Greetings all,

Times like these require both legislative offense and defense.

In this letter to you, I’ll detail more of the Senate’s offensive moves, like the $234 million we sent to hospitals and community health centers last month or the more than $100 million appropriated last week to keep our higher education affordability promises.

But we’re also playing defense — protecting and defending our people, holding fast to common values in the face of significant federal attacks. 

For weeks now, I’ve had the word “bulwark” stuck in my brain.

A bulwark isn’t only a big stone wall. People who help in times of crises are bulwarks against pain and suffering. A kind word or an act of protest are bulwarks against despair or injustice.

In this time of great upheaval, let’s all embrace our inner bulwarks with a fervor equal to or greater than what we’re facing.  

Please make it to the P.S. to learn about two new members of our team.

Let’s get into it.

But first, two tech tips based on constituent feedback

1. If the newsletter ends abruptly, look for instructions at the bottom of your screen regarding how to read the rest. 
2. If the newsletter appears with no images, you may need to click “allow blocked content.”

TL;DR (that's a "too long; didn't read" digest)

• Massachusetts is grappling with federal funding cuts, including SNAP benefits.
• Representative Natalie Blais and my bill requiring ingredient disclosures in menstrual products passes the Senate. 
• Recognizing Indigenous Peoples Day.
• The Legislature closes the books on Fiscal Year 2025 by passing a supplemental budget. 
• The House and Senate override some of Governor Healey’s Fiscal Year 2026 budget vetoes. 
• If the school budget is eating up your town’s budget, please take action. (We made a video to help you!)
• Rising leaders Nate Woodard and Naomi Bledsoe spend two days at the State House as part of a Senate legislative training.
• Eight examples of making climate progress against all odds.
• Public committee hearings on bills I filed. 
• My team organized several briefings during the month of October. 
• Honored to receive a public service award from the Disability Policy Consortium. 
• Sign up now for The Peoples’ Town Hall on December 10. 
• Answering your calls to action on legislation and pressing issues.

Grappling with the impact of federal funding cuts

Earlier this month, the Healey-Driscoll Administration updated its dashboard capturing $3.7 billion worth of federal funding cuts to Massachusetts. 

Governing amid federal volatility is like trying to work on top of an active volcano. And while it’s difficult at the state level, nothing is harder than grappling with the impact of cuts on a personal level. 

Most recently, the White House notified states that it was withholding November Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) payments. This devastating news affects one million Commonwealth residents. I compiled 11 timely things to know about SNAP so that constituents have a round up of what’s happening and what’s at stake.

Much of this week has been spent with legislative, administration, and advocate colleagues with whom I’m working as part of Governor Maura Healey’s Anti-Hunger Task Force — pressing for ways forward. The state must be a bulwark against food insecurity.

This situation is in flux. In the space between when I press "send" on this email and when you receive it, there may be new news.

If you or someone you know has questions or concerns, reach out to jo.comerford@masenate.gov and we’ll jump in to help.

As the shutdown continues, we're also watch-dogging federal funding for the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP), child nutrition programs, the Women Infant and Children (WIC) program, and more.

A look at the fiscal year 2025 (FY25) closeout supplemental budget

On October 23, the Senate debated and passed a supplemental budget to close the books on fiscal year 2025. 

A “closeout supp” is an annual affair, closing the books on the prior fiscal year. Closeout supps are largely bill paying exercises and often uneventful. 

But the $2.3 billion FY25 closeout supp was no snoozer. It was a bulwark. It combined general fund spending (the majority for MassHealth) with Fair Share spending and packed in some policy. Here are some highlights:

• $2.04 billion for MassHealth (with a net cost to the state of $539 million after reimbursements) covering the rapidly rising cost of providing healthcare;
• $200 million in a K-12 education fund to stabilize spending in the face of potential cuts;
• $100 million to maintain higher education affordability;
• $75 million for the Housing Preservation and Stabilization Trust Fund, which supports affordable rental housing; 
• $18.5 million to support public health hospitals;
• $18.3 million to maintain higher education student stipends for books and supplies;
• $12.5 million to cover phone calls for individuals who are incarcerated;
• $12 million to support the universal meals program for school children;
• $10 million for the Department of Transitional Assistance so that it has the resources to help Massachusetts residents through the wave of federal cuts; and, 
• $5 million in direct support for reproductive health care.

Additional policy sections include the following provisions:

• Strengthens the health safety net by replenishing funds.
• Respects privacy of people seeking name changes. Removes the automatic requirement of a public legal notice for name-change petitions, instead allowing the court to require public notice in a particular case for good cause.
• Establishes fines and charges for impersonating a federal official to address concerns related to ICE-like vigilantes.
• Ensures that Commonwealth vaccine policy is guided by science.

I break this down further in a video message: 

Watch my remarks at the beginning of the debate here: 

Restoring $70 million worth of Governor Healey's vetoes

Before signing the fiscal year 2026 budget in July, Governor Healey vetoed approximately $130 million in spending. 

On October 23, the Senate joined the House in voting to override over $70 million in funds that were previously vetoed, including:

• $20 million to public schools for charter school reimbursement 
• $25 million for supplemental nursing home rates 
• $5 million for shelter workforce assistance 
• $1 million for regional economic development grants 

Legislation to require ingredient disclosure in menstrual products passes the Senate

On October 16, the Senate passed two pieces of legislation to promote menstrual equity. 

A bill I filed in partnership with Rep. Blais, An Act relative to menstrual product ingredient disclosure, passed unanimously. 

Currently, manufacturers of menstrual products are not required to disclose their ingredients, despite studies uncovering PFAS chemicals and heavy metals, including arsenic and lead, in various products, limiting the ability of consumers to make informed choices. 

The bill was inspired by students at Frontier Regional High School in Deerfield and requires ingredient disclosure on any menstrual product sold within the Commonwealth.

Watch my remarks from the floor during debate here and below: 

This forward momentum for menstrual equity legislation is possible because of advocates like Mass NOW and the Massachusetts Menstrual Equity Coalition, and constituents who make their voices heard. Below, I’m speaking to the media after the bills’ passage.

Recognizing Indigenous Peoples Day

On the second Monday of October, I celebrated Indigenous Peoples Day. (My statement is below.)

I’m proud to be the Senate sponsor of a bill to make that change official, working in partnership with Indigenous leaders across the state. I’m also very glad to join with Italian and Italian American constituents to celebrate Italian Heritage Month.

Take action for school funding

Is funding for K-12 education eating up your town’s budget? There are two sides to the state’s K-12 education funding formula: the funding the state provides, and the funding municipalities contribute. 

We need to crack open and reform the Chapter 70 formula (funding the state provides) and focus on schools with stagnant or declining enrollments, rural schools, and regional schools. While we advance that effort (and we will get it done), the Legislature included a study of the local contribution side of the education funding formula (what municipalities contribute) in the FY26 state budget. (This hasn’t been reviewed in 18 years.)

More information about the study, including five public comment sessions and how to submit written testimony available here. 

Please note the public comment session at Greenfield High School and the virtual public comment session:

Thursday, November 6, 2025

4:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.

Greenfield High School, 21 Barr Ave., Greenfield

Prior registration not needed

Tuesday, November 18, 2025

4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Virtual public comment hearing

Register online

Rep. Blais and I hosted Noah Berger, who leads policy and advocacy for the Massachusetts Teachers Association, for a brief “School Funding 101 video” to help constituents understand what you could include in your testimony. Watch here. 

Rising leaders Nate Woodard and Naomi Bledsoe spend two days at the State House

I nominated Naomi Bledsoe, Youth Engagement Coordinator for the Communities that Care Coalition, and Nate Woodard, Co-Chair of the Greenfield Human Rights Commission, to represent the Hampshire, Franklin, Worcester district at the 90th Citizen's Legislative Seminar held last week.

Naomi and Nate received a crash course in how the Senate operates, the legislative process, and much more. 

ICYMI, Naomi and Nate were featured in this summer’s Keeping Hope Alive video series. Watch their great interview here.

Pictures from their time in the Senate are below. I’m offering a Senate welcome and Nate is taking part in a mock debate on cell phones in schools — making an extremely good point!

Eight hopeful examples of making climate progress against all odds

Here are eight updates on statewide progress toward well-sited cleaner and greener energy and a healthier environment:

#1

The state has issued Methods, Best Practices, and Standards for Achieving Green and Healthy Schools in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, a report mandated in a bill I filed and passed in 2022 in partnership with Representative Mindy Domb. Thanks to the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Massachusetts for its staunch advocacy and willingness to make sure this report inspires action toward greener and healthier public schools. Download the report here.

#2

The working group focused on prioritizing solar on the built environment — mandated in a bill I filed and passed in 2024 with Rep. Blais — has issued its report. Read it here.

#3

The Embodied Carbon Intergovernmental Coordinating Council, established in legislation I filed and passed in 2024 with Representative Michelle Ciccolo, held a public hearing at UMass Amherst in October. I was glad to offer a brief welcome and gladder still to hear from AIA’s Dorrie Brooks and Tom Hartman who inspired the bill and continue to see it through.

#4

I joined a beautiful October celebration recognizing the many entities in the Hampshire, Franklin, Worcester district (see below) which have been awarded grant funding through the Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) program.

This year, the program was expanded to include funding targeted for rural and small towns, ensuring that every community has the tools it needs to meet the challenges of a changing climate, as we grapple with hotter summers, stronger storms, and record flooding. Advocating for increased MVP funding and its equitable distribution is a top priority.

#5

Also in October, I joined the graduation of new HVAC techs at Greenfield Community College (GCC) AND the launch of the Climate Service Corps with Climate Chief Melissa Hoffer and Massachusetts Clean Energy Center Executive Director Dr. Emily Reichert.

GCC is slated to receive an additional $374,999, in recognition of its excellent work to train more classes of clean energy professionals who are in such high demand. Thank you to MassHire Franklin Hampshire, Franklin County Chamber of Commerce, all the businesses, and all the families who participated in and contributed to this truly breakthrough event.

#6

In the FY25 close out supplemental, the Senate included $14 million for the Disaster Relief and Resiliency Program initiated from a bill I filed and passed in 2024 in partnership with Rep. Blais. The devastating floods of July 2023 prompted our work, especially needed now as the federal government rolls back FEMA protections. 

#7

On October 25, Rep. Blais and I joined a day-long meeting of the Connecticut River Watershed Partnership with regional planning agencies and state legislators from Connecticut, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts to kick-start a four-state compact to support the Connecticut River Watershed.

#8

Rep. Blais and I have filed legislation for multiple sessions to reform the State Owned Land (SOL) PILOT (payments in lieu of taxes) formula, which badly disadvantages western and central Massachusetts municipalities. That’s why we cheered when Governor Healey signed an Executive Order creating a commission to reform this formula to adequately compensate our municipalities for the state-owned lands they steward — as well as to consider the value of the ecosystem services these lands provide. I've been appointed to serve on this Commission on behalf of the Senate, so my team and I will remain in the weeds of this regional equity issue on behalf of our district.

Committee hearings on bills I filed

Public hearings on bills that have been filed this session are well underway — 64 of the 68 bills we filed on your behalf this session have now had a hearing. 

If you would like to be notified about opportunities to testify on legislation, sign up to be added to an email list corresponding with your priority issue area(s). 

In October, I provided testimony on 10 bills:

An Act designating certain employees of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation to be in Group 2 of the contributory retirement system (S.1804/H.2838)

An Act expanding access to trails for people of all abilities (S.548/H.915)

An Act investing in natural and working lands (S.549/H.1005)

An Act maintaining the state disaster relief and resiliency trust fund (S.1936/H.3030)

An Act to reform payments in lieu of taxes for state-owned land (S.1939/H.3032)

An Act relative to state employment postings (S.1292)

An Act relative to trans-inclusive health care access (S.681/H.1188)

An Act promoting passenger safety on motorcoaches (S.2611/H.2601)

Resolve increasing representation of all Massachusetts residents in the state house art collection (S.2327)

An Act establishing an ecologically-based mosquito management program in the Commonwealth to protect public health (S.547/H.985)

I share just a few highlights here.

(Remember, these are just the hearings on bills I filed, not the bills I’ve cosponsored, which I know many of you are advocating for, like RetirementPlus, Regulations for Crypto Machines, etc.)

I’m grateful for the dedicated advocates and passionate constituents who joined me in supporting these bills. 

A tale of [several] briefings

This month, my team and I have hosted three State House briefings on issues we have been working on. 

Local Public Health with the Department of Public Health (DPH): 

Public health is some of the most important work happening all around us, every single minute of every single day. Public health officials have two directives: make us well and keep us well. The range of their efforts is dizzying.

Until recently, Massachusetts had a wildly ineffective, inefficient, inequitable public health system. That changed with the passage of what's known as State Action for Public Health Excellence (SAPHE) and the appropriation of $200 million to transform our state's public health delivery system.

My team and I are proud to have helped lead both, and wanted to make sure to have a public accounting of the impact of this work with DPH officials and regional public health leaders including Northampton's Health and Human Services Commissioner, Merridith O'Leary. We’re pictured below.

If you want to be inspired by transformative work, watch here.

Public Health Excellence with the Massachusetts Public Health Alliance (MPHA): 

On October 23, I helped kick off Public Health Excellence Day hosted by MPHA. The Legislature must continue to honor our commitment to public health and the critical gains made in the last five years — even as the federal government unwinds protections.

I was thrilled by the bus-load of public health officials who traveled from the Hampshire, Franklin, Worcester district to attend this event. I’m pictured below giving the welcome and circled up with western Mass officials.

Impact of OBBB on higher education in the Commonwealth: 

As Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Higher Education, I partnered with the state Department of Higher Education to host a legislative briefing on the impacts of the federal One Big [Brutal] Bill (OBBB) on higher education. 

Higher education is a specific target of this federal legislation, which will make it more expensive to attend college and more difficult to get adequate loans.

We are doing everything we can to prevent the federal government from rolling back the gains we have made towards truly affordable and accessible higher education, including recently appropriating $118.3 million to maintain free public higher education programs and stipends for low-income students.

Celebrating disability rights

On October 16, I was honored to receive the Thomas Menino Award for Public Service from the Disability Policy Consortium, alongside my colleague Representative Christine Barber. I am pictured below with Disability Policy Consortium Executive Director Harry Weissman.

Read my remarks here.

Answering your calls to action on legislation and other pressing issues

About one-third of the hundreds of emails I receive each day are from constituents calling me to act on pieces of legislation or issues they support. Thank you for allowing this “bulk” reply to some of the issues I have heard most about in the recent weeks. 

What is the status of the End of Life Options Act? 

The Joint Committee on Public Health reported favorably on An Act relative to end of life options (S.1486), which I filed in partnership with Representatives Jim O’Day and Ted Philips and Senators Will Brownsberger, Dylan Fernandes, and Jake Oliveira. 

This legislation is now before the Joint Committee on Health Care Financing for its consideration. This bill is one of my top priorities this session. 

Do you support RetirementPlus for teachers?

YES! My colleagues know that this is a priority for my constituents. They ask me “Jo, can we please discuss something other than R+ today?” And I respond, “Let’s pass it and we can stop talking about it.” 

Energy affordability

I continue to hear from many constituents who are struggling to afford utility bills. Eversource previously announced a rate hike for this winter and now Berkshire Gas has as well. I filed legislation to limit the rates that utilities can charge, and this session Governor Healey also filed significant energy affordability legislation. I expect the Legislature will take action on this issue this session.

Support for the United States Postal Service (USPS)

YES! I support the USPS and am grateful to hear from constituents with their calls to protect and defend this institution from threats of privatization. While I do not have jurisdiction over federal entities like USPS, I am always happy to connect with federal partners to let them know of our shared constituents’ interest and calls to action.

Ways to engage

Office hours in November — Director of Constituent Services Jessie Cooley and Legislative Aide Lauren Howard will be hosting remote office hours via Zoom on Friday, November 21 from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Sign up here. Thanks to Jessie and Lauren for leading.

Save the date for a December Town Hall — 

Our team will also be hosting a town hall from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, December 10 via Zoom. 

This event will highlight our work on behalf of the Hampshire, Franklin, Worcester district and look forward to what lies ahead. Attendees will also have the opportunity to ask questions, share ideas, and/or offer feedback.

Registration is required for this free event — click here to register.

After registering, you will receive an email from Zoom with information on how to join. Please check your spam folder for this email. If you do not receive this email, please email katelyn.billings@masenate.gov.

A reminder to keep hold of that registration confirmation email — it will contain your unique link to join the Zoom on December 10.  

The Town Hall will be recorded and shared online for those who are unable to attend live. More information to follow. 

Out and about

As always, we’re only able to share a few highlights of our team out and about. As you scroll through, please know that my team and I also joined the Department of Energy Resources (DOER) hearing at UMass Amherst on solar siting and battery storage regulations, the New England Peace Pagoda’s 40th Anniversary in Leverett, the 50th Anniversary Celebration and launch of the Resilience Center of Franklin County, Tapestry Health’s Walk for Every Body and Block Party, the Pulaski Day celebration in Northampton, a Mass Municipal Association gathering in Athol, a Quabbin Days event at New Salem Cider (I took my sister from Maine and my nephew who’s a senior at UMass Amherst!), a Congressman Jim McGovern town hall event in Leverett, a delegation visit to Planned Parenthood’s offices in Springfield, and the Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce’s legislative breakfast. I also spoke with Select Boards in Northfield, Warwick, Athol, Hatfield, Bernardston, Wendell, and Winchendon, as well as with members of the Northampton City Council. And more.

On September 26, Chief of Staff Jared Freedman joined students from UMass Amherst’s Manning College of Information and Computer Sciences as they presented to Governor Healey, Chancellor Reyes, Secretary of Technology Services and Security Jason Snyder the solutions they developed to real world challenges facing various state agencies. 

Their presentations were part of an initiative launched by the Governor's office to use artificial intelligence for the public good. Among the solutions developed by these brilliant students are AI-powered software that will help state agencies review grant proposals more efficiently, address complaints in a more timely fashion, and streamline the work of HR departments. Grateful to the Healey-Driscoll Administration and UMass for this exciting partnership.

On October 1, I joined the opening plenary session of MassBudget’s FOCUS 2025 Conference to discuss state spending and revenue strategies in the face of potentially devastating federal cuts.

On October 2, I had the pleasure of meeting with nursing students and faculty from the Elaine Marieb College of Nursing at UMass Amherst as part of American Nurses Association of Massachusetts advocacy day. 

They were on the Hill to support important legislation including bills to establish a nursing workforce center of excellence, expand and increase funding for primary care, protect people in an operating room from surgical smoke (which I filed and which passed the Senate last session), and to remove toxic chemicals from children's products (which I also filed).

On October 6, I joined GCC students to answer some of their questions and hear their feedback about my work and the role of the state Legislature in our Commonwealth.

On October 7, I was delighted to offer the legislative welcome at the 25th Annual Massachusetts Book Awards hosted by the Massachusetts Center for the Book.

It's one of the very best days in the State House, this year even more poignant given federal attacks on free speech and cultural expression.

Proud to celebrate four outstanding authors from the Hampshire, Franklin, Worcester district recognized for their outstanding literary contributions:

• Jarrett Krosoczka – inaugural Award Winner in the Graphic Novel category for his book Sunshine (I’m pictured below with Jarrett and Representative Lindsay Sabadosa.)
• Nicholas Day – receiving honors in the Picture Book/Early Reader category for his book Nothing: John Cage and 4’33”
• Britt Crow-Miller – being named a Must-Read Picture Book author for her book World of Rot
• Mk Smith Despres – being named a Must-Read Picture Book author for their book Night Song

Read my remarks here.

On October 10, I was glad to join my colleagues and many leaders in the Quabbin region to celebrate the beauty, the contributions, and the opportunities of this place and its people with the kick off of Quabbin Days.

On October 16, our team celebrated the 50th Anniversary of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Hampshire County. The event recognized the contributions of the organization's dedicated mentors, staff, volunteers and supporters over the years, along with BBBSHC's three Executive Directors, pictured below: the incredible Renee Moss who served there for 32 years, the current Director Susan Nicastro, and our Director of Constituent Services Jessie Cooley, who was the Director from 2017-2021. Here's to 50 more years of youth mentoring in Hampshire County!

On October 22, Jessie attended the ribbon cutting for the North Common Revitalization Project in Amherst. This beautiful reimagining and repurposing of the North Common has been many years in the making, and our team applauds the hard work, dedication, and collaboration of Amherst town leaders and community members that made this project a success. Check out the revitalized North Common the next time you're in town!

On October 28, Jessie attended the Tapestry Legislative Breakfast in Northampton, learning about the work of this vital community health organization serving western Massachusetts valiantly during these increasingly challenging times. We are immensely grateful for their unwavering commitment to providing inclusive health care services, including reproductive and gender-affirming care, harm reduction programs, food access and family nutrition, and more. Jessie is pictured here with Tapestry CEO Mavis Nimoh along with esteemed attendees at the event today.

Also on October 28, Jessie attended the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for Amherst's new Centennial Water Treatment Plant. The plant provides up to one million gallons of clean drinking water per day to the Amherst water system and features advanced, efficient treatment technology to keep this drinking water safe, reliable, and sustainable. Glad to partner with Rep. Domb to support this project. 

Pictured here are Amherst Department of Public Works staff members and Town Manager Paul Bockelman celebrating the new facility. 

Later that day and many miles away on Beacon Hill, Communications & Engagement Director Katelyn Billings attended a rally hosted by Project Bread and the Make Hunger History Coalition to support full funding for SNAP benefits after November 1.

It was a powerful gathering, the highlight of which was Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell's announcement that her office had filed suit alongside 22 other AGs and three Governors against the Federal Administration for unlawfully suspending SNAP funding. (As I type, we're waiting on a court ruling.)

This week, Governor Healey announced that she's advancing $4 million to food banks to expand the purchasing that they are doing through the Massachusetts Emergency Food Assistance Program (MEFAP), which also has a Mass Grown component that helps farmers.

Yet we are called to go further and to do more. Reminder, please check out this post which has a lot of information about the impact of SNAP payment withholding on our region and how you can get help and take action. There are a good many food drives happening and we know that financial donations (if you can make them) go even farther.

We could go on, but we'll stop here and send our love to you all.

Tuesday is Election Day. Thank you to those who are running to work and serve the public. 

Jo, Elena, Katelyn, Lauren, Jessie, Rachel, and Jared

P.S. Joyful welcomes 

Elena Cohen, our intrepid District Director, and her husband Jake Krain, continue to await the birth of their first child. 

We can’t wait to meet the newest (and certainly the sweetest!) member of our extended team family. Big thanks to Jessie Cooley from our team who is picking up work with district municipalities. We’re really lucky to have Jessie’s expertise.

I am also excited to welcome Lauren Howard to the team for the next six months as Elena is out on parental leave. 

Lauren is joining us as a Legislative Aide, after earning her Master's Degree in International Relations from the University of Wyoming. Lauren is a powerhouse who will be supporting constituents seeking assistance with government services. Welcome and thank you, Lauren, for joining the team!

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