Beacon Hill Roll Call records local representatives’ and senators’ votes on roll calls from the week of March 20 to March 24.

$388.6 million supplemental budget (H 3548)

The House, 153 to 0, and the Senate, 39 to 0, approved and sent to Gov. Maura Healey a $388.6 million fiscal year 2023 supplemental budget. The House and Senate approved different versions a few weeks ago, but agreed on this new version last week.

Provisions include $65 million for free school meals; $130 million to keep expanded nutrition assistance in place for a few more months; $2 million for the reimbursement of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for victims of benefit theft; $250,000 for a free abortion-related legal hotline; $45 million for emergency shelter assistance; $40 million to support affordable housing for immigrants and refugees; and $2 million for the Boston branch of the NAACP for costs of some programs to be included in its 114th National NAACP Conference in Boston.

Other provisions keep some pandemic-era programs, set to expire, in place, including allowing restaurants to sell beer, wine and cocktails for takeout; expanding outdoor dining; and extending the authority for public bodies, agencies and commissions to hold their meetings remotely.

“This supplemental budget ensures that our commonwealth continues to support the most vulnerable among us while also building on the lessons we learned during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Senate President Karen Spilka, D-Ashland. “I’m proud to say that the Legislature has proven once again that it has the courage to chart a course that leaves no place or person in the commonwealth behind.”

“I’m proud that, among several critical investments, this supplemental budget provides support for many of the most vulnerable residents and communities in Massachusetts through funding for free school lunches, financial assistance to homeless shelters facing an increase in their migrant population and extended enhanced SNAP benefits,” said House Speaker Ron Mariano, D-Quincy.

A “Yes” vote is for the $388.6 million supplemental budget.

Rep. Natalie Blais — Yes

Rep. Aaron Saunders — Yes

Rep. Susannah Whipps — Yes

Sen. Joanne Comerford — Yes

Sen. Anne Gobi — Yes

Sen. Paul Mark — Yes

$350 million for roads, bridges (H 3547)

The House, 153 to 0, approved and sent to the Senate a bill that includes authorizing $200 million in one-time funding for the maintenance and repair of local roads and bridges. The total $350 million package, a bond bill under which the funding would be borrowed by the state through the sale of bonds, also includes $150 million to pay for bus lane improvements, improvement of public transit services, electric vehicles and other state transportation projects.

Supporters said the funding will help cities and towns make their streets and bridges safer for all drivers and will improve the state’s public transportation system. They noted that this funding, known as Chapter 90, is relied on every year by local communities.

Rep. Bill Strauss, D-Mattapoisett, House chair of the Transportation Committee and sponsor of the bill, did not respond to repeated requests from Beacon Hill Roll Call for a comment on passage of the measure.

Many local officials continue to advocate for additional money and argue that the cost of repairing roads has increased by up to 40% but the state has kept this funding flat at $200 million for the past 11 years.

Geoff Beckwith, executive director of the Massachusetts Municipal Association, is one of the biggest advocates for more Chapter 90 funding above the $200 million.

“With the construction season starting in a matter of days, local officials are asking lawmakers to enact the Chapter 90 bill as soon as possible so that these funds can go to work improving local roadways,” he said. “With these funds secured as a base, cities and towns hope to work with the state on a long-range plan to offset the corrosive impacts of inflation, which is making it impossible to bring all 30,000 miles of local roads into a state of good repair.”

A “Yes” vote is for the $350 million package.

Rep. Natalie Blais — Yes

Rep. Aaron Saunders — Yes

Rep. Susannah Whipps — Yes

Also up on Beacon HillLegislature audit

State Auditor Diana DiZoglio announced a few weeks ago that she has launched an audit of the Massachusetts Legislature — something she promised in her campaign.

“As I committed, my office has begun an audit of the state Legislature,” DiZoglio said. “We hope this will increase transparency, accountability and equity in an area of state government that has been completely ignored. Historically, the Legislature has been a closed-door operation, where committee votes have been hidden from the general public and legislation has been voted on in the dark of night.”

Last week, House Speaker Ron Mariano, D-Quincy, finally responded to DiZoglio’s announcement.

“That your office has the legal authority to conduct an audit of the General Court is a claim entirely without legal support or precedent, as it runs contrary to multiple, explicit provisions of the Massachusetts Constitution, and is wholly unnecessary as the public currently has full and ready access to the House’s financial information,” Mariano wrote in a letter to DiZoglio.

“All of the House’s accounts are available on the commonwealth’s Financial Records Transparency Platform webpage, which can be viewed at macomptroller.org/cthru,” the letter continues. “There are no expenditures of the House that are not posted on CTHRU and available for public inspection. Additionally, the House adopts rules for each legislative session, including a rule that requires all House accounts to be independently audited on an annual basis in accordance with auditing standards generally accepted in the United States of America and the standards applicable to financial audits contained in Government Auditing Standards, issued by the Comptroller General of the United States, and that the audit report be filed with the House clerk for public inspection.”

Following receipt of the letter, DiZoglio released a statement: “I find it disappointing that the speaker is fighting an audit of what is happening in the people’s House, where the people’s business is conducted, using the people’s money. We are not asking for permission and will continue conducting our audit as planned to help increase transparency, accountability and equity for everyday families.”

Child care tax credit (S 1814)

A measure before the Revenue Committee would allow up to a $3,000 annual tax credit for families that spend money on child care services. The child care servicer must be a provider licensed by the state to qualify for the tax credit and the child receiving child care services must be a dependent of the taxpayer.

Sponsor Sen. Ryan Fattman, R-Sutton, did not respond to repeated requests by Beacon Hill Roll Call to comment on his proposal.

Allow non-citizens to manage the sale of alcohol (S 206)

A bill before the Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure Committee would allow non-citizens who are legally in the United States to be appointed manager on a license for the sale of alcoholic beverages. Under current law, these managers must be U.S. citizens and are also required to be on the premises at least 40 hours per week.

“This legislation was filed after a few restaurants … reached out and brought this issue to my attention,” said sponsor Sen. Patrick O’Connor, R-Weymouth. “Considering a significant portion of food industry employees are legal immigrants, it makes sense to allow them to be able to compete for these types of positions. Managerial positions are crucial to the success of any business, and this change would put Massachusetts in line with many other states and allow restaurants to expand their pool of qualified applicants.”

Massachusetts Caucus of Women Legislators’ top five priorities

The Massachusetts Caucus
of Women Legislators announced its top five legislative priorities for the 2023-2024 legislative session:

Salaries of human services workers (H 191 and S 84): Would eliminate disparities between pay rates for human services workers employed directly by the state and those employed by private agencies and companies with state contracts.

Salary transparency (H 1849 and S 1191): Would require employers to disclose the salary range when advertising a job position.

Increase access to menstrual products (H 534 and S 1381): Would increase access to disposable menstrual products in prisons, homeless shelters and public schools.

Postpartum depression screening (H 2163 and S 1375): Would require MassHealth to provide coverage for postpartum depression screenings by pediatricians for 12 months.

Allow use of campaign funds for child care for candidates for public office (H 669 and S 422): Would allow a candidate for public office to use campaign funds for child care while the candidate is campaigning on his or her own behalf or attending events related to the campaign.

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