9

THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, JULY 8, 2022 Page 9 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. 26 June 27-July 1, 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 representatives’ and senators’ votes on roll calls from the week of June 27-July 1. REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH CARE (H 4930) House 136-17, approved and sent to the Senate legislation designed to further protect reproductive health care and those who perform abortions in the Bay State. The measure specifi cally declares that both reproductive health care and gender-affi rming care is a “right secured by the constitution or laws” of Massachusetts and would shield providers of reproductive and gender-affi rming care and their patients from out-of-state legal action. Key provisions include prohibiting Massachusetts law enforcement from providing information related to an investigation or inquiry into legally protected health care services to federal or another state’s law enforcement agencies or private citizens; protecting Massachusetts residents from efforts to enforce court rulings from other states based on health care activity that is legally protected in Massachusetts; prohibiting any Massachusetts court from ordering a person in Massachusetts to give testimony or produce documents for use in connection with any proceeding in an out-of-state tribunal concerning legally protected health care activity; prohibiting medical malpractice insurers from discriminating against a provider that offers reproductive or gender-affirming health care services; and requiring insurance coverage for abortion and abortion-related care without being subject to deductibles, coinsurance, copayments or other cost-sharing requirements. “The progress we’ve made to protect abortion rights in Massachusetts distinguishes us at a time when millions of people across the country are losing their access to care,” said Dr. Jennifer Childs-Roshak, President of Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts. “Now we must urgently expand access by making abortion care more aff ordable and supporting providers so they can safely provide care,” Rep. Ruth Balser (D-Newton), a 73-year old House member, said she is “a woman who is old enough to remember the days before Roe v. Wade,” and described “the pain that in particular my generation of women are feeling, that that hardfought and won right has been ripped from us.” Rep. Colleen Garry (D-Dracut) was the only representative to speak against the measure during debate on the House floor. “I voted against [it] because it went way beyond making abortions available and safe for women from other states and protecting our abortion providers,” said Garry. “The bill makes abortions free in Massachusetts eliminating any copays or cost sharing and allowing women from other states to qualify for MassHealth coverage for abortions. Nothing is free in this world. The health insurance ratepayers in Massachusetts will be paying for all of these abortions through their own insurance premiums. It also expanded availability for late term abortions to include not only the ‘fatal fetal anomaly’ provision from the Roe Act but went further to include access when the mother and her doctor decide that there is a ‘severe’ fetal anomaly, which is not defi ned in the legislation.” “The Supreme Court’s decision to completely overturn Roe v. Wade represents a fundamental attack on women’s rights,” said House Speaker Ron Mariano (D-Quincy). “Now, more than ever, it is the responsibility of leaders in Massachusetts to ensure that the commonwealth can serve as a sanctuary for women seeking reproductive health care, and for providers whose licenses could be at risk because of this recent Supreme Court decision.” “Infl icting pain and death on another living, developing individual is not a right protected by the Constitution, no matter how warped the Democrats’ logic may be,” said Massachusetts Republican Party Chairman Jim Lyons. (A “Yes” vote is for the bill. A “No” vote is against it). Rep. Jessica Giannino Rep. Donald Wong 4929) Yes Yes LIMIT STEP THERAPY (H House 153-0, approved and sent to the Senate a bill that limits the use of health care plan mandated prescription drug “step therapy” protocols and provides more exemptions to the mandate. Step therapy requires the patient to try less expensive options before “stepping up” to drugs that cost more. “This is a great bill for patients,” said Health Care Financing Committee chair John Lawn (D-Watertown). “This legislation balances the need to manage utilization and control costs of expensive treatments with the moral imperative to protect patients who need life-saving treatments. Thanks to this bill, patients will get the right drug at the right time without delay.” “A top priority of the House is to ensure that every resident of the commonwealth has access to quality, aff ordable health care, but controlling costs should never come at the expense of positive patient outcomes,” said House Speaker Ron Mariano (D-Quincy). “This legislation helps to achieve that goal by ensuring that patients in Massachusetts can circumvent step therapy protocols in instances where the process will result in delayed access to the only adequate medication. Conditions which would exempt a patient from trying the less expensive drug first include if the treatment will harm the patient, or if the patient previously tried the required treatment, or similar treatment, and it was ineff ective. (A “Yes” vote is for the bill). Rep. Jessica Giannino Rep. Donald Wong Yes Yes $56 MILLION FOR FAMILIES OF VICTIMS OF HOLYOKE SOLDIERS’ HOME (H 4932) House 153-0, approved $56 million in funding for the families of the victims of the COVID-19 outbreak at the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home. “No amount of money will ever make up for the devastating loss and heartbreak that these families have been through,” said Sen. John Velis (D-Holyoke) the chair of the Veterans and Federal Affairs Committee. “That anguish and grief will always be there, but this settlement does ensure that the families will not have to continue to endure the painful process of litigation. I am glad that the House has passed this swiftly and am committed to getting these funds across the fi nish line in the Senate.” “No amount of money can make up for the loss these families have suff ered,” said Rep. Patricia Duff y (D-Holyoke). “But I am gratifi ed that an agreement has been reached and fulfi lled.” (A “Yes” vote is for the bill). Rep. Jessica Giannino Rep. Donald Wong Yes Yes REPEAL ARCHAIC LAWS (S 2979) Senate 39-0, approved and BHRC | SEE PAGE 15 GREAT NEW CAR? Don’t Get Dinged On The Payments! Mass Bay Auto Loans as low as 1.99% APPLY TODAY! massbaycu.org (617) 269-2700 APR* PURCHASE REFINANCE LEASE BUYOUT *APR=Annual Percentage Rate. APR includes a .25% discount for automatic payments. 1.99% APR is for terms up to 48 months for vehicles with less than 25,000 miles. Monthly payment is $21.69 per $1,000 borrowed. 2.24% APR without automatic payments. Monthly payment without automatic payments is $21.80 per $1,000 borrowed. Other rates and terms are available. Up to 105% financing based on NADA retail value. Qualification restrictions apply. Rate, term, and approval based on credit worthiness. Rates are subject to change without notice. Federally insured by NCUA

10 Publizr Home