Beacon Hill Roll Call
Volume 51 – Report No. 12
March 16 – 20, 2026
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THE HOUSE AND SENATE: Beacon Hill Roll Call reports on local representatives’ and senators’ votes on roll calls from the week of March 16-20.
During the week of March 16-20, the House met for a total of 11 hours and 39 minutes and the Senate met for a total of seven hours and 11 minutes.
$1.8 BILLION SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET PARTIALLY FUNDED BY MILLIONAIRE’S TAX (H 5264)- House 150-5, approved and sent to the Senate a $1.8 billion supplemental budget that funds $885 million in public transportation including $740 million for the MBTA; $417 million for public education; and millions for several fiscal year 2026 deficiencies.
The $1.8 billion bill is funded in part by $1.3 billion from the 2022 voter-approved constitutional amendment, known by supporters as the Millionaire’s Tax and the Fair Share Amendment, which imposes a surtax of an additional 4 percent income tax, in addition to the current flat 5 percent one, on taxpayers’ earnings of more than $1 million annually. Language in the constitutional amendment requires that “subject to appropriation, the revenue will go to fund quality public education, affordable public colleges and universities, and for the repair and maintenance of roads, bridges and public transportation.”
(A “Yes” vote is for the bill. A “No” vote is against it.)
Rep. Kate Lipper-Garabedian – Yes
Rep. Donald Wong – Yes
$100 MILLION FOR CITIES AND TOWNS (H 5264)- House 25-128, rejected an amendment that would provide a minimum of $100 million annually from the surtax surplus to cities and towns which must use 50 percent of the funds for the repair,
maintenance, construction or reconstruction of roads and bridges and 50 percent for public school facilities and equipment. Each city and town would receive a proportional share of the $100 million based on its population as a percentage of the state’s total population as determined by the most recent federal decennial census or the most recent annual municipal census certified by the secretary of state, whichever is more recent.
(A “Yes” vote is for the amendment. A “No” vote is against it.)
Rep. Kate Lipper-Garabedian – No
Rep. Donald Wong – Yes
PETS (S 3014)- Senate 38-0, approved and sent to the House legislation, named the PETS Act, that supporters said would end the inhumane puppy-mill-to-pet-shop system by banning commercial sales of cats and dogs in pet stores; ending harsh, unnecessary testing of animal subjects for non-medical purposes; strengthening animal cruelty protections; and prohibiting breed-based discrimination in public housing and insurance coverage.
(A “Yes” vote is for the bill.)
Sen. Jason Lewis – Yes
PREGNANCY AND INFANT LOSS AWARENESS DAY (S 2145)- Senate 38-0, approved and sent to the House a bill that would establish October 15th as Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Day to increase public awareness of the prevalence of pregnancy loss and the physical and mental toll individuals face following a pregnancy loss. The day would also include loss from an unsuccessful round of intrauterine insemination or of an assisted reproductive technology procedure, a failed adoption arrangement, a failed surrogacy arrangement, a diagnosis or event that impacts pregnancy or fertility, a stillbirth or the death of the newborn child.
(A “Yes” vote is for the bill.)
Sen. Jason Lewis – Yes
For more information and details on each bill, roll call attendance, and other relevant information, please visit the Wakefield Daily Item at www.localheadlinenews.com