Ruth B. Balser

H4889 IT Spending (Passed 154 to 2 on 7/24/2024). Aims to address the state's future information technology and security needs by authorizing a bond of $1.256 billion. The bill provides for significant investments in improving IT infrastructure, cybersecurity, and broadband access across the state.

H4800 State Budget (Passed 154 to 3 on 7/19/2024). Would increase spending about $1.97 billion, or 3.5 percent, over the fiscal 2025 spending plan, authorizing free community college, free rides on regional transit agencies, and legal online lottery sales.

H4885 Gun Control (Passed 124 to 33 on7/18/2024). Includes significant changes to firearm regulations.

H4750 Woke Language (Passed 156 to 0 on June 12, 2024). Replaces the term "paternity" with "parentage" and "child born out of wedlock" with "nonmarital child" to create more "inclusive" language. Additionally, it replaces the phrase “a mother and father” with “parents."

H4582 Homeless Shelters (Passed 117 to 36 on 4/25/2024). Continues funding Massachusetts’ emergency family shelter system.

H4109 Invasive Salary Disclosure Mandate (Passed 148 to 8 on 10/4/2023). Requires businesses and employers to report employee salaries to the Secretary of State every year.

H5163 Mandatory Police Interview of Gun Owners (passed 147 to 6 on 8/1/2022). Removes the “good reason” provision from Massachusetts’s license-to-carry (LTC) statute, but keeps the requirement of mandatory in-person police interviews for residents who possess or carry firearms.

H5090 State-Sponsored Abortion and Sex Mutilation (passed 137 to 16 on 7/26/2022). Orders the expanded public provision, facilitation, and promotion of “reproductive health care and gender-affirming care” activities, such as abortion and surgical treatment of “gender dysphoria.”

S2924 Universal Voter Registration and Permanent Mail-In Ballots (passed 126 to 29 on 6/16/2022). Adopts, as the "VOTES Act," several changes to state election law, including permanent early voting by mail and reinforcement of automatic voter registration.

H4805 Driver's Licenses for Illegal Aliens (passed 119 to 36 on 6/8/2022). Makes applicants without “proof of lawful presence” eligible for a Massachusetts driver’s license.

S5 Income Tax Increase on High-Wage Earners (passed 121 to 39 on 6/9/2021). Proposed to amend the Massachusetts Constitution to authorize an additional income tax of 4%—an 80% increase—on taxpayers who earn more than $1 million annually.

S9 Next Generation "Environmental Justice" Roadmap (passed 145 to 14 on 3/18/2021). Acts as the “Next-Generation Roadmap for
Massachusetts Climate Policy," setting a statewide target of “net-zero” emissions by 2050 and directing a “clean energy equity workforce” for
“environmental justice populations.