Role-call votes by your state legislators on small-business issues are listed below. While this does not reflect all elements considered by a law-maker when voting, it can be a guide in evaluating your legislators' attitues toward small business.

1. Corporate Tax Loophole Legislation Amendment (HB 4169): Would increase tax assessments on large and small corporations by $85 million on top of $90 million in the current bill and nearly $300 million collected from businesses in tax loophole closing laws passed in 2004 and 2005. A "No" vote supports the NFIB position. Defeated in the House 45-109. (2005)

2. Retroactive Capital Gains Tax Amendment (HB 4163): Would change the effective date of the capital-gains tax increase to Jan. 1, 2003, halting the imposition of a retroactive capital-gains tax increase on gains realized in early 2002. A "Yes" vote supports the NFIB position. Defeated in the House 45-105. (2005)

3. Income Tax Reduction Amendment (HB 4169): Would amend the bill to include a provision to lower the state income-tax rate to 5 percent. A "Yes" vote supports the NFIB position. Defeated in the Senate 6-32. (2005)

4. Minimum Corporate Tax Amendment (HB 4381): Would exempt domestic corporations that are liable for the current minimum corporate tax for the first two years of the corporation's operation to encourage and support small start-up businesses. A "Yes" vote supports the NFIB position. Defeated in the House 38-116. (2005)

5. Health Care Reform Amendment (HB 4463): Would eliminate from the proposed law the provision assessing a new payroll tax on employers to fund mandatory health insurance. A "Yes" vote supports the NFIB position. Defeated in the House 24-129. (2005)

6. Unemployment Insurance Amendment (HB 4429): Would amend the bill to lower the unemployment insurance taxable wage base from $14,000 to $12,800 to help lower the state's highest-in-the-nation UI taxes. A "Yes" vote supports the NFIB position. Defeated in the Senate 7-32 (2005)

7. Regulatory Impact Statement (HB 4429): Would require state government agencies to assess the financial impact of proposed new state regulations on small businesses prior to promulgating those regulations. A "Yes" vote supports the NFIB position. Defeated in the Senate 6-33. (2005)

8. Health-Care Reform Amendment (HB 4479): Would allow small businesses to join together through Small-Business Health Plans to negotiate favorable health-care premiums for themselves and their employees. A "Yes" vote supports the NFIB position. Defeated in the Senate 11-27. (2005)

9. Corporate Tax Loophole Legislation (HB 4169): Would increase tax assessments on large and small corporations and impose an increased capital-gains tax retroactively on gains realized in early 2002. A "No" vote supports the NFIB position. Passed in the Senate 26-12. (2005)

10. Income Tax Reduction Amendment (HB 4900): Would prevent a vote on a budget amendment to reduce the state income tax rate to 5 percent by referring the issue to a study of the reduction's financial impact on the state. A "No" vote supports the NFIB position. Passed in the House 129-22. (2006)

11. Health-Care Reform Amendment (HB 4479): Would override governor's veto of an assessment of $295 per employee on employers who do not offer health insurance to employees. A "No" vote supports the NFIB position. Passed in the House 137-20. (2006)

12. Streamlined Permitting (HB 4741): Would expedite and streamline state and local permitting of development projects to improve Massachusetts' competitiveness with other states. A "Yes" vote supports the NFIB position. Passed in the House 134-15. (2006)

13. Health-Care Constitutional Amendment (SB 4): Would refer to a special committee the proposed amendment that would grant individuals a constitutional right to comprehensive and affordable health care. A "Yes" vote supports the NFIB position. Passed in the House 95-60; passed in the Senate 23-16. (2006)

14. Streamlined Permitting Amendment (HB 4741): Would ensure passage of expedited permitting legislation as originally intended by eliminating previously adopted Senate amendments that were rejected by the House. A "Yes" vote supports the NFIB position. Passed in the Senate 24-12. (2006)

Massachusetts House of Representatives

Issue Number	1	2	4	5	10	11	12	13	%
NFIB	N	Y	Y	Y	N	N	Y	Y	100%
DiMasi, Salvatore (D-Boston)	N	N	N	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	38%
Eldridge, James (D-Acton)	N	N	N	N	Y	Y	N	N	13%
Hall, Geoffrey (D-Westford)	N	N	N	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	38%
Hargraves, Robert (R-Groton)	N	Y	Y	Y	N	N	Y	N	88%

Massachusetts Senate

Issue Number	3	6	7	8	9	13	14	%
NFIB	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	Y	Y	100%
Panagiotakos, Steven (D-Lowell)	N	N	N	N	Y	Y	Y	29%
Resor, Pamela (D-Acton)	N	N	N	N	Y	N	N	0%

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