No subscription needed for Obituaries and Public Notices      

Beacon Hill Roll Call

Copyright © 2013 Beacon Hill Roll Call. All Rights Reserved. BHRC welcomes feedback at bob@beaconhillrollcall.com

"PAIRING" VOTES

If your local state senator is one of the following-- Sens. Gale Candaras, Sal DeDomenico, Jamie Eldridge or Richard Moore-this explanation of "paired" voting may be of interest.

A "pairing" process, used only in the Senate, is a procedure that allows an absent senator to express how he or she would have voted on a roll call. Under the arrangement, the absent senator contacts a senator who is present and plans to vote the opposite way. The present senator agrees to "pair" his or her vote with the vote of the absent senator. Neither vote is counted in the official total--they cancel each other out. This process allows both senators to be unofficially recorded on the roll call.

During the week of June 17-21, the House met for a total of 13 hours and 42 minutes while the Senate met for a total of nine hours and 54 minutes. Groton's representatives' votes on major action take was as follows:

"OBAMACARE" (H 3452)

House approved 118-32 and sent to the Senate a bill making many changes to state health care laws in an effort to bring Massachusetts into compliance with the omnibus federal health care law, also known as Obamacare.

Supporters said the changes are necessary to comply with federal law. They argued that these changes, combined with the state's own health care reform law, which was approved in 2006, will make Massachusetts a model among the states for expanding health care coverage and reducing costs.

Opponents took issue with many of the changes, but the most frequent objection expressed was that the federal government is usurping the state's power by forcing these changes on the Bay State.

Rep. Sheila Harrington: No

WELFARE CHANGES (S 1805)

Senate approved 37-1 a bill making many changes in the state's welfare system. The measure requires photos on Electronic Bank Transfer (EBT) cards, a victory for long-time advocates of this requirement. It also mandates that applicants search for a job prior to receiving cash assistance. Current law gives recipients a 60-day window after they start receiving benefits before they are required to look for employment.

Other provisions include reducing the amount of time any applicant can collect welfare benefits without a social security number from the current six months to three months; increased penalties for illegal trafficking in EBT cards; reducing from 30 to seven the number of days a welfare recipient is allowed to be out of state before he or she loses his or her benefits; and increasing from 60 to 66 the age at which recipients would be exempt from the work requirement.

Supporters said this long overdue overhaul of the welfare system is firm, fair and honest and will crack down on welfare abuse while offering many poor people a road to economic independence.

The lone opponent took issue with several of the changes, including the controversial photo ID requirement. She said the bill goes too far and will hurt many families and elderly and disabled persons.

Sen. Eileen Donoghue: Yes

ALSO UP ON BEACON HILL

MAKE CHEERLEADING A SPORT (H 445) -

The Education Committee heard testimony from former and current cheerleaders on a bill that would encourage all school committees to recognize cheerleading as an interscholastic sport and to adopt policies that promote equal opportunities and funding.

Supporters testified that cheerleading should be taken seriously as a sport. They noted that recognition will lead to better training facilities, a higher standard for coaching staff and safer cheerleading equipment.

MOSQUITOES (H 757)

The Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture Committee has given a favorable report to a bill that would give municipal public works employees the authority to drop non-toxic pesticide pellets into storm drains which have been shown to be breeding grounds for mosquitoes. Officials are hoping this will help reduce the number of West Nile virus and Eastern Equine Encephalitis cases which plagued the state last summer.

WILL MASSACHUSETTS HOST SUMMER OLYMPICS? (S 1623)

The Joint Committee on Tourism, Arts and Cultural Development gave a favorable report to bill creating a commission to study the feasibility of Massachusetts hosting a future Summer Olympic Games.

BALLOT LISTING (S 338)

The Election Laws Committee held a hearing on a bill prohibiting the use of the word "incumbent" next to a candidate's name on local and state ballots and replacing the word "unenrolled" with "independent" when referring to a candidate without a party affiliation. The measure also would require that candidates be listed on the ballot in an order determined by a random lottery. Current law requires incumbents to be listed first, followed by an alphabetical listing of candidates of established political parties and then an alphabetical list of non-party candidates.

Groton Herald

Mailing Address
P.O. Box 610, Groton, Massachusetts 01450
 

Office
145 Main Street, Groton, Massachusetts 014510
[Prescott Community Center]
 

Telephone: 978-448-6061
 

Comment Here