Hello Westfield!
I hope you all had an amazing week and stayed out of the heat! Now that August has arrived, the legislature has begun its annual summer recess. Since the legislature doesn’t meet this month, much of this week was spent trying to wrap up a few important issues before the break began.
Most importantly, the state budget was signed this week with no spending vetoes by Governor Charlie Baker and only a handful of vetoes over some of the policy language within the budget. Although it may have taken a little longer than usual this year, I’m happy that we were able to get it done before the recess began.
On Wednesday, the House was also able to pass the bill H.4012, an Act Relative to Children’s Health and Wellness. This bill directly looks to dive into the details and address the complex needs of the children in the Commonwealth and passed unanimously in the House to now go on to the Senate for approval. It seeks to make access to healthcare easier for vulnerable populations, eliminate barriers to care and formulate data-driven recommendations to improve service delivery and system coordination. Among the provisions of the legislation is the requirement that the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families report to the Legislature on its efforts to improve the Commonwealth’s foster care system.
Although it was a busy week on Beacon Hill, I was still able to spend some quality time in Western Mass, as well. On Monday, I had the pleasure of visiting Girls Inc. of the Valley’s Eureka summer program at UMASS Amherst. Eureka is a five year program for teenage girls aged 13-18 preparing them for careers in STEM fields. It was amazing to see the incredibly intelligent women who are in the program, interested in STEM, and yearning to learn more. They are truly amazing and I can’t wait to see what they will accomplish with all they have learned.
On Tuesday I was able to attend the presentation by the students at the summer program at Southampton Elementary. I was amazed at the research they had conducted about plastic pollution and the effects of plastic bags on our environment. To accompany their presentation, they also officially unveiled the design of their new canvas tote bags. The bags feature original artwork by the kids at the program and are being sold through the public schools. They sold out within hours, but I can’t wait to receive mine once they’re back in stock!
Finally, if anyone has contacted my office or met with us in the past three years, they’ve likely met my legislative aide, Emily Swanson. I’m sad to say that this week we said goodbye to Emily, who will be leaving us to attend law school this fall. While we will miss having her around, I’m also excited to introduce my new aide, Chiara McNally. Chiara is a Westfield State Graduate and comes from a human services and advocacy background. I think she will be a wonderful addition to my office and as always, I encourage you to reach out to us with any questions or concerns. Our office can be reached at [email protected] or (413) 572-3920. Have a great week!
