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Legislature Enacts $1.8 Billion Bond Bill to Strengthen the Commonwealth’s Information Technology & Physical Infrastructure

(BOSTON –  08/18/2020 ) House Speaker Robert A. DeLeo and Senate President Karen E. Spilka joined their colleagues in House and Senate to pass legislation authorizing up to $1.8 billion in spending for the improvement of information technology equipment and other capital projects in Massachusetts.

The legislation also authorizes funding for food security, law enforcement body cameras, and investments in educational technologies in Massachusetts schools.

“Now, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, more than ever, everyone realizes the importance of our information technology infrastructure,” said House Speaker Robert A. DeLeo (D-Winthrop). “These investments will strengthen the resilience of our state and help provide more equitable access to key services for our residents. I thank Governor Baker, Senate President Spilka, and my colleagues in the Legislature for their work on this important bill.”

“As we adjust to a world transformed by a global pandemic we stand committed and ready to supporting existing programs and finding new ways to invest in underserved and underrepresented populations,” stated Senate President Karen E. Spilka (D-Ashland).“I am thrilled to see this bill authorizes additional much-needed supports for childcare providers. I am equally proud to see this borrowing bill directs resources to a program aimed at supporting communities of color. I would like to thank all my colleagues, including House Speaker DeLeo and Senator Michael Rodrigues, for their work priorities.”

“The IT Bond bill contains numerous and necessary upgrades to services that our constituents rely on each and every day,” said Representative Aaron Michlewitz (D-Boston), Co-Chair of the Joint Committee on Ways & Means. “By enacting this legislation, we are ensuring that the Commonwealth will continue to provide those services in a timely and efficient manner, despite the lasting effects of COVID-19.”

“As we continue to confront challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, the enactment of this bond bill to modernize our Commonwealth’s general government infrastructure and to invest in underserved populations is critically needed at this juncture,” stated Senator Michael J. Rodrigues (D-Westport), Co-Chair, Joint Committee on Ways and Means. “Whether it’s empowering communities of color disproportionately impacted by the criminal justice system or ensuring equitable access to remote learning opportunities for families in need, this bill reflects our commitment to work together during this public health crisis and deliver critical investments in a meaningful and timely way.”

“This bond bill provides over $1.5 billion in critical funding for library construction, public safety initiatives, food security programs, and technology upgrades throughout state and local government,” said House Minority Leader Bradley H. Jones, Jr. (R-North Reading). “These are important investments that will allow Massachusetts to continue to address its infrastructure needs while also responding to the many challenges presented by the COVID-19 global pandemic.”

“House and Senate members made certain that the components of this legislation would have positive wide-ranging impacts for our residents over many key areas. We modernize the state’s economic, justice and education systems, harden our cybersecurity capabilities and combat food insecurity with farm and fisheries grants to make food supply channels more robust and connect those in need with food resources,” said Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr (R – Gloucester).

“The funding allocated in this legislation will go a long way in helping our communities continue to grow and develop their information technology infrastructures,” said Senator John Velis (D-Westfield). “This bill represents the legislature’s commitment to investing in the services that our constituents rely on each and every day, and which have become increasingly important during this pandemic.”

The capital plan, which includes $794 million for state and local general technology and physical infrastructure, features the following targeted investments.

  • $110 million in public safety infrastructure and equipment
  • $134 million in statewide economic development grants and reinvestment in disproportionately impacted communities
  • $80 million in educational IT and infrastructure grants, including $50 million to assist public schools in facilitating remote learning environments
  • $10 million to fund technology investments at community health centers
  • $37 million in food security grants
  • $25 million in capital improvements for licensed early education and care providers and after school programs to ensure safe reopening during COVID-19
  • $30 million in public safety accountability technologies including body cameras and a race and ethnicity data sharing system

The legislation has been signed into law by the governor.

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Sheriff’s office, partners to hand out 2,000 filled backpacks to schoolchildren

August 20, 2020 – Daily Hampshire Gazette – Michael Connors

LUDLOW — As students across Holyoke prepare for a new school year, the Holyoke Safe Neighborhood Initiative will be handing out 2,000 backpacks filled with supplies to the city’s schoolchildren.

Unable to distribute the supplies at its traditional back-to-school event due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Holyoke Safe Neighborhood Initiative will instead hold 11 individual “grab-and-go” events at schools across Holyoke beginning this week and lasting until school begins in September. Dates and times for those events will be communicated to families by the individual schools as they are finalized, said Edward Caisse of the Hampden County Sheriff’s Department, the director of the Holyoke Safe Neighborhood Initiative, which is overseen by the sheriff’s department.

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State Sen. John Velis, D-Westfield, said that the supplies in the backpacks are “absolutely critical.”

“This right here, these books, these backpacks, this education, this is the key — this is the foundation to everything,” Velis said. “If you have an educated population … anything is possible.”

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Governor takes 1st step to renovate and expand Holyoke Soldiers’ Home: Calls for expedited planning and building

August 17, 2020 – MassLive – Jeanette DeForge

HOLYOKE – The state announced it has hired a Boston-based architecture firm to conduct a fast-tracked assessment that will be the first step in renovating or expanding the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home.

Payette, of Boston has been awarded a contract for the first phase of what is being called the “expedited capital project to reimagine the future of the Soldiers’ Home in Holyoke.” The firm was given 12 weeks to complete a needs assessment and meet with stakeholders to discuss the improvements, according to a statement from Gov. Charlie Baker and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito.

The company has been charged with identifying a “sustainable, public health-centered, implementation roadmap to provide significant upgrades to the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home,” the statement said.

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State Sen. John Velis, D-Westfield, who has been a strong veterans advocate, applauded the decision to move forward with the plans and said he supported the idea of hiring Payette because of the firm’s experience with the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home.

“We need to make sure that there are appropriate infection control strategies in place for the rest of this pandemic,” he said. “We also need to make sure there are enough beds, resources and accomodations for the growing veteran population that will rely on the home years down the road.”

He called for the study to also look at what will be the needs of future generations of veterans who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“In order for the home to be sustainable for years to come, the needs assessment has to be wide-ranging and comprehensive so that our veterans get the quality of care they deserve,” Velis said.

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Velis ‘proud’ to represent Southwick

June 29, 2020 – The Westfield News – Hope E. Tremblay

SOUTHWICK – State Sen. John C. Velis, D-Westfield, is “proud” to represent the town.

Velis met last week with the Southwick Select Board via Zoom to say hello and offer his assistance to the community.

“Since I was sworn-in, I have been going to all 11 cities and towns [in the 2nd Hampden and Hampshire Senate District] and checking in,” Velis said.

Velis, a Westfield native, said he has been a neighbor of Southwick his entire life and it was “an honor” to be representing the town in the Senate.

“I want you to view me as an allie,” he said. “Don’t hesitate to contact me.”

Velis said he plans to work closely with the Select Board.

“When local, federal and state government is working together, we get a lot more done,” he said.

Board members did not hesitate to immediately share some concerns about the Congamond Road project. Selectman Joseph Deedy said he would email Velis by the next morning with the issues facing the town with that project.

Selectman Russell S. Fox asked Velis where he stood on Chapter 90 funding, which is state money given to communities for road and infrastructure.

“We came in at $300 million,” Velis said of the Senate vote on Chapter 90 funding. “The House came in at $200 million.”

Velis said he hopes the Senate funding stands.

“It has been loud and clear where you’re coming from and I’m for the $300 million,” Velis said. “Chapter 90 is a big part of this ‘listening tour’.”

Velis said both Chapter 90 and Chapter 70, which is funding for schools, is a priority for the district.

Select Board chairman Douglas Moglin told Velis Southwick was voted the “best place to live in the Pioneer Valley” last year.

‘”We’re hoping to keep that moniker, with your help,” Moglin said.

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For first time in the city’s history, Pride flag flies at Westfield City Hall

June 26, 2020 – MassLive – Manon L. Mirabelli

WESTFIELD — It was a historic moment Friday morning when retired Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Justice John M. Greaney raised the Pride flag at city hall on the fifth anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that legalized same-sex marriage nationwide.

Greaney, a Westfield native and Saint Mary’s High School graduate, authored the concurring opinion in Goodridge v. Department of Public Health in 2003 in which he agreed with the majority opinion that denying couples the right to same-sex marriage was discrimination.

The ruling made Massachusetts the first state in the country to legalize same-sex marriage.

“This is one of the most momentous occasions in our history, and represents the progress we’ve made,” Greaney said Friday. “When we did this in 2003 I never thought it would sweep the nation the way it did.”

The flag raising saw city and state officials gather on the front lawn at City Hall to recognize the city’s LGBTQ community.

City Councilor Kristen Mello, an event organizer, said the decision to hold the flag raising came after the recent Black Lives Matter protest against racism and police brutality held on Park Square Green.

“Someone asked if it would be difficult to raise the flag, so we got together and created an event,” she said. “We didn’t know how quickly the project would come together.”

The event, held on the heels of a landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling earlier this month barring LGBTQ discrimination in the workplace, was a joint venture between the newly formed Westfield Pride Alliance and city officials, including Mayor Donald F. Humason Jr. The mayor said he supported the flag raising and what it represents.

“Although we may all be different, it is our differences that make us stronger,” he said in his remarks.

Westfield Pride Alliance organizer Dennis Aikens hosted the event, and said the organization is the first-ever in the city. “The gay community wouldn’t be anywhere without its allies, without you,” he told the crowd.

Aikens said he attempted to have a Pride flag raising in the past, but it never came to fruition. He thanked Humason for supporting the cause.

“My brothers and sisters of color, gay, lesbians, and transgender people have been under an oppressive weight,” he said. “This is happening today under this mayor.”

Aikens, an advisor to state Sen. John Velis, D-Westfield, lauded the senator for seeking a deeper understanding of the LGBTQ community, the struggles it faces and the personalities behind the movement.

“I’m so proud he wanted an openly gay man as an adviser,” Aikens said. “Being a straight man who didn’t understand, John Velis asked me to explain our life difficulties. He is a warrior, a major in the United States Army. I knew in John Velis we would have a warrior working for us.”

Velis called the event “and absolutely awesome occasion” and spoke of the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy in the military that banned openly gay service members until 2011.

“I thought it was an antiquated notion of humanity,” he said. “Every person should be proud that they are who they are and never run from that.”

Alexander Campurciani also spoke. He said that as a young, gay man of color, he wants to create a community action group to help gay people come out. He told the story of coming out to his father, who supported him. He also spoke of his difficulty in coming out while in high school.

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Velis secures $7.5 million for district roads

July 18, 2020 – The Westfield News – Hope E. Tremblay

BOSTON – Funding for Westfield, Southwick and surrounding communities was included in a $17 billion borrowing bill approved July 16 by the Sente for transportation and infrastructure improvements.

State Sen. John C. Velis, D-Westfield, helped secure $7.5 million for transportation projects in the 2nd Hampden and Hampshire District, which is comprised of Agawam, Easthampton, Granville, Holyoke, Montgomery, Russell, Southampton, Southwick, Tolland, Westfield and part of Chicopee.

“At the end of the day, what matters most to me is being able to bring my work on Beacon Hill back home,” said Velis. “Advocating for our improvements to our roadways and transportation infrastructure will always be a major priority of mine, and I am proud that I was able to secure $7.5 million in the Senate Bond Bill for transportation projects across our cities and towns. I am thankful to all the local officials who worked with my office on this bill, and hope that the Governor now taps these projects to be included in his capital plan.”

The bill passed 36-4, with the Senate’s four-man Republican caucus voting in opposition. Explaining why he would not support the bill, Minority Leader Bruce Tarr cited the inclusion of a business-opposed provision to allow municipalities to increase local taxes and use the funding for transportation projects, reports Sam Doran of State House News Service. An amendment by Democrat Sen. Diana DiZoglio which would have struck that section was defeated 8-31. Sen. Susan Moran, who joined the Senate after a May special election, gave her inaugural speech on a successful amendment to add $350 million in funding toward replacement of the Bourne and Sagamore bridges. Also Thursday, the Senate and House worked in concert to send to Gov. Charlie Baker’s desk bills addressing mosquito control and take-out cocktails during the COVID-19 era.

Velis secured the following local funds:

$2.5mil for Northampton St./RT.5 in Holyoke

$870,000 for Greenway bikeway in Southampton

$600,000 for Congamond Road in Southwick

$1mil for roadway improvements in Westfield

$2.53 mil to be shared equally in Agawam, Easthampton, Granville, Montgomery and Russell for road improvements.

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Sen. John Velis hopes probe of Holyoke Soldiers’ Home COVID-19 disaster will help future generations of veterans

July 21, 2020 – MassLive – Stephanie Barry

State Sen. John Velis’ first listening session with family members of veterans who died of COVID-19 contracted at the Soldiers’ Home in Holyoke lasted for more than three hours on Friday.

There wasn’t a dry eye in the house, according to the newly elected senator from Westfield — one of six Western Massachusetts legislators appointed to a legislative oversight committee investigating an apparent management failure at the long-term care facility when coronavirus overtook patients and staff in late March.

By June, 76 veterans had died and 84 survivors had tested positive for the virus, as did more than 80 staff members.

Gov. Charlie Baker commissioned an independent analysis on the matter by Boston attorney Mark Pearlstein. The former federal prosecutor conducted 100 interviews, delved into 114,000 pages of records and concluded ousted Soldiers’ Home Superintendent Bennett Walsh failed miserably along with his top clinical staff.

Walsh, fired the day the report was released in late June, argues state officials’ early criticisms were “outrageous.” His attorney has said publicly Walsh has been unfairly scapegoated.

Bennett has scheduled a news conference Thursday. He held another conference May 26, releasing a stack of emails between Walsh and state officials that appeared to debunk early accusations Walsh was trying to hide the outbreak. At that time, the death toll at the Soldiers’ Home continued to climb.

Pearlstein used words like “catastrophic” and “baffling” when assessing decisions top staff made during the early days of the crisis, also portraying state officials as checked out on the Soldiers’ Home until the crisis peaked.

Velis said families of veterans reported watching helplessly, and in horror, until they were prevented from visiting their loved ones altogether.

“The family members, more so than anybody, were there when all this was happening,” said Velis, a former state representative and combat veteran. “You don’t need a medical degree to make observations, and you better believe I’m going to bring those observations back to Boston.”

Velis was named to the Special Joint Oversight Committee on the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home along with Sen. James T. Welch of West Springfield and state Reps. Joseph Wagner of Chicopee, Michael Finn of West Springfield, Aaron Vega of Holyoke and Mindy Domb of Amherst. All are Democrats.

The western delegates will join 11 of their colleagues from eastern Massachusetts including Rep. Linda Dean-Campbell, D-Methuen, and Sen. Walter Timilty, D-Milton, who also head the legislature’s Joint Committee on Veterans and Federal Affairs.

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Legislative committee begins investigation into Holyoke Soldiers’ Home

July 21, 2020 – Western Mass News – Ryan Trowbridge & Audrey Russo

HOLYOKE, MA (WGGB/WSHM) — A group of lawmakers is now investigating the deadly COVID-19 outbreak at the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home.

This comes as 101 veterans have died, with 76 of them testing positive.

Countless others contracted the illness and recovered and this group of legislators is tasked with looking into how the virus spread so quickly.

There are already multiple investigations into the Soldiers’ Home underway and the independent investigation ordered by the governor was completed weeks ago.

We spoke with the lawmakers on the Legislative Oversight Committee about how their probe into the home will be different from the others.

“There was not a dry eye there,” said State Sen. John Velis.

Velis has already begun listening sessions with the families of the vets who died in the COVID-19 outbreak at the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home. He is part of a 17-member legislative committee tasked with investigating the deadly outbreak, considered one of the worst at a long-term care facility in the country.

“There was a D-Day survivor. To survive that and then come back to this and go through what they did…” Velis noted.

Velis is hoping the families’ input will help probe further back before the outbreak in March.

“All the time that they spent up there visiting, their observations, what they saw, what they feel could make it better,” Velis said.

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Velis says “much more work to do” as legislative sessions extend – The Westfield News

August 3, 2020 – The Westfield News – Hope E. Tremblay

BOSTON – State Sen. John C. Velis touted the extension of the legislative session this week, saying it allows elected officials to continue working for residents.

Last Thursday, the Massachusetts State Senate and the House of Representatives came to an agreement to continue formal legislative sessions through the end of the year. With the heightened needs brought forth by the COVID-19 pandemic, this extension will allow for the legislature to continue working on major legislation to bring relief to the Commonwealth.

“Over these last few months the needs of Massachusetts residents have greatly changed due to COVID-19. It is our duty as elected officials to ensure we are responding to these changes, and I believe it is crucial that we extend the session to continue our work,” said Velis. “During this unprecedented public health crisis, which has impacted every single person in Massachusetts, the typical summer break of the legislature is completely unimportant. We have accomplished a lot this session, but there is more work to do, and I’m glad we will be continuing that work to meet the needs of our constituents.”

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Senate Passes FY 2020 COVID-19 $1.1B Supplemental Budget, Velis Amendment for Holyoke Soldiers Home Included

(BOSTON – 7/03/2020) The Massachusetts State Senate on Thursday, July 2, 2020, passed a $1.1B supplemental budget for Fiscal Year 2020 to support extraordinary costs related to the COVID-19 pandemic that require immediate attention. The spending authorized in this supplemental budget will maximize federal financial support while providing critical resources for our most vulnerable populations.

“This bill will help the Commonwealth continue to make strides in its fight against COVID-19 as well as support the many sectors impacted by this unprecedented public health crisis,” stated Senate President Karen E. Spilka (D-Ashland). 

“Due to the unprecedented challenges facing our Commonwealth, this supplemental budget will allow us to maximize federal aid to support COVID-19 response costs and provide critical resources to help working families and our most vulnerable populations,” said Senator Michael J. Rodrigues, Chair of the Senate Committee on Ways & Means (D-Westport).

“Every person in our Commonwealth has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has created a public health emergency, an economic disaster, and the need for strong and effective responses by our state government,” said Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr (R – Gloucester). “This supplemental spending bill provides the resources for the actions we must take and does so in a way that maximizes our chances for federal assistance.”

To support working families during this uncertain economic time and provide health care supports in the midst of this public health crisis, the supplemental budget passed today by the Senate includes $82M for childcare needs, including emergency child care for essential workers, $15M for essential behavioral health services, including services for children, $10M for small business assistance grants, focused on minority, women and veteran-owned businesses in underserved areas and $10M to provide wage supports to workers impacted by COVID-19.

In response to growing food insecurity challenges during this pandemic, the supplemental budget provides an immediate state allocation of $15M for food security supports, including $9M for the Massachusetts Emergency Food Assistance Program to support our overstretched food bank system during this time of incredible need.

Through the amendment process, the Senate also established a $500 bonus for members of the Massachusetts National Guard who were mobilized to combat COVID-19, included increase funding to assist with coronavirus mitigation efforts at summer camps and youth programs, and create an Early Education and Child Care Public-Private Trust Fund to help inform and support child care needs across the state.

Included in the final budget was an amendment by Senator John Velis (D-Westfield) that specifically earmarks $250,000 for the Holyoke Soldiers Home. This money will go towards PPE equipment, new technology such as touchless thermometers, and other infection control resources. “What happened at the Home, can never happen again. And we need to do everything in our power to ensure that the facility has the resources it needs right now” said Velis. “I’m proud that I could advocate for the Home during this debate, and am grateful for my colleagues for all their work on this legislation.”

Other notable spending highlights of the FY 2020 COVID-19 supplemental budget include:

  • $350M for personal protective equipment.
  • $139M for rate add-ons for congregate care and other health and human service providers.
  • $85M for field hospitals and shelters.
  • $44M for the Community Tracing Collaborative.
  • $30M for community health centers.
  • $28M for local housing authorities and family and individual shelter services.
  • $20M for expanded RAFT coverage for families on the brink of homelessness.
  • $20M focused on racial disparities in the health care system during the pandemic.
  • $15M for elder affairs services and home care workforce wage supports.
  • $12.3M for early intervention services.
  • $10M for grants to community foundations serving low-income and immigrant populations with direct supports like housing assistance and food security supports.
  • $5M for increased costs related to the recent conference report on expanded vote-by-mail measures for the 2020 election cycle.
  • $2M to provide financial assistance to small non-profits impacted by COVID-19.

The supplemental budget also establishes Juneteenth as an official state holiday. Juneteenth is a celebration of the day in 1865 when the remaining enslaved African Americans in the United States were told of their freedom under the Emancipation Proclamation.

UPDATE: The final version of this legislation has been agreed to by the House and Senate, and been signed by the Governor.

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