With today’s edition, the Greenfield Recorder begins coverage of the 2023-2024 Massachusetts legislative session with the weekly Beacon Hill Roll Call report. This feature is a concise compilation of the voting records of local state representatives and senators.

Beacon Hill Roll Call provides an unbiased summary of bills and amendments, arguments from floor debate on both sides of the issue and each legislator’s vote or lack of vote on the matter. This information gives readers an opportunity to monitor their elected officials’ actions at the State House. Many bills are reported on in their early stages, giving readers the opportunity to contact their legislators and express an opinion prior to the measure being brought up for final action.

The feature “Also Up on Beacon Hill” informs readers of other important matters at the State House.

Beacon Hill Roll Call is written and provided by Bob Katzen, a former Boston radio talk show host at WRKO, WITS and WMRE. Bob has been providing this feature to hundreds of newspapers across Massachusetts since 1975.

The House and Senate

Last week was full of activity on Beacon Hill. The Legislature approved and sent to then-Gov. Charlie Baker, before his term was up, several bills passed on voice votes, without roll calls, prior to the end of the 2021-2022 session on Tuesday, Jan. 3.

The Legislature convened the 2023-2024 session on Wednesday, Jan. 4. Much of the day’s activities were ceremonial including the swearing-in of state senators and representatives. The only roll call votes were on the election of a speaker of the House and Senate president. The day also featured a farewell speech by outgoing Gov. Charlie Baker.

One senator and two representatives were not present at the opening session. Beacon Hill Roll Call asked each one why they were absent.

Rep. Patricia Haddad, D-Somerset, said she was in the emergency room with her husband.

Rep. Erica Uyterhoeven, D-Somerville) said she was ill.

A spokesperson for Sen. Mike Rush, D-Boston, said that Rush had a minor medical issue.

On Thursday, Jan. 5, newly elected Gov. Maura Healey and Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll were sworn into office.

House reelects Mariano as speaker

The House, 131 to 25, reelected Rep. Ron Mariano, D-Quincy, as speaker of the House. Rep. Bradley Jones, R-North Reading, was reelected as the GOP minority leader.

Here’s how local representatives voted:

Rep. Natalie Blais — Voted for Mariano

Rep. Susannah Whipps — Voted for Mariano

Senate reelects Spilka as president

The Senate, 36 to 3, reelected Sen. Karen Spilka, D-Ashland, as Senate president. Sen. Bruce Tarr, R-Gloucester, was reelected as the GOP minority leader.

Here’s how local senators voted:

Sen. Joanne Comerford — Voted for Spilka

Sen. Anne Gobi — Voted for Spilka

Sen. Paul Mark — Voted for Spilka

Also up on Beacon HillReduced traffic fatalities and protect pedestrians, bicyclists (H 5103)

Gov. Baker signed into law a bill that would protect vulnerable road users, which includes pedestrians, construction workers, emergency responders, bicyclists, skateboarders, roller skaters and wheelchair users. A key provision requires vehicle drivers, when passing a vulnerable user, to pass at a safe distance of not less than 4 feet.

Other provisions include establishing a process to request the lowering of the default speed limit to 25 mph on state highways in a community; clarifying the process for modifying special limits that apply on some roads; requiring higher-visibility mirrors and lateral sideguards on certain state-owned, state-operated and state-contracted trucks; creating a uniform reporting tool for crashes involving a pedestrian or cyclist; and requiring bicyclists to have red rear lights.

“This bill reflects over 10 years of collaborative effort among people who care about road safety,” said sponsor Sen. Will Brownsberger, D-Belmont. “I’m so glad we could get it to the governor’s desk again. I feel the final bill is as strong as what we originally submitted. It will save lives on the roads.”

Theft of catalytic converters (S 3169)

Gov. Baker signed into law legislation that would create a “chain of custody” for used catalytic converter sales. A catalytic converter is a device that converts the environmentally hazardous exhaust emitted by a vehicle’s engine into less harmful gases. The measure requires the buyer to keep records of each converter purchased, which vehicle it was removed from and who the seller was. These records would be made available upon request to law enforcement.

Supporters explained that several communities have seen a rise in catalytic converter thefts because the converters use platinum, palladium or rhodium to operate. According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, the values of the precious metals inside catalytic converters have skyrocketed. As of March 2022, rhodium is valued at $20,000 per ounce; palladium at $2,938 per ounce; and platinum at $1,128 per ounce. For thieves, this means a catalytic converter might be a better score than the average wedding band or gold watch.

“Catalytic theft is an epidemic,” said House sponsor Rep. Steve Howitt, R-Seekonk. “It is not only very costly to the vehicle owner, if they do not have comprehensive insurance, it creates an inconvenience to have repairs done. I’m very pleased that the House and Senate worked together for this timely and important bill that benefits all the citizens of the commonwealth.”

“Many scrapyards and black-market buyers have an open call out for catalytic converters, which they turn around and sell to metal recyclers,” says the Cavallo and Signoriello Insurance Agency in Massachusetts. “Ten years ago, a thief could earn between $20 and $200 per stolen converter. Today, thanks to the spike in the value of these metals, that range is more like $300 to $850, for just a few minutes of work.”

Care for pregnant, postpartum mothers (S 2731)

Gov. Baker signed into law a bill that would ensure that pregnant and postpartum mothers get necessary and potentially life-saving health care by extending MassHealth insurance coverage to 12 months after pregnancy. MassHealth is the state’s Medicaid program that provides health care for low-income residents and people with disabilities.

Supporters said that according to a recent report released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the number of women identified as having died of maternal causes in the United States rose from 658 in 2018 to 861 in 2020, with the maternal death rate for Black women reaching an alarming 55.3 deaths per 100,000 live births.

“I am proud that Massachusetts has taken another step to combat inequities in maternal health,” said Sen. Joan Lovely, D-Salem, the lead Senate sponsor of the measure. “By extending postpartum health care coverage to a full year, parents will be able to access vital physical and behavioral health resources that will decrease mortality and severe morbidity and improve the overall health of parent and child.”

Prohibit revocation of professional licenses (H 5195)

On Nov. 21, the House and Senate approved and sent to then-Gov. Baker legislation that would repeal a state law outlining professional licensure consequences for anyone who defaults on a student loan. Under existing law, a borrower’s state-issued professional or occupational certificate, registration or license could be suspended, revoked or canceled if the borrower defaults on an education loan.

Baker proposed an amendment to the bill on Dec. 1. His amendment would allow the Division of Banks to consider student loan defaults to ensure that the division retains the discretion it has always applied when assessing an applicant’s fitness to provide consumer financial services to prospective borrowers.

“Precluding the Division of Banks from reviewing credit reports as part of its evaluation of an individual’s financial responsibility for a financial services license could ultimately result in harm to consumers,” Baker said.

The House and Senate had more than a month to act on the governor’s amendment but did not do so. As a result, the bill died on Jan. 3, the final day of the 2021-2022 session.

“This is a commonsense bill that not only helps a student practice their profession but it is also likely to help a student earn enough money to pay off any outstanding student debt,” said co-sponsor Sen. Jamie Eldridge, D-Acton. “I was hoping the bill would make it to the governor’s desk, and wish he had not filed an amendment to the already-passed bill.”

Expand civil service option (S 1661)

The House and Senate both approved a bill that would allow legislative governing bodies of cities and towns the option to expand the definition of local residency for civil service hiring to include anyone who earned a high school diploma from a school in that municipality. Neither branch gave the measure final approval.

“This legislation could aid municipalities in their efforts to draw from a diverse pool of applicants for police and fire department jobs, and provide additional career opportunities for students who become part of a local community by attending and graduating from its high school,” said sponsor Sen. Will Brownsberger, D-Belmont, who said he plans to refile the bill in the 2023-2024 session.

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