House passes package of local and statewide measures, including recovery coach licensure

The House voted to accept a conference committee report and approved a package of engrossed bills Tuesday during a formal session that also included committee reports, temporary rule suspensions and ceremonial tributes.

Among the measures enacted, House 5143 — described on the floor as "an act relative to treatments and coverage for substance use disorder and recovery coach licensure" — was passed to be enacted after the question was put to the membership and the ayes prevailed. Earlier, the presiding officer announced the committee's recommendation on the conference committee report for the related Senate amendment and the House accepted that report.

Lawmakers also adopted an amendment to House 5025 concerning special police officers in the town of Sterling. As read into the record, Mr. Walsh of Peabody offered language adding a paragraph (J) requiring that special police officers appointed under the act comply with the requirements of chapter 6E of the general laws, including certification and annual in-service and other training requirements mandated by the Municipal Police Training Committee; the amendment was adopted and the bill, as amended, was passed to be engrossed.

Other measures the House took up and passed to be enacted included local-government and licensing bills presented as engrossed for final passage: Senate 2860 (Provincetown additional alcohol licenses), House 3890 (board of public works, Lee), House 4188 (Westford additional license), House 4818 (increasing select board membership, Lancaster), House 4858 (continuation of an assistant fire chief in Lee), and a series of civil service waivers and authorizations (for example, House 5103, 5069, 5070) that were read and ordered to third reading or passed to be engrossed as noted on the floor.

The House also considered bills requiring separate emergency-preamble votes. Members adopted the emergency preamble and passed House 4236, which repeals a prohibition on the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority from locating a facility within a certain distance of Arlington Catholic High School. The emergency preamble for House 4840 — a measure relative to regulation of money transmission by the Division of Banks — was also adopted and that bill was passed to be enacted.

Procedural motions on the floor included suspensions of Rule 7(a) to permit expedited consideration of several items, a motion to stand in recess subject to the call of the chair, and a final motion to adjourn the House until its informal session on Monday at 11 a.m.

The session also included two ceremonial moments: recognition of the Walpole High School Division 1 MIAA state field hockey champions and a moment of silence for Richard Liddow. Speaker Mariano of Quincy offered a special adjournment in memory of former Lt. Gov. and Attorney General Francis X. Bellotti, which the House adopted.

Votes at a glance (as recorded on the floor): - House 5143 (treatments and coverage for substance use disorder; recovery coach licensure): passed to be enacted. - House 5025 (special police officers — Sterling): amendment adopted; bill passed to be engrossed. - House 4236 (repeal of MBTA location prohibition near Arlington Catholic High School): emergency preamble adopted; bill passed to be enacted (count reported on the floor for the emergency preamble as 2 affirmative, 0 negative). - House 4840 (regulation of money transmission by Division of Banks): emergency preamble adopted; bill passed to be enacted (count reported on the floor for the emergency preamble as 2 affirmative, 0 negative). - Senate 2860, House 3890, House 4188, House 4818, House 4858, House 5069, House 5070, House 5096, House 5107 and others mentioned on the floor: passed to be enacted or passed to be engrossed as announced.

The House adjourned after adopting a special adjournment in memory of Francis X. Bellotti and will reconvene Monday at 11 a.m. in an informal session.