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Hello Everyone,

I hope you all have been able to enjoy some of the incredible celebrations of the Pioneer Valley’s Irish Heritage over the last week! Having ate a few too many boiled dinners this week it’ll be a game time decision about this morning’s road race, nothing like waiting till the last minute! However, I cannot wait to see many of you along the parade route tomorrow for what I hope will be the a warm sunny day to celebrate  the 72nd Holyoke St. Patrick’s Parade!

I spent much of this week continuing the St. Patrick’s Day celebrations. On Monday I spent some time with my friends in Southampton for a very special Dinner and Dance organized by the incredible staff at the Council on Aging. Later in the week I made my way over to Holyoke Medical Center to present official citations from the Massachusetts State Senate alongside my colleagues Senator Gomez and Senator Oliveira to the Holyoke and Chicopee Colleens and the members of their courts. This is always such a thoughtful event put together each year by the Parade Committees to uplift the spirts of the staff and patients at the hospital.

On Wednesday I joined Representative Pease and Mayor McCabe over at the White Oak School in Westfield to speak with students. The White Oak School is one of the countless specialized schools across the Commonwealth that serves students with specific learning disabilities and related learning differences who otherwise might have a difficult time in a traditional school setting. It was great to hear about all that the student are learning and learn more about the resources and opportunities White Oak provides.

Out at the State House this week with committee assignments recently announced I took the opportunity this week to meet with the new House Chair of the Joint Committee on Veterans and Federal Affairs, Representative McGonagle of Everett. I am thrilled to have another strong partner to collaborate with on this Committee and looking forward to all that we will accomplish this session for our Veterans, Military members, and their families.

This week Team Velis hosted office hours in Easthampton and Holyoke. Next week we will be hosting office hours on Monday at the Westfield Council on Aging from 12:30pm to 1:30pm, on Tuesday at the Russell Council on Aging from 11:30am to 12:30pm, and on Wednesday at the Southampton Council on Aging from 9:30am to 10:30am. 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

Hello everyone,

I hope you all had a fantastic week especially with all the warm weather and brighter evenings with the beginning of daylight savings. This week was an incredibly busy one all across Western Massachusetts for Team Velis and I!

On Monday I kicked off the week over at Westfield High School for a fantastic celebration and tour of the school’s new science labs. A few years back I was proud to secure a FY’23 earmark of $1,000,000 for the school to renovate their science labs and purchase new equipment to help further our students’ educational opportunities. It was great to hear from students about all that they are excited to learn in these new state of the art classrooms. Luckily for me I think I managed to stay out of the principal’s office that afternoon!

This week the Special Commission on Combating Antisemitism held its first community hearing right here in Western Massachusetts at the Springfield Jewish Cultural Center on Tuesday. Ensuring Western Massachusetts has a seat at the table is always at the forefront of my mind with everything and anything that I do, that’s why from the onset of the Special Commission I was adamant that we needed to take the opportunity to come meet Western Massachusetts’s vibrant Jewish community right where they are. During the meeting the commission had the opportunity to discuss trends in Western Massachusetts with community members, educators, and local Rabbis. I am so grateful for all our speakers from throughout our region who took the time to share their experiences with the Commission and most especially to our gracious hosts at the JCC for making this hearing possible.

With St. Patrick’s Day nearing, the festivities celebrating many of our communities’ Irish heritage are in full swing. On Friday I joined the Greater Westfield Chamber of Commerce for their annual St. Patrick’s Day Breakfast that was celebrated with some incredible Irish Dancers from the Cassin Dance Academy! Later in the day I was over in Chicopee to help the city raise a flag in celebration of Monday’s holiday. Luckily for us the celebrations will continue into next week as we gear up for the Holyoke Saint Patrick’s Day Parade on Sunday March 23^rd!

This week Team Velis hosted office hours in 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 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

(WesternMass News- Addie Patterson) The Special Commission on Combating Antisemitism held their fifth overall meeting Tuesday at the Springfield Jewish Community Center.

While they’ve met in the past, Tuesday marked the first community meeting of the special commission and it was the first of several meetings to be held across the state.  “My concern and this commission’s concern is rooting out antisemitism wherever it rears its head within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts,” said State Senator John Velis.

The commission heard testimony from several Jewish individuals about the trends they’re seeing in western Massachusetts.  Some of the challenges that were brought up included education and teaching.  “We want to make sure that Jewish teachers, the ones that we do have feel comfortable talking about their Jewish identity, revealing themselves as a Jew. We’re hearing from Jewish teachers in our districts and around the state that, right now, not all of them feel that way,” said State Rep. Simon Cataldo.

In December, the Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety and Security found that 119 incidents of anti-Jewish hate crimes were reported in 2023, which was a 70 percent spike from the previous year and an eight year high for Massachusetts.  It’s something that Velis said is completely unacceptable.  “We can’t say that here in Massachusetts, we’re going to push back on hate wherever it rears its head and then to have this rampant hatred toward Jewish people and not do anything about it,” he added.

Other members, like Cataldo, told us that the commission has received lots of community support and will keep working to combat antisemitism in the Bay State.  “Students, parents, people from all walks of life have been rooting for this commission to do its work, so we’re going to continue to do this,” he explained.

The commission emphasized that these hearings are only the beginning of their work.  “We’re going to continue to have these hearings and ultimately respond in a way we find after we take in all this testimony and hear from all these people,” Velis said.

You can CLICK HERE for more information on the special commission or to watch Tuesday’s meeting virtually.

Hello everyone,

I hope you all are having a great start to the month of March! Tomorrow marks the beginning of daylight-savings, which means moving the clock forward one hour. With the mild weather this week I am thrilled that we will begin to slowly have more day light in our evenings.

On Monday I joined the Monastery Heights Senior Living & Memory Care community in West Springfield to host a coffee hour. I appreciate all the residents who joined me for a robust discussion about my legislative priorities this session and all the work I hope to accomplish as Vice Chair of the Joint Committee on Aging and Independence. To top off this great visit we chatted about one of our shared favorite lunchtime activities, Bingo. I hope to be back again soon to maybe call a few games!

On Tuesday my colleagues and I wrote to the Department of Unemployment (DUA) regarding the unacceptable amount of time that it is taking for claims to be processed and how difficult it is for constituents to even speak with DUA’s call center. For folks who have been laid off and are now suddenly without a source of income, any delay with their unemployment application can lead to real financial hardships for them and their families. People should be able to reach the DUA Call Center, receive timely responses, and know exactly what steps they need to take to get their unemployment claims processed. If you or someone you know are having trouble with an unemployment claim, please do not hesitate to call my office for assistance!

This week many of the schools across our district celebrated Read Across America Week! Read Across America Week brings together community members and educators to help inspire our local students to become lifelong readers. This week I had a blast at the Fausey Elementary School where I read the book “Game Changers” to Mrs. Gibney’s 4th grade class.  Thank you for inviting me Mrs. Gibney!

This week Team Velis and I hosted office hours at the Agawam Council on Aging, I really appreciate all the folks who came out to chat and am thrilled my team was able to assist a few folks with issues that they are experiencing.

Next week Team Velis will be hosting office hours on Tuesday at the Chicopee Council on Aging from 10:00am to 11:00am and 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

Hello Everyone,

I can’t believe how fast 2025 is flying by and that we are already kicking the month of March off!

There was a lot to celebrate around the district this week as Team Velis helped two businesses commemorate their grand openings. On Tuesday Delaney’s Market opened their fifth store over on West Springfield. You can always count on one of the Delaney’s Market locations to offer fresh home-made food which Team Velis and I so appreciate while we are on the go in-between events. The next day my office joined folks over at the Westfield-Barnes Municipal Airport to celebrate the grand opening of Savvy Source, a software automation company that offers a wide range of technology services. Congratulations to both businesses!

On Tuesday I received a Leadership Award from the Police Assisted Addiction and Recovery Initiative (PAARI) Board. PAARI was founded in Gloucester Massachusetts back in 2015 and has grown to become a national network of over 700 police departments across 46 states. PAARI is an organization that provides resources and trainings to local police departments to help them best support those in our communities struggling with addiction. I am so appreciative of the PAARI board for recognizing my work both legislatively as well as directly in the community helping those battling addiction and navigating their recovery journey.

This week Senate President Karen Spilka announced Senate committee leadership assignments for the 2025-2026 legislative session. I am beyond honored to have been reappointed the Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use, & Recovery as well as the Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Veterans & Federal Affairs. I am proud that both these committees sent comprehensive legislation to the Governor’s desk last session that will improve the lives of our Commonwealth’s Veterans and expands programs for those struggling with addiction. There is still plenty more to accomplish in these spaces and I am ready to get to work and build-upon last session’s momentum.

Yesterday marked Rare Disease Day, a day aimed to raise awareness and improve the lives of those living with commonly unheard of, yet extremely impactful, rare diseases. Each year Rare Disease Day is celebrated on the final day of February due to February’s unique “rare” day every few years. We are incredibly lucky that Massachusetts is home to some of the best research hospitals in the nation, many of whom are dedicated to conducting groundbreaking research to help treat those living with a rare disease!

This week Team Velis hosted office hours in Westfield, Russell, and Southampton. Next week we will be hosting office hours on Monday at the Agawam 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

(BOSTON- 2/26/2025) Today Senate President Karen Spilka announced Senate committee leadership assignments for the new 194^th legislative session. Senator John C. Velis (D-Westfield) was reappointed the Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use, & Recovery as well as the Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Veterans & Federal Affairs.  

“I am truly honored to continue to lead these two committees again and build upon all that we accomplished last session,” exclaimed Velis. “Any time you are able to get a bill signed into law is a special thing, and I am proud that both these committees sent comprehensive legislation to the Governor’s desk last session that improve the lives of our Commonwealth’s Veterans and expands programs for those struggling with addiction. There is still plenty more to accomplish in these spaces and I am ready to get to work and build-upon last session’s momentum.”

As Chair of these two committees in the 2023-2024 legislative session Senator Velis led the efforts to usher An Act relative to treatments and coverage for substance use disorder and recovery coach licensure and An Act Honoring, Empowering and Recognizing Our Service Members and Veterans into law. This session Velis hopes to work on legislation to tackle the youth mental health crisis as well as continue his efforts to expand support in the Commonwealth for military families, a key criteria considered by the Department of Defense for state investment.  

In addition to his appointments as Chair of these two committees, Senator Velis will be continuing to serve as Vice Chair of the Joint Committee on Aging and Independence (formerly the Elder Affairs Committee). Velis will also be serving as a member of four other committees including: the Joint Committee on the Judiciary, Joint Committee on Public Safety and Security, the Joint Committee on Bonding, Capital Expenditures, and State Assets, and the Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight.

Hello everyone,

I hope all our local youth and school staff enjoyed a safe and restful February break this past week despite the cold weather out there!

Last week I joined my colleagues in writing to the Department of Public Utilities (DPU) regarding our serious concerns about the steep rate increases by investor-owned utilities companies such as Eversource and National Grid. Having heard from many constituents across the district I completely understand the frustration and concerns than has been shared with me regarding these high charges this winter. While the legislature does not have direct oversight over the rates approved by the Department of Public Utilities, it has been an issue I have been focusing on with the session underway. Together my colleagues and I urged DPU to take immediate action to reassess these rate adjustments and hold companies accountable. Please know my constituent services team is always available to assist you in reaching out to your utility provider to inquire about charges or with applications to heating assistance programs.

Throughout the week I had the chance to sit down with several local officials from Agawam, Holyoke, and Westfield. It is always critically important to me to be in close communication with the Mayors, City Councilors, and Selectboard members throughout our district so that we can work collaboratively to help advance the priorities of our communities. 

Wednesday marked the 80^th anniversary of the Battle of Iwo Jima. Over at the State House Team Velis attended a special ceremony to honor those who fought for and made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our nation. Among the many Massachusetts veterans, gold star families, and members of our armed forces in attendance was a 99-year-old Marine veteran who fought at Iwo Jima.

On Friday my team and I presented a Senate citation to Little Springs Coffee over on Westfield Street in West Springfield to celebrate the grand opening of their new business. I am always thrilled to see new small businesses open in our district, and as a coffee enthusiast I can’t wait to stop in again.

This week Team Velis hosted office hours in Easthampton and Holyoke. Next week we will be hosting office hours on Monday at the Westfield Council on Aging from 12:30pm to 1:30pm, on Tuesday at the Russell Council on Aging from 11:30am to 12:30pm, and on Wednesday at the Southampton Council on Aging from 9:30am to 10:30am.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

Hello Everyone,

My wish for an early spring and warm weather ahead of Groundhog Day last week regrettably tested our luck and seems to have instead brought a whole lot of cold winter weather this week.

I kicked off the week over at Holyoke Community College on Monday for their annual legislative breakfast. Each and every day HCC is working tirelessly to not only support every student that steps on campus but also to meet the needs of our region. I was thrilled so many of my colleagues from the Western Massachusetts delegation were able to learn more about all the opportunities HCC provides to their constituents and for their eagerness to collaborate on ways to assist HCC in enhancing their incredible impact on our communities.

On Tuesday morning I had the opportunity to connect and update members of the Greater Westfield Chamber of Commerce’s Business Community Affairs Committee about my work up on Beacon Hill. During this conversation I was proud to highlight several pieces of legislation that were signed into law last year that are going to have a positive impact on Westfield and the business community across the Commonwealth.

Speaking of legislation signed into law last year, last week marked the first time in over 17 years our Gold Star Families and Disabled Veterans began receiving an increase in their annuity benefits. Throughout my time in the Senate I have been filing bills and advocating for this long overdue increase. I was proud to help ensure these increased benefits were in the final version of the HERO Act signed into law last August. If you or a loved one have any questions about whether you may be eligible for this annuity, please do not hesitate to reach out to my office for assistance in contacting your local Veteran Service Officer or the Executive Office of Veteran Services. 

Yesterday morning I joined Westfield State University as they too highlighted the academic programs that they offer and provided a tour of campus to the local delegation. It was great to hear from student leaders on campus and learn more about the campus improvements the University is hoping to make over the next few years.

This week Team Velis hosted office hours in Agawam. Next week we will be hosting office hours at the Chicopee Council on Aging from 10:00am to 11:00am on Tuesday and at the West Springfield Council on Aging from 11:00am to 12:00pm on Wednesday. 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