THE HOUSE AND SENATE. Beacon Hill Roll Call records local representatives' votes on two roll calls and local senators' votes on one roll call from the week of June 22-26.

CHANGES TO ETHICS, LOBBYING AND CAMPAIGN FINANCE LAWS (H 4133)

House 157-0, Senate 40-0, approved and sent to Gov. Deval Patrick a bill making changes in the state's ethics, lobbying and campaign finance laws. The measure bans all gifts to public officials and makes it a civil violation for gifts up to $1,000 and a felony for gifts of more than $1,000; increases the penalty for bribery from $5,000 and/or three years in prison to $100,000 and/or 10 years in prison; increases the penalty on all ethics law violations from $2,000 to $10,000 per violation; raises the penalty for violating lobbying laws from up to a $5,000 fine to a $10,000 fine and/or a five-year prison sentence. Other provisions require that all bribes be subject to the state income tax in order to give prosecutors another avenue to go after corrupt public officials; prohibit the use of campaign funds for payment of fines due to ethical violations; prohibit the name of a candidate from appearing on a state ballot if a civil action has been initiated against him or her for failure to file reports or statements and give the Secretary of State subpoena power.

Some provisions that were pushed by several legislators a few weeks ago did not make it into the final bill. These include making the Legislature subject to the open meeting law; prohibiting retired state employees who are collecting a pension from working for the state as a contractor and increasing from one year to either two years or three years after leaving their jobs, the period that former state employees and former elected officials, including legislators, must wait before going into the lobbying business.

Supporters said that this long overdue bill is a major step in cracking down on ethics violations and corruption. They argued that it is time to restore the public's faith in the Legislature. Although no one voted against the proposal, critics say that it is not tough enough and leaves out many of Gov. Deval Patrick's proposed important reforms. Some noted that the measure has only been in print for a few hours and that members have not even had time to read it. (A "Yes" vote is for the bill).

Rep. Thomas Calter, Yes

Rep. Daniel Webster, Yes

Sen. Robert Hedlund, Yes

SHERIFF'S CONTRACTS (H 1153)

House 155-0, approved an amendment eliminating a section allowing the Patrick administration, when it takes over the seven county sheriff's offices on July 1, to void any contracts that the sheriffs signed after April 1. Supporters of striking the provision said that this retroactive power is undemocratic and unfair. They said that all actions and contracts executed by these sheriffs should be honored and not wiped out just because the state is taking over. (A "Yes" vote is for the amendment).

Rep. Thomas Calter, Yes

Rep. Daniel Webster, Yes

ALSO UP ON BEACON HILL

MAMMOGRAM TEST RESULTS (H 2119) - The Public Health Committee held a hearing on a measure that would require physicians and hospitals to notify patients of mammogram test results within 96 hours. Supporters said that this would ensure that there are no delays or mix-ups and that patients can rest assured that they don't have breast cancer or begin treatment quickly if they do. The bill was approved by the House last year but died in the Senate.

VIDEOTAPE SURGERY (H 2184)- The Public Health Committee's hearing also included consideration of a proposal that would allow any patient undergoing surgery to privately pay for a licensed medical videographer to tape the patient's surgery. The measure is named "Leona's Law" in memory of Leona Trabucco who died in 2000 during hip surgery at Brigham and Women's Hospital.

HIGHER ED BILLS - The Legislature's Higher Education Committee held a hearing on several bills including one that would require the state to help pay back the college loans of any legislative or committee staff member who works for the Massachusetts House (H 3565). The person would qualify only if his or her income does not exceed 500 percent of the federal poverty level. The state would pay back the loan at a rate of up to 10 percent of the total principal plus interest per year of service to the House. Supporters say that this program would help retain qualified legislative and committee staff of all economic backgrounds. Another measure would create a similar program for human service workers with college loans by requiring the state to repay their loans to the tune of up to $250 per month for four years (S 616).

Other proposals on the hearing agenda include bills to give free tuition at state colleges and universities to firefighters (H 1108); public school teachers (H 1164); veterans (S 595) and children of any state or local workers who are killed in the line of duty (S 595).

BAN SALE OF NOVELTY CIGARETTE LIGHTERS (H 2188) - The Public Safety Committee held a hearing on legislation that would ban the sale of toy-like or novelty lighters in the state. These lighters include ones that resemble cartoon characters, toys, guns, musical instruments, vehicles or animals. Supporters say that children often mistake these lighters for toys and note that the lighters are responsible for fires, injuries and death.

OTHER PUBLIC SAFETY BILLS - The Public Safety Committee's hearing also included measures to require all state and local public safety employees and all public and private emergency medical technicians (EMTs) to undergo random drug and alcohol testing (H 2210); mandate that all fraternity and sorority houses be equipped with hard-wired smoke detectors in common hallway areas (H 2220) and require all fire hydrants to be equipped with a marker at least four inches high during the period from November 1 to May 1. The proposal also provides that the state give cities and towns the funds to comply with this new program.

QUOTABLE QUOTES - SPECIAL ETHICS, LOBBYING AND CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM EDITION

"I hope that we will never again in this building try to confuse issues for political reasons."

Sen. Bruce Tarr (R-Gloucester) commenting on the long awaited passage of the bill making changes in the state's ethics, lobbying and campaign finance laws.

"I want to thank Governor Patrick for his strong commitment to ethics reform and Senate President Murray for her partnership on our efforts toward reform."

House Speaker Robert DeLeo.

"My concern is, Madame President, that probably a little later the governor's gonna have a press conference and the governor's gonna take credit for all the work we've done. And to be honest with you, that bothers me."

Sen. Scott Brown (R-Wrentham) arguing that Gov. Patrick was not very involved in passage of the proposal.

"No amount of reform is going to remove the ethical cloud hanging over Beacon Hill Democrats. While legislators have been investigated, indicted and arraigned on various federal and state criminal charges, too many of their fellow Democrats have enabled their bad behavior or looked the other way. The solution to the problem is to elect more Republicans to restore a two-party balance on Beacon Hill."

Republican State Committee chairwoman Jennifer Nassour.