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Page 18 BEACON | FROM PAGE 17 participation, and for economic opportunity. This bill ensures that our students learn through evidence-based and high-quality strategies.” “As a former special education teacher and as a father of four young kids, making sure all students are taught to read using effective, scientifically proven methods is deeply personal to me,” said Rep. Simon Cataldo (D-Concord) also the co-sponsor of an earlier version of the bill. “I am proud to have co-filed the bill.” “Currently, fewer than half of Massachusetts third graders are reading at grade level,” said Rep. Alice Pesich (D-Wellesley), another co-sponsor of an earlier version of the bill. “Research shows that children who do not read proficiently by the end of third grade are far more likely to fall behind academically, drop out of school or face limited opportunities later in life. We must ensure that every student in Massachusetts has access to high-quality, evidence-based literacy instruction.” American Federation of Teachers Massachusetts President Jessica Tang has her doubts about parts of the bill. “As passed today, this bill establishes a limited, blanket curriculum that is concerning, particularly to veteran educators who have developed rich and effective evidence-based literacy curriculum over the years,” said Tang. “Even more concerning is that it bans important, proven tools our educators currently use and use successfully, particularly with our English language learners and students with special needs. As educators, we fully support evidence-based literacy curriculum. We also know that it will take more than just curriculum for our students to fully thrive as they progress from learning to read to reading to learn.” Tang continued, “Even though we have concerns, we are pleased that the bill passed today includes key provisions we were proud to advocate for, including reporting and tracking measures, expanding funding opportunities for critical positions and establishing a commission to continue the important work to advance literacy in the commonwealth. We will continue to work with legislative and state allies on this issue and we look forward to seeing what comes out of the Senate.” (A “Yes” vote is for the bill.) Rep. Jessica Giannino Yes Rep. Donald Wong THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, NOVEmbEr 7, 2025 Yes STUDY EDUCATION WORKFORCE IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS (H 4672) House 132-22, approved an amendment to a bill that would provide a framework for the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) to identify and approve a list of high-quality curricula that school districts will select from for kindergarten through third grade literacy. The amendment would provide that DESE, the Massachusetts Teachers Association, the American Federation of Teachers Massachusetts, the Massachusetts Association of School Committees and the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents study and make recommendations about the education workforce in public school districts in the area of reading and literacy development. Rep. Marjorie Decker (D-Cambridge), the sponsor of the amendment, did not offer any arguments in favor of her amendment during debate on the House floor. She also did not respond to repeated requests by Beacon Hill Roll Call asking her why she sponsored the amendment. “I opposed this amendment because it would hand groups such as the Massachusetts Teachers Association and American Federation of Teachers an outsized role in determining how schools staff their literacy and reading workforce,” said Rep. Brad Jones (R-North Reading). “These groups were opposed to this bill in its entirety; thus, it would be counterproductive to have them play such a prominent role in producing those recommendations.” (A “Yes” vote is for the amendment. A “No” vote is against it.) Rep. Jessica Giannino Yes Rep. Donald Wong No SCHOOL DISTRICTS MUST REPORT ANNUALLY (H 4672) House 133-22, approved an amendment requiring that each school district report annually to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education the number of reading specialists, reading interventionists, literacy coordinators, school librarians, library aides, education support professionals and other staff employed by the district that directly support student reading and literacy development. Rep. Marjorie Decker (D-Cambridge), the sponsor of the amendment again did not offer any arguments in favor of her amendment during debate on the House floor. She also did not respond to repeated requests by Beacon Hill Roll Call asking her why she sponsored the amendment. “I opposed this amendment because it imposes an unfunded reporting mandate on school districts at a time when cities and towns are facing increased financial constraints,” said Rep. Brad Jones (R-North Reading). “Also, there are already extensive reporting requirements included in the underlying bill, so this would only add to that burden.” (A “Yes” vote is for the amendment. A “No” vote is against it.) Rep. Jessica Giannino Yes Rep. Donald Wong No ALSO UP ON BEACON HILL THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN AND SNAP AND OTHER BENEFITS AND PROGRAMS – The Senate approved two separate measures urging action from the state and federal government to provide funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) - the federal food security program that provides food to more than 40 million United States residents, including 1 million residents of Massachusetts. The first one is a resolution that urges President Trump and the Massachusetts Congressional delegation to use all existing authority to supplement and transfer available funds to sustain SNAP benefits throughout the duration of the ongoing federal government shutdown. The second one is in the form of a letter that urges the House-Senate conference committee that is hammering out a fiscal year 2025 supplemental budget, to include funds for the SNAP program in its budget. Supporters said that any disruption in SNAP benefits, even brief, “would threaten the food security and well-being of residents of the Bay State, disproportionately burdening seniors, children and individuals living with disabilities.” They noted that “more than 5,500 retailers in the state participate in SNAP, with purchases accounting for up to 20 percent of all grocery spending in some stores” and argued that “an interruption in benefits would destabilize local grocers, undermine jobs and cause cascading harm to farmers, fishers and food producers.” The House sent a letter to U.S. Sens. Ed Markey and Liz Warren urging them to work with their colleagues in the Senate to resolve the continuing impasse as quickly as possible. “As members of the Massachusetts Legislature, we are writing to express our deep concerns about the ongoing federal government shutdown’s detrimental impact on individuals and families,” reads the letter. “The consequences of the federal government shutdown are already having a far-reaching adverse impact on our constituents and their daily lives, but the problem is only going to get worse the longer this shutdown continues. Workers, including air traffic controllers and other essential employees, are going without pay or being furloughed. with about 25,000 federal employees in Massachusetts being impacted, among them members of our military. Small businesses that depend on government operations are also struggling, and our local economies are being placed under increasing strain.” The letter continues, “Because of the shutdown, people who depend on having a strong safety net in place are now bracing for the imminent disruption of vital federally funded food and nutrition programs, including SNAP and the Women, Infants & Children (WIC) Nutrition Program. In addition, more than 10,000 Massachusetts children are facing cuts in Head Start services, which are critical to promoting school readiness for preschoolers under the age of 5. The letter concludes, “The ongoing stalemate at the federal level is untenable and is creating significant hardships and uncertainty for many Americans. We cannot allow this situation to continue indefinitely without a resolution because far too many people are being hurt by Congress’ inaction. While both parties may disagree on certain policy priorities, maintaining the basic operations of government and protecting the people we serve should never be a partisan issue.” In the meantime, a federal judge in Boston ruled that the Trump administration must continue to fund SNAP as the government shutdown threatens food aid benefits for millions of Americans, ordering the White House to outline a plan to provide at least partial assistance starting Nov. 1. The ruling comes after a coalition of 25 states, including Massachusetts, sued to compel the administration to release the contingency funds for SNAP. Judge Indira Talwani of the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts said the administration’s suspension of benefits “is contrary to law,” noting that the U.S. Department of Agriculture is statutorily required to use previously appropriated SNAP contingency funds when necessary and has discretion to use other available funds. “Today’s court rulings affirm what we have known all along: the federal government must follow the law,” said Senate President Karen Spilka (D-Ashland). “It has both the responsibility and the means to ensure that no person in our great country goes hungry.” She urged the federal government to comply with the law and provide this essential funding. VETERANS DISABILITY LICENSE PLATE (H 3657) – The House gave initial approval to legislation that would amend the eligibility for disabled veterans to receive a veteran’s plate, without a charge, to include veterans who suffer from a mental disability by reason of service in the armed forces. “I filed this bill on behalf of a constituent who came to my office with a concern about the current policy on getting a Veterans Disability plate in Massachusetts,” said sponsor Rep. Rodney Elliott (D-Lowell). “They are a 100 percent disabled veteran with PTSD, and unable to obtain a plate under the current Registry of Motor Vehicles regulations, as they are not physically handicapped. Our veterans with mental health disorders face daily battles that are not always apparent to the outside world. By providing disability license plates tailored to their needs, we can offer a visible symbol of recognition and support, acknowledging the profound impact of their service. This simple yet powerful gesture can serve as a reminder to all that our veterans, regardless of their wounds, deserve our utmost respect and understanding.” PEER-TO-PEER CARD GAMES AND DOMINOES (H 3177) – The Revenue Committee held a hearing on a proposal that would create a new regulatory structure for and legalize peerto-peer cardrooms in which people play against each rather than the house. The measure would allow licensed “paBEACON | SEE PAGE 19

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