Political Party Swayers of 2023
As this year concludes, we’re taking a look at how often legislators did not vote along party lines. What votes were taken? Who surprised you? And why does it matter?
Formal sessions ended on November 15th, with a total of 99 votes held in the Senate and 70 in the House. Most sessions were voting on line items from the FY24 budget and not individual bills. However, we’ve pulled a list of the most important bills to see which legislators were willing to take risks and which were not.
House of Representatives
The vote was concerning the bill HB3770, An Act to improve the Commonwealth’s competitiveness, affordability, and equity. Specifically at question was on the adoption of Amendment #2, a Rep. Bradley Jones (R-North Reading) amendment to the House omnibus tax reform bill that would strike the section of the bill that impacts the limitation of state revenue growth. Perhaps surprising at first glance, Rep. Colleen Garry (D-Dracut) and Rep. Jeffrey Turco (D-Winthrop) voted against party lines, joining the entire House Republican caucus. However, Garry and Turco are more conservative Democrats who traditionally vote in line with Republicans when matters of taxation are at hand. Predictably, in a chamber dominated by party-line Democrats, the amendment did not pass.
The vote was on the engrossment of HB3770, which comprehensively is the House omnibus tax reform bill that addresses the estate tax, the child care tax credit, the senior circuit breaker, the rental deduction, short term capital gains, the earned income tax credit, single sales factor apportionment for businesses, and reforms to the stabilization cap. Rep. Mike Connolly (D-Cambridge), Rep. Dan Sena (D-Acton), and Rep. Erika Uyterhoeven (D-Somerville) were the only three representatives to vote against the bill. These three members, among the most progressive in the House, felt the bill was poorly crafted and provided too much benefit to corporations.
Another vote of note was HB4135, An Act modernizing firearm laws. The floor vote was on sustaining the decision of the chair, rejecting a point of order raised by Minority Leader Brad Jones that the bill was not presented properly before the House since it did not contain a fiscal note. It is no surprise that all house Republicans voted for the measure, and all Democrats except one voted against it. Rep. Jonathan Zlotnik (D-Gardner) was running at the time for the Senate seat vacated by now-Rural Affairs Director Anne Gobi, representing the Worcester, Hampden, Hampshire and Middlesex district. The district represents a moderate electorate in a rural area where firearm ownership is prevalent. Zlotnik’s vote against the Speaker’s decision was a political move meant to demonstrate support for Second Amendment rights. Despite this, Peter Durant (R-Spencer) won the Senate seat in the November special election.
The vote was over the engrossment of HB4135, which will impose comprehensive new registration, licensure, safety, and reporting requirements for all gun owners in the Commonwealth. Unsurprisingly, all Republicans voted against it. Joining them were Representatives Shirley Arriaga (D-Chicopee), Brian Ashe (D-Longmeadow), Colleen Garry (D-Dracut), Patricia Haddad (D-Somerset), Kathleen LaNatra (D-Kingston), Christopher Markey (D-Dartmouth), Rady Mom (D-Lowell), David Robertson (D-Tewksbury), Aaron Saunders (D-Belchertown), Adam Silvia (D-Fall River), and Jeffrey Turco (D-Winthrop).
There are many factors at play here; Garry and Turco again show support for more conservative policies, including the Second Amendment. Markey, who has generally voted with the party, also cited concerns regarding the Second Amendment. Saunders voted against the bill citing that it is unclear how firearms are to be carried when applied to law enforcement. Interestingly, Democratic legislators from the South Coast, including LaNatra, Markey, Silvia and Haddad, have positive approval ratings from the NRA based on prior votes. Most notably among those voting against is Rep. Patricia Haddad, who has long served in House leadership. This vote represented an unusually staunch rebuttal to the Speaker’s initiative by a significant number of legislators.
The vote was on the adoption of Amendment #49 in HB4167, Rep. Paul Frost’s (R-Auburn) amendment to the $2.746 billion FY23 closeout supplemental budget that would restrict eligibility for the Emergency Housing Assistance Program to those who have been residents of the Commonwealth for at least one year, and require applicants to submit proof of residency. Garry and Robertson were the sole Democrats to vote for the amendment. Robertson, a sophomore legislator, represents Tewksbury and Wilmington, a small pocket of conservatism in Middlesex County along with Garry’s Dracut district. The 19th Middlesex office was last held by the late Rep. James Miceli, who was known to support measures to limit public benefits; Robertson was his aide prior to Miceli’s death.
Senate
The Senate traditionally has pushed for more transparency, with some Democrats voting for sunshine policies. However, liberals still have a tight stronghold, making it difficult for legislating rules to be in the Republicans’ favor.
Senate President Karen Spilka (D-Ashland) did not vote in matters regarding Senate Rules as it would be a conflict of interest. Sen. Liz Miranda (D-Dorchester) did not cast her vote for the SB17 amendments, despite submitting other votes that day.
The vote was on the adoption of a Sen. Bruce Tarr (R-Gloucester) amendment to the Senate Rules bill, SB17, that would require recesses declared so that members can examine new items on the calendar to last at least 30 minutes. All but two Democrats voted yea with the Republicans - Sen. John Keenan (D-Quincy) and Sen. Rebecca Rausch (D-Needham). Both are quite progressive, and therefore it makes sense they would want to bring more transparency to the chamber.
This vote was also regarding an amendment brought by Tarr to SB17 on the adoption of requiring the results of roll call votes made available by the clerk to note the manner in which the member voted. Similar to SRC#3, Republicans voted to bring more transparency to the Senate. Sen. Keenan voted again with the Republicans. Joining him was notoriously progressive Sen. Jamie Eldridge (D-Acton).
The vote was on the adoption of the order (SB17) establishing the Senate Rules for the 2023-2024 legislative session. Although Tarr pushed to amend the Senate Rules, in the end he voted for its passage. Sen. Patrick O’Connor (R-Weymouth) voted in the affirmative as well. The only Republican to vote nay was Sen. Ryan Fattman (R-Sutton).
This vote was on the adoption of a Tarr amendment to SB3 (Amendment #809) to the FY24 Senate budget that would strike sections 16 and 17 relative to the millionaire's surtax. Section 16 implemented the millionaire’s tax on in-state residents, while Section 17 applied the millionaire’s tax to out-of-state residents earning more than $1 million in the Commonwealth. Legislators of note that voted in favor were Sen. Barry Finegold (D-Andover) and Sen. Walter Timilty (D-Milton). This is unsurprising, since both legislators are fairly conservative in matters regarding taxation.
Similar to SRC#38, this vote was on the adoption of a Tarr amendment (amendment #106) to the FY24 Senate budget that would strike provisions excluding Fair Share tax revenues from the calculation of revenues for the purpose of calculating amounts to be returned to taxpayers under GL Chapter 62F. Again, Finegold and Timilty voted with their Republican colleagues.
The vote was on the adoption of an Eldridge amendment (Amendment #16) to the Senate omnibus tax reform bill (SB2397) that would amend the Housing Development Incentive Program to require that not more than 80% of housing units funded be market rate units, add a definition of "permanently affordable unit,” and require that non-market rate units be permanently affordable. As predicted the most liberal lawmakers voted in the affirmative. Eldridge and Senators Sal DiDomenico (D-Everett), Lydia Edwards (D-Boston), Adam Gomez (D-Springfield), Patricia Jehlen (D-Somerville), Robyn Kennedy (D-Worcester), Liz Miranda, Mark Montigny (D-New Bedford), and Rebecca Rausch all were the only Democrats voting for the amendment.
The vote was on the adoption of a Tarr amendment, again regarding the Senate omnibus tax reform bill, which would set the capital gains tax at a rate of 5% for the sale or exchange of assets held for one year or less. As anticipated, Finegold and Timilty were the only two Democrats voting with the Republican minority.
Also on the Senate omnibus tax reform bill, this vote was on the adoption of a Fattman amendment that would eliminate the estate tax for estates valued at $3 million or less. This time, Finegold did not follow the above voting pattern and voted nay. Timilty still voted with the Republicans on this matter. Sen. Nicholas Collins (D-Boston) voted for the amendment; he has demonstrated opposition to increasing estate taxes, including real estate transfer taxation measures.
Along with the previous amendments on the Senate tax reform bill, SRC#54 was on the adoption of a Tarr amendment that would index the amount at which the estate tax is owed to inflation annually. Just as seen with SRC#53, Collins and Timilty voted affirmatively.
This analysis was possible due to InstaTrac’s MassTrac service, which has a database of floor votes and voting records. InstaTrac compiles information such as party breakdown, vote tallies, and other key statistics. For more information on our services, email us at info@instatrac.com. To start your free trial, click here: https://welcome.instatrac.com/! Follow us on Threads, Instagram, Facebook, Youtube, Substack, and Medium so you never miss a post!