A cat sits on a cat tree. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune/TNS)
THE HOUSE AND SENATE: Beacon Hill Roll Call information native senators’ votes from the week of Jan. 15-19. There had been no roll calls within the House final week.
BAN DECLAWING OF CATS (S 2552) – Senate 39-0, permitted and despatched to the House a invoice that might prohibit surgical procedures that declaw cats, tendonectomies and comparable procedures besides in circumstances of medical necessity wherein a veterinarian determines that the surgical procedure would handle a situation that jeopardizes the cat’s well being. Declawing a cat means amputating the primary bone on every toe and tendonectomies contain reducing a tendon in every toe that controls the extension of claws.
The penalty for violating this ban is $1,000 for the primary offense, $1,500 for a second offense and $2,500 for a 3rd or subsequent offense. In addition, veterinarians who carry out a declawing with out it being medically obligatory could also be topic to disciplinary motion by their licensure board.
Many cat house owners usually declaw their pets to forestall scratches or injury to home goods like rugs or furnishings. However, veterinarians and the Humane Society of the U.S. have stated that cats who’ve had their claws eliminated usually tend to expertise paw ache, again ache, an infection and the shortcoming to make use of their legs correctly.
“Declawing is an abhorrent practice that most veterinarians view as inhumane, but it is also a procedure that is widely misunderstood and requested by owners,” stated sponsor Sen. Mark Montigny (D-New Bedford). “By passing this legislation, veterinarians will no longer have to weigh the choice knowing that if they don’t provide the procedure the owner is likely to just look for someone who will.”
“This is another step in my commitment to protect animals in the commonwealth,” continued Montigny. “As a state we have done far too little to punish heartless abusers and to push back against a weak court system that has too often failed to hold them accountable. There are too many people who have committed horrendous abuses to animals that have been unpunished and are walking free to continue to do harm.”
“We thank the Senate for advancing this bill and again demonstrating their commitment to animal protection,” stated Kara Holmquist, Director of Advocacy for the MSPCA-Angell. “Our animal hospital, Angell Animal Medical Center, has not performed declawing surgery for decades because it is not in the interest of the animal, often involves painful complications and can create lifelong behavior problems. We are grateful that this unnecessary amputation will be prohibited in the state.”
REPEAL ARCHAIC LAWS (S 2979) – Senate 39-0, permitted and despatched to the House a measure that might repeal a number of archaic legal guidelines, nonetheless on the books in Massachusetts, which many individuals not see as felony and/or could also be unconstitutional.
The invoice would repeal archaic legal guidelines that intrude on an individual’s privateness concerning sexual exercise by eradicating the statute that criminalizes sodomy, eradicating language that criminalizes “unnatural” acts and eradicating language pertaining to “common nightwalkers.” It would additionally set up a everlasting regulation revision fee and leaves in place statutes prohibiting prostitution and statutes prohibiting intercourse with animals.
“This bill sends a message that Massachusetts is a place that cares about the freedom of individuals,” stated Senate sponsor Sen. Will Brownsberger (D-Belmont). “I look forward to working with my House colleagues to get this on the governor’s desk.”
“Repealing homophobic and transphobic language in state law helps to build a safer and more inclusive commonwealth,” stated Sen. Julian Cyr (D-Truro). “In Massachusetts, we take pride in being a welcoming state, and our laws must reflect our values. The archaic and discriminatory language found in … the General Laws dates back to 1887 and historically was deployed to criminalize LGBTQ+ people. By removing harmful, homophobic and transphobic language from our statutes, we ensure the letter of the law promotes equity and justice for all.”
“I filed this legislation with Rep. Lindsay Sabadosa to modernize the commonwealth’s statutes to better codify the social progress that has been made and have our laws reflect our values,” stated Rep. Jay Livingstone (D-Boston) who together with Sabadosa filed an earlier model of the invoice within the House. “The law revision commission is particularly important to ensure that Massachusetts statutes do not have discriminatory laws that infringe on … civil liberties. Given the current political climate around the country, we can no longer assume that some archaic laws are not enforceable.”
Also up on Beacon Hill
REAL ESTATE APPRAISERS (S 2550) – The Senate permitted and despatched to the House laws that might require that each one actual property value determinations within the Bay State be carried out by licensed or licensed appraisers who’re topic to regulatory oversight.
Supporters stated that below present regulation, anybody — with out having to satisfy any requirements of schooling or expertise—can carry out valuations for proceedings together with property settlements, divorces, business dissolutions and litigation. An unlicensed and uncertified person could put together unsupportable valuations that expose shoppers to appreciable threat, and they don’t seem to be topic to any regulatory oversight or accountability.
“People are surprised to learn that under current Massachusetts law, anyone can conduct a real estate appraisal, even if they don’t have the appropriate education and experience,” stated sponsor Sen. Cindy Creem (D-Newton). “By mandating that real estate appraisals be conducted by certified and licensed professionals, we are protecting Massachusetts consumers from sham or inaccurate appraisals that can have serious financial consequences.”
PET CEMETERIES (H 4206) – The Agriculture Committee held a listening to on laws that might require the proprietor of any property used or for use for a pet cemetery to file within the Registry of Deeds a dedication limiting the property for use just for the operation of a pet cemetery.
Supporters stated the invoice would protect current pet cemeteries by stopping the development and improvement on the property that’s or holds out to be a pet cemetery.
“Our pets hold a special place in our hearts, and the places where they are laid to rest deserve the same level of reverence and protection as any other memorial site,” stated sponsor Rep. Rodney Elliott (D-Lowell). “This legislation ensures that pet cemeteries are upheld with the dignity and respect they deserve.”
ADOPT A SHELTER DOG MONTH (H 2984) – The House gave preliminary approval to a invoice designating October as Adopt a Shelter Dog Month, to extend public consciousness and encourage the adoption of shelter and rescue dogs in Massachusetts.
“Last year alone, over 22,000 pets entered Massachusetts animal shelters in need of a home,” stated sponsor Rep. Bruce Ayers (D-Quincy). “By establishing October as Adopt a Shelter Dog Month annually, this bill will create greater public awareness of the need for pet adoption and will encourage people to give these dogs a forever home in a safe and loving environment.”
SIKH APPRECIATION MONTH (H 3026) – The House gave preliminary approval to laws designating the month of April as Sikh Appreciation Month in recognition of the numerous contributions Sikhs have made to the state and to the nation.
“Both Rep. Barber and I represent vibrant Sikh communities and seek to honor their values and contributions to our cities,” stated Rep. Patricia Duffy (D-Holyoke), who sponsored the invoice together with Rep. Christine Barber (D-Somerville). We … will proceed to advocate for this laws’s passage.”
Quotable quotes
“We set high goals for our first year in office. I stood here a year ago and made promises. And because we came together, and we acted with urgency, we delivered results. We met every one of our goals. Today, Massachusetts is more affordable, more competitive and more equitable than it was a year ago. And the state of our commonwealth, like the spirit of our people, is stronger than ever.” – Gov. Maura Healey from her State of the State” handle final week.
“Gov. Healey also needs to address the elephant in the room, which is the immigration crisis precipitated by our open southern border, as well as the budget and housing crises that have accompanied it. Massachusetts desperately needs our governor to confront the Biden-Harris administration for failing to secure our southern border.” – Paul Craney, a spokesman for the Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance.
“No we’re not going to raise taxes, we just lowered taxes. We’re not schizophrenic. We’ve chosen the course of action and we think the competitiveness that the tax cut gets us is an important fact.” – House Speaker Ron Mariano when requested if he would contemplate tax hikes to pay for a few of the proposals in Gov. Healy’s “State of the State” handle.
“It’s in the bag. Plastic bag bans work to reduce waste and pollution.” – Janet Domenitz of MASSPIRG on its new report, which estimates that, on common, plastic bag bans much like these studied can get rid of almost 300 single-use plastic luggage per person, per yr.
HOW LONG WAS LAST WEEK’S SESSION?
Beacon Hill Roll Call tracks the size of time that the House and Senate had been in session every week. Many legislators say that legislative periods are just one side of the Legislature’s job and that numerous vital work is finished exterior of the House and Senate chambers. They observe that their jobs additionally contain committee work, analysis, constituent work and different issues which are vital to their districts. Critics say that the Legislature doesn’t meet often or lengthy sufficient to debate and vote in public view on the hundreds of items of laws which have been filed. They observe that the infrequency and transient size of periods are misguided and result in irresponsible late-night periods and a mad rush to behave on dozens of payments within the days instantly previous the tip of an annual session.
During the week of Jan. 15-19, the House met for a complete of three hours and 29 minutes and the Senate met for a complete of six hours and 21 minutes.
Bob Katzen welcomes suggestions at [email protected]. Bob based Beacon Hill Roll Call in 1975 and was inducted into the New England Newspaper and Press Association (NENPA) Hall of Fame in 2019.
