THE HOUSE AND SENATE: Beacon Hill Roll Call reports on local representatives’ and senators’ votes on roll calls from the week of April 6-10.
CANNABIS REGULATION CHANGES (H 5350) — The House, 155-0, Senate 33-6, approved and sent to Gov. Maura Healey a conference committee version of a bill that would restructure the Cannabis Control Commission — dissolving it and downsizing its membership from five members to three. It also gives all the power to the governor to make the three appointments, replacing the current law which gives that power to the governor, the attorney general and treasurer. The House and Senate had approved different versions of the measure and a conference committee was appointed in December 2025 and took more than three months to hammer out this compromise version.
Other provisions include making it clear that the CCC chair is responsible for personnel and administrative matters and the executive director reports directly to the chair; an increase from one ounce to two ounces in the amount of marijuana that an adult can purchase or possess for recreational use; increasing from three to six the number of licenses a business owner can hold; allowing medical marijuana operators to specialize in cultivation, manufacturing or retail sales by eliminating current costly requirements; directing the CCC to study and make recommendations for the regulation of intoxicating hemp, which has grown in prevalence over recent years and will effectively be banned under federal law this fall unless the U.S. Congress takes action; and giving the CCC the ability to allow retailers to advertise sales, discounts and customer loyalty programs inside the store and via opt-in email, both of which are currently not permitted.
“Massachusetts has one of the most established cannabis industries in the country, and our laws need to evolve with that reality,” said Sen. Adam Gomez, D-Springfield, Senate chair of the Committee on Cannabis Policy and co-chair of the conference committee. “This legislation strengthens oversight of the Cannabis Control Commission while making smart updates that support small businesses, improve accountability and ensure consumers can access cannabis safely and legally. By modernizing license caps, clarifying delivery and advertising rules and increasing transparency across the industry, we are building a more stable, equitable and responsible cannabis marketplace for the commonwealth.”
“This bill takes clear steps towards a safer and more equitable cannabis industry across the commonwealth,” said Rep. Daniel Donahue, D-Worcester, House Chair of the Committee on Cannabis Policy and co-chair of the conference committee. “It also restructures and clarifies roles within the CCC to promote a more effective and accountable regulating body. This action demonstrates that the House and Legislature remain committed to ensuring that the rapidly changing Massachusetts cannabis industry continues to thrive.”
“This bill ensures that as the cannabis industry grows in Massachusetts, it expands opportunity and reflects our values,” said Senate President Karen Spilka, D-Ashland. “It opens doors for those long left out, modernizes access to safe and legal cannabis and brings our laws in line with a maturing industry. The result is a more stable, fair and equitable marketplace that keeps public health and safety front and center.”
“We should work to ensure the cannabis industry operates responsibly and safely,” said Sen. John Keenan, D-Quincy, who voted against the measure. “I would have liked to see [the bill] put greater emphasis on creating sufficient guardrails to mitigate the potential negative public health outcomes related to a sharp increase in cannabis accessibility. I also advocated for more education on public and mental health risks of cannabis consumption. Constituents have shared with me how cannabis has negatively impacted their lives. With them in mind, I voted against the bill.”
(A “Yes” vote is for the bill. A “No” vote is against it.)
Voting yes: Rep. James Arciero, Rep. Simon Cataldo, Rep. Rodney Elliott, Rep. Kimberly Ferguson, Rep. Colleen Garry, Rep. Kenneth Gordon, Rep. Natalie Higgins, Rep. Tara Hong, Rep. Meghan Kilcoyne, Rep. Michael Kushmerek, Rep. Marc Lombardo, Rep. Tram Nguyen, Rep. David Robertson, Rep. Margaret Scarsdale, Rep. Dan Sena, Rep. Jonathan Zlotnik, Sen. Michael Barrett, Sen. John Cronin, Sen. James Eldridge, Sen. Barry Finegold, Sen. Cindy Friedman, Sen. Vanna Howard. Voting no: Sen. Bruce Tarr.
KIDS AND SOCIAL MEDIA AND CELL PHONES (H 5349) — The House, 129-25, approved a bill that would prohibit the use of cell phones by students from the time they arrive in school until dismissal. School districts would be required to notify parents of this policy and ensure that parents still have the ability to contact their children during the school day and vice versa.
Other provisions require the secure storage of personal electronic devices; allow the use of technology that renders personal electronic devices inoperable; require school districts to make accommodations and exceptions as necessary for documented medical needs, language access and translation needs for students with Individualized Education Programs or disabilities that require the use of personal electronic devices; and in cases of an emergency.
The bill also restricts the use of social media by children. Provisions include requiring social media companies to implement an age verification system based on the best technology available in order to reasonably and accurately identify a current or prospective user’s age; banning minors under the age of 14 from social media platforms, by requiring platforms to terminate users under that age and delete associated personal information effective October 1, 2026; requiring social media platforms to acquire verifiable parental consent for 14- and 15-year-old users of their platforms; prohibiting social media platforms from sharing information about a minor’s LGBTQ+ status or other characteristics protected under state law; and fining platforms which violate any of these provisions.
The Senate has already approved a different version of the cell phone ban without the social media restrictions. A House-Senate conference committee will hammer out a compromise version.
“A bell-to-bell prohibition on cell phones and similar devices has long been a priority of mine,” said Rep. Alice Peisch, D-Wellesley. “I believe this measure, combined with age restrictions on social media, will support learning, personal growth and meaningful human connection. A social media ban for children under 14 is not extreme, it is responsible. Technology will continue to play a powerful role in our society, but it must not come at the expense of our children’s ability to learn, to connect with others and to develop into healthy adults.”
“Social media is robbing our teenagers of their time, their education and most importantly their health,” said Rep. Bill MacGregor, D-Boston. “By removing addictive social media feeds for users under 15 years old, we’ll be making major strides towards protecting our kids, and helping them build healthy habits online before they’re addicted. I supported this amendment to protect all the kids that have been or will be online, and the parents like me that have a hard time saying no to their little ones but worry about an unregulated and safe Internet. With this legislation, we’re one step closer to a safer and more healthy world for our kids to grow up in.”
“Today the House took an important step in helping protect the children of the commonwealth from predatory social media platforms,” said Rep. Aaron Michlewitz, D-Boston, chair of the House Committee on Ways and Means. “The science is clear that exposure to social media at a young age can have a harmful effect on a minor’s development. By banning it for those 13 and under and allowing for parental consent for those who are 14 or 15, we will ensure that children are protected while giving them the ability to express themselves online at a safe and appropriate age.”
“I support getting phones out of the classrooms, but a one size fits all law with no funding to help school districts implement those policies, I am against,” said Rep. Kelly Pease, R-Westfield, who voted against the measure. “I think the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education should develop a policy that removes cell phones from classrooms but gives the school district the flexibility on how that is done.”
“While I strongly support the ban on cellphones in schools and the intent and goal of limiting youth access to social media, I voted ‘No’ on the bill due to concerns with data privacy in the social media sections,” said Rep. Mike Connolly, D-Cambridge. “Age verification for minors means age verification for all users, and this raises big questions of data privacy and protection.”
(A “Yes” vote is for the bill. A “No” vote is against it.)
Voting yes: Rep. James Arciero, Rep. Simon Cataldo, Rep. Rodney Elliott, Rep. Colleen Garry, Rep. Kenneth Gordon, Rep. Natalie Higgins, Rep. Tara Hong, Rep. Meghan Kilcoyne, Rep. Michael Kushmerek, Rep. Tram Nguyen, Rep. David Robertson, Rep. Margaret Scarsdale, Rep. Dan Sena, Rep. Jonathan Zlotnik. Voting no: Rep. Kimberly Ferguson, Rep. Marc Lombardo.
NO UNFUNDED MANDATES (H 5349) — The House, 27-136 rejected an amendment that would exempt any school district from paying any additional costs for implementing the provisions of the social media/cell phone legislation approved by the House. The amendment would allow the districts to pay for the additional cost only if they want to do so.
Rep. Kevin Sweezey, (R-Duxbury, the sponsor of the amendment, said it is important to note that when we give authority to agencies to create regulation for our cities and towns, it often comes with a cost. Even if it doesn’t have dollars and cents in the line items, it can still end up costing municipal budgets. He argued that the amendment simply ensures that no policy made by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education incurs a cost for cities and towns and negatively impact our school districts.
$1.57 BILLION FISCAL 2026 SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET (S 3041) — The Senate, 35-4, approved a $1.57 billion fiscal 2026 budget. Some of the funding will come from the $1.3 billion generated by 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.”
Provisions include $1 million in legal defense services for immigrants; $10 million for full-tuition scholarships for UMass Chan Medical School students pursuing family medicine if they commit to remaining in Massachusetts and serving populations in need for five years after graduation; $100 million to ensure that Massachusetts’ public universities are able to withstand reductions in federal research funding; a new $32 million investment to provide immediate relief for strained municipal budgets by increasing special education reimbursement rates; $150 million for high-quality and accessible early education and care; $40 million for early literacy initiatives; $18.3 million to expand financial assistance offered to Massachusetts students enrolled at state universities and UMass campuses; $2.5 million to boost school-based mental health support; and $1 million to help public schools pay for costs incurred to implement the ban on cell phones use by students during school hours.
Other provisions include a new targeted sales tax exemption for building materials to incentivize the construction of new affordable, moderate-income and middle-income housing units for certain housing projects; $535 million in direct support for the MBTA for operational funding, commuter rail support and the low-income fare relief program; and $535 million for the MBTA for operational funding, commuter rail support and the low-income fare relief program; $20 million for the Home Energy Assistance Program to assist eligible low-income elders, working families and other households with assistance paying a portion of winter heating bills; and $1 million to help public schools pay for costs incurred by cities and towns to implement the ban on cell phones use by students during school hours.
“By including innovative policy solutions with strong investments, we are going beyond just allocating funding in this budget,” said Senate President Karen Spilka, D-Ashland. “We are lowering taxes to spur housing, building our health care workforce and protecting our immigrant neighbors, on top of making generational investments in statewide transit and education.”
“The Senate found time to pass yet another massive supplemental budget that did not include any reforms to our broken welfare system, any tax relief for our small businesses and taxpayers and no relief for ratepayers,” said Paul Craney, executive director of the Mass Fiscal Alliance. “The Massachusetts Legislature thinks it’s their job to spend every penny they can extract from the taxpayers for their pet projects.”
(A “Yes” vote is for the budget. A “No” vote is against it.)
Voting yes: Sen. Michael Barrett, Sen. John Cronin, Sen. James Eldridge, Sen. Barry Finegold, Sen. Cindy Friedman, Sen. Vanna Howard. Voting no: Sen. Bruce Tarr.
ALSO UP ON BEACON HILL
THE AI REVOLUTION: DISRUPTION, RISK, OPPORTUNITY — As Massachusetts looks to both lead and regulate the AI revolution, join leading legislators and thought leaders for a timely forum on AI’s challenges and opportunities, hosted by the State House News Service and MASSterList. The policy forum is on Thursday, May 7, from 8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at the MCLE Conference Center (Downtown Crossing), 10 Winter Place, Boston. Register at: https://events.humanitix.com/massai.
ALCOHOL DONATIONS FOR CHARITIES (H 442) — The House approved and sent to the Senate legislation that would allow local licensing authorities to issue temporary licenses to charities in order for the charities to accept donations of wine, beer and alcohol for their charitable events. These licenses were previously allowed under 1997 legislation, but the authorization has since expired.
“Today, more than ever, nonprofits are in need of charitable donations to stay afloat,” said sponsor Rep. Joan Meschino, D-Hull.
PROTECT RIGHTS OF HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS (H 4783) — The Judiciary Committee held a public hearing on legislation that would prevent the punishment of individuals experiencing homelessness for conducting life-sustaining activities on public property when no shelter is available. The measure also prohibits discrimination in the use of public areas based solely on housing status and affirms rights such as the right to practice faith and the right against unreasonable search and seizure for individuals experiencing homelessness in public areas.
“I filed this bill in response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2024 Johnson v. Grants Pass decision, which allowed communities to penalize people for life-sustaining activities in public when no alternatives exist,” said sponsor Rep. Lindsay Sabadosa, D-Northampton. “These policies effectively criminalize homelessness, impose burdensome fines and make it harder for people to secure stable housing, without improving public health or safety. Our approach prioritizes directing resources toward real public safety needs and lasting housing solutions.”
PROTECT MASSACHUSETTS RESIDENTS FROM FEDERAL GOVERNMENT VIOLATIONS (S 2976) – The Judiciary Committee held a public hearing on a bill that supporters say will protect Bay State residents from direct actions by federal law enforcement that violate individual protections under the United States Constitution. Under the proposal, a person who subjects a resident of Massachusetts to the deprivation of any rights, privileges or immunities secured by the constitution would be liable to the injured party.
“Over the past few weeks, federal agents have brutalized people on the streets of Minneapolis,” said sponsor Sen. Will Brownsberger, D-Belmont. “No police necessity can explain their excessive use of force, which has shocked and disgusted fair-minded people across the political spectrum. In the absence of a federal administration willing to hold its agents accountable when they depart from civil norms, states need to impose liability and make court-ordered relief available.”
STRENGTHEN MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS — The administration of Gov. Maura Healey announced it is soliciting innovative ideas from educators, providers and community partners on how to strengthen mental health support for Bay State students, from birth through higher education.
The administration seeks this input while it is currently developing a framework that will guide a coordinated statewide strategy to strengthen mental health support in Massachusetts, improving alignment among early education providers, K-12 schools, higher education institutions, families and community-based service systems.
“This is an opportunity for practitioners, community organizations, researchers and educators to help shape the future of student mental health in Massachusetts,” said Education Secretary Stephen Zrike. “We are looking for bold, thoughtful ideas that are grounded in evidence, centered in equity and built to last.”
For more information and to learn how to submit an idea, go to www.commbuys.com/bso.
HEALTHCARE FOR STATE WORKERS (H 5348) — The House and Senate approved and sent to Gov. Healey a bill that would provide $300 million for health insurance coverage for the 460,000 public employees, retirees and dependents who access health care through the state’s Group Insurance Commission. Supporters said that these additional funds are necessary because of higher-than-anticipated utilization and pharmaceutical expenses.
“Health care is a fundamental promise we make to the public employees, retirees and families who keep our commonwealth running,” said Senate President Spilka. “Today the Legislature acted together to ensure that more than 460,000 people can continue to access the care they rely on without disruption.”
Bob Katzen welcomes feedback at [email protected].