Massachusetts Senate passes municipal bills, clears Arlington alcohol-license question; honors Scituate students for financial-literacy advocacy

The Massachusetts Senate on an ordinary session day advanced a string of municipal and policy measures and recognized two high school students who had lobbied for mandatory financial-literacy education.

Among the bills the chamber moved forward was House No. 4815, authorizing the select board of the Town of Arlington to place on a town ballot a question to increase the number of licenses for the sale of all alcoholic beverages not to be drunk on the premises; the bill was read a third time and passed to be engrossed, and later passed to be enacted and sent to the governor for approval. The presiding officer called for the ayes and announced, “The ayes have it.”

The Senate also accepted a Committee on Bills in the Third Reading report on Senate No. 1915 (related to clarifying call firefighter rights), substituting a new draft (Senate No. 2960) recommended by the committee; the amended bill was passed to be engrossed. Senator Durant offered and the chamber adopted a substitute amendment and a new draft for a land-conveyance bill affecting the Town of Brookfield; that measure, too, was passed to be engrossed.

Other municipal measures approved to be engrossed included House No. 3900 (authorizing alternative members for the conservation commission of the Town of Beckett) and House No. 4438 (authorizing the Town of Swampscott to establish a full annual Town Meeting). The Senate also acted on a House petition from Attleboro concerning repayments for manufactured-housing community accommodations, referring the petition to the Committee on Municipalities and Regional Government under a suspension of Joint Rule 12.

On an interbranch matter, the Senate addressed House No. 4683 (teacher preparation and student literacy). The House had nonconcurred in a Senate amendment; the Senate insisted on the amendment and concurred in appointing a conference committee. The chair named Senators DeDominico, Lewis, and O'Connor to that committee.

Senator Conner O'Connor introduced two eleventh-grade students from Scituate High School, William Hine and Izzy Mae Adams, who had advocated for Senate Bill 423 to expand financial-literacy education. "I'm very proud to welcome William Hine and Izzy Mae Adams of Scituate High School," O'Connor said, noting the students' initiative and urging the chamber to welcome them.

The Senate adopted ceremonial resolutions congratulating Owen Kirby and Jonathan Rothwell on attaining the rank of Eagle Scout. Before adjournment, Senator Conner O'Connor offered an order to adjourn and reconvene on Thursday at 11:00 a.m.; the order was adopted and the clerk was directed to dispense with printing a calendar. The presiding officer then declared the Senate adjourned.

Votes at a glance: - House No. 4815 (Arlington alcohol-license ballot question): passed to be engrossed; later passed to be enacted and will be sent to the governor for approval. - Senate No. 1915 / Senate No. 2960 (firefighter call-rights amendment): committee report accepted; bill passed as amended to be engrossed. - Brookfield land conveyance (substitute draft Senate No. 2958): amendment adopted; bill passed to be engrossed. - House No. 3900 (Beckett conservation commission): passed to be engrossed. - House No. 4438 (Swampscott Town Meeting): passed to be engrossed. - House No. 4380 (Agawam charter amendment): passed to be enacted and will be sent to the governor.

Note on vote counts and roll-call records: The transcript records the presiding officer announcing "The ayes have it" for multiple matters but does not provide roll-call tallies or individual member votes; those details were not specified in the session record provided.

The Senate will meet again on Thursday at 11:00 a.m., as ordered by the chamber.