Senator Finegold Newsletter
March 2022
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Spring has sprung, and I have definitely enjoyed the extra hours of daylight!
Spring also marks the arrival of the Commonwealth’s annual budget deliberations. Governor Baker recently issued his budget recommendation, the House will begin its process next month, and the Senate will take up the budget in May. My staff and I have been working hard to prepare our local budget requests, and I look forward to keeping you all updated on the process in the coming months.
Thank you for keeping in touch, and please reach out to my office if we can be of assistance. You can reach me at barry.finegold@masenate.gov or contact my office at 617-722-1612.
-Barry
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Meet our new Director of Constituent Services, Erin Olivieri! Erin joined the team in March 2022 after spending two years helping homeowners and remodelers navigate the challenging logistics of the pandemic. She is a graduate of Harvard College, where she studied Government and Astrophysics as a first-generation college student. Outside of the office, Erin loves to bake, watch hockey, and take road trips. Erin is excited for the opportunity to serve the Merrimack Valley! |
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Follow my Office!
Facebook: @BarryFinegoldMA
Twitter:@Barry_Finegold
Instagram: @barry.finegold
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March has been a busy time in the Senate. At the start of the month, we advanced legislation that would increase oversight and transparency at state-operated veterans' homes. I was proud that the Senate adopted my amendment to require medical directors at veterans' homes to establish best practices for treating health issues that disproportionately impact veterans, including PTSD and suicide. Far too many times, we have asked brave men and women to go into harm’s way without making sure that they are taken care of when they return home. We have a duty to support those who put their lives on the line for our country.
Also, this month, the Senate passed a $1.65 billion supplemental budget for Fiscal Year 2022. The supplementary budget is part of the Commonwealth's ongoing response to the economic impacts of the pandemic and makes targeted investments in education, infrastructure, health care, and transportation. Additionally, the bill allocates $10 million to support the resettlement of Ukrainian refugees and divests the state pension fund from Russian assets. I'm proud to see the Senate stand with the Ukrainian people and look forward to seeing this bill get across the finish line.
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Out & About in the District |
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Interview with Dominican Radio Show at Lawrence City Hall |
I had the pleasure of joining the Dominican Republic-based radio El Sol de la Mañana, and meeting with President of RCC Media, Antonio Espaillat, to celebrate the show’s 10th anniversary!
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MVRTA Fare-Free Initiative Launch Event in Lawrence |
The Merrimack Valley Regional Transit Authority has officially gone fare-free! I was excited to participate in the official launch event and see this become a reality for residents throughout the Merrimack Valley. |
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MVCC’s Annual State Senate Forum in Lawrence |
This month, I also had the opportunity to speak at the Merrimack Valley Chamber of Commerce’s Annual State Senate forum. We had a great conversation about how to bring more jobs and economic development to the Merrimack Valley! |
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Constituent Spotlight:
Scott Kelly
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I want to highlight local UPS driver, Scott Kelly. Scott was among the brave frontline workers who ensured everyone – including the elderly and most vulnerable– had what they needed. Scott and workers like him kept the economy in motion and the rest of us safe during uncertain times. That is why I am honored to recognize Scott for his vital service to our community. |
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We want to hear from you!
We are looking to highlight constituents making a difference in the community on our social media and newsletter. If you have a friend, neighbor, co-worker, or community leader that you believe should be featured, contact Maria Villalona at maria.villalona@masenate.gov.
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Vaccines & Boosters
Need to get vaccinated?
Schedule an appointment!
Need help navigating the website or scheduling an appointment?
Call 211 for assistance.
Trust the facts and get the vax!
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Streaming:
Season 4 of Drive to Survive on Netflix
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Still on repeat:
10 Years' album, Violent Allies
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What are you watching, reading, or listening to this month?
Let me know!
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From birthdays to games and first-time milestones, this month was quite eventful for the Finegold family. |
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We made it to 51!
Thank you all for the birthday wishes!
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Went to the Bruins vs. Blackhawks game with my girls.
We beat them 4-3!
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So proud of Ava who voted for the first time in Andover’s annual town election. |
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Why Conrad Roy's Mom Is Fighting to Make Suicide Coercion a Crime: 'I Want My Son to Be Proud of Me'
Unlike 42 other states, Massachusetts has no statute on the books to criminalize suicide coercion. Proposed legislation dubbed "Conrad's Law" would correct that, and impose a punishment of up to five years for anyone convicted of pressuring another to take their life….
Lynn [Roy] and her new husband, Roland St. Denis, nurtured the idea for Conrad's Law after the controversy over prosecutors' decision to charge Michelle with manslaughter. "There should have been a more specific law," says Roland. "Manslaughter made it incredibly difficult, and that's why this case got dragged out for as long as it did."
"The more I heard [Lynn] say, 'There needs to be a law, I want to get a law passed to prevent others from doing this again,' for families not to go through what they went through, I just decided to take it upon myself," he says. "But I asked permission before I did so."
Roland wrote to several Massachusetts lawmakers — and connected with Daniel Medwed, a professor of law and criminal justice at Northeastern University in Boston, who had offered analysis on the case to a local TV station. Medwed helped draft a proposed law, and then took it to state Sen. Barry Finegold, Roland says.
Finegold cites a second, later incident — the 2019 suicide of Boston College student Alexander Urtula, 22, "after his girlfriend psychologically abused him and reportedly urged him to kill himself as well" — as evidence that "this is something that we think will continue to repeat itself unless we send a very strong message to young people of what is acceptable and what is not," he says. (In the Urtula case, his girlfriend, Inyoung You, also was charged with involuntary manslaughter, and pleaded guilty in a deal that spared her prison.)
"Cyberbullying is especially dangerous," Finegold says. "According to a 2019 study of psychologically hospitalized adolescents, one in 10 surveyed teenagers were hospitalized specifically because of cyberbullying. So this is a serious, serious mental health crisis, and we really do need to raise additional awareness around suicide prevention."
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Inside the High-Stakes, Zero-Sum Game of Youth Club Sports
As parents from Hingham to Hopkinton and Concord to Cohasset pour ever-increasing amounts of money into an exploding multibillion-dollar industry, youth sports have become a frantic arms race with no end in sight. As more kids buy into club teams, countless other parents feel compelled to do the same with their children, lest they be left behind. Still, the more kids who participate in club sports, the more elusive the big returns (that college scholarship!) become. It’s mutually assured destruction.
Recently, though, it seems that the sports mania may have finally reached the tipping point. Club-sport athletes are feeling increasingly overwhelmed, burned out, and disappointed with the full-time job that sports have become. On Beacon Hill, for the very first time, a commission may soon be looking into the phenomenon with an eye toward more oversight of the industry. Meanwhile, parents and kids are increasingly questioning whether all the time, money, and stress is worth it…
Some people think it will take more than high school coaches and some parents to buck the multibillion-dollar industry. That’s why state Senator Barry Finegold of Andover thinks it’s time for the government to step in. “It’s like an arms race with sports right now,” he says. He’s currently trying to get a bill passed that would allow a commission to look into privatized club sports. “I do think that there has to be some type of oversight,” he says. “It’s like a hamster wheel, and I don’t know when it stops.”
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Our Team is here to help!
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Justin Curtis
Position: Chief of Staff
From: Boxford, MA
Contact Justin with any inquiries related to press, legislation, or committee work.
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Tom Mahoney
Position: Legislative Director
From: Minneapolis, MN
Contact Tom with any inquiries related to legislation, budget requests, or district-specific projects.
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Erin Olivieri
Position: Director of Constituent Services
From: Mesa, AZ
Contact Erin if you need assistance with a constituent matter, such as an issue with state benefits, healthcare, or housing. Erin is proficient in Spanish.
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Maria Villalona
Position: Legislative Aide
From: Garfield, NJ
Contact Maria if you'd like to set up a meeting with the Senator or staff or have an event you'd like the Senator to attend. Maria is fluent in Spanish.
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Marina Acosta
Position: District Director
From: Lawrence, MA
Contact Marina if you need assistance from our office with a constituent matter, such as an issue with state benefits, healthcare, or housing. Marina is based in-district and is available to meet with constituents on a daily basis. Marina is also fluent in Spanish.
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Thanks for reading and I hope to see you in April! |
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