Author: john_velis

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Week of July 26th

Hello,

I hope everyone got the chance to enjoy some of the sunny weather this week! It is so hard to believe that we are nearly halfway through the summer.

With July coming to a close next week there was a lot of activity over at the State House. On Tuesday, I testified before the Joint Committee on Transportation in support of my bill S2454, An Act Relative to Unmanned Aerial Vehicles in the Commonwealth, which would establish common sense regulations for the use of drones in our state. Massachusetts law simply has not kept up with this rapidly advancing technology and law enforcement agencies currently have limited options for overseeing drone usage and ensuring safety. We regulate cars; We regulate aircraft; We must do the same for drones to protect public safety and personal privacy.

Later that day I chaired the second hearing of the Joint Committee on Veterans and Federal Affairs. During this hearing the committee reviewed legislation to improve the lives of our veterans, service-members, and their families including bills that would study the needs of women veterans who become mothers, preferred parking for our veterans, and the vital work of our Veteran Service Officers.

On Wednesday, I sat down with Dave Madsen from Western Mass News to discuss my work up on Beacon Hill and the Senate’s push to limit the use of cell phones in schools. Check out the interview tomorrow morning on Getting Answers. Afterwards, I paid a visit to the West Springfield Housing Authority to meet with residents and help the Greater Springfield Senior Services Inc’s annual “Beat the Heat” event, where they prepare smoothies for the residents and provide resources on how to stay safe during the warmer months. It was great to hear from our senior residents on their experiences and ways to improve their community, the smoothies were also great!

On Thursday, the Senate was in session to vote on a whole host of bills that would update archaic language in our state laws, especially with regards to people with disabilities, and help expand the State Police’s blue envelope program. The blue envelope program is an effort to create safer interactions between law enforcement and drivers on the autism spectrum during traffic stops.  This is done through an envelope that not only holds a driver’s documents but contains communication guidelines for law enforcement to help adapt their approach to interacting with a driver who has autism.

This week Team Velis hosted office hours in Russell. Next week, Team Velis will be hosting office hours on Monday at the Westfield Council on Aging from 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm and on Wednesday at the Southampton Council on Aging from 9:30 am to 10:30 am. If you are unable to make office hours, I can always be reached by email, john.velis@masenate.gov, by phone, (413) 572-3920, and you can find me online at senatorjohnvelis.com. 

Best,

John Velis

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Drone enthusiasts hope to keep state regulations grounded

(SHNS) As lawmakers begin to think about regulating the use of drones in Massachusetts, industry professionals are urging them to rethink their approach.

Six bills before the Transportation Committee aim to define and regulate the unmanned aircraft at the state level — the registration, operation and pilot requirements of which are currently broadly governed by the Federal Aviation Administration. Several drone enthusiasts contested every one of the bills Tuesday, arguing that lawmakers should press pause and further examine the existing regulations.

Sen. John Velis, D-Westfield, and others painted drone regulations as a pressing safety issue. He called on his colleagues to address what he called “serious privacy and security threats” from unregulated drone use, which he said has resulted in interference with commercial aircraft at airports and grounding of some response aircraft.

“Our commonwealth laws have not kept pace with technology. In fact, currently, the Federal Aviation Administration has carte blanche when it comes to regulating drone usage, and this leaves law enforcement in Massachusetts and all public safety officials with very few options for overseeing drone usage,” Velis said. “We regulate cars, we regulate aircrafts — we must do the same for drones.”

A Velis bill (S 2454) would create no-fly zones surrounding “critical facilities” like airports, correctional institutions and military institutions, set minimum standards for drone operators and provide an enforcement process for recklessly-used or unmarked drones.

The industry seemingly is not on board with Beacon Hill’s proposed approach.

“I understand the intention behind some of these bills, but I encourage you to please do some more research and realize that these bills are destructive, not only to us, but the community as a whole and to future drone pilots,” Hayden Spitz, founder of Boston Drone Productions, told lawmakers Tuesday.

Spitz does photography and videography for realtors and businesses and teaches at the University of New Hampshire about drone laws and safety. He said he wouldn’t be able to help realtors show potential homebuyers the schools surrounding the homes they’re selling, under a Rep. Bruce Ayers bill (H 3618) that would bar drones from flying over early, elementary and secondary education facilities.

Ayers said Tuesday that his bill would “set a stronger precedent” for drone use by requiring operators to get written permission from a superintendent or school official to be able to fly drones over school buildings. Ayers named Louisiana, Alabama and New Jersey as places with similar restrictions.

Michael Ford, a commercial real estate aerial photographer, asked lawmakers Tuesday to table all six bills “to make sure these harmonize with the federal law, and also maybe put together an industry panel within Massachusetts to help guide how these come through and make them successful.”

A Rep. Brandy Fluker-Reid bill (H 3663) specifically, Ford said, would inhibit his ability to do his job. The proposal would nearly completely prohibit night flying, and prohibit drone take-off or landing on municipal or state-owned property and near aquifers, schools, parks, churches, places where “children congregate” or areas like athletic events or concerts where crowds gather.

The proposals show “a misunderstanding of the drone laws,” according to Spitz.

“Talking about everything from recreational being more than 10 pounds — recreational has nothing to do with weight, it has to do with intention of flying,” Spitz said.

“Talking about recreational flyers being at least 16 — recreational flyers don’t have an age limit, but as long as they took the TRUST test and understand the rules and legislation that they put in there … that would allow them to fly.”

Additional Rep. Brian Murray and Sen. Michael Rush bills (H 3749, S 2438) would put certain operational definitions in place for drones, along with prohibiting the arming of drones with weapons and the conducting of surveillance via drone. Industry opposition extended also to a Rep. Marcus Vaughn bill (H 3800) that would ban the sale of Chinese drones in Massachusetts.

“I understand that there is worry at the federal level on securing those. I understand that they are working through to figure out what’s true and what’s not. But getting rid of Chinese drones in the short term would impact school STEM programs, it would impact public safety, it would impact search and rescue, it would impact anybody who uses these drones,” Ford said.

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Senate Acts to Reform Child Custody Law to Conform with National Standards

New law supports safety and well-being of children, brings national uniformity to child custody cases

(BOSTON—7/17/2025) Today the Massachusetts Senate unanimously passed legislation to modernize laws that protect children and families going through child custody proceedings.

The legislation, S.2550, would ensure Massachusetts courts follow the same procedures as the other 49 states in the country, bring laws up to date with international best practices, and simplify the process for families going through multi-state custody cases.

More specifically, this legislation creates clear rules for multi-state custody cases and prioritizes the home state of the child when determining custody jurisdiction, thereby preventing forum shopping by a parent seeking a more-favorable outcome in another state. It also updates the law to streamline case registration and enforce out-of-state determinations, enhances protections for children and families who are going through custody proceedings in Massachusetts, and boosts flexibility for families through the creation of hearing notice requirements and by allowing remote participation in proceedings.

“Today’s legislation aims to simplify a process that is already difficult for children and families,” said Senate President Karen E. Spilka (D-Ashland). “Bringing Massachusetts in line with other states will provide families clarity and, we hope, decrease the stress of what is already a stressful situation. I’m grateful to Majority Leader Creem for her continued advocacy for this legislation, and to Chair Rodrigues and Chair Edwards for their support.”

“I’m proud that the Senate has once again taken decisive action to advance S.2550, which would finally bring Massachusetts in line with the rest of the country by passing the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act,” said Senate Majority Leader Cindy Creem (D-Newton). “This legislation reflects years of collaboration and calls from advocates to adopt this code and better protect the rights of parents during this already difficult time. I’m grateful to my colleagues for supporting a measure that brings clarity and fairness to our custody laws and helps ensure that families navigating these disputes are not further burdened.”

“This bill streamlines the child custody process and puts the Commonwealth in line with other states that already have adopted uniform laws regarding child custody. These cases are stressful enough for children and families, so anything we can do to make the process involving out-of-state custody cases smoother is beneficial for all parties,” said Senator Michael J. Rodrigues (D-Westport), Chair of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means. “This legislation also prioritizes the home state of the child, enhances protections for these children, and allows remote participation, a crucial component in multi-state proceeding where distance is a factor. This bill is the result of persistent advocacy by Majority Leader Creem and Chair Edwards, and all children and families involved will feel the impact of this legislation.”

“Today’s unanimous vote sends a strong message: Massachusetts is committed to protecting children and families with clear and consistent custody laws,” said Senator Lydia Edwards (D-East Boston), Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on the Judiciary. “By aligning our procedures with every other state and international best practices, this legislation will reduce confusion, enhance protections, and bring much-needed clarity. These updates are about making the process more

efficient, and ultimately more focused on the best interests of the child. I want to thank Senator Creem for her continued leadership on this legislation and Senate President Spilka and Chair Rodrigues for their support.”

The standard for child custody jurisdiction was established under the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act (UCCJEA), drafted in 1997 by the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws. If passed, Massachusetts would join all other states in adopting the uniform laws.

The legislation was reported out of the Joint Committee on the Judiciary on June 12, 2025, and from the Senate Committee on Ways and Means on July 10, 2025. Votes of both committees are available online, along with a full summary of the legislation and a recording of the Senate’s livestreamed debate and vote on the bill.

Having passed the Senate, the bill now heads to the House of Representatives for consideration.

Statements of support

“We’re pleased that the bill passed by the Senate aligns Massachusetts with all other states in the jurisdictional handling of child support and remedies many of the conflicts that have made it more difficult for parents who remain in Massachusetts after divorce,” said Massachusetts Bar Association Chief Legal Counsel Martin W. Healy. “We’re grateful to Senate President Spilka and Majority Leader Creem for championing this bill.”

“Every day, our members who practice family law witness the real and lasting harm caused by the Commonwealth being the only state that has not joined the UCCJEA,” said BBA President Matthew V.P. McTygue. “This bill is about protecting children, stabilizing families, and ensuring that survivors of domestic violence are not forced to relitigate custody across state lines. Without this law, a custody order from a Massachusetts judge can be cast aside after a parent moves to a new state. That’s unacceptable, and this legislation will finally fix it.”

“This version of the UCCJEA contains the provisions that the Women’s Bar Association has supported so as best protect low-income litigants and survivors of domestic violence,” said Jamie Ann Sabino, a member of the Women’s Bar Association Legislative Policy Committee. “As long as Massachusetts remains the only state not to adopt the UCCJEA, there continues to be a burden on both low-income litigations and survivors of domestic abuse as they try to navigate very difficult and complex jurisdiction issues. Passing the UCCJEA with the language below will result in better outcomes for all and at no cost to the state.”

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Senate Acts to Protect Consumers from Predatory Debt Collection

New law would lower interest rates, strengthen wage protections, and ban imprisonment for unpaid consumer debt.

(BOSTON—7/17/2025) Today, the Massachusetts Senate unanimously passed the Debt Collection Fairness Act to protect consumers and keep people from being pushed into financial ruin if they are sued for financial debt. The new law would make debt collection practices fairer, protect wages, and make clear that no person can be imprisoned for unpaid consumer debt.

The legislation, S.2537, would strengthen consumer protections to ensure that individuals can retain some financial security when they are sued for debts that are frequently old and potentially bought by debt collection companies for pennies on the dollar.

The bill would protect thousands of families across Massachusetts—including many in communities of color—by reducing the interest rate on consumer debt from 12 per cent to 3 per cent, exempting most wages and child support from garnishment, and establishing a five-year statute of limitations for legal claims.

The bill also prohibits employers from penalizing employees due to wage garnishment or personal debt, and adds further protections for individuals coping with financial hardship.

“Families already in the grip of debt should not have to choose between putting food on the table and paying the exorbitant costs charged by debt collection companies—or fear imprisonment,” said Senate President Karen E. Spilka (D-Ashland). “It is a story we hear too often, and far too often in our communities of color. An equitable Commonwealth is one where we have people’s backs, and I’m proud that the Senate is taking action today to do just that. I am also thankful to Chair Rodrigues, Chair Feeney, and Senator Eldridge for their work.”

“I’m pleased the Senate has passed this commonsense consumer protection measure,” said Senator Michael J. Rodrigues (D-Westport), Chair of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means. “This long overdue legislation will protect individuals from being pushed over a financial cliff due to unsavory debt collectors who prey upon people experiencing financial hardship, with marginalized communities often being disproportionally affected. It’s more important than ever for the Commonwealth to stand up and protect these basic consumer rights in the wake of protections disappearing at the federal level. I thank Chair Feeney, Senator Eldridge, and Senate President Spilka for their determined effort to bring this important legislation to the Senate floor for passage.”

“Those caught in the grip of a debt cycle know all too well the often-predatory practices used by debt collectors, and the crippling reality of staring down a ballooning debt that seems insurmountable,” said Senator Paul Feeney, Chair of the Joint Committee on Financial Services (D-Foxborough). “While the Debt Collection Fairness Act will not eliminate debt

or an obligation to pay, the bill does provide a lifeline and opportunity for hope for those caught in the deepest depths of this spiral so that families have some room to breathe, to move forward and break this debilitating cycle. I am grateful to Senator Jamie Eldridge for championing this and for his strong advocacy, the many stakeholders and advocates who brought this bill forward, and for the leadership of Chair Michael Rodrigues and Senate President Karen Spilka for their commitment to empowering working people and protecting our constituents from shady practices.”

“President Trump is dismantling federal government agencies dedicated to protecting consumers,” said Senator Jamie Eldridge (D-Marlborough), primary sponsor of the legislation. “Here in Massachusetts, I am proud that the state Senate is voting on my bill—the Debt Collection Fairness Act—to provide protections from the predatory practices of debt collectors for working class families. I’d like to thank Senate President Karen E. Spilka, Senate Ways and Means Committee Chair Michael J. Rodrigues, and Financial Services Senate Committee Chair Paul R. Feeney for their steadfast support for this bill.”

The legislation was reported out of the Joint Committee on Financial Services on June 20, 2025, and from the Senate Committee on Ways and Means on July 10, 2025. Votes of both committees are available online, along with a full summary of the legislation and a recording of the Senate’s livestreamed debate and vote on the bill.

Having passed the Senate, the bill now heads to the House of Representatives for consideration.

Statements of Support

“In the face of the Trump Administration’s rollback of federal consumer protection efforts, stepping up to protect the economic security of Massachusetts residents is more critical than ever,” said Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell. “I am proud to co-sponsor this legislation and am grateful to Senator Eldridge for introducing and Chairs Rodrigues and Feeney and shepherding this important legislation, which will provide needed relief to Massachusetts families through common sense reforms that will help break cycles of indebtedness and poverty. I look forward to continuing to work with sponsors Representatives Nguyen and Barber as the legislation moves to the House of Representatives.”

“We are thrilled the Senate passed the Debt Collection Fairness Act,” said Nadine Cohen, former Managing Attorney, Consumer Rights Unit of Greater Boston Legal Services. “This bill will help many low-income families who are struggling to pay off old consumer debt. By reducing the interest rate on judgments and protecting more wages from garnishment many low-wage working families will be able to keep more of their hard earned money for their rent, food and other necessities.”

“This bill would reduce the strain on families already struggling to keep food on the table and pay some of the steepest rents in the country,” said Michael Best, Director of State Advocacy at the National Consumer Law Center. “We are grateful to the legislature for taking action to keep hard-earned wages in the pockets of working people threatened by unscrupulous debt collectors.”

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Weekly Update- July 19th

Hello,

I hope everyone had a great week despite the very hot weather. Before I dive into all that happened this past week I would like to share my sincere congratulations to Tropical Smoothie Café in West Springfield on their grand opening later today.

On Monday, I joined first responders, local officials, and my legislative colleagues from throughout the region at the ribbon cutting of the new WestComm Dispatch Center in Chicopee. WestComm serves multiple communities in Western Massachusetts to help improve emergency response times and increase access to advanced communication technology. I had the opportunity to tour the new facility and see first-hand how technologies like Prepared Live, which enables people who called 911 to send photos and videos from the scene, can help prepare first responders to respond to calls.  

A huge milestone for CitySpace as we celebrated breaking ground on Phase 2 of their revitalization project at the historic Old Town Hall building this week in Easthampton! Last year I was proud to join then State Representative Dan Carey in supporting CitySpace’s Community One Stop for Growth grant application that later led to an over $500,000 award from the Commonwealth to make these accessibility improvements possible.

I am also pleased to share that earlier this week the Department of Recreation and Conservation (DCR) announced a grant award for the town of Montgomery! The town received $2,963 in funding through the Volunteer Fire Capacity (VFC) program, a federal grant administered by the DCR. The VFC provides fire equipment, training, and organizational help for small communities to be better equipped to respond to fire emergencies. Congratulations!

Throughout this week I have been speaking with our district local superintendents and nationally renowned researchers from The Anxious Generation to discuss ways we can help give our children a break from their phones during the school day. A few weeks ago, my bill to restrict student’s cellphone use was favorably reported out of Committee, and it is my sincere hope that the Senate will be considering it on the floor in a few weeks ahead of the new school year. The evidence is clear- taking cell phones out of the classroom improve students’ mental health and improve academic performance. With 21 other states having passed phone free school mandates I hope the Commonwealth will not be far behind for the benefit of our student’s education and well-being.

This week Team Velis hosted office hours in Easthampton and Holyoke. Next week Team Velis will be hosting office hours on Tuesday at the Russell Council on Aging from 11:30 am to 12:30 pm. If you are unable to make office hours, I can always be reached by email, john.velis@masenate.gov, by phone, (413) 572-3920, and you can find me online at senatorjohnvelis.com.  

Best,

John Velis 

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Velis Testifies in Support of Legislation to Improve Endometriosis Care 

(Boston- 7/10/2025) Today, Senator John C. Velis testified before the Joint Committee on Public Health in support of legislation, S1638 An Act relative to endometriosis awareness, to raise awareness and improve treatment of endometriosis- a serious, yet commonly unheard of, women’s health condition. Currently, due the lack of familiarity among medical professionals it often takes women an average of 7 to 10 years to be diagnosed with endometriosis despite experiencing debilitating symptoms. During Velis’s testimony he spoke personally to the difficult journey a member of his family experienced to both be diagnosed and receive treatment.  

Endometriosis occurs when tissue similar to the inner lining of the uterus grows on the outside of the uterus causing excruciating pain throughout the whole body. With many medical professionals unfamiliar with the condition and effective treatments, the legislation taps on the Executive Office of Health and Human Services to create a Special Commission on Endometriosis to provide policy recommendations on how diagnosis, treatment and research of the condition can be improved within Massachusetts. 

“If you asked me five years ago what Endometriosis is, I truthfully would not have had an answer for you. However, I have now seen first-hand the serious hurtles women with this condition must navigate to not only have their pain taken seriously but to receive a diagnosis right here in Massachusetts, home to the best healthcare institutions in the country, I was beside myself,” shared Senator John C. Velis. “We have a real opportunity here to not only spread awareness and begin a conversation in our Commonwealth, but also improve the research and treatment available to people suffering from endometriosis.”  

Velis shared that he is hopeful that the legislation will receive a favorable report by the Committee and that today’s hearing and other advocacy events surrounding the legislation have been a great start in spreading awareness around endometriosis among his colleagues and the public.  

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Weekly Update- July 12th

Hello,

I hope everyone had a great week!

I started off the week on Monday with constituent meetings over at my district office. I was happy to have had the opportunity to sit down with Nora Schmidt of Southampton to discuss policies that I can support in the state legislature to help improve pediatric cancer research and to celebrate here recent recognition as a Commonwealth Heroine. Nominating Nora for this award was the easiest decision I have ever made. What Nora has done to honor and advocate in her daughter Maddie’s memory is simply put special. Thank you for taking the time to meet with me Nora!

Later in the day I went up to Northampton to visit the Calvin Coolidge Presidential Library and Museum with members of the Western Massachusetts delegation and colleagues from across the state that serve on the Joint Committee on Tourism, Arts, and Cultural Development. It was beyond interesting to learn more about the future plans for the Presidential Library to increase accessibility and showcase President Coolidge’s extensive life of public service. Next time you are in Northampton make sure to check it out!

On Wednesday the Special Commission on Combating Antisemitism held a hearing at the State House to review draft recommendations on how school districts across the Commonwealth can proactively prevent antisemitic incidents from occurring and best practices on addressing incidents that do transpire. The stories I have heard since the Commission began 9 months ago from young people are beyond gut wrenching, and simply put we cannot allow this pervasive hate to continue to rear its ugly head in our K through 12 schools, or anywhere. I am grateful to all the Commissioner who participated and provided such thoughtful feedback on these draft recommendations.

Before the end of the week I had the opportunity to join Kamp for Kids for their 50th annual “Welcome Day” celebration. Every year this event is filled with so much joy as campers of all abilities return for a fun and inclusive summer. Too often children with disabilities miss out on going to a summer program with their peers and I am so grateful for the team at BHN in ensuring all of kids have this memorable childhood experience.

This week Team Velis hosted office hours in Agawam, Chicopee, and West Springfield. Next week Team Velis will be hosting office hours on Tuesday at the Easthampton Council on Aging from 10:30AM to 11:30AM, and again on Wednesday at the Holyoke Council on Aging from 10:00AM to 11:00AM.  If you are unable to make office hours, I can always be reached by email, john.velis@masenate.gov, by phone, (413) 572-3920, and you can find me online at senatorjohnvelis.com.  

Best,

John Velis

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Week of July 5th

Hello,

I hope everyone had a safe and fun fourth of July! I participated in the Hampton Ponds Parade in the morning and the Wyben Parade in the afternoon where Carson was once again the star of the show. I was thrilled to see so many members of the community out celebrating our nation’s independence. Thank you to all the organizers of both parades for their hard work to make these great celebrations possible!

On Monday, the Legislature sent the Fiscal Year 2026 budget to Governor Healey’s desk for her consideration and signature. I am proud to share that I was able to secure $500,000 in local earmarks for our district. This funding will benefit a variety of local organizations including those that focus on supporting our veterans, improve public safety, combat food insecurity, and much more.

I am thrilled that the budget also included an amendment I sponsored that will repeal an archaic state law negatively impacting our Gold Star spouses. Previously spouses of our fallen heroes would lose their annuity benefits if they remarried later in life, an unfair and outdated rule. One of the most essential ways that we can all honor our fallen heroes is supporting their loved ones that they have left behind, and the annuity is a critical benefit our Commonwealth offers. I am beyond proud that this language has finally made its way to the Governor’s desk!

Monday marked the first hearing of the Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use, and Recovery. I am beyond honored to return to as the Senate chair of this committee. Over the past few years this Committee has accomplished so much from expanding access to mental health care through the ABC 2.0 Act, to expanding harm reduction and recovery resources with last session’s Substance Use Omnibus Bill.  However, there is still plenty more to accomplish to improve behavioral health services across our Commonwealth, and I’m excited to get to work!

On Thursday I joined local officials and community members in Agawam to celebrate a fiscal year 2025 earmark that I had secured last summer to help make improvements at the Council on Aging. It was awesome to see the improvements and new equipment that were purchased through this earmark. Many thanks to my good friend and director of the Agawam Council on Aging, Cindy Sullivan, for all her work to bring everyone together for such a great celebration of state and local partnership!

This week there were no community office hours. Next week Team Velis will be hosting office hours on Monday at the Agawam Council on Aging from 11:00AM to 12:00PM, on Tuesday at the Chicopee Council on Aging from 10:00AM to 11:00AM, and again on Wednesday at the West Springfield Council on Aging from 11:00AM to 12:00PM.  If you are unable to make office hours, I can always be reached by email, john.velis@masenate.gov, by phone, (413) 572-3920, and you can find me online at senatorjohnvelis.com.  

Best,

John Velis

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Massachusetts Legislature Invests $1.39 Billion into Public Transportation and Education

MBTA, Regional Transit, Local Aid, Vocational Education Investments from Fair Share Surtax

(BOSTON—6/18/2025) Today, the Massachusetts Legislature approved $1.39 billion in new investments in public transportation and public education across the Commonwealth. The supplemental budget—funded by surplus revenue from the Fair Share surtax on incomes over $1 million, allocates $716 million for transportation and $593.5 million for education at every level.

To allocate the surplus, this supplemental budget makes significant investments in the MBTA, Regional Transit Authorities (RTAs), water transportation, roads, and bridges—with the goal of advancing affordable, safe, and reliable transit for all residents. It also provides critical support for public colleges and universities, expands vocational education programs, and strengthens services for students with disabilities.

“Ensuring that every Massachusetts resident has access to a safe and reliable public transportation system, and that every student in the Commonwealth receives a high-quality education, are two of the most fundamental responsibilities that we have as elected officials. The investments being made in this supplemental budget are representative of the Legislature’s continued focus on meeting those responsibilities,” said House Speaker Ronald J. Mariano (D-Quincy). “I want to thank Chairman Michlewitz and my colleagues in the House, as well as our partners in the Senate, for working diligently to get this vital funding to the Governor’s desk for her signature. The House looks forward to building on these investments, and to continuing to deliver improvements to the Commonwealth’s most fundamental institutions and services.”

“No matter where you live in Massachusetts, you deserve reliable transportation and an education that opens doors of opportunities,” said Senate President Karen E. Spilka (D-Ashland). “This funding moves us closer to a Commonwealth where everyone has access to both. At a time when the federal government’s commitment to safe transit and strong public education is in doubt, this legislation invests directly in local communities, our school systems, and infrastructure projects that keep Massachusetts moving forward. I’m grateful to Chair Rodrigues, Vice Chair Comerford, Senator O’Connor, our Senate colleagues, and our partners in the House for advancing this critical legislation. I look forward to seeing the impact of these investments in communities across the state.”

“The use of these one-time surplus of funds are a unique opportunity for us to better strength the Commonwealth in numerous ways. By further improving our educational and transportation sectors we will build off the work we have done in the last several budget cycles with a judicious use of the Fair Share funds,” said Representative Aaron Michlewitz (D-Boston), Chair of the House Committee on Ways & Means. “I want to thank Speaker Mariano and all our House colleagues for their input and support on this critical funding legislation. I also want to thank my Senate counterpart Senator Rodrigues for his partnership in working towards a timely resolution towards this critical piece of legislation.”

“I’m pleased the Fair Share supplemental budget reached by the House and Senate supports key public education initiatives, while also greatly strengthening our transportation infrastructure. Smartly utilizing almost $1.4 billion in one-time surplus surtax revenues, the proposal strengthens the Commonwealth’s economic foundation, prioritizing regional equity and maintaining fiscal discipline during these highly uncertain times,” said Senator Michael J. Rodrigues (D-Westport), Chair of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means.  “This budget plan reaffirms the Legislature’s strong commitment to educational excellence, provides significant resources for special education, and makes substantial investments in the MBTA and Regional Transit Authorities. It goes above and beyond to ensure that everyone gets a ‘fair share’.’”

The supplemental budget passed today is a compromise between the House and Senate versions of the bill. It utilizes above estimated revenues generated from the Fair Share ballot initiative approved by voters in November 2022, which established a new surtax of four percent on annual income above $1 million to improve the state’s education and transportation sectors. It also utilizes one-time revenues from the Student Opportunity Act Investment Fund and the Transitional Escrow Fund.

“Targeted investments in public transit, transportation infrastructure, early education, and special education relief through the circuit breakr program reflect the Commonwealth’s commitment to opportunity and supporting every resident’s potential,” said Representative Ann-Margaret Ferrante (D-Gloucester), Vice Chair of the House Committee on Ways and Means. “These are the kinds of forward-looking policy decisions that help make Massachusetts a great place to live, work, and raise a family.”

“In a time of national turbulence and damaging federal cuts, the conference committee has delivered a meaningful compromise that honors the will of Massachusetts voters and invests Fair Share funds equitably across Massachusetts,” said Senator Jo Comerford (D-Northampton), Vice Chair of Senate Ways and Means. “This supplemental budget reflects a Senate commitment to regional equity—providing meaningful support for K-12 schools grappling with strained budgets, addressing long-overdue maintenance on public higher education campuses, and delivering much-needed transportation solutions for communities across the Commonwealth.”

“I believe we reached a fair and reasonable compromise on the Fair Share bill,” said Representative Todd M. Smola (R-Warren), Ranking Minority member of the House Committee on Ways and Means. “Our cities and towns asked for a bigger investment in transportation and education dollars. The adoption of this proposal works toward those goals by providing additional support for infrastructure like roads and bridges as well as strengthening our Regional Transit Authorities. It also reinforces our long-standing commitment to education with greater resources going to special education, career technical education, early education and literacy.”

“As a member of the joint conference committee, I’m proud to have played a significant role in the process that reflects the values and priorities of communities, such as those on the South Shore that I represent,” said Senator Patrick M. O’Connor (R-Weymouth), Ranking Minority member of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means. “This legislation directs historic and groundbreaking Fair Share investments toward career and technical education, local infrastructure, and regional transportation, which directly benefits our schools, our roads, and our economy. These are the type of investments made by the state that keep our residents and infrastructure flourishing. Those not just living on the South Shore, but across the Commonwealth, have long called for smart, equitable investments, and this package delivers.”

Key Transportation Investments

MBTA Upgrades. $535 million for improvements and infrastructure upgrades across the MBTA system, including:

  • $300 million to support the MBTA budget reserve.
  • $175 million in workforce and safety funding to implement improvements recommended by the Federal Transit Administration.
  • $40 million for MBTA physical infrastructure upgrades.
  • $20 million for the MBTA’s low-income fare relief program.

Aid For Cities and Towns. $103 million for regionally equitable, shovel-ready transportation improvements, including:

  • $80 million for supplemental Chapter 90 aid to ensure every city and town receives funding to maintain local roads and bridges, including $40 million to help support small and rural communities by distributing funds based solely on road mileage.
  • $16.4 million for municipally owned small bridges and culverts.
  • $7 million for the improvement and maintenance of unpaved roads.

Regional Equity in Transportation. $73 million for regional transit initiatives, specifically:

  • $25 million for capital improvements to equipment and facilities at Regional Transit Authorities, which serve and connect all regions of the Commonwealth.
  • $25 million for efforts to improve workforce recruitment and retention at the Regional Transit Authorities.
  • $13 million for public ferry infrastructure improvements.
  • $10 million for on-demand micro-transit shuttles and Last Mile grants fostering an innovative multimodal transit system.

World Cup Preparations: $5 million for transportation improvements associated with the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Key Education Investments

Special Education. $248 million for special education costs, including Circuit Breaker reimbursements to local school districts.

Public Higher Education Deferred Maintenance. $115 million for public higher education infrastructure investments, including $10 million for lab modernization capital improvements and upgrades at community colleges, helping ensure community colleges have the needed resources to provide a first-class education to the surge of students signing up after passage of MassEducate, which provides free community college to Massachusetts residents.

Career Technical Education Capital Grants. $100 million to expand capacity and accommodate additional career technical education school opportunities, including $15 million for a pilot program to support career and vocational technical annex buildings on comprehensive high school campuses.

EEC Workforce, Affordability, and Quality Improvement. $45 million for initiatives to support workforce development, affordability and quality improvements in the early education and care sector, including $20 million for rate increases to support early education providers.

Literacy Growth. $25 million for high dosage tutoring to support accelerated literacy growth and success for students in kindergarten through grade 3.

Endowment Match. $20 million for the endowment incentive match program to leverage public funds to encourage private fundraising by the state’s public higher education institutions to support accessible and affordable education programming, including $10 million for a Department of Higher Education (DHE) endowment incentive match and $10 million for the University of Massachusetts endowment incentive program.

English Language Learning Programs. $10 million for educational grants to help speakers of languages other than English to learn English—and subsequently aid in filling in-demand jobs—by reducing the waitlist for services.

Holocaust Museum Boston. $10 million to support the Holocaust Museum Boston.

Green SchoolWorks. $10 million for grants to eligible local school districts for clean energy infrastructure improvements and upgrades.

Regional School Transportation. $8.1 million to support regional school transportation costs.

Tomorrow’s Teachers Scholarship and Loan Forgiveness. $2.475 million for scholarships and loan forgiveness initiatives to encourage qualified high school and currently-enrolled college students to seek teaching in the Massachusetts public school system as a career pathway.

Having passed the House of Representatives and the Senate, the bill now goes to the Governor for her signature.

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Massachusetts Legislature Approves Joint Rules, Ushering in More Accessible, Efficient Lawmaking

Wide-ranging reforms deliver more information to the public and adjust the legislative calendar

(BOSTON—6/26/2025) The Massachusetts Legislature today adopted joint rules that will make lawmaking more efficient, transparent and accessible to the public while adjusting the legislative calendar to allow more time to get meaningful policy accomplished. The first agreed-upon joint rules since 2019, these new rules will now govern the legislative process, joint committees, and interactions between the House of Representatives and the Senate for the 2025-2026 legislative session.

To increase public accessibility, committees will now post plain-language bill summaries online, the public will have more advance notice of hearings, and committee attendance and votes will be made public. To increase legislative efficiency, committees are allowed to act independently on bills from their respective chambers, and formal lawmaking will be allowed to continue for the full two-year session.

“These critical reforms are representative of the House’s strong commitment to the pursuit of a more accessible and efficient Legislature that is responsive to the concerns of our constituents,” said House Speaker Ronald J. Mariano (D-Quincy). “We remain focused on the all-important responsibility of bettering the General Court as an institution, a goal that I know so many of my colleagues are committed to. I want to thank Leader Moran, Chairman Galvin, and my colleagues in the House, as well as our partners in the Senate, for working diligently to find common ground, and to produce a strong set of meaningful reforms.”

“I’m proud of the contributions the Senate has made to this comprehensive joint rules agreement that will welcome the public into our day-to-day work in a much more transparent and accessible way, while adjusting the legislative calendar and workflow to better reflect how we operate today,” said Senate President Karen E. Spilka (D-Ashland). “Our best work on behalf of the people of Massachusetts happens when more voices are at the table, and these reforms are a positive step toward that goal. I’m deeply grateful to Majority Leader Creem and Rules Chair Lovely for their thoughtful leadership, to every Senator who contributed ideas and support, and to Speaker Mariano and our colleagues in the House for their shared commitment to joint rules that meet our current moment.”

“I want to thank Senator Creem and all the members of the conference committee for their valuable contributions to this rules reform package,” said Representative Michael J. Moran (D-Boston), House Majority Leader. “These new joint rules will hopefully reduce the legislative logjam of the past and increase accessibility and participation in our legislative process.” 

“I am proud to have helped lead the effort, on behalf of the Senate, to reach an agreement on the Legislature’s joint rules, which reflects our shared commitment to transparency and increased public participation,” said Senate Majority Leader Cindy Creem (D-Newton). “This is a meaningful step forward, made possible through close collaboration between the Senate and the House, and I am optimistic these reforms will bring greater clarity, accountability, and momentum to the work ahead.”

“These updates to the joint rules will streamline legislative work to aid efficiency and allow for more public involvement in the process,” Representative William C. Galvin (D-Canton), House Chair of the Joint Committee on Rules. “Our constituents are increasingly engaging in the legislative process online, and expect ample access to information on the progress of bills. These changes make information more accessible to the public on the legislative website in real time and provide more opportunities for residents to be involved.”

“I am pleased that this conference committee was able to formulate a rules package that reflects the priorities of the House and Senate by increasing transparency in the legislative process while fostering more public participation in our democracy,” said Senator Joan B. Lovely (D-Salem), Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Rules.

The joint rules approved today include the following reforms:

Joint committees structure and process

  • Notice time for joint committee hearings will increase from 72 hours to 10 days. Joint committees must also post a schedule of hearing dates within three weeks of committee appointments.
  • Hearings will be conducted jointly on all House and Senate bills, and after a bill is heard, the House or Senate Chair may unilaterally poll members of the committee from their respective branch on a bill that was filed in that branch.
  • Money bills filed in the Senate, constitutional amendments filed in the House, and any matters not filed by a member of the General Court will continue to be voted on by all members of a joint committee.

Committee participation and votes

  • Members of the public will be able to participate remotely in joint committee hearings, as will members of the Senate. Per House rules, House Members of a joint committee cannot participate remotely and must be physically present in the hearing room.
  • Attendance of joint committee members at hearings posted with 10 days’ notice will be taken and available on the General Court website.
  • How each individual member votes on the bills being acted upon by the committee will be posted on the General Court’s website.

Bill reporting deadlines

  • Joint committees will be required to report bills by the first Wednesday in December of the first year of session.
  • Per House Rules, House Chairs will be required to make a final report not later than 60 days after a matter is heard by the committee, but they may request an additional 30 days, at their discretion. Additional extensions must be approved by the House. House bills cannot be extended beyond the third Wednesday in March of the second year of the session. Any bill not acted upon will be ordered to a study by default.

Summaries and other materials

  • Joint committees will be required to produce plain-language summaries of all bills in time for their hearings, which will be posted to the General Court’s website.
  • Joint committees will adopt rules making written testimony publicly available. The rules will contain limitations on the sharing of testimony including sensitive personal information, obscene content, or information that may jeopardize the health, wellness or safety of the testifier or others.

Conference committees

  • The first meeting of conference committees will be open to the public.
  • A minimum of 24 hours of will be required between a conference committee report filing and a legislative vote. If a conference committee report is filed after 8 p.m., it cannot be voted on until the second calendar day following the day on which it was filed.

Formal lawmaking

The Legislature may meet in formal session after July 31 in the second year of the legislative session to take up the following matters: reports of conference committees formed on or before July 31; appropriation bills filed after July 31; and gubernatorial vetoes or amendments.

Joint rules review

At the end of the two-year session, the Joint Committee on Rules will conduct a comprehensive review of the joint rules. As part of the review, it will conduct a public hearing and solicit testimony from the public and other interested parties.

In addition to the joint rules approved today, the House and the Senate approved their own chamber’s rules in February to govern their internal operations.

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