Beacon Hill Roll Call
Volume 51 – Report No. 19
May 4 – 8, 2026
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THE HOUSE AND SENATE: Beacon Hill Roll Call records local senators’ votes on roll calls from the week of May 4-8. There were no roll calls in the House last week.
During the week of May 4-8, the House met for a total of 43 minutes and the Senate met for a total of ten hours and 32 minutes.
THE “PROTECT ACT” (S 3072)- Senate 37-3, approved its own version of the PROTECT Act that supporters said would establish statewide standards governing interactions between state and local law enforcement and federal immigration enforcement. The House has already approved its own version of the measure and a House-Senate conference committee will eventually hammer out a compromise version.
Provisions include prohibiting state and local law enforcement from stopping, questioning or targeting individuals based solely on immigration or citizenship status; prohibiting warrantless civil immigration arrests in sensitive locations such as schools, childcare centers, hospitals, houses of worship and state courthouses; strengthening protections for immigrants who are victims or witnesses of crimes, including trafficking victims and expediting visa processes so they can safely assist law enforcement and prosecutors; blocking unauthorized deployment of other states’ National Guards into Massachusetts; and allowing parents facing detention or deportation to pre-arrange guardianship for their children.
(A “Yes” vote is for the bill. A “No” vote is against it.)
Sen. Jason Lewis – Yes
GET OPINION OF SUPREME JUDICIAL COURT (S 3083)- Senate 5-35, rejected a motion to suspend Senate rules to allow the Senate to seek the Supreme Judicial Court’s (SJC’s) opinion on the constitutionality of three provisions in the PROTECT bill.
(A “Yes” vote is for suspending rules to allow the Senate to seek the SJC’s opinion. A “No” vote is against suspending the rules.)
Sen. Jason Lewis – No
ALLOW SOME WORKING RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS (S 3072)- Senate 10-29, rejected an amendment to a section of the bill that prohibits local and state police from participating in civil federal immigration enforcement.
The amendment would allow limited cooperation between local, state and federal law enforcement agencies only in cases involving individuals convicted of serious crimes under state and federal law such as rape, murder and human trafficking. Under the amendment, Massachusetts law enforcement agencies would be allowed to continue honoring federal immigration detainer requests only for these violent, convicted felons.
(A “Yes” vote is for the amendment that would allow limited cooperation between local, state and federal law enforcement agencies only in cases involving individuals convicted of serious crimes. A “No” vote is against the amendment.)
Sen. Jason Lewis – No
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