I hope this finds you healthy and well. This newsletter includes resources related to UI relief, an update on the FY23 budget, selected news from the district, and a public health update on boosters for young children.

As always, constituent service is our top priority. In June, I will host four in-person office hours. If you cannot attend scheduled office hours, you are welcome to contact my staff to schedule a meeting.

Lastly, please join me this weekend in taking a moment to recognize the sacrifice of our fallen men and women of the Armed Services. Memorial Day allows each of us as Americans, and citizens of the Commonwealth, to reflect and honor those who have given their lives for the freedoms we enjoy.

Stay safe as you celebrate!

Very truly yours, Joan

I am pleased to share that Greater Boston Legal Services (GBLS) has recently released a fact sheet and graphic (included below) to explain DUA’s changes to the waiver process for regular UI and PUA overpayments. These changes have resulted from new emergency regulations that expand criteria for waivers.

Anyone who received UI or PUA benefits in 2020-2021 may now have an overpayment that is now eligible for the simplified waiver. Workers should login and check their accounts.

For more on the announcement from DUA about the new regulations, view our press release here. View the official announcement here.

This week is National Safe Boating Week, which marks the annual kick-off of a global awareness effort to encourage responsible boating, the Safe Boating Campaign. Dozens gathered at Scituate's Coast Guard Station this past weekend for the kick-off to hear from officials like USCG Captain Kailie Benson, pictured next to me in the photo above.

For more information on Safe Boating Week and boating safety tips, visit these resources:

At the Environmental League of MA’s Earth Night celebration on May 19, I was honored to receive a Commonwealth Environmental Leadership Award alongside fellow awardees, Maria Belén Power, Andrea Nyamekye, Mass General Brigham & Jeremy Grantham.

Many thanks to ELM for the honor and to the New England Aquarium for hosting a wonderful event! I look forward to the work ahead as we continue to tackle the climate crisis here in the Commonwealth.

For more on the Earth Night celebration, visit this link to view our press release.

May was Mental Health Awareness Month. Many free resources exist to assist folks in getting the help that they need. Visit the National Alliance on Mental Illness for more resources and information.

This month, towns in the third Plymouth District held municipal elections. Congratulations to all returning and new elected officials!

To find election results and view additional information about town officials, visit each town's website here:

On Sunday, May 22, I joined Senator Patrick O'Connor, Representative James Murphy, Representative Patrick Kearney, local officials, and distinguished guests to celebrate the launch of the South Shore Irish Heritage Trail at the Merrill Memorial Bandstand in Scituate.

The Trail runs from Weymouth to Plymouth, through nine towns along the coast that attracted Irish immigrants in large numbers. Today, the descendants of these immigrants comprise upwards of 40% of the South Shore’s population.

To plan your visit to the Trail, more information can be found at the Trail's website: https://ssirishtrail.org/.

Constituent services are our top priority. My Chief of Staff, Director of Constituent Services and Communications and I continue to work remotely on Mondays and Fridays. On Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, a staff member will be present in the State House. I have also returned to hosting in-person office hours in the district.

If you would like to reserve a time slot for virtual office hours or outside of the times listed, please call the office at 617-722-2320 or email my Chief of Staff.

To learn more about our constituent services, please visit our website.

Following updated guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), all Massachusetts residents ages 5-11 are now eligible to receive a Pfizer COVID-19 booster. The booster should be administered at least five months after completion of a primary COVID-19 vaccine series to provide continued protection against COVID-19.

Children ages 5 to 11 are able to receive the Pfizer Pediatric COVID-19 booster from hundreds of locations across the Commonwealth, ranging from retail pharmacies, primary care practices, community health centers, hospital systems, state-supported vaccination sites and mobile clinics.

If you or your child are eligible, here are the steps to find a convenient location to get a COVID-19 booster:

Vaccines are widely available in Massachusetts. Getting vaccinated is the most important thing people can do to protect themselves, their families, and the community.

The COVID-19 booster is safe, effective, and free. People do not need an ID or health insurance to get a booster shot and do not need to show a vaccine card when getting a booster. Additional information on the COVID-19 booster, including FAQs, can be found at mass.gov/COVID19booster.

You can once again order free COVID-19 tests from the federal government by visiting https://www.covid.gov/tests. The U.S. Postal Service will deliver eight free rapid antigen tests to any household in the United States.