THE HOUSE AND SENATE. There were no roll calls in the House or Senate last week.

Beacon Hill Roll Call this week examines the voting records of local representatives on Democratic Gov. Deval Patrick's vetoes of items in the state budgets in 2009 and 2010. The House in 2009 and 2010 voted on 39 of Patrick's budget vetoes that would have reduced state spending and made other changes in the versions of budgets approved by the Legislature.

A two-thirds vote is required to override a gubernatorial veto. The 157-person membership of the House includes 142 Democrats and only 15 Republicans. The governor needed the support of 53 representatives to sustain a veto when all 157 representatives voted - and fewer votes if some members were absent.

The House on a 90-64 vote sustained only one of the governor's vetoes. That vote was quickly reversed when the House reconsidered its action and then easily overrode the veto on a subsequent 128-27 vote. In the end, the House overrode all 39 vetoes, including seven that were overridden on unanimous votes.

Ironically, it was mostly GOP members who voted with the Democratic governor to sustain the vetoes. The three Republican members who voted with the governor to sustain the most vetoes were Reps. Brad Hill (R-Ipswich), Robert Hargraves (R-Groton) and Daniel Webster (R-Pembroke). All three supported the governor 28 out of 39 times.  

The vetoes had only occasional and sporadic support from the chamber's 142 Democrats. Only 83 Democrats voted with Patrick to sustain any vetoes and 32 of those supported the governor on only one veto. In the meantime, 59 Democrats never sided even once with the governor.

The Democrat who gave Patrick the most support was Rep. Jennifer Callahan (D-Sutton), who voted with the governor 18 times. Rounding out the top five Democrats who supported Patrick the most are Reps. Thomas Stanley (D-Waltham), 15 times; Christopher Fallon (D-Malden) and John Rogers (D-Norwood), 13 times each; and Denis Guyer (D-Dalton), 12 times.

PERCENTAGE OF TIMES LOCAL REPRESENTATIVES SUPPORTED GOV. PATRICK'S VETOES

Here is how local representatives fared in their support of Gov. Patrick on the budget vetoes.

The percentage next to the representative's name represents the percentage of times he or she supported Patrick's vetoes.

The number in parentheses represents the number of times he or she supported Patrick's vetoes.

Some representatives voted on all 39 roll call votes. Others missed one or more of the 39 votes. Their record is based on the number of roll calls on which they voted and does not count the roll calls for which they were absent.

Rep. Thomas Calter, 2.6%   (1 out of 39)                    Rep. Daniel Webster, 71.8%  (28 out of 39)                   

ALSO UP ON BEACON HILL

These five bills were given initial approval by the House back in May. Under House rules, the measures were then sent to the Bills in Third Reading Committee, which corrects any grammatical errors, duplication and constitutionality problems with legislation prior to it going back to the House for another vote.

Some supporters of these bills complain that the committee is a burial ground for many bills that are simply held there and never released.

Defenders of the process say the committee has many bills to review and that it takes time to do the job properly.

GRACE PERIOD FOR GUN LICENSES (H 2229) - Allows the firearms license of anyone on active military duty to remain valid until the cardholder is released from active duty and for a period of not less than 90 days following release.

NEW SPORTS CRIME (H 2234) - Establishes a new crime of "assault on a sports official," including umpires and referees, punishable by up to one year in prison and/or a $2,000 fine.

LOANS TO SEAFOOD PROCESSORS (H 901) - Allows the Massachusetts Development Finance Agency to provide low-interest loans to seafood processors who are experiencing cash-flow problems because of high municipal water and sewer rates.

BACKGROUND CHECK ON LIMO DRIVERS (H 1506) - Requires employers of limousine drivers to obtain all criminal offender records of applicants prior to hiring them for employment.

COMMUTER BOATS (H 3172) - Requires that any commuter boat service that receives a state subsidy hold a public hearing before any changes are made in schedules and/or rates.

QUOTABLE QUOTES

"Joint law enforcement leads to seizure of assets from marijuana distribution business."

–– From a press release from U.S. Attorney Carmen Ortiz announcing distribution of $650,000 to local, state and federal law enforcement agencies as a result of a drug investigation that led to the forfeiture of assets.

"If you don't think it's raining outside for most people in Massachusetts then you're talking to different people than I'm talking to."

–– Democratic candidate for State Treasurer Steve Grossman on GOP opponent's Karyn Polito's support of placing $195 million in recently received federal money into the state's Rainy Day Fund.

"We all know this is not the time to be handing out pay raises, when so many people in the private sector are hurting and struggling to make ends meet."

–– Polito commenting on a House plan to spend $11 million on pay raises for public employees.

"Nutcases."

–– Senate President Therese Murray's description of some Tea Party candidates.

"It’s the hate that bothers me."

–– Greater Boston Tea Party President Christen Varley.

Beacon Hill Roll Call

Volume 36-Report No. 39

September 30, 2010

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