Beacon Hill Roll Call records local representatives’ and senators’ votes on roll calls from the week of June 17 to June 21.

Maternal health (H 4773)

The House, 153-0, approved and sent to the Senate a maternal health bill that would require certified professional midwives and lactation consultants to be licensed; encourage the creation of more freestanding birth centers; expand access to postpartum depression screenings; and raise awareness of pregnancy loss and perinatal mood and anxiety disorders.

“Today, I feel proud to stand with my colleagues in recognition of the autonomy of all birthing people to make important decisions about where they give birth — whether in a hospital, at home or in a birthing center — and ensure that all parents feel strong, empowered and in charge of their health at such a formative time in their lives,” said Rep. Kay Khan, D-Newton, a sponsor of the bill. “In passing this historic maternal health package, we have further elevated the midwifery model of care and moved mountains toward addressing the needs of all birthing people in the commonwealth, regardless of their race, ethnicity or socioeconomic status.”

“Today we are making a commitment to ensuring that every mother receives the care and support they need before, during and after childbirth,” said Rep. Pat Haddad, D-Somerset, a sponsor of the bill. “We are taking steps to eliminate the causes of infant mortality and improving maternal health outcomes of pregnancies for all birthing persons. This legislation tackles the root causes of maternal deaths and delivery complications.”

A “Yes” vote is for the bill.

Rep. Natalie Blais — Yes

Rep. Aaron Saunders — Yes

Ban single-use plastic bags and more (S 2830)

The Senate, 38-2, approved a bill that would ban single-use plastic bags; make straws and plastic utensils available by request only; require stores to charge 10 cents for recycled paper bags with 5 cents retained by the retailer and 5 cents used to fund environmental protection measures; make it easier to recycle; create a statewide program for recycling large plastic objects including car seats; prohibit single-use plastic bottle purchases by state agencies; require do-not-flush labeling for non-flushable wipes made of plastic; and implement statewide composting.

“From microplastics in our blood to plastic bags in our waterways to greenhouse gases in our air, plastics pollute and harm our people and planet,” said Sen. Becca Rausch, D-Needham, Senate chair of the Joint Committee on Environment. “The Plastics Reduction Act will prevent billions of single-use plastic bags, bottles, cutlery and wipes from clogging up our environment, pipes and landfills each year. This is a major win for our climate, our wildlife and our health.”

“Nothing we use for just a few minutes should pollute the environment for decades,” said Janet Domenitz, executive director of MASSPIRG. “Getting rid of single-use plastic bags, foodware and more will reduce plastic waste, cut down on litter and make a cleaner, greener future for everyone.”

“It’s burdensome on small businesses and creates increased cost at the grocery store and everyday living for consumers by having to pay an additional tax on paper bags and reusable bags,” said Sen. Ryan Fattman, R-Sutton, one of two senators who voted against the bill. “It also has no chance of passing through the Legislature because it’s unrealistic and out of touch.”

“I think it’s important to understand that when we talk about the pollution that occurs throughout the world, that we understand where this comes from,” said Sen. Peter Durant, R-Spencer, the other senator who voted against the bill. “Over 70% of all plastic pollution in the world today comes from Asia. The United States accounts for approximately 4% of the pollution, which is too much, I can give you that. I oppose this bill because the question becomes, what is the cost-to-benefit ratio that we’re talking about here? To what end do we want to cause businesses to cause families in Massachusetts to expend more for a diminishing return?”

A “Yes” vote is for the bill.

Sen. Joanne Comerford — Yes

Sen. Paul Mark — Yes

Make paper bag fee optional (S 2830)

The Senate, 8-30, rejected an amendment that would make the up-to-10-cent fee for paper bags optional for retailers to charge. The amendment would replace a section of the bill that requires stores to charge 10 cents for recycled paper bags with 5 cents retained by the retailer and 5 cents used to fund environmental protection measures.

Sen. Ryan Fattman, R-Sutton, said he “voted in favor of [the] amendment because it helps consumers and small business owners save money at a time when inflation is causing hardships for families and businesses alike.”

“I voted yes … because we have spent almost four years fighting inflation,” said Sen. Mike Moore, D-Millbury. “Just when prices are starting to stabilize, why would we impose a mandated cost increase on retail products? I believe we should leave it up to the retailer to decide if it makes sense to impose a fee on carryout paper bags.”

A “No” vote is against the amendment.

Sen. Joanne Comerford — No

Sen. Paul Mark — No

Require reporting (S 2830)

The Senate, 4-35, rejected an amendment that would require the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to report annually to the House, the Senate, and the Committee on Environment and Natural Resources on any increased rates of recycling that can be attributed to the provisions of the new plastics law.

“Creating a reporting system for the progress of this bill would give us an opportunity to evaluate the efficacy of the legislation over time,” said Sen. Ryan Fattman, R-Sutton, who voted for the amendment. “Reporting this data serves as a metric to tell us if this bill has done what it was purported to do. These are reasons why I voted in favor of this amendment.”

“The DEP already publishes an extensive report on waste management,” said Sen. Becca Rausch, D-Needham, who voted against the amendment. “They diligently produce annual reports, including a Recycling Market Development Action Plan. These reports are publicly available on the DEP website.”

A “No” vote is against the amendment.

Sen. Joanne Comerford — No

Sen. Paul Mark — No

Also up on Beacon HillRevenge porn and teen sexting (H 4744)

Gov. Maura Healey signed into law a bill that would prohibit the posting of sexually explicit images of another person online without their permission, commonly referred to as “revenge porn.” The practice is often used by ex-spouses or ex-partners. The measure was recently unanimously approved by the House and Senate.

Massachusetts was one of only two states that did not have a law about this crime. The measure establishes a sentence of up to 2.5 years in prison and/or a fine of up to $10,000; increases the upper limit of the fine for criminal harassment from $1,000 to $5,000; allows a victim to petition the court for a harassment prevention order against a person who has violated this statute; and extends the statute of limitations to pursue criminal charges for certain domestic violence offenses from six years to 15 years.

The measure adds coercive control to the definition of abuse. Coercive control is a nonphysical form of abuse that includes a pattern of behavior intended to threaten, intimidate, harass, isolate, control, coerce or compel compliance of a family or household member in a manner that causes the targeted individual to fear physical harm or to have a reduced sense of physical safety or autonomy. Examples of coercive control include threatening to share explicit images, regulating or monitoring a family or household member’s communications and access to services, and isolating a family or household member from friends or relatives.

Another provision changes current law under which minors, under 18 years of age, who share explicit images of themselves or other minors, can be charged with violating Massachusetts child pornography laws and be required to register with the Sex Offender Registry. The bill allows minors to be diverted to an educational program that would provide them with information about the consequences of posting or transmitting indecent visual depictions of minors.

Prohibit sale of dogs, cats and rabbits in new pet stores (S 2820)

The House gave initial approval to a bill that would prohibit pet shops opened after Jan. 1, 2025 from offering dogs, cats and rabbits for sale. Pet shops existing prior to Jan. 1, 2025 would be exempt.

The new law would allow new pets shops to offer space to an animal rescue or shelter organization to showcase dogs, cats or rabbits for adoption as long as the pet shop does not have an ownership interest in the animals offered for adoption. The bill imposes a penalty of $1,000 for a first offense, $2,500 for a second offense and $5,000 for third and subsequent offenses.

“This legislation moving forward marks a significant step toward ending the puppy-mill-to-pet-shop pipeline, ensuring the protection of both animals and consumers alike,” said sponsor Sen. Patrick O’Connor, R-Weymouth. “We are taking a stand against the promotion of animal cruelty, which is often overlooked, and I am confident that we will soon join our neighboring northeastern states in putting a stop to this inhumane practice by law. I am proud to be the primary sponsor of this bill and will continue to tirelessly advocate against the abuse of animals and for their protection as some of the most vulnerable members of our community.”

“Typically, pet shops obtain animals from substandard breeding facilities, which results in consumers unknowingly purchasing sick or genetically compromised pets,” noted Rep. Natalie Higgins, D-Leominster.

Require adaptive beam headlight technology (H 3419)

The House gave initial approval to a bill that would require all new automobiles sold in the state after Jan. 1, 2026 to be equipped with adaptive beam headlight technology that is currently used in other parts of the world including Europe, China and Canada.

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Adaptive Driving Beam Headlight Systems (ADBs) use automatic headlight beam switching technology to shine less light on occupied areas of the road and more light on unoccupied areas. The adaptive beam is particularly useful for distance illumination of pedestrians, animals and objects without reducing the visibility of drivers in other vehicles.

As a CNN report noted, “Imagine if you could drive at night with your high beams on all the time, bathing the road ahead in bright light but without ever blinding other drivers.’ That’s what ADB accomplishes.”

“The legislation seeks to address the problem with overly bright headlights,” said sponsor Rep. Lindsay Sabadosa, D-Northampton. “There is no shortage of news articles that speak to the growing problem of overly bright headlights on the highways of Massachusetts. While they improve driver safety in some respects, they also blind oncoming traffic, which does not help with road safety. A solution is adaptive headlight technology or smart headlights.

“The American Automobile Association research found ADBs illuminate the road 86% better than current headlight technology but without the glare,” Sabadosa continued. “Smart headlights make about 5,000 adjustments per second to curve light around the part of the road already lit up by an oncoming car. So, there’s no direct beam in the other driver’s face.”

Illegal fireworks (H 3634)

The House gave initial approval to legislation that would amend current law that imposes a fine between $10 and $100 on anyone convicted of illegal possession or use of fireworks. The bill would increase the penalty, in areas with a population density of 1,000 or more persons per square mile, to a fine of between $200 and $500 and/or a prison sentence or up to six months.

Free weights in prisons (H 2422)

The House gave initial approval to a measure that would require superintendents of medium- and maximum-security prisons to block inmates from accessing free weights or any other exercise equipment that is not secured.

Sponsor Rep. Steven Xiarhos, R-Barnstable, said the bill is named “Matt’s Law” in honor of Corrections Officer Matthew Tidman, who was brutally assaulted in 2022 by a prison inmate who used free weights from a prison gym facility as a weapon.

“I am proud to have filed the bill … this session and I believe its protections are necessary to keep our correction officers safe at work,” Xiarhos said. “These brave men and women risk their safety for us every day and it is important for us to have their back.”

Expand Nero’s Law (H 2423)

The House gave initial approval to another Xiarhos proposal that would expand Nero’s Law, passed in 2022, that requires EMS personnel to provide basic emergency treatment to a police dog and use an ambulance to transport the dog injured in the line of duty to a veterinary clinic or veterinary hospital, if there are not people requiring emergency medical treatment or transport at that time. That law was passed following the tragic death of Yarmouth Police Sgt. Sean Gannon who was shot and killed in the line of duty. His K-9 partner Nero was severely injured and had to be rushed to the animal hospital in the back of a police cruiser. Nero survived.

The bill permits not just basic emergency medical treatment, but also advanced life support care as an option by those properly trained, if available and necessary.

“We passed Nero’s Law a couple of years ago in honor of K-9 Nero, and as a lasting tribute to fallen Yarmouth Police Sgt. Sean Gannon, who was killed in the line of duty in the same incident where Nero was injured,” Xiarhos said. “Law enforcement depends on police dogs to keep the public safe in dangerous situations. It’s the least we can do to make sure that these dogs receive proper emergency medical care if they are injured through their work.”

Master plans (H 3396)

The House gave initial approval to a bill that would require that cities and towns include a Transportation Demand Management (TDM) element in their master plans. Sponsors say that TDM studies policies aimed at giving people effective, reliable transportation options, often by spreading travel across modes, locations, routes and times of day. The measure also emphasizes collaboration with Transportation Management Associations (TMAs) to reduce congestion and improve mobility.

Supporters said that TDM and TMA options can help improve transportation equity by allocating resources to under-served groups, including non-drivers, and reduce negative impacts from driving, such as congestion, noise, air pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions. They argued that implementing TDM policies is often less expensive for cities and towns than vehicle-centric options such as expanding roads and parking facilities.

“Massachusetts has some of the worst traffic congestion in the world. Too often, transportation planning is done on a project-by-project basis rather than as part of a holistic, municipality or regional basis,” said sponsor Rep. Steven Owens, D-Watertown. “[My bill] fixes that.”