Rep. John Velis
Hello Westfield- Hope you all had a great week and are enjoying the beautiful weather!
I want to start with a quick legislative update. With budget season behind us, the House is now moving into the busiest time of session. Formal session ends on July 31st, and every major piece of legislation that we want to pass this session needs to be voted on by that date. It’s no surprise, then, that we have passed two pieces of legislation since my last update.
Last week, the House passed legislation that seeks to reduce tobacco use and nicotine addiction among youth across the Commonwealth. The bill will prohibit the sale of all tobacco, including nicotine delivery products, and other vapor products to individuals under the age of 21. Additionally, the bill expands Massachusetts’ Smoke-Free Workplace Law to include e-cigarettes and vapes, thereby ensuring that all tobacco and vapor products will be banned in establishments where the use of traditional tobacco is currently prohibited. With this legislation, Massachusetts will join five other states who have established a statewide minimum sales age of 21. Tobacco and nicotine use remain a leading cause of preventable illness and premature death in the Commonwealth, with more than $4 billion spent annually in Massachusetts on smoking-related healthcare costs. In 2012, the U.S. Surgeon General reported that 90 percent of smokers try smoking before age 18, and 75 percent of teen smokers continue to smoke into adulthood. Studies show the most effective way to lower smoking rates is to prevent teenagers from trying tobacco in the first place. By reducing access to tobacco products, the goal is to also reduce smoking-related illness and it’s associated costs over the long term.
This past Wednesday, we voted on a bill designed to provide state universities and high schools with grants to advance their education facilitates and resources in certain life science fields. This bill is an extension of a program aimed at improving education, workforce development, and early stage company growth in the Massachusetts economy. Although it is being called the “Life Sciences” bill, the grants will be given to many industries around Mass, including programs in biotechnology, advanced manufacturing, data analytics, digital health, and even construction. The first round of funding for this program produced 9,000 new jobs in the Commonwealth in just a few years. Massachusetts is a leader in the biotech field, and in order to continue that growth, we need to make sure our students are graduating with the requisite knowledge and skills. Grants like these are a great example of the public-private partnership needed to help our economy grow, and I proud that the House was able to pass the bill this week.
After Wednesday’s vote at the State House, my staff and I returned to the district to celebrate a few events in Westfield. On Thursday, I attended the 30th Anniversary Party at the Forum House. For those of you who may be unfamiliar with the great work of the Forum House, they are a clubhouse-style center for adults suffering from mental illness. They provide a safe, welcoming place for adolescents and adults to receive all kinds of services, from housing support to education and employment counseling. I have been a member of the Friends of the Forum House board for several years and love to visit whenever I can. We are truly blessed to have them here in Westfield.
Later on Thursday, I also had the pleasure of attending the Dollars for Scholars’ scholarship program. Dollars for Scholars provides Westfield students with scholarship money for their chosen undergraduate college or university. It’s so great every year to see the work both CSF and the students put in to make this night happen. Congratulations to all the scholarship winners and best of luck as you move forward with your education, and thank you to CSF for the meaningful work you do year round to set up our students for success!
That’s all for this week, folks. As always, if you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact my office anytime at [email protected] or (413) 572-3920. Have a great weekend!
