Category: Technology

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November 15th, 2020 – Weekly Update

Hi Everyone,  

I hope you all are doing well and have been able to take advantage of some of the warm weather we have had recently. This past week was packed full of meetings throughout the district and I was honored to participate in several Veterans Day ceremonies as well.  

I began my week at the Holyoke Medical Center for a meeting with HMC President Hatiras, Representative Vega, and Representative-Elect Duffy where we discussed how services for patients have changed in recent months. Later in the day, I stopped by the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home to drop off over 500 letters from students in our district that were distributed to Veterans this week. The letters were truly heartwarming, and full of appreciation for our Veterans and their service. I know how much they meant to the Veterans and am inspired by how thoughtful the students in our community are.  

On Tuesday morning I was glad to join the Forum House and Massachusetts Clubhouse Coalition at the Short Stop Bar and Grill in Westfield, where I had the privilege of recognizing Short Stop and the Hannoush family for their work with adults with mental illnesses. It is phenomenal to see businesses and organizations in our community diversifying their workforce and collaborating together, and I was happy to be a part of the recognition ceremony.  

Although our usual Veterans Day celebrations may have been restricted this year, it was amazing to see all the different ways that our communities showed their appreciation for our Veterans. I began the day in Agawam at the Vietnam Memorial Bridge for a moving ceremony with the Agawam Veterans Council, the West Springfield VSO, and the Agawam Police Department. We were also joined by students of Agawam High School who played Taps during the ceremony. Later in the morning, I joined Westfield community members and Veterans at Parker Memorial Park, where I was honored to speak and thank our Veterans. And Wednesday evening I joined Congressman Seth Moulton and several other Veterans for a virtual Veterans Town Hall event where we shared experiences and talked about what our service means to us. I couldn’t be more grateful to have been a part of all these amazing events, and I am proud to be a part of a community that appreciates our Veterans so much. Everything that we have in our lives, everything that we so often take for granted, is due to the sacrifices of our service members, and we are all so thankful for the men and women who have served our great country. 

On Thursday morning, I had a virtual meeting with the New England Cable and Telecommunications Association, where I received updates about how the expansion of broadband access to the Hilltowns is going. During these times, it is critical that every community has access to internet, and I was encouraged by the progress that has taken place.  

Thursday afternoon the Senate Committee on Ways and Means released their final Fiscal Year 2021 State Budget recommendation. I believe that this budget has made important investments in our State and local infrastructure, while remaining fiscally responsible during these difficult economic times. The Committee’s budget recommends a total of $45.985 billion in spending. Some of the highlights in the budget recommendation include $5.283 billion for Chapter 70 education funding, $18.577 billion for MassHealth funding, more than $540 million in housing stability programs, and $1.129 billion in unrestricted general government aid for local investments in education, health care, public safety and road infrastructure. I am also pleased that there is significant support for those who have been hit hardest by COVID-19, including a new Economic Planning and Resource Program that will fund more than $40 million in grants and loans to small businesses.  

I am also extremely happy to announce that the Senate prioritized the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home in the Senate budget. The Senate included an additional $1,000,000 for the Home in the budget recommendation, totaling $25M. This will provide much needed support to the residents and staff, and emphasizes the Senate’s strong commitment  towards the Home and our Veterans.  

I am proud to be apart of the Senate and to continue working to make the Home the best it can be. Next week the Senate will debate the Senate budget, and changes and additions will be made through amendments. After the budget is debated by the Senate, the Senate and the House will then work out the differences between their respective versions, before sending a finalized one to the Governor’s desk.  

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 C. Velis 

Senator Velis delivering letters from students to the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home for Veterans Day
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October 18th, 2020 – Weekly Update

Hello Everyone! 

I hope everyone had a great week and was able to enjoy the long weekend. I had plenty of meetings and events in the district this week, and have some updates regarding early voting and the Soldiers Home Oversight Committee to share. I also am excited to announce a new addition to my Senate Staff, Katie Verra! Katie is my new Chief of Staff & Legislative Counsel, and we are so excited to have her join the team. She recently received her J.D. from Suffolk University, and brings a wealth of experience in fiscal policy analysis and legislative drafting. Welcome Katie! 

Early voting began this past Saturday, October 17th! In addition to in-person voting on November 3rd, there will be early in-person voting available at a secure location in your City or Town from October 17th until October 30th. If you live in Westfield, you can vote at City Hall on any weekday from 9am-5pm, Saturdays from 9am-2pm, and Sundays from 11-4pm. If you live in Southwick, you can vote at Town Hall on any weekday from 8:30am-4:30pm (Thursdays until 6:30!), and on Saturdays/Sundays from 8am-12pm. If you live in another municipality, you can go to www.MassEarlyVote.com to find your early voting location and schedule, or give my office a call and we can help.  

Next week, the Legislature’s Soldiers Home Oversight Committee will be holding two public hearings for family members and health care proxies to share their testimonies directly with the Committee. The first hearing will be in-person at Holyoke Community College on Tuesday October 20th at 11am, and the second hearing will be held virtually on Thursday October 22nd at 12pm. Over the past months, I have held my own listening sessions with family members of those who lost loved ones, and I can tell you that their experiences are not only heartbreaking, but shine a lot of light onto how we can improve the Home moving forward. We need their voices, and I am grateful to all who are going to testify during these hearings.  

This past Tuesday I had a great meeting with SolaBlock’s founders Jason Laverty and Scott Longley. SolaBlock is an Easthampton-based company focusing on developing sustainable solar-wall systems that would enable almost any building structure to extract and use energy from the sun. We need to continue to develop sustainable energy sources, and it is great to see companies  utilizing Western Massachusetts manufacturing opportunities. Later that day I visited the Westfield Fire Department where I learned more about the department’s operations, and got to watch them conduct practice scenario training on firefighters who have been incapacitated and need assistance. They were also kind enough to feed me dinner! It is always great to see first hand how our first responders prepare and train, and many thanks to Fire Chief Egloff for the invitation.  

On Thursday morning I participated in a very productive virtual discussion with the West of the River Chamber of Commerce alongside several of my legislative colleagues. The Chamber has many business members from Agawam and West Springfield, and we discussed the challenges that businesses are facing and how we in the legislature can help. Navigating the recovery and reopening process is not going to be easy, but it is critical that we are meeting the changing needs and concerns of our local businesses. 

On Friday I joined other Western Massachusetts legislators for a call with MassDOT Secretary Pollack for a discussion regarding developments with the Valley Flyer project. The Valley Flyer train, which has a station stop in Holyoke, is an important mode of transportation for so many in our communities and we are looking forward to its expansion. Later on Friday, I went over to the Massachusetts Military Support Foundation’s empowerment center in Agawam to help pass out food kits. The MMSF has done such a great job of helping veterans and community members get access to the food they need during these difficult times, and I greatly appreciate their work.  

On Saturday I joined the Westfield Council on Aging for their “Serving up Senior Safety” Luncheon. We distributed lunches to nearly 200 seniors in the community and shared information on local resources and how to stay safe during COVID-19. Later that evening, I joined the Agawam Police Department for a ride-along, where I got a chance to see what their officers go through on a daily basis and how they prepare. It is so important to get out and see this work for myself. These experiences are truly eye-opening, and I am grateful to have been able to join them. 

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 C. Velis 

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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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