Volume 7, Issue 11 (November 28, 2025) | | |
Dear Friends and Neighbors,
I hope this newsletter finds you enjoying time with family and friends. November's edition includes recent legislative updates, news from my office, district happenings, and resources available at the state level.
We prioritize our constituent outreach and support in my office. In December, I will host four in-person office hours with me or a member of my staff. If you cannot attend scheduled office hours, you are welcome to contact my staff to schedule a meeting. Please see below for our office’s updated contact information.
State Representative Joan Meschino
State House, Room 162, 24 Beacon Street, Boston, MA 02133
617-722-2092
Happy Thanksgiving!
Very truly yours,
Joan
| | Veteran Mental Health Awareness Bill Signed by Governor | | On November 19, H.3388, An Act Designating Veterans Suicide Awareness and Remembrance Day, was signed into law by the Governor. The bill, which I filed alongside Senator O'Connor, recognizes September 22nd as Veterans Suicide Awareness and Remembrance Day in Massachusetts. I brought forward this legislation in direct response to the tragedies that have left holes in the fabric of our communities and in order to build awareness to prevent future tragedy. The law follows years of advocacy, including the tireless contributions from the Partyka family, whose son, Sergeant Matthew Partyka, a U.S. Marine Corps Veteran from Hingham, died by suicide in 2022. H.3388 ensures we remember the lives lost to suicide within the Veteran community and raises awareness of the mental health challenges faced by members of the military. | | Rep. Meschino and Senator O'Connor at an event honoring and remembering Sergeant Matthew Partyka. | | Community Media Legislation Advances | | Community media centers have seen increased demand and declining revenue since Covid. At the same time, they are widely relied on as a source of transparent and trustworthy local media. That is why I am excited to share that H.91 / S.41 filed by Senator Lewis, Representative Scarsdale, and me received a "favorable" report from both the Senate and House. The bill imposes a fee on digital streaming providers which are using public rights of way in order to sell their services to Massachusetts residents. This follows the model of fees for cable franchises. These funds would create a sustainable revenue source for community media centers. I will continue to build on this momentum and push for the bill's passage. | | Rep. Meschino, Rep. Owens, and Lindsay Toghill of O'Neill and Associates discussing H.91 / S.41 at Watertown Cable Access. | | Rep. Meschino Testifies on Affordable Housing Legislation | | I have heard from many constituents about the untenable rental increases on affordable units throughout the district and Commonwealth, as well as the exploitative tactics that many of the property management firms employ. That is why I filed H.4063, An Act to protect residents experiencing significant elevations in rent for viable and effective affordable housing. The bill caps annual rental increases on affordable units at 3.5% and provides legal protections to tenants. I testified earlier this week in support of the bill and will continue to advocate for necessary change to make affordable housing truly affordable. | | Rep. Meschino testifies before the Joint Committee on Housing on H.4063. | | Metro Beaches Commission Holds Annual Hearing | | I appreciated hearing from newly appointed Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) Commissioner, Nicole LaChapelle, about her vision for the agency moving forward. The Metropolitan Beaches Commission (MBC) annual hearing offered my fellow commissioners and me a chance to hear more about LaChapelle's priorities, including launching the ResilientCoasts Initiative, ensuring future investments through the Mass Ready Act, increasing accessibility to our beaches, and other ongoing initiatives. We also had a chance to hear from Save the Harbor / Save the Bay about the crucial work they are doing in these areas. Thank you to all those who testified for their ongoing commitment to protecting and providing access to our beaches, including those in the Third Plymouth District. | | Metro Beaches Commissioners welcome DCR Commissioner Nicole LaChapelle. | | STATE AND FEDERAL HIGHLIGHTS | | Hull Times Offers Fore River Bridge Notifications | | Fore River Bridge notifications are now available on the Hull Times website. I heard from numerous constituents about the difficulty planning commutes and reached out to the Hull Times. The Times will continue to post openings as they are notified by Citgo, which controls maritime traffic in that area. As of this writing, the Patriot Ledger had also taken down the paywall on its Fore River Bridge openings newsletter. | | Construction Continues at Hingham Ferry Dock | Construction is ongoing in the Hingham Parking lot and on Shipyard Drive in preparation for the Hingham Ferry Dock upgrades. There is reduced parking in the lot, and portions of Shipyard Drive are affected. For more information, visit this link. | Cohasset and Hingham Receive Recycling Grant Awards | Cohasset and Hingham were awarded grants under the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection's Sustainable Materials Recovery Program (SMRP) municipal grant program. Cohasset and Hingham received $6,160 and $8,400 respectively under the Recycling Dividends Program, supporting municipal policies and programs proven to maximize materials reuse and recycling, as well as waste reduction. Cohasset also received $6,000 under the Reuse Swap Shop Program, promoting the reuse of durable household goods. | Massachusetts RMV Cautions Public About Scam Texts | The Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) is alerting the public to a scam circulating currently which involves texts stating a person owes money for outstanding motor vehicle violations and that the individual should contact the RMV immediately. The RMV will never text residents looking for payment for fines or for transactions. The RMV only accepts payments in-person or on the official RMV website: www.mass.gov/RMV. | | 3rd Plymouth District Recognizes Veterans Day | | |
I hope you and your loved ones had a thoughtful and reflective Veterans Day.
I enjoyed participated in South Elementary's Veterans Day Ceremony. It was wonderful to see all the work the students have done to acknowledge and honor our Veterans. Attending ceremonies across the district today, I am reminded once again of the courage and sacrifice from our Veteran community.
| | Rep. Meschino and South Elementary's Veterans Day Ceremony. | | Team Meschino Visits WATD and Talking Information Center | | |
This month, my team and I visited the WATD studio where I had a chance to sit down with Christine James for our monthly interview discussing district and legislative updates. We also had a chance to visit the Talking Information Center, a radio reading service dedicated to the visually impaired. Each week, approximately 200 volunteers visit the Marshfield studio to record programming from a wide variety of print-based sources. Thank you for having us and for the crucial work you do.
You can listen to the full WATD interview here.
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(left) Rep. Meschino sits down with Christine James.
(right) Rep. Meschino tours the Talking Information Center with TIC Producer, John Shea.
| | East Elementary Hosts Rep. Meschino and Sen. O'Connor | | Senator O'Connor and I spoke with the wonderful 5th grade class at East Elementary School in Hingham. We shared how we got involved in local politics, what we love about our jobs, our current policy priorities, and the work we collaborate on. Thank you to the students for being so engaged and inquisitive. And thank you to East Elementary for having us. | | Rep. Meschino and Senator O'Connor address East Elementary 5th grade class. | | |
Rep. Meschino Announces Office Hours for December
Constituent services are our top priority. We continue to work remotely on Mondays and Fridays. On Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, a staff member will be present in the State House. On Mondays, I host in-person office hours in the district with me or a member of my staff.
If you would like to reserve a time slot for virtual office hours or outside of the times listed, please call the office at our new phone number 617-722-2092 or email my Legislative Aides, Jane and Harrison.
- Monday, December 1, 10:00am - 11:00am, Linden Ponds, for Linden Ponds residents
- Monday, December 8, 9:00 am - 10:30 am, Willcutt Commons, 91 Sohier Street, Cohasset
- Monday, December 15, 10:00am - 11:00am, Hull Council on Aging, 197A Samoset Avenue, Hull
- Monday, December 15, 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm, Hingham Public Library, 66 Leavitt Street, Hingham
To learn more about our constituent services, please visit our website.
| | Massachusetts 250th Anniversary Rev250 Events | |
- Across the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, communities and institutions are celebrating the 250th Anniversary of the American Revolution with events, exhibits, special tours, programs, festivals, performances, and much more. The 3rd Plymouth District will be celebrating its rich history with a series of events over the coming two years.
- View South Shore events here.
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