Hello Everyone,
I hope everyone is getting back into the swing of things. I know many of our students had their first full week of classes back after the holidays and I wish the best of luck in shaking off that vacation rust.
Next week marks the bill filing deadline for the new legislative session, and my team has been busy this week meeting with advocates all over the district and Commonwealth as we shape our legislative priorities for this next session. Aside from policy meetings, I still spent plenty of time at other events in this district as well.
Yesterday, I toured the Center for Human Development’s location in Holyoke. This organization is indispensable to our adult population with disabilities, along with many other groups in our community. This group does excellent work and I’m proud to have them in our community. A big thanks to Chicopee City Councilor Shane Brooks of Chicopee for helping organize the visit.
On Tuesday, I met with West Springfield’s 250th anniversary committee. On February 23rd, 1774, West Springfield officially became its own municipality and for the last quarter millennium has developed its own history and culture that I as their new State Senator am proud to represent. The anniversary may be a year out, but we’re already getting ready and I am very much looking forwards to what the committee has in store.
Substance use and addiction continues to be one of the most pressing issues facing the Commonwealth. In the last session, I was the Vice Chair of the Joint Committee on Substance Use, Mental Health and Recovery and as such had a role to play in legislation pertinent to this issue. This week, in preparation for the upcoming session, I took meetings with officials from the University of Massachusetts, Tapestry Health, and the Massachusetts Organization for Addiction Recovery. All of the insight from these groups will prove to be useful this legislative session and I’d like to thank all of them for their time and for all they do for our communities.
This week, my office hosted three separate office hours at various Councils on Aging. On Monday we were at the Agawam COA, Tuesday the Chicopee COA, and on Wednesday we had our very first office hours in West Springfield. Next week we will be at the Easthampton COA on Tuesday from 10:30am to 11:30am and at the Holyoke COA on Wednesday from 10:00am to 11:00am. Please feel free to stop by with any questions, comments, concerns, or just to say hello!
If you are unbale to make our office hours or need assistance any sooner, I can always be reached at my email: john.velis@masenate.gov or by phone: (413) 572-3920. You can also find me online at senatorjohnvelis.com where you can also sign up for my newsletter!
Best,
John Velis