Bringing Beacon Hill to You

Another Senate Budget in the books, new gambling legislation on the horizon, and a month of reflection on the sacrifices made by our veterans community. Here's a look at some of our legislative priorities and ongoing focuses that my office was working on in April.

The Budget...............................................

Not even a late-night fire alarm could stop the Senate from passing its version of the FY25 Budget.  



The spending bill passed just after midnight on May 24, after a malfunctioning fire sprinkler required legislators and staff to evacuate the State House for about half an hour. In the end, we approved a $57.9 billion financial plan addressing current needs and emerging priorities for our Commonwealth.  

The Senate’s budget debate provided an important platform to discuss one of my biggest objectives for the next legislative session. 

 

During the debate, I addressed the Senate in support of the three amendments I filed to respond to increasing rates of problem gambling in Massachusetts. As mentioned above, one of these amendments was successful. The Senate failed to adopt the other two: a proposed excise tax increase for gambling companies (bringing our rate to the same level used in nearby states), and a study on the link between gambling and suicide.  

Unlike the Senate’s budget, the Governor’s proposed budget and the House’s version included provisions to create an online version of the Massachusetts Lottery. Given the possibility that an online lottery could be approved and seeing efforts across the country to permit online casino gambling, I firmly believe that we must assess the overall impacts of online gambling and make sure the industry is properly regulated to protect the individuals and the public at-large from the risks of compulsive gambling.  

Essentially, this issue centers on consumer protection and public health. Rarely have billion-dollar corporations cared about either, which makes the need for governmental action essential. Companies should not have the right to prey upon individuals susceptible to problem gambling. 

The Commonwealth must direct more funding and resources for treatment and put in place restrictions on gaming companies comparable to what we see in industries like cannabis and alcohol.  



Looking ahead to the next legislative session, I will be considering filing a variety of gambling related bills.  

While Memorial Day has so firmly been accepted and celebrated as the unofficial start of summer, it is so very important to continue to experience it as an occasion to reflect on the sacrifices made to protect the freedoms and institutions we all hold so dear. Over the past few weeks, I traveled across the district, joining others in honoring those incredible sacrifices.

  

In each town are different names and different families remembered, honored, and celebrated in different ways. There was the Island of Flags ceremony in Quincy, and the Memorial Day services held by Braintree Veterans Services at Blue Hills Cemetary’s Garden of Honor. In Abington, I took part in the Memorial Day ceremony at Mount Vernon Cemetery, and later attended Boy Scout Troop 38’s pancake breakfast in Hanover. The observances concluded with Quincy’s annual parade and memorial ceremony at Mount Wollaston Cemetery.

May also holds the distinction of being Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, which I celebrated by visiting some of the fantastic Asian-owned businesses that have been serving the City of Quincy for decades. My staff and I stopped by Kimarie Beauty Salon in Wollaston, visited Shanghai Tailor in North Quincy, and picked up pastries from Seyu Mack Tenn Bakery. I also enjoyed attending the AAPI Month dinner hosted by the Chinese American Association of Braintree. 

. Just a Quick Story...........................

A quick update, then a quick story: 

The Update: The Conference Committee tasked with reconciling the differences between the House and Senate’s versions of the Revenge Porn Bill has begun meeting. As the Senate Chair of the Committee, I am confident that we will have a version ready for Gov. Maura Healey to sign into law before August 1.  

The Story: The budget is typically a long debate over what we should or should not spend money on. This year, we had a fantastic reprieve from the traditional proceedings.  

Millie Cox is among the most remarkable visitors to the Senate Chamber in recent memory. Publicly, she holds many distinctions, including being Quincy’s newest centenarian and being among our nation’s first female Marines. Indeed, when she enlisted in the Marine Corps toward the end of WWII, she went to a basic training camp where there were only 21 women compared to 3,000 men. 

Personally, Millie somehow manages to outpace all of these amazing accomplishments. Her positivity, humor, and kindness inspire all who meet her. 



I felt deeply honored to introduce her in the Senate Chamber during the budget debate, where she received honors from the Legislature, the Massachusetts Secretary of Executive Office of Veterans Services, and U.S. Marine Corps. Later that same day, she met with Lieutenant Governor Driscoll. (I loved it when Millie asked the Lieutenant Governor if she could call her Kim. The Lt. Governor’s response was “absolutely”.) We should all be so lucky to live as extraordinarily as has Millie.