Volume 7, Issue 7 (August 1, 2025) | | |
Dear Friends and Neighbors,
I hope this newsletter finds you enjoying a cool Friday following a hot beginning of the week. July'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 August, 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
Wishing you a wonderful August!
Very truly yours,
Joan
| | FROM THE MASSACHUSETTS LEGISLATURE | | MA House of Representatives Passes Funding, Healthcare Legislation | | |
This month, the House of Representatives passed several bills related to funding of roads and bridges, protecting reproductive and gender affirming healthcare service providers, and ensuring continued program funding through FY25.
The Massachusetts House of Representatives passed H.4307, which includes $1.2 billion in bonding for an expanded Chapter 90 Program and for transportation programs that will address regional needs and the impacts of climate change on local infrastructure. The Chapter 90 Program provides municipalities with a funding source for transportation-related improvements, including road and bridge repairs.
The House also passed S.2543, An Act strengthening health care protections in the Commonwealth. The bill strengthens protections for individuals making decisions about their own reproductive and gender affirming health care services. The bill makes clear that health care professionals are free to provide legal health care services in Massachusetts, and the Commonwealth will resist attempts by other states or the federal government to prosecute health care professionals for providing those services.
To close out July, the House and Senate passed a $259 million supplemental budget, S.2575, that provides mid-year funding for ongoing state priorities. This legislation provides critical funding for the Healthy Incentive Program (HIP), which provides healthy fresh food to residents while benefiting Massachusetts farmers, as well as for Emergency Medical Services (EMS) costs across the state. The bill also upgrades Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) benefits technology through the conversion to chip cards. Finally, it addresses the ongoing work stoppage among private bar advocates and bolsters our Commonwealth’s public defense system.
| | Hingham Resident Receives Commonwealth Heroine Award | | |
I was delighted to honor Deirdre Anderson, Executive Director of the Hingham Historical Society, for this year’s Commonwealth Heroines award. Organized by the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women (MCSW), the award recognizes the women who make a difference in our communities and organizations, but often do not get the recognition they deserve.
When Deirdre steps forward in service she makes everything better - the process, the outcomes, and the people around her. What makes her special are the intangibles; she brings people along with her, building community, boosting morale, and weaving the fabric of the local community a little stronger with each action. She honors our history and forebears while using this knowledge to imagine a more positive future.
| | Rep. Meschino with Deirdre Anderson. | | Representative Meschino Testifies on Legislation | |
In July, I testified on a number of my bills. I testified with Rep. Scarsdale on our bill (H.91), filed alongside Sen. Lewis, to restore a sustainable revenue source for local community media centers who have contended with increased demand and decreasing revenue in recent years. We heard from countless local centers across the state about the work they do creating access to reliable local news, building community, offering entertainment, and uplifting local events and leaders.
I also testified on my bill to increase awareness about women's health at midlife, particularly the menopause transition (H.2499). Patients are often reluctant to discuss their menopausal symptoms with their doctors, and doctors are not always equipped with the best information about treatment options. This bill seeks to support women in accessing high quality and affordable medical and workplace support for menopause-related health challenges.
Finally, I testified on H.268, H.269, H.270, and H.271, which I filed to update child welfare law to ensure the child's best interests are the top priority. These pieces of legislation ensure siblings remain together in the foster system wherever safe and practicable, update parent-child visitation guidelines, establish that DCF considers a child’s identity as they work to provide for their wellbeing, and ensure that foster parents are not disqualified for minor, irrelevant convictions.
| | Rep. Meschino and Rep. Scarsdale testify on H.91. | | Representative Meschino Thanks Summer Interns | |
This summer, our office welcomed four interns who engaged in individual research projects, attended events with top state officials, and experienced day-to-day life in the State House. I was impressed by the scope of work that our interns accomplished this summer. They completed meaningful research projects on a wide variety of issue areas including affordable housing and homelessness, building decarbonization, women’s health, and disparate impact litigation.
Thank you Louisa, Henry, Will, and Aimee for your work this summer and for bringing great energy to the office. We wish you all the best going forward!
| | Rep. Meschino with summer interns. | | STATE AND FEDERAL HIGHLIGHTS | | Fore River Bridge Notification System | | Fore River Bridge notifications were previously listed for free on the Patriot Ledger. In June, the MBTA announced an alternate system for bridge closure notifications. Constituents can receive notifications for any bridge openings via email/SMS depending on preferences. Additionally, if the Fore River Bridge is in a lifted state, it will be displayed on the Mass511 web page and app as a Yellow Diamond over the location of the Fore River bridge. More information for signing up for this notification system can be found here. | | 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. | | Local Organizations Win Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation Grants | | |
This month, the Department of Early Education & Care awarded FY26 Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation Grants. EEC’s mission is to support the healthy growth and development of all children by providing high-quality programs and resources for families and communities. These grants are used to provide mental health consultation services through a statewide system that meets the needs of programs, providers, educators, children, families and communities throughout the Commonwealth. The early childhood mental health consultants provide the field with guidance on addressing the developmental, emotional, and behavioral challenges of infants and young children that will support healthy development, reduce the suspension and expulsion rate in early education and care settings and promote school success.
Empower, Inc., which serves Hingham, received over $550,000 in funding. Walker, Inc., which serves Hull and Cohasset, received over $700,000 in funding.
| | Representative Meschino Participates in Independence Day Parade | | This Independence Day, I had the pleasure of participating in the Hingham Fourth of July Parade. It was a joyful event that brought the community together to celebrate the founding of our nation. This year, I joined Senator Patrick O’Connor, Hingham Selectboard Chair Bill Ramsey, and Hingham Selectwoman Julie Strehle on a Harbor Media program to discuss the Hingham Fourth of July parade tradition. You can view the full video here. | | Hingham Fourth of July Parade. | | Team Meschino Visits Local Community Organizations | | |
This summer, my staff, summer interns, and I had the pleasure of touring Holly Hill Farm in Cohasset. We learned about their programming to educate the community about sustainable agriculture. We also visited the Cohasset Maritime Institute, where we learned about Cohasset’s rich seafaring history.
Earlier this week, my team toured the Hull Lifesaving Museum and learned about their renovations to the Windmill Point Boathouse. Later in the day, we visited the Paragon Carousel to complete a day learning about the historical influences that have shaped the Town of Hull.
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(Left) Rep. Meschino and summer interns at Cohasset Maritime Institute.
(Right) Rep. Meschino, summer interns, and Maureen Gillis at Hull Lifesaving Museum.
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Representative Meschino Welcomes Marshfield Coastal Academy Students to State House
In late June, students from Marshfield Coastal Academy took part in a week-long Symposium on Coastal Resilience. It was my pleasure to welcome twelve students from Hingham, Hull, Marshfield, and Scituate to the State House alongside Rep. Sweezey. I enjoyed hearing about the important work they are doing and sharing a bit about the climate legislation and policy I am pursuing. It is exciting to see students eagerly engaged in this space.
| | Rep. Meschino and Rep. Sweezey speak with students from Marshfield Coastal Academy. | | |
Rep. Meschino Announces Office Hours for August
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, August 4, 10:00am - 11:00am, Linden Ponds, for Linden Ponds residents
- Monday, August 11, 9:00 am - 10:30 am, Willcutt Commons, 91 Sohier Street, Cohasset
- Monday, August 18, 10:00am - 11:00am, Hull Council on Aging, 197A Samoset Avenue, Hull
- Monday, August 25, 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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