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Page 14 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, SEpTEmbEr 13, 2024 not have fi nished it with a sterling record. I was feeling quite poorly and had to leave the chamber [on that day] around 12:30 p.m. Rep. Pignatelli responded: “I was out of town attending a funeral.” 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 49 - Report No. 36 September 2-6, 2024 Copyright © 2024 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. 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:// massterlist.com/subscribe/ THE HOUSE AND SENATE: There were no roll call votes in the House or Senate last week. This week, Beacon Hill Roll Call reports local representatives’ roll call attendance records for the 2024 session through September 6. REPRESENTATIVES’ 2024 ROLL CALL ATTENDANCE RECORDS THROUGH SEPTEMBER 6 2024 The House has held 129 roll calls in 2024. Beacon Hill Roll Call tabulates the number of roll calls on which each representative was present and voting, and then calculates that number as a percentage of the total roll call votes held. That percentage is the number referred to as the roll call attendance record. In the House, 67.3 percent (107 representatives out of 159) did not miss any roll calls and have 100 percent roll call attendance records; while 32.7 percent (52 representatives out of 159) have missed one or more roll calls. The worst roll call attendance record belongs to Rep. Alan Silvia (D-Fall River) who missed 69 roll calls for a roll call attendance record of only 46.5 percent. Rounding out the representatives with the top fi ve worst records were Reps. Brian Ashe (D-Longmeadow) and Dawne Shand (D-Newburyport)who each missed 23 roll calls (82.1 percent roll call attendance record); Smitty Pignatelli (D-Lenox) who missed 18 roll calls (86.0 percent roll call attendance record); and John Rogers (D-Norwwod) who missed 13 roll calls (89.9 percent roll call attendance record.) The next representatives with the worst records are Reps. John Barrett (D-North Adams) and Carol Doherty (D-Taunton) who each missed 11 roll calls (91.4 percent roll call attendance record); Ruth Balser (D-Newton), Dave Rogers (D-Cambridge) and Marc Lombardo (R-Billerica) who each missed ten roll calls (92.2 percent roll call attendance record);Marjorie Decker (D-Cambridge) who missed nine roll calls (93.0 percent roll call attendance record; and Patrick Kearney (D-Scituate), Tom Stanley (D-Waltham), Chynah Tyler (D-Roxbury) and Erika Uyterhoeven (D-Somerville) who each missed eight roll calls(93.7 percent roll call attendance record). Beacon Hill Roll Call contacted all of these representatives to ask why they missed some roll calls. Only six of the 15 responded. The other ninewere contacted three times by Beacon Hill Roll Call but did not respond. The list of nonrespondents consists of Reps. Ashe, Barrett, Balser, Decker, Stanley, Tyler, Uyterhoeven, Kearney, and Dave Rogers. Here are the responses: Rep. Silvia: “The last eleven years I have had nearly perfect attendance. This session regrettably due to cardiac issues I had emergency cardiac surgery, hospitalization twice and was unable to travel to Boston. I did vote remotely when possible.” Rep. Doherty, whose missed roll calls were all on one day, August 1, responded: “After such a good voting record all session, I am disappointed to Rep. Lombardo responded: “I had family medical issues.” Rep. Shand responded: “In April, I spent three weeks in Alabama with my mother navigating four diff erent hospital settings in one of the most beleaguered and impoverished parts of the country. Morally, ethically and legally, I couldn’t leave her to return to Beacon Hill for budget week.” Rep. John Rogers responded: “The House Journal, the offi cial record of the House, has publicly recorded Rep. John Rogers on 100 percent of all roll calls this session.” Beacon Hill Roll Call stands by its statement that Rogers in fact was not present and did not vote on the 13 roll calls in question. Rogers’ response to Beacon Hill Roll Call is referring to written statements submitted by him for inclusion in the House Journal, after the roll call votes took place, indicating that had he been present in the chamber for those roll calls, “Here’s how I would have voted.” The vote is not counted in the offi cial tally and he is listed in the journal as “not voting. Rep. Jessica Giannino 1 0 0 percent (0) Rep. Donald Wong 100 percent (0) ALSO UP ON BEACON HILL CAP LOCAL PROPERTY TAXES (H 2944) – The House gave initial approval to legislation that would allow cities and towns to impose a cap on local property taxes paid by low-income seniors over 65. The cap would apply to single fi ler seniors with incomes of less than $50,000 and married fi lers with incomes below $60,000. The senior’s assets would have to be less than $75,000, excluding their primary residence and they would also be allowed to own one motor vehicle. Supporters said the bill would not have any fi nancial impact on the state but would simply create a process for cities and towns to impose property tax caps for seniors within the specifi ed income and asset limits. They argued that the bill would mean municipalities can decide if and how they provide real estate tax relief to lower-income seniors, allowing cities and towns more fl exibility to address the needs of their communities and further the state’s commitment to lowering costs for seniors and ensuring our aging population can remain in their homes. “I’m glad to see this bill continuing to move through the process,” said sponsor Rep. Adam Scanlon (D-North Attleborough). “We accomplished a lot last year with the $1 billion tax cut we passed, which included legislation I fi led to raise the senior circuit breaker tax credit.We need to do as much as possible to lighten the load on seniors who have built their lives here and are now on fi xed incomes, and that’s why I fi led this bill to give cities and towns fl exibility to cap property taxes for low-income seniors.” TAX COLLECTOR CAN WAIVE UP TO 50 PERCENT OF LOCAL PROPERTY TAXES (H 2971) – The House have initial approval to a bill that allows local tax collectors in cities and towns to waive up to 50 percent of the total property tax liability, including interest, charges and fees, of any homeowner in any tax period. “[This bill] is a crucial piece of legislation, especially in the current economic climate, as it provides much needed relief for taxpayers, particularly seniors who are often on fi xed incomes,” said sponsor Rep. Marcus Vaughn (R-Wrentham). “For many seniors, property taxes and other local taxes can be a signifi cant burden, especially in times of economic uncertainty. As costs of living continue to rise, and many seniors struggle with limited income from pensions or Social Security, the flexibility offered by [this bill] can make a critical difference. By allowing tax collectors to waive a portion of these costs, this bill provides seniors with greater fi nancial breathing room, potentially enabling them to remain in their homes and communities without the fear of falling into debt or facing tax-related penalties.” Vaughn continued, “In the context of today’s economic challenges, such as infl ation and rising healthcare expenses, [the bill]is a compassionate measure that recognizes the need to support our seniors and other vulnerable citizens. It promotes fi nancial stability and peace of mind, ensuring that seniors are not unduly penalized for tax burdens they may fi nd increasingly diffi cult to manage.” PROPERTY TAX REDUCTION FOR VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS AND EMTS (H 2832) – The House gave initial approval to legislation that would allow cities and towns to establish a program to reduce the property tax for volunteer, call or auxiliary fi refi ghters and EMTs in exchange for their services. The reduction would be in addition to any other exemption or abatement to which the person is entitled but the measure limits the total reduction of property taxes for any individual to $2,500. “This bill was fi led to show appreciation and value for the sacrifi ce of volunteer fi refi ghters and EMTs in many Massachusetts communities without full time fi re departments,” said sponsor Rep. Steven Howitt (R-Seekonk). RENAME THE MASSACHUSETTS REHABILITATION COMMISSION (S 2941) – The House and Senate approved and sent to Gov. Healey legislation that would rename the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission to MassAbility, a change that supporters say will better defi ne the agency’s role in supporting residents with disabilities to live independently. The legislation also removes off ensive terminology in the Massachusetts General Laws referring to people with disabilities in sections of the law that pertain to MassAbility. Supporters said the name change refl ects the intention to empower individuals living with disabilities and move away from outdated terminology as the office undergoes broad changes toward a more expansive model for disability employment services and independent living. “As lawmakers, we know that words matter,” said Speaker of the House Ron Mariano (D-Quincy). “This legislation is our latest eff ort to ensure that our state laws do not use antiquated words that carry negative connotations, words that also serve as a reminder of past injustices.” “This legislation is not just a name change but a mission enhancement,” said Sen. Nick Collins, Senate Chair of the Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight. “By defi ning the commonwealth’s response now with emphasis on the abilities of our citizens, we are taking the MassAbility Commission in a new proactive, positive direction to better serve the community’s needs.” “The language we use is important,” said Rep. Antonio F. D. Cabral (D-New Bedford), House Chair of the Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight.“Changing the agency’s name to MassAbility represents a shift in the perception on disability, focusBEACON | SEE PAGE 15

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