HOW I VOTED ON H.4993,H.3417, & H.4994

H.4993 - An Act requiring automated external defibrillators at sporting events

On Wednesday, January 29, 2026 I voted YES on House bill H.4993, legislation

that requires a sporting facility, defined as a public stadium, sports center,

gymnasium or other facility hosting or providing athletic or sporting events (not

including a school sponsored athletic event at a school gymnasium pursuant to

section 54C of chapter 7) to have on the premises at least 1 AED and at least 1

employee or authorized volunteer as the AED provider during sporting events.

Along with these requirements, H.4993 requires training in cardiopulmonary

resuscitation and use of an AED. It also establishes protocols for when a trained

employee or volunteer is not available. The bill also requires signage and provides

for the Department of Public Health to promulgate regulations.

Amendment #1 to establish a fund, subject to appropriation to pay for the costs was

defeated 26 YES and 130 NO. During the debate, it was pointed out that there are

state grant programs and nonprofit organizations that provide funding for this

purpose and therefore a state fund was not necessary. For that reason, I voted NO.

H.4993 was passed to be engrossed on a bipartisan vote of 154 YES and 1 NO. It

now goes to the Senate for consideration.

H.3417 - An Act designating Domestic Workers' Rights Day.

On Wednesday, January 29, 2026 I voted YES on House bill H.3417, legislation

that requires the governor to annually:

issue a proclamation setting apart the sixteenth day of June as Domestic Workers’

Rights Day, recommending its observance by the public to honor all domestic

workers who work in private homes and in recognition of Massachusetts’ historic

enactment of basic labor standards in the Domestic Workers’ Bill of Rights and

recommending that said day be observed in an appropriate manner by the people.

(text from the bill)

The bipartisan, unanimous vote was 156 YES and 0 NO. It now goes to the Senate

for consideration.

H.4994 - An Act relative to preparing apprentices in the commonwealth

On Wednesday, January 29, 2026 I voted YES on House bill H.4994, legislation

that seeks to increase the state’s trades’ workforce by requiring the hiring of

apprentices for all contracts awarded for public works projects over $10 million.

Effective a year after signed into law, this bill would require projects to hire

apprentices to work 5 percent of the total amount of hours worked, which would

scale up to 10 percent in three years and 15 percent in four years.

The bipartisan vote was 154 YES and 1 NO. It now goes to the Senate for

consideration.

Public agencies must require, as a condition of awarding a construction contract

over $10 million for any public works, that all construction managers, general

contractors and subcontractors maintain or participate in an apprentice program,

approved by the Division of Apprentice Standards (DAS), for each apprenticeable

occupation represented in their workforce. Construction managers, general

contractors and subcontractors must register all apprentices with DAS and comply

with applicable apprentice-to-journeyperson ratios established by a trades licensing

board or the Division.

The bill provides for an exemption upon a written determination by the public

agency that, after good-faith solicitation, no qualified and responsible bidder

maintaining or participating in an apprentice program is reasonably available for a

specific trade or scope of work. Any construction manager, general contractor and

subcontractor who fails to maintain or participate in an apprentice program and is

not exempt cannot be deemed a responsible and eligible bidder.

The bill also requires prevailing wage payments by employers to include

apprenticeship programs approved by DAS within Executive Office of Labor and

Workforce Development and operated in compliance with DAS. The bill

establishes a Special Commission on Apprenticeships to study and make

recommendations on the development, accessibility, quality, funding and

utilization of apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs across all industry

sectors.