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THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – WEDnESDAy, nOVEmbEr 26, 2025 Page 17 Beacon Hill Roll Call Volume 50 - Report No. 47 November 17-21, 2025 Copyright © 2025 Beacon Hill Roll Call. All Rights Reserved. By Bob Katzen T HE HOUSE AND SENATE: Beacon Hill Roll Call records local representatives’ and senators’ votes on roll calls from the week of November 17-21. $2.3 BILLION SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET (H 4761) House 149-9, Senate 38-0, approved and sent to Gov. Maura Healey a $2.3 billion fi scal year 2025 budget to close out the books on fi scal year 2025. Provisions include $1.67 billion for MassHealth, with a $303 million net cost to the state after federal reimbursements; $374 million for Steward hospital payments, with a $236 million net cost to the state; $10 million for Health Care For All to conduct a public awareness campaign to inform vulnerable populations about new Medicaid work requirements put in place by the recent federal spending bill; $5 million in for reproductive health care; $2.5 million for the Committee for Public Counsel Services for indigent persons; $60.7 million for snow and ice removal; and $50 million for the Housing Preservation and Stabilization Trust Fund. Other provisions require an investigation into sheriff s’ fi scal year 2025 spending defi cits; create a new Sports and Entertainment Fund initially provided with $10 million to support transportation, public safety and other costs related to Massachusetts’ seven 2026 FIFA World Cup matches; criminalize the impersonation of a federal offi cer and increase penalties for impersonating a public offi cial, including a federal offi - cer; protect unpaid federal employees from residential eviction or foreclosure during and immediately after any federal shutdown; and remove the automatic requirement of a public notice for name-change petitions fi led in court. “This closeout supplemental budget effectively closes the books on fi scal year 2025 by following through on our commitments across the health care, education and public safety sectors,” said Sen. Mike Rodrigues (D-Westport), Chair of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means. “Besides responsibly wrapping up the last fi scal year, our bill takes meaningful action such as providing for technological upgrades to the delivery of SNAP benefi ts to our residents, penalizing the impersonation of a federal agent and protecting federal workers from evictions or foreclosures during a government shutdown. This agreement not only reflects our priorities, but also responsibly reconciles spending gaps and puts the fi scal year to bed.” “This supplemental budget will close the books on fiscal year 2025 in a balanced and fi scally responsible manner,” said Rep. Aaron Michlewitz (D-Boston), Chair of the House Committee on Ways and Means. “By making critical investments into much needed programs in health care, education and housing to name a few, the commonwealth will be in a strong fi scal position for fi scal year 2026 and beyond.” “Beacon Hill is once again using a closeout bill to expand government costs without addressing the underlying fi scal issues driving them,” said Paul Craney, executive director of the Mass Fiscal Alliance which opposed the budget. “Lawmakers approved more spending for free inmate phone calls while quietly pumping another $50 million into rental assistance, a growing cost burden driven in large part by the state’s shifting costs from the self-inflicted migrant shelter crisis. Instead of shifting money around to paper over the problem, the Legislature should confront the policies that created these unsustainable obligations. Taxpayers deserve accountability and a long-term plan, not another round of reactive spending.” None of the nine representatives who voted against the budget responded to repeated requests by Beacon Hill Roll Call asking them why they voted against it. Those nine representatives are Reps. Donald Berthiaume (R-Spencer), Nicholas Boldyga (R-Southwick), Colleen Garry (D-Dracut), John Gaskey (R-Carver), Marc Lombardo (R-Billerica), Joseph McKenna (R-Sutton), Alyson Sullivan-Almeida (R-Abington), Kenneth Sweezey (R-Hanson) and Justin Thurber (R-Somerset). (A Yes” vote is for the budget. A “No” vote is against it.) Rep. Jessica Giannino Yes Rep. Donald Wong Yes Sen. Brendan Crighton Yes RESCIND CALLS FOR A CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION (H 4692/S 2684) House 155-3, Senate 34-4, approved resolutions which would rescind all previous calls by the Massachusetts Legislature for a national Constitutional Convention under Article V of the U.S. Constitution. This action makes Massachusetts the 17th state to rescind all prior applications for an Article V convention and reaffi rms that any constitutional decisions should refl ect the will of today’s elected lawmakers and the people they represent. An Article V convention is a process outlined in the U.S. Constitution allowing states to propose constitutional amendments if two-thirds (34) of state legislatures call for it. Supporters of the resolutions said such a convention could open the entire Constitution to unpredictable changes, as there are no clear guidelines or limitations on what delegates could propose. They noted that while an Article V convention has never been called before in American history, there is recent conservative momentum to add up all active resolutions to meet the two-thirds threshold. Supporters said the resolutions are in response to concerns that Congress and the Trump Administration could attempt to use prior Massachusetts resolutions to call for a Constitutional Convention to advance their own political agenda, moves that could have broad and sweeping implications on current protections under the U.S. Constitution. “Given the uncertainty surrounding an Article V convention, such a process could present a serious threat to the U.S. Constitution, our democracy and the civil rights and liberties that are the foundation of our nation,” said House sponsor Assistant Majority Leader Rep. BEACON | SEE PAGE 18 Say nr Sa a y Senior Seni by Jim Miller Understanding Social Security Spousal Benefi ts Dear Savvy Senior, How do Social Security spousal benefi ts work? My wife, who’s approaching age 62, has had a few small-paying jobs over the years, but spent most of her time as a homemaker. What is she entitled to? Primary Breadwinner Dear Breadwinner, Spousal benefi t questions are among the most frequently asked and confusing parts of Social Security. The rules that govern qualifying and claiming are knotty, and there are many exceptions. But understanding how these benefi ts work is crucial for maximizing your family’s retirement income. Here’s what you should know. What Are Spousal Benefi ts? Social Security spousal benefi ts are designed to provide retirement income to spouses who either didn’t work or worked sporadically/part-time and earned signifi - cantly less than their spouses over their working lifetime. A stay-athome parent is a good example of a spousal benefi t recipient. Who’s Qualifi es? To qualify for spousal benefi ts, you and your wife must meet three conditions: Your wife must be at least age 62; you must be married for a year or more; and you must already be collecting your retirement benefi ts. Different rules apply for ex-spouses. Ex-spouses (if you were married for at least 10 years and are not remarried) can receive a spousal benefit based on an ex-spouse’s record even if your ex has not yet fi led for their own benefi ts, but your ex must be age 62 or older. How Much Are Spousal Benefi ts? The amount your wife would get for spousal benefi ts will depend on your earning’s history and her claiming age. The maximum spousal benefi t is 50 percent of your Primary Insurance Amount (PIA), which is that amount you’re entitled to at full retirement age benefi t (FRA). But your wife will only get that much if she waits until her full retirement age to fi le, which is 67 if she was born in 1960 or later. Unfortunately, spousal benefi ts cannot be increased by her waiting beyond FRA, but they are reduced by taking them early. So, for example, if your wife were to start collecting her spousal benefi ts at age 62 (the earliest possible age), she would collect only 32.5 percent of your PIA. To calculate exactly how much your wife’s spousal benefi ts would be reduced by taking them before her FRA see SSA.gov/OACT/ quickcalc/spouse.html. You also need to know that because spousal benefi ts are based on your PIA, even if you (the primary earner) retire early, before you reach your FRA, your wife’s spousal benefit will not be reduced. Just as they will not increase if you delay claiming your benefi ts beyond your FRA. You should also note that if your wife worked and is entitled to benefi ts on her own work record, but it’s less than what she’s entitled to as a spouse, Social Security will pay her the higher of the two amounts, but not both. Survivor Benefi ts In addition to spousal benefi ts Social Security also pays survivor benefits to spouses and ex-spouses starting at age 60 (50 if disabled). So, if your wife outlives you, she’ll be able to switch from her spousal benefi ts to survivor benefi ts and receive a higher payment. Survivor benefi ts range between 71.5 and 100 percent of the deceased’s benefi t, based on your wife’s age when she claims. There is, however, one exception. Surviving spouses and ex-spouses that are caring for a child (or children) of the deceased worker, and they are under age 16 or disabled, are eligible to receive 75 percent of the worker’s benefi t amount at any age. Online Calculators There are several online calculators that can help you and your wife fi gure out the best time to claim your benefi ts to ensure you get the highest possible lifetime payout. One that’s completely free to use OpenSocialSecurity. com. Or for a more thorough analysis use MaximizeMySocialSecurity.com. This tool, which costs $49 for a year, will run what-if scenarios based on your circumstances to fi nd your best strategy. Send your questions or comments to questions@savvysenior.org, or to Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070. nior ior

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