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Page 18 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, JUNE 17, 2022 Beacon Hill Roll Call By Bob Katzen 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 47 -Report No. 23 June 6-10. 2022 Copyright © 2022 Beacon Hill Roll Call. All Rights Reserved. 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: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/aPTLucK THE HOUSE AND SENATE: Beacon Hill Roll Call records local senators’ and representatives’ votes on roll calls from the week of June 6-10. LEGISLATURE OVERRIDES BAKER’S VETO OF BILL ALLOWING DRIVER’S LICENSE FOR UNDOCUMENTED/ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS (H 4805) House 119-36, Senate 328, gained the two-thirds vote necessary to override Gov. Charlie Baker’s veto of legislation that would allow, starting July 1, 2023, undocumented/illegal immigrants to apply for a Massachusetts standard driver’s license. The legislation requires an applicant “without legal presence” in the United States to provide the Registry of Motor Vehicles (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 certifi cate, a foreign national identifi cation card or a marriage certifi cate or divorce decree from any U.S. state. “I cannot sign this legislation because it requires the Registry of Motor Vehicles to issue state credentials to people without the ability to verify their identity,” Baker had said in his veto message. “The Registry does not have the expertise or ability to verify the validity of many types of documents from other countries. The bill also fails to include any measures to distinguish standard Massachusetts driver’s licenses issued to persons who demonstrate lawful presence from those who don’t.” “By making driver’s licenses accessible to individuals regardless of immigration status, Massachusetts will take a strong step to both strengthen our economy and strengthen relations between immigrants and law enforcement,” said Elizabeth Sweet, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition. “This is a victory for all, making our roads safer and allowing the 185,000 immigrants without status the ability to earn a driver’s license,” said sponsor Sen. Brendan Crighton (D-Lynn). “No one should fear deportation over essential everyday tasks, such as getting to work, school, doctor’s appointment and grocery stores.” “We all know the many issues our commonwealth’s RMV has had,” said Sen. John Velis (D-Westfi eld), an opponent of the proposal. “Just this week it was announced that 53,000 licenses sent out were missing a key fraud protection feature and will need to be replaced. My vote has nothing to do with immigration and has everything to do with the enormous ask we are making on an already underfunded and understaffed RMV. I remain concerned that RMV employees will be now tasked with reviewing hundreds of additional foreign documents, in hundreds of diff erent languages and formats, without any additional funding or training.” “This commonsense legislation will improve safety for all on our roads, and ensure all drivers are licensed, registered and insured … This bill has broad support from numerous members of law enforcement, local faith and business leaders and immigrant communities statewide,” said Rep. Christine Barber (D-Somerville), a co-sponsor of the measure. Sen. Ryan Fattman (R-Sutton) said, “I do not support this legislation as I believe it disincentivizes the individual from pursuing citizenship through legal means … This bill does not provide a clear distinction on the driver’s licenses between an unlawfully present individual and a U.S. citizen nor does it permit the RMV to share the citizenship information with municipalities that are entrusted to register only U.S. citizens to vote. Without these protections, the chances that these individuals will be able to register to vote increases.” Co-sponsor Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier (D-Pittsfi eld) said she was disappointed that the governor is spreading misinformation about voting access when he well knows the strong safeguards that are already in place. “Gov. Baker’s own RMV has been processing driver’s licenses for years for those already eligible to drive but ineligible to vote such as 16- and 17-year-olds, people with green cards and student and worker visas … Sixteen other states have implemented similar laws already and have seen improved safety on roads with no issues related to voting.” “Despite the record high overcollection of Massachusetts tax dollars being available to provide some kind of relief to families struggling with infl ation and high prices, the speaker is prioritizing giving illegal immigrants driver’s licenses over Gov. Baker’s warnings that it will most likely lead to voter fraud,” said Paul Craney, spokesman for the Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance. “Just because the speaker was able to twist arms and override the governor’s veto, doesn’t mean these House members will be off the hook. With the vote taken, they will now have to face their constituents and explain why they follow their speaker’s orders instead of their constituents’ opinions.” (A “Yes” vote is for the bill. A “No” vote is against it.) Rep. Jessica Giannino Yes Rep. Donald Wong No Sen. Brendan Crighton Yes ELECTION LAW CHANGES (S 2924) Senate 37-3, approved and sent to the House a conference committee version of a bill making permanent the mail-in and early voting options used in Massachusetts in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. The House and Senate had approved diff erent versions of the bill and a conference committee hammered out this compromise version which did not include the section allowing same day voter registration that was in the Senate version but not in the House one. The measure requires the secretary of state to send out mail-in ballot applications, with return postage guaranteed, to registered voters before each presidential primary, state primary and biennial state election. It also allows registered voters to request a mailin ballot for all elections in a single calendar year. Other provisions include reducing the registration blackout period from 20 days prior to an election to 10 days; electronic voting options for voters with disabilities and military service members; allowing a voter with disabilities to request accommodations including an accessible electronic ballot application, ballot and voter affi davit that can be submitted electronically; ensuring that non-felons who are incarcerated who are currently eligible to vote are provided with voting information and materials to exercise their right to vote; mandating that felons who are incarcerated but prohibited from voting are notifi ed of their right to vote upon release and given the opportunity to fi ll out a voter registration form; and requiring the secretary of state to conduct a comprehensive public awareness campaign to publicize the new voting and registration options. “This landmark election reform bill will empower voters and strengthen our democracy,” said Sen. Barry Finegold (D-Andover), Senate Chair of the Committee on Election Laws and the co-sponsor of the bill. “In 2020, mail-in and early voting options helped generate record-breaking turnout. It is now time to build on this progress and enact long-lasting voting reforms. The [bill] is a big step in the right direction and will help ensure that every voter can exercise their fundamental right to vote.” “I am so proud that at a time when access to the ballot is under attack in states nationwide, Massachusetts is passing landmark voting reforms to permanently enshrine expansions to voting access in statute and further underscore the Commonwealth’s commitment to ensuring all eligible voters can exercise their right to vote,” said Senate Majority Leader Sen. Cindy Creem (D-Newton). “Although I am disappointed same-day registration was not included in the fi nal bill, even with the Senate off ering multiple compromise approaches, I will continue to push for its passage and plan to fi le legislation on the subject going forward.” Opponents saythe bill goes too far and does not provide sufficient safeguards to protect the integrity of the voting process. They argued that universal mail in voting was designed solely to protect voters during the pandemic. They argued that continuing this forever would cost far too much for smaller towns Despite repeated attempts by Beacon Hill Roll Call, none of the three Republican senators who voted against the bill responded to requests for a comment on the reason they voted “No.” The three non-responsive senators are: Sens. Bruce Tarr (R-Gloucester), Ryan Fattman (R-Sutton) and Patrick O’Connor (R-Weymouth). (A “Yes” vote is for the bill. A “No” vote is against it). Sen. Brendan Crighton Yes REQUIRE CERTIFICATION FOR TECHNICIANS WHO STERILIZE AND MAINTAIN HOSPITAL SURGICAL EQUIPMENT (S 2913) Senate 39-0, approved and sent to the House a measure that requires standardized certifi cation of an estimated 1,800 Bay State hospital technicians, by a nationally accredited organization, of hospital technicians who are responsible for ensuring that surgical instruments are safe and sanitary to protect patients from possible infection. The measure also requires the technicians to complete an annual continuing education curriculum. It was fi led as a response to several high-profi le incidents across the state in which surgical tools used in operations on patients may have been improperly disinfected. Supporters said that technicians are currently allowed to work with a high school diploma or equivalent degree and without additional relevant training, despite being required to keep up to date with the latest practices for over 37,000 diff erent surgical instruments. “As a world leader in the healthcare industry, Massachusetts must maintain the highest standards of patient safety,” said sponsor Sen. Mike Rush (D-West Roxbury). “I’m proud of the work my colleagues in the Senate and I have done today to protect the citizens of the commonwealth as well as those who come from around the globe to seek treatment.” “[These] technicians play an unseen but vital role for patients undergoing surgery,” said Sen. Jo Comerford (D-Northampton), Senate chair of the Committee on Public Health. “They are responsible for ensuring that equipment and instruments used during surgical procedures are properly decontaminated, cleaned, inspected and sterilized priBHRC | SEE PAGE 19

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