Welcome!

Welcome to my official Senate website! Here you can follow my legislative work in the Massachusetts State Senate, read recent news about our district and Commonwealth, and learn how to get in touch with me.

It is an honor to represent the nine communities of the Hampden and Hampshire District.

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Newsletter

In the News!

May 3, 2024

Holyoke’s ‘Hopey’ Awards honor community difference-makers

(WWLP) – An awards show took place in Holyoke Friday afternoon, with community members who make a difference getting recognized....
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May 2, 2024

State Senator Velis raises concerns about the funding of migrant housing

(WWLP) – While Governor Maura Healey and other state officials have approved a new supplemental budget to address the migrant...
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April 27, 2024

Westfield Middle School plants 1st of 50 trees on campus at Arbor Day ceremony

(Westfield News) During his remarks at the ceremony before a tulip tree was planted in the front of the school,...
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April 13, 2024

Sons of Erin, local veterans honor Navy SEAL from Westfield who died in action

(WESTFIELD NEWS- Hope Tremblay) — A crowd gathered in the rain on Thursday to honor and remember Navy Special Warfare...
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April 11, 2024

Westfield ahead of new federal PFAS contamination limits

(WWLP- Duncan MacLean) – The Federal Environmental Protection Agency has announced new, stringent limits for levels of PFAS contamination in...
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April 1, 2024

State leaders in Russell discuss opioid epidemic in rural areas

(WWLP-  Melissa Torres, Emma McCorkindale) – Senator John Velis, who chairs the Legislature’s Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use, and...
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March 25, 2024

West Springfield honors Route 20 as ‘Medal of Honor Highway

(WWLP- Kaylee Collins)  A ceremony was held in West Springfield Monday morning to celebrate a portion of Route 20 in...
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March 22, 2024

Mass­a­chu­setts Senate unan­i­mously passes revenge porn bill

(Spectrum News- Amanda Keane) Massachusetts is one of only two states in the nation without revenge porn laws on the books, but legislators are one...
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March 20, 2024

Elected officials lend support to libraries, readers’ freedom

(REMINDER- Tyler Lederer) At a legislative breakfast Feb. 16, library advocates told local legislators to prioritize funding libraries and promoted...
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March 18, 2024

Ending veteran homelessness is achievable

Pairing housing with support services is the key to success. (Boston Globe Editorial Board) Governor Maura Healey earlier this month...
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What I’m up to on Instagram

Did you know that Massachusetts has a support line that young people up to 24 years old can text for peer-to-peer confidential support? Since March of 2022, HeySam has supported over 3,000 young people across our state. Today the Treehouse-Heroes Youth Leadership Program & Arts Integration Studio came to the State House to share an incredibly moving and powerful performance about their experiences of youth in the foster care system. Fantastic afternoon with the Easthampton Council On Aging & Enrichment Center at their Older Adults Housing Forum. Happy Mother’s Day to all the incredible Moms out there! Moms and moms-to-be deserve the best,— including the very best mental health care. In recent years the conversation around postpartum depression has really shown how common it is for Moms and moms-to-be to experience these feelings, which are 2x more likely than gestational diabetes, and the importance of #smashingthestigma. I had a blast over at West Springfield Public Library's "Terrific Twos" storytime earlier today where we read "Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed".

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