There is no other way to say it: October has been wrenching. We hear daily from constituents who are gravely worried, heartbroken, and outraged—by violence, loss, and suffering in Israel and Gaza, in Ukraine, and in Lewiston, Maine.
Beyond releasing statements, I have been meeting with colleagues and constituents—doing my best to provide comfort and offer resources at a time when there’s untold suffering and when violence in the form of antisemitism and Islamophobia is ripping through the Commonwealth. Our district has not been spared vile rhetoric and expressions of hate.
The Commonwealth is also facing an acute housing and shelter crisis—an already stretched emergency assistance program grappling with a significant surge of refugees as winter approaches. My team and I are working to tackle these issues head on—and we know many of you who are reading this newsletter are on the frontlines of response, care, and healing for so many. Thank you for your work, service, and advocacy.
I know that I cannot fully convey the agony of this moment but I can tell you that thoughts of Israel, Palestine, Ukraine, and now Lewiston are with me from the moment I wake until I close my eyes. They have been with me as I wrote this letter to you. And I expect they will be with you as you read through our team's latest update.
This is a moment to call our common humanity forward and to recommit to our individual work for justice and for peace.
Onward to our work together.
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Addressing the housing and shelter crisis |
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Facing the urgency of a worsening housing and shelter crisis, Governor Maura Healey pledged to use the once-every-five-years Housing Bond Bill (which does not typically contain significant policy changes) to include the spending and the policies we desperately need to reverse our state’s affordable housing shortage. On Wednesday, October 18, Governor Healey filed a $4.1 billion bond bill proposal to meet this crisis head-on.
The bill includes $1.5 billion to make capital improvements across the 43,000+ units of state-aided public housing, as well as many other key investments and policy proposals.
A full summary of the bill is here.
I was particularly heartened to see the Governor include a policy proposal to provide municipalities with the local option to implement a luxury real estate transfer fee to raise revenue dedicated to building affordable housing. I have filed legislation to allow a transfer fee option for three sessions, titled An Act granting a local option for a real estate transfer fee to fund affordable housing (S.1771/H.2747), in partnership with the passionate and tenacious Local Options for Housing Affordability (LOHA) Coalition.
LOHA is a statewide, grassroots coalition of more than 100 organizations, including Amherst Community Connections, Amherst Municipal Affordable Housing Trust, Community Action - Pioneer Valley, Congregation B’nai Israel of Northampton, the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, Franklin County Continuing the Political Revolution, Greening Greenfield, Rural Development, Inc., Valley Community Development, and the Western Mass Network to End Homelessness.
The Housing Bond Bill will have a public hearing before the Joint Committee on Housing, and then it will have another public hearing before the Joint Committee on Bonding, Capital Expenditures and State Assets. As you can imagine, my team and I are already working to convey district priorities to colleagues, including ways to strengthen the transfer fee so that it works better for our communities.
To learn more about the LOHA Coalition and transfer fee enabling legislation, please visit here.
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Honoring Indigenous Peoples Day |
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On October 9, we celebrated Indigenous Peoples Day, which will replace Columbus Day as a state holiday when legislation that I filed with Representative Christine Barber, S.1976/H.2989, passes into law. A week before the holiday, a public hearing was held on this legislation. I shared my thoughts on Facebook Live right after I testified here.
Read my testimony here. Watch my testimony here.
I am grateful to the Indigenous leaders who offered powerful testimony in support of this legislation. I was also delighted to be joined by courageous young advocates from Fort River Elementary School in Amherst who also offered moving reflections in support of the bill, having been inspired by a class project that began last year.
I met with the students in my office before the hearing.
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Justice for Quabbin communities |
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The Quabbin Watershed is ground zero for regional inequity with four western Massachusetts towns disincorporated and flooded 83 years ago to create an unmatched, pristine source of drinking water for eastern Massachusetts. For far too long, eastern Massachusetts has not grappled with the continuing economic and social blows of this decision or the fact that, though our region carefully maintains and cleans the Quabbin Watershed, we have no ability to drink Quabbin water.
No more. Representative Aaron Saunders and I filed An Act relative to the Quabbin watershed and regional equity (S.447/H.897), to properly compensate Quabbin Watershed communities for the work they do on behalf of the entire Commonwealth and to explore the feasibility of having western Massachusetts municipalities access Quabbin drinking water.
To advocate for the bill, Rep. Saunders and I joined with Senator Jake Oliveira to host Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rebecca Tepper and her team, including Department of Conservation & Recreation (DCR) Commissioner Brian Arrigo, Department of Fish and Game Commissioner Tom O’Shea, Undersecretary for Environment Stephanie Cooper, and the Governor’s Western Massachusetts Director Kristen Elechko for a tour of the Quabbin Reservoir.
Rep. Saunders, our Chief of Staff Jared Freedman, and I then sat down with Administration officials at the New Salem Town Hall for a focused meeting on our proposed legislation. It was a high-impact day on behalf of the region and its municipalities.
This work has already scored a big victory: The Massachusetts Water Resources Authority board has voted to explore the feasibility of opening access to Quabbin water for cities and towns in our district and beyond in western Mass.
Learn more about the history of the Quabbin watershed region and the bill which can begin repaying the debt owed here. Thanks to fellow Ashley Picard for the research.
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Supporting the option for a dignified death |
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I believe that eligible, terminally ill individuals should be able to make a compassionate choice about how they want their lives to end.
That is why I have again filed An Act relative to end of life options (S.1331/H.2246) with colleagues Leader Jim O’Day, Representative Ted Philips, and in collaboration with Senators Will Brownsberger and Su Moran.
This bill allows someone who is terminally ill to choose a dignified, peaceful death by requesting medication from a doctor that may be self-administered at a time of their own choosing. The bill, supported by the vast majority of Commonwealth residents, has strong safeguards to protect against and prevent potential coercion of vulnerable people.
The legislation had a public hearing before the Joint Committee on Public Health on October 20, and the Committee heard hours and hours of testimony.
To learn more about the legislation, and the important safeguards included, click here.
Read my testimony here. Watch my testimony here.
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Agriculture in the 21st century |
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This summer I was honored to have been asked by Senate President Karen Spilka to serve as the Senate Chair of the Massachusetts Commission on Agriculture in the 21st Century.
On October 19, the House Chair, Speaker Pro Tempore Kate Hogan, and I hosted the Commission’s fourth public hearing, focused on topics related to economic and community development in agriculture.
Chair Hogan and I heard candid and striking testimony from farmers, and I am particularly grateful to constituents Carmen Mouzon of the Farm School in Athol and Angie Facey of Bree-Z-Knoll Farm in Leyden for their brilliant and visionary testimony and call to action. (Both are pictured.)
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To watch the recording of the hearing, click here. Our next hearing takes place on November 16 and will focus on food security. The link for the November hearing will be posted here closer to the date should you want to join.
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Increasing rural school funding remains one of my top budget priorities, and I was thrilled to partner with Representative Natalie Blais to secure $15 million in the fiscal year 2024 budget, a nearly $10 million increase. While $15 million is a solid leap forward, my team and I are painfully aware that it’s not the recommended $60 million needed consistently to make districts whole.
Recently the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) released the award announcement for the 68 school districts that will receive rural school aid in fiscal year 2024.
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Rep. Blais and I have also filed legislation, An Act to provide a sustainable future for rural schools (S.2388/H.3567), to transform the way the state funds rural schools. This bill would implement the findings of the Special Commission on Rural Schools, and it had a public hearing before the Joint Committee on Education on October 30.
Read my testimony here. Watch my testimony here.
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Update on Northern Tier Rail |
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MassDOT continues its work on the study of restoring passenger rail service along Route 2. We’re in the “bring-it-on-home” moment of this work. On October 26, MassDOT gave a formal public presentation on the six potential scenarios. At least two of these scenarios would be generational game changers for our region. Various proposals include stops in Shelburne Falls, Greenfield, and Athol, on the way to Porter Square in Cambridge and then North Station in Boston. (See below.) Proposals also include all-electric trains.
It’s impossible to overstate the potential for this passenger rail service to boost our region’s economy and decrease transportation emissions.
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We hear you on gun violence prevention legislation |
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Over the past few months, my team and I have received many calls and nearly 500 emails from constituents on the gun violence prevention legislation recently passed by the House—and this issue has only gained greater urgency in the wake of the terrible tragedy in Lewiston, Maine.
My team and I hear you. We read your emails and listen to your voicemails. In the Senate, we are working to develop our own gun violence prevention legislation, and your input has already strengthened my advocacy with my Senate colleagues.
Prior to serving in the Senate, I worked at MoveOn.org, where I helped lead a successful national campaign to enact common-sense gun reforms that helped convince former President Barack Obama to issue an executive order closing a gun-show loophole. Now, I represent more than 17,000 constituents with firearm ID permits and our district has some of the smallest police departments in the state—departments that will be charged with enforcing much of any legislation that passes.
As we know, nothing about crafting policy is easy. That is why I am digging into the multiple aspects of this issue with the urgency it deserves, hoping for the strongest, most effective, and strategic bill that will be both enforceable and will respect the rights of responsible gun owners in our district.
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Several more of the bills my team and I filed on your behalf had public hearings in October. |
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Equity for Rural Communities
On October 3, An Act advancing equity for rural communities receiving state grants (S.1977/H.3102) had a public hearing before the Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight.
Filed in partnership with Representative Smitty Pignatelli, this bill directs state agencies administering grant programs to give preference to rural communities, particularly those that intend to use funds to regionalize or share services.
Establishing Gender-neutral Bathrooms
Also on October 3, An Act establishing gender-neutral bathrooms (S.1978/H.3019) had a public hearing before the Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight.
In Massachusetts, a facility looking to install gender-inclusive bathrooms must acquire a special variance from the State Plumbing Board. These variance requests are required under current state code which prescribes that every bathroom be labeled “women’s” or “men’s” wherever there is more than one set of fixtures in a bathroom.
This bill, filed in partnership with Representative Mindy Domb, would eliminate the need for special one-time variances for gender-neutral bathrooms by directing changes be made to the state building code to allow gender-neutral bathrooms in renovations or new construction.
Demonstrate Achievement without MCAS
On October 4, An Act empowering students and schools to thrive (S.246/H.495) had a public hearing before the Joint Committee on Education.
The bill, called the Thrive Act, does three things:
- It ends MCAS as a graduation requirement, allowing school districts to certify that students have satisfactorily completed coursework within state frameworks and standards. (Remember, the bill does not end testing in public schools or statewide standardized testing. It simply makes MCAS no longer a high-stakes test.)
- It eliminates the ineffective state school receivership process.
- And it looks forward to a new day—and a more authentic, far-reaching, and accurate system for assessing students, schools, and school districts.
More information about the bill is here.
I am proud to file this bill in partnership with Senator Adam Gomez, Senator Liz Miranda, Representative Jim Hawkins, and Representative Sam Montaño.
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Nuclear Weapons Bills
On October 4, two bills I filed related to nuclear weapons were heard before the Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security.
I filed Resolutions to embrace the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and move the US back from the brink of nuclear war (S.1487) and A Resolve providing for an investigation and study by a special commission relative to the existential threats posed by nuclear weapons and climate change to the commonwealth of Massachusetts (S.1488/H.738), in partnership with Representative Lindsay Sabadosa, to address the existential threat posed by nuclear weapons.
The Resolution declares the Commonwealth's support for the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and directs the legislature to take action towards the elimination of all nuclear weapons. The Resolve creates a commission to explore ways to protect the residents of the Commonwealth from the threat of nuclear weapons, to eliminate these weapons from all countries, and to instead create jobs and economic opportunities that directly address the climate emergency.
Read my testimony on both bills here.
Expanding Access to Trails
On October 11, An Act expanding access to trails for people of all abilities (S.446/H.769) had a public hearing before the Joint Committee on Environment & Natural Resources.
Outdoor trails help connect people with nature, inspire healthy activity, and protect natural places—while also fostering liveable and welcoming communities. Too often, people with disabilities are not able to access public trails and their many benefits.
The bill, filed in partnership with Representative Michelle Ciccolo, establishes an official state policy to maximize equitable access to trails, outdoor spaces, and outdoor recreational activities for people of all abilities.
Natural and Working Lands
Also on October 11, An Act investing in natural and working lands (S.448) had a public hearing before the Joint Committee on Environment & Natural Resources.
When trees are cut down or a parcel of farmland is developed, it doesn’t just affect biodiversity, local food systems, and public and environmental health, it also reduces our ability to fight climate change now and in the future. That is why over 100 countries representing over 85 percent of the world’s forests pledged to halt deforestation by 2030—and yet Massachusetts does not have any ‘no net loss’ goal or requirement for our natural and working lands.
This bill gives the Commonwealth the mission to preserve forests and farmlands. It ensures that state agencies work to prevent the development of such land, while allowing for economic development and respecting local land use and planning authority. The bill would also require the Commonwealth to value forest lands and farmland for the totality of the services they provide, including their work in the fight against climate change.
Supporting Spouses as Caregivers
On October 16, An Act allowing spouses to serve as caregivers (S.67/H.216) had a public hearing before the Joint Committee on Children, Families, and Persons with Disabilities.
Current state policy significantly disadvantages seniors and people living with disabilities by prohibiting MassHealth from compensating spouses who serve as caregivers.
Filed in partnership with Representatives Adam Scanlon and Norman Orrall, the bill directs MassHealth to recognize and compensate spouses as caregivers if requested by the patient—just as other relatives like children, cousins, aunts and uncles, and even former spouses can be compensated by MassHealth if they serve as caregivers.
I went live on Facebook right after testifying at the hearing. Watch that video here.
Read testimony from Reps. Scanlon and Orrall, and myself here. Watch my testimony here.
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Welcome to the Fall 2023 interns and fellows |
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My team and I welcomed eight (!!) gifted interns and fellows into our office this fall.
Read more about their gifts and aspirations here!
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CAP Collaborative: swapping places |
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As I shared in the previous newsletter, I am currently participating in the Civic Action Project (CAP) Collaborative. As a part of this program, cohort member Nicole Obi and I shadowed each other to experience “a day in the life.”
Nicole is the President & CEO of the Black Economic Council of Massachusetts (BECMA), whose mission is to drive economic equity and prosperity for Massachusetts to achieve inclusive growth through advocacy, programming, and strategic partnerships that enable Black-owned businesses and Black communities to thrive. BECMA’s advocacy is key in the legislature. If you don’t know its work and mission, I urge you to check it out.
Nicole is the very definition of a powerhouse and I am grateful to have had the opportunity to learn from her—and now look forward to many future opportunities to support BECMA’s work and her incredible leadership.
On the day Nicole was in western Massachusetts, we attended several events around the district. I highlight some of them in Out and About below including this terrific event at Holyoke Community College featuring Secretary Patrick Tutwiler and Senator Adam Gomez, pictured below with Nicole and me.
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On October 6, on the heels of Mayhew Tools being recognized by the Manufacturing caucus for its contributions to the manufacturing industry, I had the chance to tour its family-owned facility with Rep. Blais to learn more about its manufacturing. |
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On October 12, I joined Representative Susannah Whipps, municipal leaders from Erving and Gill, mental health advocates, and others to honor MassDOT's work to install safety barriers on the French King Bridge—barriers that will save lives—and to pay tribute to Stacey Hamel for transforming her grief into action and the first responders who have long had to race to the French King Bridge to try to save lives.
In 2018, before I took office, people talked with me about a years-long effort to move the state to install safety barriers at the bridge. They were frustrated that the state was not responding. I was honored to join forces with Rep. Whipps and tenacious municipal leaders from Erving, Gill, and Northfield to elevate this work and urge state colleagues to make it a priority. I also worked with Rep. Whipps to secure $3 million in necessary bond funding.
I will always remain deeply grateful to Stacey (pictured), a mom who lost her son to suicide at the bridge, for her galvanizing and courageous call to action which helped jolt the project forward.
As we gathered near the bridge, there wasn't a dry eye—given the stakes, the loss, and the promise of what this work will mean.
Of course, we must do more to expand access to mental health supports—through removing stigma, crisis resources, and more. That's our job going forward.
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Earlier that day, I had the privilege of kicking off a briefing with Representative Smitty Pignatelli on our shared bill An Act establishing farm to school grants to promote healthy eating and strengthen the agricultural economy (S.243/H.558). It was wonderful to hear from grant recipients, including Northampton Public Schools, about how this grant helps them feed and educate students.
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On October 17, I was delighted to be at Holyoke Community College with Education Secretary Patrick Tutwiler, Labor Secretary Lauren Jones, Department of Public Health Commissioner Robbie Goldstein, Nicole Obi, Senator Adam Gomez, Representative Pat Duffy, Holyoke Community College President George Timmons, and others to cheer the formal announcement of FREE community college for ALL nursing students in the Commonwealth as part of STEM week. The labor market blueprint for the Connecticut River Valley shows a supply gap of well over a thousand nurses needed to meet demand. I’m grateful to Senate President Karen Spilka for leading the Senate to make this historic investment and for propelling the work that’s ongoing right now to make community college free for all by the fall of 2024. |
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The Joint Committee on Higher Education has set out to tour many of the Commonwealth's 29 public higher education campuses, starting on October 13 with UMass Amherst and Greenfield Community College and continuing on October 20 with UMass Chan Medical School, Worcester State University, and Quinsigamond Community College.
As Senate Chair of the committee, I cannot think of a better way to learn than hearing directly from the students, faculty, and staff of these institutions, who open both hearts and minds.
At UMass Amherst, we were able to help celebrate a $5 million Mass Tech Collaborative grant that will support innovative, open access work at the UMass Institute for Applied Life Sciences focused on lenses and optics. At GCC, we spent time diving into its nursing and skill building work.
At UMass Chan we talked about its promising work to attract and serve more Commonwealth students. At Worcester State, we discussed the role of state colleges in the ecosystem of public higher education and then we rounded it out with Quinsigamond Community College where we discussed the range of ways the state can and should help students break down barriers to higher education.
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On October 19, I was honored to receive a 2023 Beacon of Justice Award from the Equal Justice Coalition. It was wonderful to be recognized alongside stellar colleagues Senator Cindy Friedman, Representative Christine Barber, Senator Jamie Eldridge, Senator Cindy Creem, Representative Ruth Balser, and Representative Mike Day. I am grateful for the work of the Equal Justice Coalition in ensuring equal access to civil legal aid—and therefore to justice—for all Commonwealth residents. |
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My team and I will continue to work every day, as hard as we’re able, for all the people of our region as we send our love to you and those you love amid these tremendously difficult times.
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Jo, Katelyn, Rachel, Brian, Jared, and Elena |
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P.S.: November is Pancreatic Cancer Month—the second deadliest form of cancer in Massachusetts, which will kill an estimated 1,120 people in the Commonwealth this year. I proudly filed S.1330, which establishes a comprehensive pancreatic cancer initiative within the Department of Public Health to provide coordinated pancreatic cancer prevention, screening, education, and support programs. Thanks to Brock Cordeiro who leads the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network and is pushing us forward on this bill.
P.P.S.: We've also just started Native American Heritage Month. Advancing Indigenous rights is central to our team's work. That's why we're leading legislation to establish Indigenous Peoples Day (S.1976) and prohibit the use of Native American mascots by public schools (S.245). Both bills begin to address grave historic wrongs and the harm caused by perpetuating racist stereotypes instead of celebrating Indigenous peoples and their tribal nations, past, present, and future.
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Did you find the content of this email useful?
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Boston office
(617) 722-1532
State House
Room 410
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Amherst office
(413) 367-4656
UMass Amherst
Isenberg School of Management
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Please send all mail correspondence to the Boston office. |
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