Monday, February 14, 2011
Votes to Note: UI Rates and Joint Redistricting Committee
On Thursday the Massachusetts State Senate unanimously engrossed a bill that would freeze the unemployment insurance rate for this calendar year. The bill, “An Act Relative to Unemployment Insurance Rates”, was drafted to help provide economic relief for businesses by freezing a scheduled unemployment insurance rate increase and marks the second year in a row that the Senate has taken this course of action. Freezing the unemployment insurance rate will prevent additional financial strains from contributing to the overhead costs to businesses and will provide the flexibility needed for some businesses to expand or retain jobs. The bill is now awaiting action in the House of Representatives. Following the vote I released a statement that can be viewed by clicking “Read more” below.
Also during last week’s formal session, the Senate acted to reauthorize and modify the committee charged with developing new state legislative and congressional districts. Our caucus opposed this action because we persist in our belief that the redistricting process should include the benefit of an independent redistricting committee. Senate Republicans moved for a roll call vote on this issue, and the bill, “An Act Relative to Establishing a Special Joint Committee on Redistricting”, was engrossed by a vote of 34-4.
To view the actual votes taken by the members of the Senate please click the “Read more” link below.
Senate Bill 8, “An Act Relative to Unemployment Insurance Rates”
Roll Call Votes: Yea/Nay
Frederick E. Berry Yea
Stephen M. Brewer Yea
Gale D. Candaras Yea
Harriette L. Chandler
Yea
Sonia Chang-Diaz Yea
Katherine Clark Yea
Cynthia Stone Creem
Yea
Sal N. DiDomenico Yea
Kenneth J. Donnelly Yea
Eileen Donoghue Yea
Benjamin B. Downing
Yea
James B. Eldridge Yea
Susan C. Fargo
Did not vote
Barry Finegold Yea
Jennifer L. Flanagan Yea
John Hart
Yea
Robert L. Hedlund
Yea
Patricia D. Jehlen Yea
Brian A. Joyce
Yea
John Keenan Yea
Thomas P. Kennedy
Yea
Michael R. Knapik
Yea
Thomas M. McGee
Yea
Mark C. Montigny
Yea
Michael O. Moore Yea
Richard T. Moore
Yea
Senate President Therese Murray Yea
Marc Pacheco Did not vote
Anthony Petruccelli Yea
Michael Rodrigues Yea
Stanley C. Rosenberg
Did not vote
Richard J. Ross Yea
Michael Rush Did not vote
Karen E. Spilka Yea
Bruce E. Tarr
Yea
James E. Timilty Yea
Steven A. Tolman
Yea
James Welch
Yea
Daniel Wolf
Yea
36-0
Senate Bill 9, “An Act Relative to Establishing a Special Joint Committee on Redistricting”
Roll Call Votes: Yea/Nay
Steven A. Baddour Yea
Frederick E. Berry Yea
Stephen M. Brewer Yea
Gale D. Candaras Yea
Harriette L. Chandler
Yea
Sonia Chang-Diaz Yea
Katherine Clark Yea
Cynthia Stone Creem
Yea
Sal N. DiDomenico Yea
Kenneth J. Donnelly Yea
Eileen Donoghue Yea
Benjamin B. Downing
Yea
James B. Eldridge Yea
Susan C. Fargo
Did not vote
Barry Finegold Yea
Jennifer L. Flanagan Yea
John Hart
Yea
Robert L. Hedlund
Nay
Patricia D. Jehlen Yea
Brian A. Joyce
Yea
John Keenan Yea
Thomas P. Kennedy
Yea
Michael R. Knapik
Nay
Thomas M. McGee
Yea
Mark C. Montigny
Yea
Michael O. Moore Yea
Richard T. Moore
Yea
Senate President Therese Murray Did not vote
Marc Pacheco Did not vote
Anthony Petruccelli Yea
Michael Rodrigues Yea
Stanley C. Rosenberg
Yea
Richard J. Ross Nay
Michael Rush Did not vote
Karen E. Spilka Yea
Bruce E. Tarr
Nay
James E. Timilty Yea
Steven A. Tolman
Yea
James Welch
Yea
Daniel Wolf
Yea
32-4
