our schools and making sure that residents can travel safely, and these Fair Share funds allow us to do that.” Although no senators voted against the budget, there was opposition to it from outside the Senate. “The Senate’s $1.3 billion supplemental budget is yet another example of Beacon Hill’s addiction to unchecked spending,” said Paul Craney, executive director of the Mass Fiscal Alliance. “Instead of showing restraint or using this opportunity to reform broken systems like the MBTA, lawmakers are rushing to shovel taxpayer money into a badly mismanaged MBTA that is riddled with inefficiency. Voters were told surtax revenue would be used responsibly—this bloated bill proves otherwise. Massachusetts taxpayers deserve accountability, not another blank check for Beacon Hill’s failures.” “I’m pleased the Senate has passed this Fair Share supplemental budget, prioritizing regional equity while also maintaining fiscal integrity during these highly uncertain times,” said Sen. Mike Rodrigues, (D-Westport) Chair of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means. “By utilizing almost $1.3 billion in one-time surplus surtax revenues, the proposal strengthens the commonwealth’s economic foundation by making meaningful investments in education and transportation. This budget plan reaffirms the Senate’s strong commitment to educational excellence, provides significant resources for special education and makes substantial investments in our transportation infrastructure. It goes above and beyond to give everyone a ‘fair share.’” “Amid waves of uncertainty at the national level and devastating federal cuts, the Massachusetts Senate answered the call of residents to use surplus Fair Share Amendment funds to invest equitably in education and transportation across the commonwealth,” said Senate Ways and Means Vice Chair Jo Comerford (D-Northampton). “The Senate bill passed today will provide transportation solutions for small, rural towns, will begin addressing the debilitating backlog of deferred maintenance on public higher education campuses, will provide meaningful help to school budgets pushed to the breaking point, and more.” (A “Yes” vote is for the $1.3 billion budget.) Sen. Brendan Crighton Yes ALSO UP ON BEACON HILL RECOGNIZE HIGH SCHOOL CHEERLEADING AS A SPORT (H 639) – The Education Committee held a hearing on legislation that would designate and treat high school cheerleading as a legitimate sport and have it governed by the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) which currently governs 19 other high school sports. “Cheering is a highly competitive and athletically challenging sport,” said sponsor Rep. Marc Lombardo (R-Billerica). “It should receive the same recognition and resources as any other sport in the commonwealth and as such, needs to be classified properly.” Supporters said that Bay State high school cheerleading is currently governed by the Massachusetts Schools Administrators’ Association which only supports Cheer/Game Day, Dance and eSports. They argued it would be more appropriate to have the MIAA run and support this highly athletic and competitive sport. THE BEAN NEW DEAL (S 922) – The Higher Education Committee held a hearing on a bill, dubbed the Bean New Deal, designed to help more people understand the climate, health and environmental benefits of diets that involve plant-based protein sources, whether exclusively or just occasionally. It also would ensure that public food establishments and public programs provide access to plant-based protein sources to those who want them. Provisions include ones that would require all state dining halls, cafeterias and canteens to provide at least one plantbased protein source with every meal; ensure that all culinary arts programs at public institutions of higher education provide instruction about plant-based protein sources; direct the Department of Elder Affairs to offer plant-based protein sources to low-income seniors who participate in the Senior Nutrition Program; direct the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) to offer voluntary training and resources concerning plant-based protein sources to organizations participating in the National School Lunch Program and other food programs it oversees; and direct DESE, in awarding food-related grants, to consider whether proposals will increase awareness of and access to plant-based protein sources. “Eating more plant-based proteins is beneficial to human health, to the climate and to the environment, but many of us don’t know about those benefits and don’t have access to healthy options like beans, lentils, whole grains, nuts and chickpeas,” said sponsor Sen. Cindy Creem (D-Newton). “I filed the Bean New Deal legislation to promote awareness of the benefits of plant-based eating and to increase access to plant-based options at public institutions and within public nutrition programs. Massachusetts residents should be able to choose food options that foster healthier communities and promote sustainability. This bill would give them that choice.” GIVE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS COLLEGE CREDITS FOR HIGH SCORES ON ADVANCED PLACEMENT PLANS – Another proposal heard by the Higher Education Committee would direct the Department of Higher Education to establish regulatory standards allowing high school students who have achieved a score of 3 or higher on their Advanced Placement (AP) exams to receive college credit at Massachusetts’ state universities. “The American Council on Education and the College Board both recommend granting college credit to students who score a 3 or higher on their AP exam because those who achieve a score in this range are generally more prepared for subsequent coursework than students who only completed the introductory course and did not take the exam,” said sponsor Rep. Brad Jones (R-North Reading). “Providing college credit for AP classes taken in high school allows students to be rewarded for their hard work by giving them much more flexibility to pursue a double major or study abroad, provides a less confusing college application process by setting a uniform standard and saves students tuition money due to the reduced number of classes they have to take.” BAN HOTELS FROM PROIVIDING PLASTIC-PACKAGED TOILETRIES TO GUESTS (S 609) – The Environment and Natural Resources Committee held a hearing on legislation that would ban, beginning in January 2027, hotels, motels and BEACON | SEE PAGE 18

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