Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Senate Session (Full Formal with Calendar) May 7th, 2026

Massachusetts Senate Floor Meeting

Key Moments

  • Bruce Tarr — Amendment 72 is introduced and rejected; Amendment 75 is introduced next.
  • Bruce Tarr — Explains Amendment 75, saying it would require funded legal defense programs to ensure recipients are not here illegally.
  • Bruce Tarr — Continues support for Amendment 75 and requests a roll call vote.
  • Bruce Tarr — His request for a roll call is acknowledged.
  • Bruce Tarr — Recorded as voting yes.
  • Bruce Tarr — Amendment 76 is filed by the same senator and is not adopted.
  • Bruce Tarr — Senator Bruce Tarr is first recorded during a roll call vote and asks to be recorded in the affirmative. He then moves to suspend the rules so the matter can be taken up immediately, and moves that the Senate non-concur in the House amendment and appoint a committee of conference, clarifying the procedural form of the motion. The sequence concludes with Tarr offering an adjournment order.
  • Carlos González — Amendment 7 is attributed to Mr. Gomez; likely a reference to Representative Carlos González, but the transcript says Gomez/Gomes and is uncertain.
  • James Eldridge — The Senate takes up Amendment 11 filed by Senator James Eldridge of Middlesex and Worcester. The amendment concerns protecting immigrant victims of crime and trafficking.
  • James Eldridge — Called during the roll call vote.
  • James Eldridge — Called during the roll call.
  • James Eldridge — Recorded as voting no.
  • James Eldridge — Called during the roll call vote; name is slightly uncertain in transcript.
  • Jason Lewis — Amendment 36 is attributed to Mr. Lewis and concerns short-form power of attorney.
  • Jason Lewis — Jason Lewis is repeatedly called during the roll-call vote and is recorded as voting no in multiple instances; a couple of mentions only show his name being called without the vote captured, but all references are part of the same ongoing roll-call sequence.
  • Jason Lewis — Called during the roll call vote.
  • John Keenan — John Keenan filed a series of amendments in sequence, covering notification procedures and employee notification, multiple languages, policy and procedure recording, funerals, sanctuary, playgrounds, and state buildings. The clerk also began reading some of the amendments as they were introduced.
  • John Keenan — Recorded as voting no.
  • John Keenan — Called during the roll call; the transcript indicates a no vote.
  • John Keenan — Recorded as voting no.
  • John Keenan — John F. Keenan was recorded as voting no.
  • John Keenan — Called during the roll call vote.
  • Cindy Friedman — Thanked for hard work on the bill as Senate Chair.
  • Cindy Friedman — Senator Cindy Friedman was recognized to speak on the amendment, explained its purpose, and urged colleagues to vote no; she was then recorded as voting no.
  • Cindy Friedman — Senator Cindy Friedman argues that the bill already covers all felonies and says the amendment is unnecessary, urging members to vote no; she is then called during the roll call.
  • Cindy Friedman — Senator Cindy Friedman spoke in opposition to Amendment 67, arguing that the amendment would effectively deputize DOC staff to act as ICE agents and referencing existing DOC/287(g) authority. She urged colleagues to vote no, and the sequence concludes with her recorded vote of no.
  • Cindy Friedman — Senator Cindy Friedman speaks in opposition to Amendment 75 and urges colleagues to vote no, arguing against limiting representation for lawfully present immigrants and related barriers to access. The moment concludes with her recorded vote of no.
  • Cindy Friedman — Introduced Amendment 69 as a corrective amendment and described its technical changes.
  • Cindy Friedman — Cindy Friedman was called during the roll call vote.
  • Pavel Payano — Thanked for efforts to craft a comprehensive immigration bill.
  • Pavel Payano — Recorded as voting no.
  • Pavel Payano — Called during the roll call; the transcript indicates a no vote.
  • Pavel Payano — Recorded as voting no.
  • Pavel Payano — Called during the roll call vote.
  • Cynthia Creem — Thanked for efforts to craft a comprehensive immigration bill.
  • Cynthia Creem — Called during the roll call vote.
  • Cynthia Creem — Called during the roll call.
  • Cynthia Creem — Named during the roll call vote.
  • Cynthia Creem — During the roll call, Cynthia Stone Creem was called and her vote was recorded as 'No.'
  • Cynthia Creem — Cynthia Stone Creem was called during the roll call vote, and her vote was later announced by the chair as part of the same vote tally.
  • Brendan Crighton — Brendan Crighton is repeatedly called during the roll call vote and recorded as voting no throughout the sequence.
  • Brendan Crighton — Brendan Crighton was referenced as the senator from Gloucester who reminded Senator Edwards to keep the stakeholder process inclusive, including the minority party.
  • Brendan Crighton — Brendan Crichton is called during the roll call vote and later has his vote announced by the chair. He is then named, along with other senators, as one of the Senate members appointed to the committee of conference.
  • John Cronin — Called during the roll call vote.
  • John Cronin — Called during the roll call.
  • John Cronin — John J. Cronin appears in the roll call vote and is recorded as voting yes earlier in the sequence, then later appears again in the same roll call context and is recorded as voting no.
  • John Cronin — John J. Cronin was called during the roll call vote and subsequently recorded as voting yes.
  • Salvatore DiDomenico — Called during the roll call vote.
  • Salvatore DiDomenico — Called during the roll call.
  • Salvatore DiDomenico — Named during the roll call vote.