Author: john_velis

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April 4, 2021 – Weekly Update

Happy April Fools! 

I know it’s a little late for that so you can rest assured that everything in this weekly update is accurate and prank-free.  I wish we had time for pranks over here, but it was another busy week in the Second Hampden and Hampshire Senate District.   

This week I met with Bo Sullivan of the Westfield Boys and Girls’ Club to discuss their proposed expansion and how I can help advocate for a federal grant to fund it.  This project would expand their space by 15,000 square feet and allow hundreds of  kids who have not been allowed in due to COVID restrictions to be welcomed back.  The reduction of programs like this will have effects on kids for years to come and getting the kids back into programs such the Boys and Girls club is the first step for many on the path to true normalcy.   

I also had the pleasure of meeting with the Mass Forest Alliance this week to discuss how forestry and land management can be a way to both fight the effects of climate change and be a regional economic driver.  Massachusetts is the tenth most forested state in the Union, and for those us in the Western part of the Commonwealth, our outdoor recreation and natural beauty are a point of pride. I look forward to working with the Forest Alliance to expand and protect the ways in which we interact with our natural resources.   

Wednesday night I attended a Candle Light Vigil at the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home to honor those who were lost during the COVID-19 outbreak over a year ago.  This tragedy will never be  forgotten and I’ve been working very hard with my fellow legislators to investigate this tragedy and pass the pending bond bill so that we can build a new Soldiers’ Home to ensure that something like this can’t happen again.  Our Veterans are the best of us and therefore they deserve the best from us.   

A couple weeks ago, Senate President Spilka nominated me for an Opioid Policy Fellowship through the National Conference of State Legislatures, which officially kicked off this week.  I, along with other state legislators from across the nation, will be meeting with opioid and addiction experts to learn what policies and regulations work best to combat the opioid crisis.  As the Vice-Chairman of the Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Abuse, and Recovery, this fellowship will be crucial to the way that I and the Legislature tackle the Opioid Crisis.   

This week I joined almost thirty other State Senators on to a letter to the Governor Baker asking him to postpone the MCAS testing requirement until the fall.  With the logistics of holding this test and the complete overhaul in teaching that happened this year, it would be unfair to both students and school districts to have to take these exams and then hold school districts to the same level of financial accountability that we usually use these tests to benchmark.   

I was also able to attend the Montgomery Town Select board meeting this week and I was ecstatic to be able to get out into the district and interact with my constituents face to face.  The select board and city council meetings are where I can learn in person what is going on the communities I represent.  Finding ways for the State to help is the core of my job as a State Senator and is the thing I’m looking forward to most as we move out the pandemic.   

I’ve also started sending out both quarterly newsletters and weekly email updates regarding the COVID-19 vaccination rollout.  To sign up for my COVID-19 updates, head to senatorjohnvelis.com/covid-19-updates/  In a few weeks, the second issue of Quarterly newsletter will be going out as well, and you can sign up at senatorjohnvelis.com/quarterly-newsletter/ to receive the newsletter right in your email inbox.  

As always, if there is anything I can do to assist you, please never hesitate to reach out to my office.  I can be reached at my email: john.velis@masenate.gov or by phone: (413) 572-3920 and you can find me online at senatorjohnvelis.com. 

John Velis 

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March 28, 2021 – Weekly Update

Hello Everyone, 

It’s the end of another long week here in the State Senate.  I’m happy to announce all the new eligibilities for the vaccine rollout.  Starting this week, anyone 60 years and older is now eligible, as well as workers in many sectors of the economy.  I encourage everyone to review these categories on mass.gov/covid-19-vaccine. 

I’m also thrilled to announce that the Commonwealth has launched a plan for at-home vaccinations for those who are eligible and homebound.  This particular population has struggled so much during this pandemic and we finally have the infrastructure in place to aid them. Available in Spanish, English, and almost 100 other languages, the at-home vaccination booking line can be reached at 1-800-983-0485, Mondays through Fridays 9am to 5pm.      

Finally, Westfield now has its own vaccination site in the CVS on East Main Street.  This a particular point of pride to have finally gotten a site in Westfield, as I’ve been advocating for one since the beginning of the vaccine rollout.  I know that many of you have reached out to my office and your voices have not gone unheard.  Although appointments may be somewhat scarce to start, this is an important step.  I am also excited to announce that the Big E has been approved by the state as a regional vaccination site, with more details coming soon. As our vaccine supply continues to expand, I will continue to advocate for more local and regional sites to help residents better access the vaccine.  

This week I had the pleasure of attending the raising of the Greek flag at St. George’s Orthodox Church in Springfield.  This last Thursday marked the 200th anniversary of Greece’s Independence from the Ottoman Empire.  I’m very proud of my Greek heritage and was honored to have been invited to such an event.   

I’d also like to highlight one of the bills that I’ve filed this year, SD1372, The Speed Act.  This bill would speed up the process for reapplying for professional licenses when spouses of military move to the Commonwealth.  The act also eases the transition for service members’ children to their new schools by allowing pre-enrollment and online attendance before actually moving to the district and by also creating a “Purple Star” campuses designation.     

Speaking of Veterans’ affairs, this week also marked the first meeting of the Joint Committee on Veteran and Federal Affairs.  As the newly appointed Chairman, I will always do my best to advocate for our current servicemembers and Veterans.  I look forward to a productive legislative session with my fellow officials on the Committee.   

This week the bond bill that would finance the reconstruction of the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home was voted on favorably by the Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight.  Its next stop is the Joint Committee on Bonding.  The Holyoke Soldiers’ Home is an essential and venerable service for Veterans in the Commonwealth, a population amongst which I proudly count myself.  We’re at the thirty yard line here with this bill and I will continue to do my best to push this over into the endzone so that Veterans for decades to come will be able receive care from the Home with the dignity and honor that they deserve.   

I’ve also started sending out both quarterly newsletters and weekly email updates regarding the COVID-19 vaccination rollout.  To sign up for my COVID-19 updates, head to senatorjohnvelis.com/covid-19-updates/  In a few weeks, the second issue of Quarterly newsletter will be going out as well, and you can sign up at senatorjohnvelis.com/quarterly-newsletter/ to receive the newsletter right in your email inbox.  

As always, if there is anything I can do to assist you, please never hesitate to reach out to my office.  I can be reached at my email: john.velis@masenate.gov or by phone: (413) 572-3920 and you can find me online at senatorjohnvelis.com. 

John Velis 

Senator Velis at Springfield City Hall on Thursday, March 25th, for the celebration of the Bicentennial of Greek Independence.
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Velis introduces legislation to support military families

(BOSTON 3/22/21) At the end of last month State Senator John C. Velis filed bill SD1372: An Act relative to military spouse-licensure portability, education and enrollment of dependents. This bill would help moving military families transition easier by speeding up the state professional licensing process, allowing children moving into the Commonwealth enroll in school prior to the move, and letting college students keep in-state tuition.  

Relatively short durations of military assignments and long re-application processes often discourage military spouses from seeking their respective licenses when moving to a new state.  This bill would require state agencies to accept or reject their application within 30 days of applying, which would help speed up the process of finding a new job.  

The legislation  would also create a “purple star campus” designation for schools with services geared towards frequently moving military families, including having designated-military family staff contacts and website  resources for students and families. The bill would also allow rolling and virtual enrollment for students in military families who are going to move to the Commonwealth, alleviating the burden of missed deadlines and repeated classes that children with parents in the military often face.   

For college students whose military family or sponsor move out the Commonwealth, the legislation also requires that they be deemed an in-state resident and still qualify for in-state tuition at institutions of higher education so long as they remain continuously enrolled.   

“Moving around frequently is a fact of life for my fellow service persons in the military.  It always has been. ” said Velis.  “Spouses can’t work.  Kids get stuck in the bureaucratic muck and fall behind in school.  College students lose affordability.  I just think that–we as a Commonwealth–should do everything on our power to ease transitions for families who are already sacrificing so much for us.” 

Senator Velis worked closely with officials from the Department of Defense on this legislation, which follows many recommendations put forward by the Military Child Education Coalition.  

“The Military Child Education Coalition applauds Massachusetts Senator John Velis and his fellow Senators for introducing SD 1372 calling for the adoption of a state-wide Purple Star Campus program,” said MCEC President and CEO Dr. Becky Porter. “The Purple Star Program has the ability to reshape the educational environment for our military-connected children and families for years to come. MCEC looks forward to increased opportunities to work side-by-side with state educators and administrators across the nation to help them earn their schools the designation of being recognized as a Purple Star Campus.” 

Senator Velis is a major in the army reserves and was recently appointed the Chair of the Joint committee on Veterans and Federal Affairs.   

This bill has not been referred to a committee yet.   

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March 21, 2021 – Weekly Update

Happy St. Patrick’s Day Folks, 

It was another busy week here in the State Senate.  This week marked the first hearing on the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home Bond Bill.  Elected officials, family members, veterans’ advocates, and myself testified before the Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight on the specifics of the bill, which would allow the state to build an entirely new facility.  The need for a new Home has existed for far too long and the tragedy that occurred there this past spring has only made that more apparent.  Our veterans are the best of us and therefore they deserve the best from us. 

This past Thursday’s Senate session was fruitful as well.  The Senate passed a coronavirus relief package aimed at small businesses. Among other things, it would make PPP loans non-taxable income and extend the tax filing deadline until May 17th.  As the light at end of the tunnel for this pandemic gets brighter and brighter, it’s paramount that the legislature continues to focus on the keystone of our economic recovery: small businesses.   

In addition to the hearing about the bond bill this week, the Special Oversight Committee on the Soldiers’ Home in Holyoke also held a hearing on Friday.  We heard testimony directly from Mark Pearlstein, who was appointed by the Governor to conduct an independent investigation on the COVID-19 outbreak at the Home.  The purpose of these hearings is to find out the underlying institutional causes that led to the tragedy at the Home last spring and to make sure something like this never happens again.   

Friday morning I also joined some of my colleagues and officials from Mercy Medical Center for their virtual legislative breakfast. It was an informative meeting where we heard directly from Mercy leadership about how the Center has adapted to COVID-19 to serve our communities. 

On Wednesday I had the pleasure of presenting citations to two retiring Westfield Police officers, Terry Manos and William Ulrich.  With a combined sixty-four years on the force, they did an excellent job serving and protecting our community.  Thank you to the both of them and everyone here in my office is wishing them a happy retirement.   

I’d also like to commend the staff and students at Holyoke Community College for being ranked amongst the best community colleges in the United States by AcademicInfluence.com this week.  They were 20th out of 839 schools across the country.  They’re deserving of it and I know they will continue to help build a stronger workforce for the entire region.   

This week, the Governor also announced new updates to the Vaccine eligibility timeline. On March 22nd, individuals 60+ and workers in certain sectors will become eligible.  On April 5th, individuals 55+ and those with one comorbidity will become eligible.  And on April 19th, the general public will become eligible.  If you have any questions on your eligibility, please visit www.mass.gov/covid-19-vaccine  or my website link which I mention below. 

Recently, I also started sending out both quarterly newsletters and weekly email updates regarding the COVID-19 vaccination rollout.  To sign up for my COVID-19 updates, head to senatorjohnvelis.com/covid-19-updates/  To sign up for my quarterly newsletter, head to senatorjohnvelis.com/quarterly-newsletter/ 

As always, if there is anything I can do to assist you, please never hesitate to reach out to my office.  I can be reached at my email: john.velis@masenate.gov or by phone: (413) 572-3920 and you can find me online at senatorjohnvelis.com. 

Sláinte! 

John Velis 

Senator Velis presents Senate citations to Westfield Police officers, Terry Manos and William Ulrich, who retired this past year after 32 years each of service.
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Senate Passes Comprehensive Unemployment and Business Support Bill

Comprehensive bill includes COVID-19 Emergency Paid Sick Leave, updates to Unemployment Insurance and Paycheck Protection Program loans, extends tax filing deadline.

(BOSTON–03/19/21) Ten weeks after Senate President Karen E. Spilka promised swift action on COVID-19 Emergency Paid Sick Leave, the Massachusetts State Senate passed a comprehensive bill that would guarantee five paid days off for every employee in the Commonwealth. The bill also seeks to stabilize the state’s Unemployment Insurance (UI) trust fund, provides substantial tax relief to businesses and workers, and delays the state tax filing deadline.

“In January, I declared that we must act quickly to provide our workers with COVID-19 Emergency Paid Sick Leave, and today the Senate has delivered on that promise,” stated Senate President Karen E. Spilka (D-Ashland). “I am proud of the collaboration that brought about this agreement, which will provide needed relief for both businesses and workers. As we continue to recover from the COVID-19 emergency, these measures will provide stability to our economy, and keep workers safe.”

“As we slowly emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic, I am proud of the collective action taken by the Senate and House to pass this comprehensive bill that strikes a balance to help businesses, workers, and jumpstart an equitable recovery for our Commonwealth,” stated Senator Michael J. Rodrigues (D-Westport), Chair of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means. “With more people getting vaccinated by the day, and our economy re-opening, this bill will bring much needed relief to small businesses, keep our essential front line workers safe, and target tax relief to lift up low-income families who lost jobs during this pandemic. Time is of the essence, so I look forward to this comprehensive relief package becoming law.”

“This bill provides critical support for the many businesses and residents who have continued to struggle financially during this pandemic,” said Senator John C. Velis (D-Westfield). “The changes to unemployment insurance, PPP loan tax status, and the tax filing deadline will provide much needed stability and flexibility during an incredibly stressful time,”

To help protect employees on the front lines, and prevent the further spread of COVID-19, this bill ensures that all workers in Massachusetts have access to paid leave if they are unable to work as a result of a COVID-19 infection or a quarantine order. Significantly, given the state’s push to increase vaccination rates, employees will be able to use this paid leave time to take time off to receive the vaccine. In addition, the legislation provides for leave if the worker needs time to care for a family member unable to work because of COVID.

Under this legislation, employees are eligible for up to five days of paid leave, at their regular rate of pay, capped at $850 per week—which is the same maximum weekly benefit provided for in the Massachusetts Paid Family Medical Leave (PFML) law. Employers covered by federal legislation providing for paid leave will have the cost of providing such leave paid for through the federal tax credit. For all other employers, the bill creates a $75 million COVID-19 Emergency Paid Sick Leave Fund to reimburse eligible employers for providing their employees with emergency paid sick leave. The state requirement for paid leave would extend until September 30, 2021 or until the fund is exhausted.

The COVID-19 public health crisis has created a surge of pandemic-related unemployment claims, which has depleted the Commonwealth’s unemployment trust fund, necessitating borrowing from the federal government to pay out those benefits. The bill therefore authorizes up to $7 billion worth of borrowing to replenish the UI trust fund and to repay all federal UI loans, funded by an employer charge, and creates a separate time-limited employer assessment to repay interest on federal UI loans by their due dates to ensure the solvency of the UI trust fund.

The Senate accepted an amendment from Senator Patricia D. Jehlen (D-Somerville) to establish a commission on the solvency of the UI trust fund to pursue long-term solutions for solvency. The commission convenes a balance of business and advocacy interests with the Chairs of the Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce to report on changes required to ensure a solvent trust fund.

The bill also provides much-needed UI-related relief to businesses and employees. For businesses, the bill prevents increases in the UI rate schedule for 2021 and 2022, providing employers with needed stability and relief as the Commonwealth continues to recover. For unemployed workers, some navigating the UI system for the first time, the bill waives tax penalties on UI benefits in 2020 and 2021. It also mirrors federal tax provisions included in the recent American Rescue Plan and excludes $10,200 of unemployment compensation received by an individual with a household income of less than 200% of the federal poverty level from gross income for tax purposes, putting up to $500 into the hands of lower income unemployed individuals. This would apply to individuals making $25,760 or under, or a total income of $53,000 for a family of four.

Further relief for businesses comes in the form of a change in state tax policy regarding PPP loans. In Massachusetts, corporate excise, but not personal income tax, is tied to the current federal Internal Revenue Code. As a result, Massachusetts’ tax law treats forgiven Paycheck Protection Program loans differently depending on whether the recipient small businesses is organized as a pass-through entity or a c-corp. This bill conforms to federal law and ensures that all forgiven PPP loans, advance Economic Injury Disaster Loans and payments made under the federal Small Business Debt Relief are excluded from gross income, regardless of how the business is organized.

“With the tax filing season upon us, the inclusion of language from my PPP loan forgiveness bill will ensure that thousands of businesses won’t be hit hard with a significant, potentially insurmountable, tax burden amidst the COVID-19 pandemic,” stated Senator Eric P. Lesser (D-Longmeadow), Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies. “Over 140,000 businesses across the Commonwealth have received Paycheck Protection Program loans from the Small Business Administration, and have been asked to be patient, flexible, and resilient in order to keep their lights on. It’s unfair for our state to hit them with an unexpected tax. This is a critical measure for speedy economic recovery.”

Finally, to align state tax deadlines with federal tax deadlines, the bill extends the Commonwealth’s tax filing deadline from April 15, 2021, to May 17, 2021. This tax flexibility, similar to a delay authorized last year by the Legislature, will provide stability and ensure residents have time to prepare and file taxes as the state continues to weather the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The bill now goes to the House for further action.

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March 14th, 2021 – Weekly Update

Hello Everyone, 

Spring is finally in the air.  I don’t know about you all, but the beautiful weather this week has me excited to get outside.   

This week was a busy one.  Early on in the week I had the unique opportunity of joining a radio show based in Greece.  My family and I are very proud of our Greek heritage and I was honored that the “Voice of Greece” invited me to be a guest on their show.  We spoke at length about the Greek Diaspora, the contributions of Greco-American immigrants, and the hardships of the immigrant experience.  It was a great discussion and I would love to be a guest again.  S’ efharistó! 

This past Tuesday I took part in a great virtual Twitter conversation about the impact Covid-19 has had on mental health in our communities.  This event was hosted by Mass Support Network and I was joined by colleagues from across the state.  Sadly, this topic is not talked about enough and I look forward to continuing to work on these issues as Vice Chair of the Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use, and Recovery. 

This week Westfield was awarded a $60,000 grant from the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development to help invest in downtown and commercial projects. This “Downtown Initiative” grant is a part of Local Rapid Recovery Planning (LRPP) program and will help the city invest in projects that will boost the recovery of local businesses.  

On Friday I met with Representative Duffy of Holyoke and the interim Receiver-Superintendent of Holyoke Public Schools, Anthony Soto.  It was a productive meeting and I’m fully confident that Superintendent Soto will do an excellent job serving the students of Holyoke.  It has been great working with him so far.  

Friday also marked three years since the tragic passing of Brian Donaghue Simpson of Westborough.  Brian struggled with and eventually succumbed to opioid addiction in 2018.  I gathered virtually with members of his family, Attorney General Healey, Senator Markey, and Dr. Lipi Roy, an addiction specialist, to commemorate his passing and talk about how we can lift the stigma around opioid addiction.  Through committee work and my own legislation, I plan to take on the opioid crisis head first.  In matters of addiction, silence so often leads to death which is why we must all work to stop the stigma surrounding it.    

This week the State also launched a preregistration system to sign up for vaccine appointments at mass vaccination sites. Individuals who preregister will receive weekly status updates, and will be contacted to book an appointment when available instead of constantly checking the website. You can preregister at vaccinesignup.mass.gov/#/ 

I am hopeful that implementing this pre-registration system will improve how our vaccine rollout is organized. Although mass vaccination sites will be the only sites you can preregister for to start, the Governor has stated that other sites will added to the system soon which will be especially important in our region. As our vaccine supply continues to expand, it is critical that our vaccination sites expand as well and I will to continue to advocate. 

Recently, I also started sending out both quarterly newsletters and weekly email updates regarding the COVID-19 vaccination rollout.  To sign up for my COVID-19 updates, head to senatorjohnvelis.com/covid-19-updates/  To sign up for my quarterly newsletter, head to senatorjohnvelis.com/quarterly-newsletter/ 

As always, if there is anything I can do to assist you, please never hesitate to reach out to my office.  I can be reached at my email: john.velis@masenate.gov or by phone: (413) 572-3920 and you can find me online at senatorjohnvelis.com. 

Sincerely,  

John Velis 

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March 7, 2021 – Weekly Update

Happy March Everyone, 

Now that spring has begun and we can be outside for longer than fifteen minutes, I’m looking forward to some more outdoor events in the community.   

On Tuesday I presented two Senate citations to members of our medical community,  one to Physicians’ Assistant Kenzi Holden and the other to Doctor Sarah O’Shea.  During the onset of the pandemic, these two went above and beyond for their clinic, routinely seeing more than twenty patients a day and almost completely giving up time with their families in order to best protect their patients.  The Commonwealth is lucky  have them working in our healthcare system.   

Thursday, I attended the Baystate’s COVID-19 legislative update alongside other legislators from Western Mass.  Members of both the public sector and Baystate staff discussed the many issues facing healthcare workers right now, chief amongst them being lack of vaccine supply.  Positive test rates are–thankfully–starting to drop across the Commonwealth.  However, there are still miles ahead of us and I urge everyone to continue to taken proper precautions.   

Later on Thursday I visited the State Police headquarters in Framingham to discuss public safety in the Commonwealth and projects that they are co-opting with the Department of Homeland Security on.  I also toured the Massachusetts Fusion Center, which is the operational hub of the Commonwealth’s homeland security efforts.  The work these agencies are doing to is paramount to keeping the Commonwealth safe and I look forward to working with them to determine how the Massachusetts legislature can best aid them in their duties.   

To finish the week, I sat in on a roundtable for the Connecticut Valley Superintendents.  This group is comprised of superintendents from Hampden, Hampshire, Franklin counties as well as officials from local universities and community colleges.  Educational institutions have already been left reeling by the pandemic.  From declining enrollment to the more intangible learning loss, the complex ways in which schools have been changed will be felt for years if not decades to come. The state legislature needs to be prepared to aid however it can and I will continue to support strong funding for our public school systems in the state budget.  

Recently, I also started sending out both quarterly newsletters and weekly email updates regarding the COVID-19 vaccination rollout.  To sign up for my COVID-19 updates, head to senatorjohnvelis.com/covid-19-updates/ To sign up for my quarterly newsletter, head to senatorjohnvelis.com/quarterly-newsletter/ 

As always, if there is anything I can do to assist you, please never hesitate to reach out to my office.  I can be reached at my email: john.velis@masenate.gov or by phone: (413) 572-3920 and you can find me online at senatorjohnvelis.com. 

Sincerely,  

John Velis 

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Velis one of twenty legislators across the country to be selected for opioid fellowship

(BOSTON 3/4/2021) – Last week the National Conference of State Legislatures announced that they had selected twenty state legislators from across the country to participate in their 2021 Opioid Policy Fellows Program. Among those selected was Senator John Velis (D-Westfield). Prior to his selection and the application process, Senator Velis had been nominated for the fellowship program by Senate President Karen Spilka (D-Ashland).  

“Recovery—and the struggles of addiction—are issues that I personally understand and want to positively impact,” said Senator Velis, who is Vice Chair of the Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery. “I believe one of the long-lasting impacts of this pandemic is going to be the negative effect this period of isolation and stress has had on those suffering with mental health disorders and substance abuse. For many people these two issues are co-occurring, and I’m looking forward to learning more about what we can institute here in Massachusetts to help address these problems.” 

The program is designed for legislators who are emerging leaders in opioid and substance use disorder issues and is supported by health professionals, addiction experts, and policy specialists. The fellowship will include a series of seminars and conferences that focus on policies to prevent, intervene and treat opioid misuse, addiction and overdose. The program will also address the intersections of opioid use with mental health, maternal and pediatric health, human services, and criminal justice.  

“This is a unique opportunity to learn directly from those who have been studying issues of opioid addiction and substance use disorders for years,” said Senator Velis. “In addition to speaking with subject matter experts, this is also a chance to learn about innovative programs that other states have implemented that we here in Massachusetts might be missing out on. This is all about taking those best practices and policies that are out there and figuring out how we can implement them here in the Commonwealth to help save lives.” 

“So much of our world has changed due to the ongoing pandemic, and that includes how to best offer assistance to those with addiction and substance use disorders,” stated Senate President Karen E. Spilka (D-Ashland). “Senator Velis has been a longtime advocate for those in the recovery community and it’s for that reason I was thrilled to nominate him for NCSL’s 2021 Opioid Policy Fellow Program and congratulate him on his selection. I look forward to him sharing with the Senate more about his experience so that we can continue to build on our progress to help those most in need as they continue to recover.” 

Senator Velis was appointed Vice Chair of the Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery last month. The Chair of the Committee is Senator Julian Cyr (D-Truro). 

“We always make better policy when we bring our most real vulnerable experiences to this work. I have much admiration for Senator Velis’ decision to share his own journey through addiction and use it to inform how we go about helping others,” said Senator Cyr. “Our committee work will benefit from his pursuit of further study on opioid policy.” 

The first conference for the program will be held virtually on the weekend of March 26th. There will be a series of shorter virtual webinars throughout the later spring and summer, and organizers hope to hold a second weekend conference in person in September.  

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February 28, 2021 – Weekly Update

Hello Everyone, 

The last week of February is upon us.  It seems to be thawing, so fingers crossed that Spring is coming a bit early this year and we can start to enjoy some warmer weather.  This week was just as busy as ever and I’m sure my staffers are starting to doubt me when I say, “Things should slow down next week.”  

To start it off, I had a very productive meeting on Monday with Mayor Nicole LaChapelle of Easthampton and Congressman Richard Neal, who represents most of Western Mass and all of my district in the U.S. House of Representatives.  Among other things, we discussed how the next federal stimulus package will be dispersed.  Federal aid is vital to ensure that our communities can recover from the pandemic.  

I also attended the Russell town meeting this past week.  Our hilltowns have had their own unique challenges both before and now during the pandemic.  This meeting’s purpose was to address these and determine how the State legislature can best help as we move forward in the new legislative session.   

This week the legislature also held its first oversight hearing on the state’s vaccine rollout and heard directly from Administration officials, including Governor Baker himself.  My colleagues questioned the Administration on vaccination sites and the appointment website among other issues, and pushed for improvements and more equitable vaccine distributions.  Last week I also joined colleagues on a letter to Governor Baker calling for more municipal and community sites, which I believe will improve vaccination accessibility as our supply expands.  

On Thursday I was lucky enough to get out to the Westfield Council On Aging to hand out some bagged lunches.  After one too many virtual meetings, it felt invigorating to get out in the community and tangibly help our seniors.  It was a great afternoon for it and it was so nice to see so many familiar faces.  I just can’t wait for the day when I can start calling bingo games at the Senior Center again.   

To finish my week on a high note, I had a meeting Friday morning with Girls’ Inc.  This is an organization that I think deserves special merit this week.  Their mission is to empower young women and forge the next generation of female leaders through both academic and extracurricular programs.  I was invited alongside Representative Patricia Duffy of Holyoke to host this meeting and we discussed how we as elected officials can bolster the young women of the Pioneer Valley.   

Recently, I also started sending out both quarterly newsletters and weekly email updates regarding the COVID-19 vaccination rollout.  To sign up for my COVID-19 updates, head to senatorjohnvelis.com/covid-19-updates/ To sign up for my quarterly newsletter, head to senatorjohnvelis.com/quarterly-newsletter/ 

As always, if there is anything I can do to assist you, please never hesitate to reach out to my office.  I can be reached at my email: john.velis@masenate.gov or by phone: (413) 572-3920 and you can find me online at senatorjohnvelis.com. 

Sincerely,  

John Velis 

Posted on

February 21, 2021 – Weekly Update

Hello Everyone, 

I hope you’re all doing well. I know many of you reached out to my office this week regarding COVID-19 vaccinations, especially on Thursday when the appointment website went down. This is completely unacceptable, and the system absolutely has to be improved.   

When individuals 65+ and those with 2+ comorbidities became eligible to book appointments this week, over a million new people became eligible. The state received just over 110,000 doses from the federal government this past week, and we simply do not have the vaccines at this time for everyone to get an appointment immediately. That being said, it should not be this difficult to access the site, book an appointment, and get clear information. Although Governor Baker is unilaterally overseeing the vaccine rollout and vaccination locations, I will continue to communicate these issues and advocate for improvements. Next week, the Legislature will be holding a public, livestreamed oversight hearing on Thursday to hear directly from Administration officials on the rollout of the vaccine process and the website itself. We expect answers from those responsible for this failure and a better system must be delivered for our residents.  

This Friday marked the official end of “bill filing” season.  After weeks of requests, research, and revisions, my staff and I are excited to announce all the bills that we’ve filed in the Senate so far. I will still have the ability to file bills through the entire two-year session, but submitting by this deadline ensures that they will be heard by a committee promptly. 

I’m also excited to announce that for this upcoming Legislative session, I will be the Vice Chair of the Joint Committee on Children, Families, and Persons with Disabilities as well as the Vice-Chair of  the Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Abuse, and Recovery.  As a veteran, I’m especially proud to announce my Chairmanship of the Joint Committee on Veterans and Federal Affairs.  All of these are policy areas that I’m passionate about and I’m very much looking forward to a productive Legislative session.   

As a part of the bill filing process, my staff and I have been taking meetings with many constituents and experts regarding issues facing the Commonwealth.  Among those meetings I took this week, one that stands out is the meeting I had with Maryanne Frangules, the founder of the Massachusetts Organization of Addiction Recovery (MOAR).  We discussed how COVID-19 has exacerbated difficulties for those suffering from addiction and how the Legislature and especially my new position as Vice-Chairmanship of  the Mental Health, Substance Abuse, and Recovery can best help them in the upcoming session.   

Thursday morning, I met with the Western Mass Legislative delegation to discuss how Baystate’s pending consolidation of psychiatric beds in the region and Holyoke Medical Center’s acquisition of Providence Behavior Health Hospital will affect the area.  As always, we will work with our partners in both the Legislature and in the private sector to insure the best possible outcome for the patients of Western Mass.   

Recently, I also started sending out both quarterly newsletters and weekly email updates regarding the COVID-19 vaccination rollout.  To sign up for my COVID-19 updates, head to senatorjohnvelis.com/covid-19-updates/ To sign up for my quarterly newsletter, head to senatorjohnvelis.com/quarterly-newsletter/ 

As always, if there is anything I can do to assist you, please never hesitate to reach out to my office.  I can be reached at my email: john.velis@masenate.gov or by phone: (413) 572-3920 and you can find me online at senatorjohnvelis.com. 

Sincerely,  

John Velis 

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