As spring explodes onto the scene, so does the work of our team. Since I wrote to you last in early April, we’ve been active on legislation, budgets, and a lot of regional issues.
Before I dive in, I want to send love and congratulations to Senator Anne Gobi who begins on June 5 as the first-ever Director of Rural Affairs, appointed by Governor Healey. As much as I will miss my fierce sister in service, I am cheering this win for every single one of the Commonwealth’s rural communities.
Read on for news and great photos (and don’t stop until you see a baby goat!).
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We continue to host office hours across the district (some in-person and some on Zoom). Thank you to Greenfield Community College, Northampton City Hall, Hatfield Town Hall, and the Athol Public Library for hosting the team earlier this spring. We look forward to heading to the Beals Memorial Library in Winchendon and the Petersham Memorial Library in early June.
We will also be holding joint office hours with Representative Dan Carey on June 30 at the Hadley Council on Aging.
Visit here to see the full schedule for in-person office hours and/or to sign up for Zoom hours.
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Senate FY24 Budget Proposal and Debate |
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Spring means budget time. It started with the Governor’s budget in March, then moved to the House of Representatives in April, and then to the Senate in May. The Senate approved our budget unanimously last Thursday after debating more than 1,000 filed amendments.
Relying on tax revenues and projected Fair Share revenue, the final Senate budget allocates $55.9 billion in investments across many critical areas. Even so, I realize that more funding is needed – especially for K-12 schools, early childhood education, climate, and to make health care more affordable. You can read a summary of the Senate’s budget here, and know that my team and I will keep pushing to send money where it matters most to our region.
As Assistant Vice-Chair of the Senate Ways and Means Committee, I had the honor of working on this budget in-depth over the past months. For a budget wonk like me, this was an exciting opportunity to help direct millions in funding toward priority programs before the budget was released from the Ways and Means Committee. My team and I then worked to add the following specific program funding:
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We also partnered with Senators Liz Miranda and Cindy Friedman to award Seven Sisters Midwifery in Florence $150,000 for an innovative doula training program.
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Next Up: Free Community College |
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One funding area on which I’ve been particularly focused is public higher education. As part of the opening speeches during the budget debate, I was honored to speak to this budget’s nearly $2 billion investment in public higher education funding.
The FY24 budget launches the process for making community colleges free by the fall of 2024 for all Massachusetts residents. I am honored to have been asked by Senate President Spilka to help lead the work of designing this historic policy.
During budget debate, I also spoke in support of critical funding to support maternal health equity, special education funding, K-12 funding for rural schools and school districts like Northampton and Amherst, regional transit authority funding, funding for food security and farms, and in support of the budget provision making all students – regardless of immigration status – eligible for in-state tuition rates at public higher education institutions (a quick video of my remarks on in-state tuition for all).
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On May 16, I was honored to receive the Caring Bear Award from the Providers' Council and The Caring Force – an annual honor given to a legislator – for my and my team's dedication to human service workers and the people they serve. I spoke at the rally about the important work of human services workers and how the legislature can and must do better to support this vital sector. A few great pictures follow.
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Later in the month, I received the Legislator of the Year Award from the Massachusetts Alliance for Foster Families (MAFF), a leading advocacy association working for the well-being of children in foster care. I am deeply grateful for the recognition of my team’s work on behalf of the children of our Commonwealth, their biological families, their adoptive and foster families, and the many, many people who work on their behalf.
I recorded a short thank you to convey my gratitude. Watch it here.
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I’ve written to you before about the critical opportunity we have to engage in the relicensing of FirstLight Power’s Turners Falls Dam and Northfield Mountain Pump Storage Project. Last week, I joined with delegation members to submit a public comment to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) on the Flows and Fish Passage Settlement Agreement submitted by FirstLight Power on March 31, 2023.
We expressed concern about granting FirstLight a 50-year license given the anticipated and unanticipated impacts of a rapidly changing climate and our inability to predict the specific technological advances or climate-driven solutions that 2070 will offer and demand. We expressed support for the installation of measures to protect migratory fish species and also shared specific concerns about the timeline of this installation, and stipulations around corrective actions should testing find that these fish passage measures are not working. We also asked FERC to explore the requirement of a decommissioning fund to ensure that the public is not solely responsible for the hydropower facility should it become untenable – operationally or economically.
You can read the full comment here.
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Hearings, Hearings, and More Hearings |
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Early hearings allow committees more time to consider and advance bills, ideally moving them all the way to Governor Healey’s desk. This session, we’ve requested and received a number of early bill hearings thanks to the great work of our team. Thank you to all the constituents and advocates who have already appeared in person and/or online to share your passion and expertise.
I’ll share just a few highlights:
In April, I testified on An Act relative to the Quabbin watershed and regional equity, a bill I filed with Representative Aaron Saunders of Ludlow. Watch this video to hear more about the bill and the history behind the Quabbin Reservoir. You can read my full testimony from the hearing.
May 1 was the first hearing of the new Joint Committee on Agriculture. I’m delighted to serve as Senate Vice Chair of this Committee. At this first hearing, I testified in support of my bill, An Act promoting the growing and use of hemp and hemp products.
The following day, I testified on two additional bills I filed: An Act relative to trans-inclusive health care access and An Act to strengthen the control of contagious or infectious diseases in the Commonwealth. I am grateful to be partnered with Representatives Natalie Higgins, Christine Barber, and Mindy Domb on these crucial issues.
On May 8, the Joint Committee on Agriculture heard two more of my bills, An Act promoting equity in agriculture and An Act strengthening local food systems. We know people of color are significantly underrepresented among Commonwealth farmers, but we do not have the data, understanding, or plans needed to increase diversity in our agriculture sector. An act promoting equity in agriculture would rectify this. An act strengthening local food systems makes a number of reforms to state law to support farms and farmers including establishing a state food system coordinator position, launching a program to provide hands-on training to new farmers, permitting farm stands to be included as agricultural land for tax purposes, and other initiatives to help strengthen the state’s food systems and help our farmers remain competitive and viable.
On May 9, I testified on An Act protecting equity for homeowners facing foreclosure before the Joint Committee on the Judiciary. I filed this bill in partnership with Representative Jeff Roy.
When homeowners fall behind in their property taxes, cities and towns can foreclose on and take ownership of the entire property. Our bill ends this process of taking all equity from those facing tax foreclosures.
Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously ruled that local governments cannot keep profits when selling seized property to settle tax debts. With this decision, there will still be many questions about the Commonwealth’s tax foreclosure process. Our bill helps answer those questions and protects homeowners in the Commonwealth from an unjust tax foreclosure process. Now that we know the practice is unconstitutional, I’ll be pressing to pass the bill to codify the decision which would outlaw the practice in Massachusetts law.
Then on May 10, I testified before the Joint Committee on Environment and Natural Resources on An Act establishing an ecologically-based mosquito management program in the Commonwealth to protect public health.
Our current mosquito management system, based on a statute enacted in 1918, is woefully out of date. The structure is fragmented, does not reflect current scientific understandings, and provides no opportunity for public input. My bill creates a state mosquito management plan that prioritizes education, monitoring, and habitat modification and allows pesticide use only for disease control. The bill prohibits aerial spraying of pesticides and completely bans the use of chemicals containing PFAS. The bill also allows residents to opt out of spraying, with beekeepers and organic farmers opted-out by default.
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On May 15, two of our bills were heard in two committees, the Joint Committee on Veterans and Federal Affairs and the Joint Committee on Agriculture.
Our bill, An Act providing for timely reimbursement of cities and towns for veterans' benefits, accelerates state reimbursements to cities and towns for their support of veterans, which will particularly assist small towns like those in our region. I am grateful to partner with Representative Blais on this bill.
Our other bill, An Act protecting our soil and farms from PFAS contamination, was heard later that afternoon. As we know, PFAS is a huge issue that must be systematically addressed to protect our environment from further contamination.
And, of course, for every hearing, we organize to pack hearing rooms. Pictured below is a hearing on my bill to transform local and regional public health (thank you, Northampton Mayor Sciarra for testifying virtually, top picture below) and leaders from the American Cancer Society and the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network at the hearing on my bill to make significant advances in treatment for pancreatic cancer, which is the third leading cancer-related cause of death in the Commonwealth (bottom picture below).
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In April, I completed my first River Rat Race, a canoe sprint from Athol to Orange which builds community, bolsters spirits, and fundraises for every good cause you can think of. Urged on by 19-time race finisher Senator Anne Gobi and the ever-intrepid Representative Susannah Whipps, my race partner Jerry Whaland (owner of Billy Goat Boats) and I finished strong. (But let’s be clear, I absolutely would have tipped over if it wasn’t for Jerry.) |
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I joined a powerful meeting on April 11 convened by Senate President Karen Spilka with Ways and Means Chair Senator Michael Rodrigues and passionate Presidents of all of the Massachusetts Community Colleges. This was an initial melding of the minds that is sure to continue as we dig in more and more on the Senate President’s vision for free community college. |
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The following day, April 12 was Ag Day in the State House — a beloved day — as farmers and fishermen, maple sugarers, artisan cheese producers, advocates, and more poured into the building — filling up all the big spaces with their products, events, and workshops.
I was glad to join the Lieutenant Governor, Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rebecca Tepper, Department of Agricultural Resources Commissioner Ashley Randle, Farm Bureau leadership, award winners Senator Anne Gobi and Representative Paul Schmid, and Senator Bruce Tarr; House Speaker Pro Tempore Kate Hogan; and Food System Caucus co-chair Representative Hannah Kane in a wonderful program calling on all of us to do better for our farmers and our food system.
A highlight of the program was an award presented posthumously through a beautiful introduction by former Representative John Scibak to Representative Steve Kulik, accepted by his wife Suzanne.
I was so proud to see and visit with so many from our district, including folks from CISA, Just Roots, Smith Vocational High School, Franklin Tech High School, Flayvors of Cook Farm, and many, many more.
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I was incredibly honored to nominate Shawn Robinson for a Black Excellence on the Hill Award from the The Massachusetts Black and Latino Legislative Caucus for Shawn's exceptional leadership and service. Shawn is the Director of Vocational Services at ServiceNet and the founding director of ServiceNet's Prospect Meadow Farm in Hatfield. |
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I was thrilled to join Representative Natalie Blais in kicking off the first workshop in a 2023 grants workshop series, with the unparalleled Community One Stop for Growth team. We will hold a series of workshops in the coming months on critical state and federal grant programs geared toward municipalities and nonprofits.
Grateful to have co-organized this workshop series with the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission, Franklin Regional Council of Governments, Pioneer Valley Planning Commission, Congressman Jim McGovern, and my colleagues in the western Massachusetts state legislative delegation. Thank you to District Director Elena Cohen for leading our team.
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On April 25, I had the opportunity to join the Massachusetts Climate Action Network (MCAN), municipal officials, and legislators to discuss how Massachusetts can become a leader in reducing embodied carbon. We must power this work forward in order to meet our climate targets. |
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I was delighted to speak on April 28 at the The Massachusetts Commission on LGBTQ Youth fiscal year 2024 policy and budget recommendations launch alongside Senator Julian Cyr. And even more honored to swear-in a truly inspirational group of new Commissioners on the rise!
The Youth Commission is a powerful force whose recommendations help shape the work of 21 state agencies and the Administration and legislature.
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Glad to greet school committee members from across the district who were in Boston thanks to a Massachusetts Association of School Committee’s lobby day. |
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Happy to join Representative Natalie Blais at a pre-gathering of Montague Town Meeting. |
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On May 8, Massachusetts Education Secretary Patrick Tutwiler spent the day in our region speaking with 35 superintendents and school officials, meeting with the state delegation, and touring Bridge Street School in Northampton and Pioneer Regional High School in Northfield.
It was an honor to work with the Collaborative for Educational Services, and Representatives Blais, Domb, Sabadosa, Saunders, and Whipps to invite and host the Secretary in our region.
Education is top of the list for me and for the people and towns I represent — and will remain there. Grateful to all the House members and school and municipal officials who came forward to give the Secretary the best western Mass tour and briefing possible.
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On May 16, Northampton came to the State House – public school educators, caregivers, advocates, and school committee members – rocking the State House with their calls for more funding for Northampton and education justice for our kids and teachers. A tremendous day's work. I'm proud to cheer them on – and wrestle through what must be done. |
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Leading into budget week, I had the chance to attend two joyous events on May 19: Ribbon cuttings at both ServiceNet's Prospect Meadow Farm and Sunderland's Sanderson Place, both projects supported – in part – by state funding.
At Prospect Meadow Farm, we cheered the opening of a Vocational Training and Production Center and at Sanderson Place, we cheered the creation of 33 accessible, affordable senior housing units - thanks to the work of Rural Development, Inc., Valley CDC, and many others.
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The State House was churning all throughout budget week as passionate advocates poured in to speak to pending legislation such as the THRIVE Act, which is a bill I filed with Senators Liz Miranda and Adam Gomez. The pictures above are of a press conference and community training.
The THRIVE Act ends high stakes testing in the Commonwealth and sets up community-anchored processes for turning around struggling school districts. Read the fact sheet here.
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And amid all the pressing work, sometimes you just have to stop and hug a baby goat. I had the chance to meet this beautiful creature at Thomas Farm & Dairy in Sunderland thanks to Team Blais. |
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Sending our love to you,
Jo, Elena, Rachel, Katelyn, Brian, and Jared
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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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