In the week of August 18-22, 2025, there were no roll call votes held in either the House or Senate at Beacon Hill.
This period marked an important moment in the session, as Beacon Hill Roll Call reported on the roll call attendance records of local senators throughout the 2025 session up to August 22.
So far in the 2025 session, the Senate has conducted a total of 68 roll calls.
Beacon Hill Roll Call has meticulously tabulated the number of roll calls on which each senator cast a vote, calculating this as a percentage of the total votes held, termed the roll call attendance record.
According to Senate rules, senators who are not physically present in the Senate chamber are allowed to vote remotely from any location without needing to provide a reason for their absence.
In contrast, the House does not permit remote voting.
Interestingly, though individual senators may only miss one or two sessions during which roll calls are conducted, the accumulated number of missed votes can still be high due to multiple roll calls taking place on those days.
Notably, a significant 90 percent, or 36 out of 40 senators, reported a perfect 100 percent roll call attendance.
On the other hand, four senators missed one or more roll call votes, with Sen. Lydia Edwards (D-Boston) holding the record for the most absences, missing 23 roll calls, equating to a 66.1 percent attendance record.
Despite numerous requests for comment from Beacon Hill Roll Call, Edwards did not respond to inquiries regarding her numerous absences.
Furthermore, Sen. Mike Barrett (D-Lexington) missed two roll calls, achieving a 97.0 percent attendance record, while Sen. Adam Gomez (D-Springfield) missed one roll call, resulting in a 98.5 percent attendance record.
Neither Barrett nor Gomez responded to Beacon Hill Roll Call’s requests for explanations regarding their missed votes.
Following a traditional Senate practice, current Senate President Karen Spilka has participated sporadically in voting, casting her vote in just 18 of the 68 roll calls, which translates to 26.5 percent of the total.
In addition to roll call attendance, the House has taken significant steps in legislative measures during the same week.
Among these, the House has given initial approval to a bill amending state alcohol permitting laws via H 4285.
This legislation aims to authorize on-premises alcoholic beverage consumption in specified noncontiguous areas of licensed premises, contingent upon approval from the Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission (ABCC).
Currently, licensing restrictions require that these areas be contiguous, but the new measure seeks to eliminate these outdated regulations.
Moreover, the proposed bill would repeal existing laws that disallow applicants convicted of federal or state narcotics charges from holding on-premises licenses, as well as restrictions on applicants with felony convictions from obtaining off-premises licenses.
Instead, under the proposed new law, applicants would need to demonstrate satisfactory character to local and state licensing entities.
State Treasurer Deb Goldberg, a sponsor of the bill, remarked, “This bill is an important step toward updating outdated alcohol laws to reflect today’s business landscape.”
Goldberg emphasized that the bill’s provisions would not only remove unnecessary restrictions but also enhance oversight, ultimately supporting economic growth while prioritizing public safety.
Rep. Christopher Worrell (D-Boston), a co-sponsor of a similar legislative proposal, did not respond to repeated inquiries from Beacon Hill Roll Call about the bill.
Supporters of the bill argue that allowing for non-contiguous areas mainly benefits outdoor seating and patios, simplifying existing licensing procedures for establishments with outdoor spaces separated by sidewalks or roads.
Additionally, the new bill aims to standardize the rules related to criminal records for on-premise and off-premise licenses, addressing the current inconsistencies in the regulations.
Advocates noted that while a felony conviction disqualifies an applicant for off-premises licenses, only narcotics-related convictions impact on-premise licenses, suggesting that a holistic approach to evaluating an applicant’s record is overdue.
The proposed law would still require a CORI check for all applicants and allow local and state licensing authorities to carefully review character and fitness.
Another piece of legislation, H 4275, was also given initial approval by the House, aiming to amend current laws surrounding liquor license suspensions.
Currently, a package store found guilty of selling to a minor or an intoxicated patron faces license suspension, whereas violations in large establishments like supermarkets and big-box stores result only in the closure of their liquor departments.
The bill, sponsored by Rep. Steven Howitt (R-Seekonk), seeks to ensure that the entire establishment is shut down, not merely the liquor department, for such violations.
Howitt asserted, “This bill levels the playing field between small family-owned liquor stores and large corporate big-box stores selling liquor.”
He further added that the bill was filed to enhance public safety due to the rising incidents of illegal alcohol sales stemming from relaxed regulations during the pandemic.
Howitt emphasized that the bill restores uniform consequences for all establishments licensed to sell alcohol that willingly violate crucial public safety regulations regarding sales to minors or intoxicated individuals.
In yet another legislative development, the House granted initial approval to a bill aimed at fortune tellers, H 475, which would eliminate the requirement mandating that applicants reside within the city or town for at least one continuous year prior to applying for a license.
Rep. Susannah Whipps (U-Athol), the bill’s sponsor, remarked on the dated nature of the residency requirement, expressing her surprise at learning about this regulation when approached by a municipal employee.
Whipps highlighted that various professions, including fortune tellers, must be licensed similarly to barbers or hairdressers in Massachusetts, pointing out the necessity of removing archaic regulations.
Another notable legislative proposal that received initial House approval is H 99, which seeks to prohibit grocery stores from utilizing biometric data to adjust item prices or suggest products.
The provision allows grocery stores to use biometrics solely for voluntary identity verification at checkout but prohibits the adjustment of prices based on such data.
Sponsor Rep. Lindsay Sabadosa (D-Northampton) stated, “I filed this bill after learning that the largest grocery store chain in the U.S. is rolling out facial recognition technology and electronic price tags.”
Sabadosa raised concerns that the combination of these technologies might enable grocery stores to identify individual customers and manipulate pricing based on gathered characteristics.
She expressed that surveillance pricing practices overreach, leading to adverse effects such as price gouging and loss of consumer trust.
At a public hearing in April, Woodrow Hartzog, a professor at Boston University’s School of Law, highlighted the implications of surveillance pricing, stating, “This disastrous practice leads to price gouging, discrimination by proxy, and an inability to budget.”
Hartzog advocated for the bill as a crucial measure to prohibit stores from exploiting biometric data for pricing variations, aiming to protect consumer interests.
The bill also prompted feedback from Edgar Dworsky, a former assistant attorney general in consumer protection, who raised concerns that preventing stores from using gathered data might hinder them from offering targeted discounts to consumers.
Dworsky’s assertion encompassed the notion that ensuring fair pricing based on customer characteristics could enhance consumer experiences, emphasizing a balanced regulatory approach.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Massachusetts supported the legislative effort, urging that the proposed protections be extended to all goods—not solely food items.
The ACLU suggested a more comprehensive prohibition against surveillance pricing driven by biometric data, recognizing the potential for discriminatory pricing practices across all consumer goods.
In addition to these legislative endeavors, Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey announced $10 million in tax credits aimed at transforming underutilized commercial spaces into residential and mixed-use housing.
Gov. Healey articulated, “Massachusetts is moving faster to create reasonably-priced housing and revitalize our downtowns.”
The initiative reflects ongoing efforts to address the housing shortages facing the state, encouraging the repurposing of vacant commercial properties.
Moreover, Kevin Stanton, Executive Director of the Office of Grants and Research, announced a total of $5.7 million awarded to various cities and towns to bolster local fire and police staffing.
Stanton underscored the intention behind these grants, stating, “These grants invest in the police officers and firefighters who put their lives on the line to protect our communities.”
Regarding student athletes, Sophia Hall, the Deputy Litigation Director for Lawyers for Civil Rights, announced a lawsuit against the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) to procure public records on discriminatory incidents in sporting events organized by the MIAA.
Hall stated, “Ensuring that adequate remedial measures are in place to maintain a safe environment for student athletes of color during sporting events is impossible while the MIAA refuses to release records.”
Finally, Beacon Hill Roll Call keeps a close eye on the amount of time the House and Senate convene, acknowledging that many legislators engage in critical work outside the chamber through committee engagements, research, and constituent outreach.
This assessment comes alongside critiques about the legislative body’s scheduling and session durations.
During the week of August 18-22, the House convened for a total of 1 hour and 25 minutes, while the Senate met for 1 hour and 27 minutes over the same timeframe.
On August 18, the House session occurred from 11:01 a.m. to 12:09 p.m., while the Senate met from 11:16 a.m. to 12:10 p.m.
There were no sessions for the House or Senate on August 19 or 20.
On August 21, the House convened for 17 minutes from 11:01 a.m. to 11:18 a.m., while the Senate’s session lasted for 33 minutes from 11:06 a.m. to 11:39 a.m.
No sessions were held on August 22.
For further insights and information, Bob Katzen, founder of Beacon Hill Roll Call, welcomes feedback at [email protected]. He has been a prominent figure in the Massachusetts political landscape since founding the publication in 1975 and was inducted into the New England Newspaper and Press Association (NENPA) Hall of Fame in 2019.
image source from：franklinobserver
