STATE REP. JOHN C. VELIS
Hello Westfield,
What a week it’s been; I hope you’re all staying safe and healthy, wearing your face masks, and sticking to social distancing guidelines so we can continue to flatten the curve. Before we get started, I want to remind everyone to please reach out to my office if you’re having trouble with an unemployment claim, a small business loan application, or any other issues that are affecting you right now. My team and I are here to help!
Speaking of help, one of the main bills we worked on this week was S.2630 An Act to Provide Liability Protections for Healthcare Workers and Facilities During the COVID-19 Pandemic. This legislation would protect health care professionals, including doctors, nurses, and emergency medical technicians, as well as certain health care facilities from liability and suit when the care that they provide is impacted by the COVID-19 emergency. The bill would also provide protections for the health workers staffing the unique Field Medical Stations being stood up across the state.
It’s critical this legislation passes because many of our frontline workers are being pushed to their limits and beyond. They’re being asked to care for more patients than normal, working in unique and uncommon settings such as field hospitals, and many are working outside their area of expertise. This is making many of them operate with a fear of liability and this bill protects against that fear and gives them the protections they need and deserve.
The bill was most recently moved favorably out of the Joint Financial Services Committee, of which I am a member. It is now a new draft, under S.2635 and has been referred to the Senate Committee on Ways & Means. The bill is being acted upon swiftly and has bipartisan support, which I’ve noticed as a very refreshing trend since the onset of this pandemic. Bipartisanship has always been a principle of mine, and something I’ve advocated for and stuck to personally throughout my time as a Representative.
Many of my colleagues in Boston; whether they be Representatives or Senators, Democrats or Republicans, progressives or conservatives are all taking a step away from the normal political bickering and coming together. We all have constituents who have been hit hard by this pandemic one way or another, and understand that this is not the time to score partisan points but a time where we must all rise above that and come up with solutions to the problems we are facing.
The revival of compromise and collaboration is not limited to my colleagues on Beacon Hill. It is a powerful theme throughout our Commonwealth, Western Mass, and Westfield. On Thursday; I volunteered at a meal drive with many other Westfield citizens at the senior center. Many of Westfield’s citizens, and others, continue to approach me and other local leaders to ask how they can continue to help and offer new ideas on how we can help those in need. I listen and I take them to heart.
As I go on my walks, take trips to the supermarket, and make other essential community trips everyone I see is very cordial and more polite than you could ever imagine. This virus may physically be keeping us apart, but spiritually it is bringing us together.
Whatever differences we may have, crises like this remind us that we are all Americans; Bound together as soldiers, fighting an enemy that we will overcome. This outbreak has demonstrated clearly that we are one Nation under God and indivisible in this fight against this threat to our lives. Simply put, have no fear, we will prevail.
As always, if you have any questions, concerns, ideas or need assistance in any way please don’t hesitate to reach out! My office can be reached at [email protected] or (413) 572-3920.
Stay healthy and stay safe!
