Beacon Hill Roll Call
Volume 50 – Report No. 3
January 13 – 17, 2025
Copyright © 2025 Beacon Hill Roll Call. All Rights Reserved.
THE HOUSE AND SENATE: There were no roll calls in the House or Senate last week.
During the week of Jan. 13-17, the House a met for a total of nine hours and 27 minutes while the Senate met for a total of nine hours and 13 minutes.
GOV. MAURA HEALEY SIGNS MORE BILLS INTO LAW – Here are some of the many bills that were signed into law by Gov. Healey following the end of the 2024 session:
INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DOWN SYNDROME (S 2970) – Gov. Healey signed into law legislation called requiring health insurance companies to provide Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) for Down syndrome patients. The legislation, sponsored by the Massachusetts Down Syndrome Congress (MDSC), will require private insurers and MassHealth to cover the cost of in-home ABA therapy for children with a single diagnosis of Down syndrome.
ALLOW CAMERAS ON SCHOOL BUSES (H 4940) – Gov. Healey signed into law legislation that will allow cities and towns to use cameras installed on school buses, to identify and record vehicles that illegally pass stopped school buses. The measure does not change the current fines for these violations. The fines would remain at $250 for a first offense, $500 for a second offense, and $1,000 for a third and subsequent offense. The bill also prohibits these violations caught on camera from being considered “moving violations” that would raise a diver’s insurance premiums.
CAMERAS ON PUBLIC TRANSIT BUSES (H 4057) – Gov. Healey signed into law a measure that would allow public transit agencies to use bus-mounted cameras to record and issue fines against illegal parking in bus lanes and bus stops.
The bill sets a minimum fine of $25 and a maximum of $125 for bus lane violations, and a flat $100 fine for bus stop violations. It also prohibits bus lane and bus stop violations caught on camera from being considered “moving violations” that would raise a diver’s insurance premiums.
FEBRUARY 4TH IS NOW ROSA PARKS DAY (H 3075) – Gov. Healey signed into law a bill establishing February 4th as Rosa Parks Day in recognition of the historic civil rights leader.
BOSTON CAN RAISE FINES (H 4507) – Gov. Healey signed into law legislation that would allow the city of Boston to raise from the current $300 to up to $2,000, the fines imposed on property owners, landlords and businesses that violate the city’s sanitary code. The bill also allows Boston to adjust the maximum fine for inflation every five years.
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.
