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(BOSTON – 03/09/2023) The Massachusetts State Senate on Thursday unanimously passed a $368.7 million supplemental budget for Fiscal Year 2023 (FY23). The legislation funds vital services that support vulnerable populations and address food insecurity, housing instability, the state’s long-term COVID-19 response, economic development, essential support services for incoming immigrants and refugees, and more. Notably, the bill extends initiatives first implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic, such as outdoor dining, remote public meeting access, and support for assisted living residences. The bill further authorizes $814.3 in bonding to bolster the Commonwealth’s clean water and other public works projects for cities and towns, as well as to support the Commonwealth’s ability to compete for competitive federal grant funds.

“This supplemental budget ensures that our Commonwealth continues to support the most vulnerable among us while also building on the lessons we learned during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Senate President Karen E. Spilka (D-Ashland). “I’m proud to say that this body has proven once again that it has the courage to chart a course that leaves no place or person in the Commonwealth behind. As I have said since the start of the pandemic, we must go ‘back to better,’ not ‘back to normal.’ With today’s supplemental budget, I am pleased to see the Senate take one more step toward this goal.”

“I am proud to have joined my colleagues in voting to pass this supplemental budget, which provides important supports and essential services to vulnerable populations and communities throughout our Commonwealth,” said Senator John Velis (D-Westfield). “These investments are really critical and I am also glad to see that a lot of the COVID-era policies that we know have benefitted municipalities have been extended as well.”

“As we continue to emerge from the pandemic, the Legislature has taken the necessary steps to keep the economy of the Commonwealth on a firm footing. The passage of this supplemental budget today utilizes robust tax revenues to its fullest effect, making substantial investments in economic development, housing, education, and the social service safety net. Those investments, along with a forward-thinking long-term bond authorization, will keep Massachusetts as a leader in the key economic sectors for decades to come,” said Senator Michael J. Rodrigues (D-Westport), Chair of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means. “Thanks to the strong leadership of Senate President Spilka, and the commitment of my colleagues in the Senate, we sent a clear message to the people that we will always look to protect our marginalized communities, support our education and health care workforce, and invest in local infrastructure as the Commonwealth continues to recover from the impact of the pandemic.”

The bill invests $368.7 million to address several time-sensitive needs for an array of programs relied on by some of the most vulnerable residents of the Commonwealth, including $130 million for SNAP food assistance benefits to provide a glide path for families who were receiving enhanced SNAP benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic, $68 million for the Early Education C3 stabilization grant program, $65 million for the continuation of free school meals, $45 million for emergency shelter assistance, and over $40 million to support affordable housing for immigrants and refugees. Other measures funded in the bill include:

• $8.3 million for judgments, settlements, and legal fees
• $7 million for coordinated wraparound services for incoming immigrants and refugees
• $2 million for the reimbursement of SNAP benefits for victims of benefit theft
• $2 million for the preparation and execution of the 114th National NAACP conference, which is taking place in Massachusetts in 2023, which was adopted via an amendment from Senator Liz Miranda
• $1 million for a public awareness campaign to educate the public about the misleading tactics of so-called crisis pregnancy centers and their lack of medical services
• $250,000 for Reproductive Equity Now’s free abortion-related legal hotline

The bill also authorizes $814.3 billion in capital expenditures to support economic development projects. Notably, these include $400 million for the MassWorks Infrastructure Program, which provides grants to cities, towns, and other public entities for infrastructure projects, and $200 million for state matching funds to compete for federal grant opportunities, including those funded through the CHIPS and Science Act, which encourage innovation in Massachusetts. Other bonding items authorized by the bill include:

• $104 million for the Clean Water Trust Fund
• $34 million for a program to revitalize underutilized properties
• $30 million for state matching funds to compete for federal broadband expansion grants and improve state broadband infrastructure
• $15 million for the Massachusetts Manufacturing Innovation Initiative, which supports innovation within the state’s manufacturing industry, including by offering technical assistance to manufacturers and attracting talent from outside of the state
• $14 million for the Massachusetts Manufacturing Accelerate Program
• $9.3 million for broadband middle mile supports
• $8 million for the Smart Growth Housing Trust Fund

Recognizing the societal shifts that have taken place during the pandemic, the bill also addresses several pandemic-era related measures, including:

• Permanently allowing public corporations and nonprofits to hold meetings by means of remote communication
• Permanently allowing notaries public to conduct remote online notarization using communication technology
• Extending the ability of graduates and students in their last semester of nursing education programs to practice nursing in accordance with guidance from the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing
• Extending the ability of municipalities to allow outdoor dining services
• Extending the ability of public bodies to allow remote participation by members in public meetings
• Extending flexibilities given to cities and towns that allow for town meetings to be held in hybrid or fully remote capacities and that ease the threshold for a quorum
• Extending the ability of nurses employed by assisted living residences to provide skilled nursing care in accordance with valid medical orders, provided the nurse holds a valid license to provide such care

Senator Liz Miranda (D-Boston) and Senator Robyn K. Kennedy (D-Worcester) both gave their inaugural Senate speeches during consideration of the supplemental budget. Senator Miranda spoke on behalf of her amendment for $2 million to support the NAACP’s 114th national conference, which will be taking place in Massachusetts in 2023. The amendment was subsequently unanimously adopted. Senator Kennedy highlighted how the supplemental budget’s $68 million investment in C3 early education grants will provide crucial stability to the early education sector.

As a previous version of this legislation has passed the House of Representatives, the two branches will now reconcile the differences between the bills.

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(HARLEM, NY – 3/6/2023) At the end of February, Senator John Velis (D-Westfield) visited the East Harlem location of OnPoint NYC, a harm reduction and overdose prevention center in New York City that houses the first government-sanctioned supervised consumption sites in the country. Senator Velis, who was appointed Senate Chair of the Legislature’s Mental Health, Substance Use, and Recovery Committee last month, stated the goal of the visit was to get a better understanding of how the center operates.  

“On all issues, no matter where I land, I have an obligation to fully analyze the issues and understand the different sides and viewpoints. That responsibility is heightened now that I have been appointed Chairman,” said Senator Velis. “In 2021 there were more than 100,000 drug overdose deaths in the United States, with a record high 2,290 opioid-related overdose deaths in Massachusetts alone. These numbers, and the increasing prevalence of fentanyl and synthetic opioids, have pushed many people to think outside the box about how to combat this epidemic, including the federal government. This debate is going to continue to come up and, in my mind, it was critical that I see how these programs actually operate as I continue to do my due diligence on this issue.” 

OnPoint NYC operates two harm reduction and overdose prevention sites in East Harlem and Washington Heights. While they have largely been in the media for their supervised consumption sites, the majority of the facilities’ programs focus on harm reduction and social support services.  

“One of the things that really amazed me was the harm reduction and wrap-around services that OnPoint provides to the people who come in. From linking people up with treatment and behavioral healthcare, to providing drug testing and laundry services, it was truly eye-opening to see the ways the facility connects people with resources,” said Senator Velis. 

 “Many of the individuals who work at OnPoint have been personally impacted by the opioid epidemic and substance use in one way or another. They understand those life experiences and really care about these people coming in. They ask them how they are doing and help them with what’s going on in their lives, and it was transformative and incredible to see that type of compassionate and holistic care taking place.” 

Senator Velis visited OnPoint’s Holistic Health Center, Drug User Health HUB Clinic, Drop-In Center, and Overdose Prevention Center during the visit. Services that OnPoint provides include:  

• Health and wellness services, including medical assessments and linkage to addiction treatment programs and counseling 
• Harm reduction services including syringe exchange and education counseling 
• Public outreach and safety services, including syringe litter cleanup 
• No-barrier walk-in resources, including hot meals, bathrooms, acupuncture and laundry 

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(BOSTON – 2/27/2023) Senator John Velis (D-Westfield) today applauded Governor Healey for including increases to the Child & Family Tax Credit, Senior Circuit Breaker Tax Credit, and Estate Tax Threshold in her tax relief proposal announced this morning. Senator Velis filed these reforms in his own bill, SD1368 An Act relative to providing tax relief, at the beginning of this legislative session and championed the reforms in the Senate’s Economic Development Bill last session. 

“Since the Senate first took up these tax reforms last session, I have pushed and advocated to get them across the finish-line. That is why I filed legislation in the Senate this session and why I am thrilled to see that Governor Healey’s proposal reflects my priorities as well,” said Senator Velis. “I continue to hear from families and seniors throughout my district who are struggling to make ends meet. These increases to the Dependent Tax Credit, the Senior Circuit Breaker Tax Credit, and the Estate Tax, will provide real relief to so many folks and I look forward to working with the Administration and my colleagues to get these reforms signed into law.”  

Just like Senator Velis’ bill, Governor Healey’s proposal increases the Child & Family Tax Credit for each family dependent, doubles the Senior Circuit Breaker Tax Credit for low-income seniors paying property taxes or rent, and increases the Estate Tax Threshold to ensure that heirs aren’t left paying an unfair “death tax” upon inheriting an estate. 

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(BOSTON – 2/15/2023) Today Senate President Spilka announced new committee assignments for the 2023-2024 legislative session. Senator John Velis (D-Westfield) was named the Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use, & Recovery. Senator Velis was also named to continue serving as Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Veterans & Federal Affairs.  

“I am honored to be appointed to serve as Chairman of the Mental Health, Substance Use, & Recovery committee and am excited to build upon the work we achieved last session with the passage of the Mental Health ABC Act 2.0,” said Senator Velis. “In my mind, mental health and substance use are the biggest problems in the Commonwealth that not enough people are talking about. And as someone who has had their own struggles in recovery, I know firsthand how these two issues can so often be cooccurring for people. We know that we must do more to help those struggling, and I look forward to working with members of the committee to accomplish just that.” 

Senator Velis served as the Vice-Chair of the Mental Health, Substance Use, & Recovery Committee in the 2021-2022 legislative session and helped usher the Mental Health ABC Act 2.0 in law. Senator Velis was also recently appointed to a National Mental Health Task Force convened by the Council of State Governments (CSG) and the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL). 

With his reappointment as Chair of the Veterans & Federal Affairs Committee, Senator Velis will continue to lead the Legislature’s efforts to support veterans, active-duty service members, and military families.  

“From securing funding to rebuild the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home, to reforming the governance structure of both our Soldiers’ Homes, to passing the SPEED Act to support service members and military families, we are coming off of an incredible productive session in terms of veterans’ affairs,” said Senator Velis, who is a Major in the US Army Reserve himself. “I want to build off that momentum this session and focus on expanding outreach to women veterans, ensuring that the new cabinet-level Veteran’s Secretariat has the support they need, and increasing benefits for veterans throughout our communities. This is an area that I will always be passionate about and I am thrilled to continue this work to ensure that Massachusetts remains the best place for service members and military families to call home.” 

In addition to his two chairmanships, Senator Velis was also named Vice-Chair of the Joint Committee on Elder Affairs. Senator Velis will also serve on four other joint committees in the 2023-2024 legislative session: the Joint Committee on Housing, the Joint Committee on the Judiciary, the Joint Committee on Public Safety & Homeland Security, and the Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight.  

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(BOSTON – 2/15/2023) Today Senate President Spilka announced new committee assignments for the 2023-2024 legislative session. Senator John Velis (D-Westfield) was named the Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use, & Recovery. Senator Velis was also named to continue serving as Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Veterans & Federal Affairs.  

“I am honored to be appointed to serve as Chairman of the Mental Health, Substance Use, & Recovery committee and am excited to build upon the work we achieved last session with the passage of the Mental Health ABC Act 2.0,” said Senator Velis. “In my mind, mental health and substance use are the biggest problems in the Commonwealth that not enough people are talking about. And as someone who has had their own struggles in recovery, I know firsthand how these two issues can so often be cooccurring for people. We know that we must do more to help those struggling, and I look forward to working with members of the committee to accomplish just that.” 

Senator Velis served as the Vice-Chair of the Mental Health, Substance Use, & Recovery Committee in the 2021-2022 legislative session and helped usher the Mental Health ABC Act 2.0 in law. Senator Velis was also recently appointed to a National Mental Health Task Force convened by the Council of State Governments (CSG) and the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL). 

With his reappointment as Chair of the Veterans & Federal Affairs Committee, Senator Velis will continue to lead the Legislature’s efforts to support veterans, active-duty service members, and military families.  

“From securing funding to rebuild the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home, to reforming the governance structure of both our Soldiers’ Homes, to passing the SPEED Act to support service members and military families, we are coming off of an incredible productive session in terms of veterans’ affairs,” said Senator Velis, who is a Major in the US Army Reserve himself. “I want to build off that momentum this session and focus on expanding outreach to women veterans, ensuring that the new cabinet-level Veteran’s Secretariat has the support they need, and increasing benefits for veterans throughout our communities. This is an area that I will always be passionate about and I am thrilled to continue this work to ensure that Massachusetts remains the best place for service members and military families to call home.” 

In addition to his two chairmanships, Senator Velis was also named Vice-Chair of the Joint Committee on Elder Affairs. Senator Velis will also serve on four other joint committees in the 2023-2024 legislative session: the Joint Committee on Housing, the Joint Committee on the Judiciary, the Joint Committee on Public Safety & Homeland Security, and the Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight.  

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Happy February Everyone, 

Tuesday marked the beginning of Black History Month.  I hope that over the course of this month we can all take some time to reflect on the trials and triumphs that the African American community has faced since our country began.  

With the bill filing deadline behind us, I have been to spend some more time in the district before committee work begins. Wednesday morning, I started off the month with one of my favorite duties as State Senator: calling bingo for our veterans at the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home.  This groups of vets always proves to be a lively bunch and I was honored to have been invited to host.    

Thursday night began Nashawannuck Pond’s 10^th Annual Winterfest in Easthampton. The first event was the Chili Cook-off where Mayor LaChapelle, Representative Carey, City Council President Gomez and I participated as the servers (thankfully not the chefs).  Winterfest continues throughout the week and if anyone is interested in attending, you should visit the Pond Committee’s website at https://www.nashawannuckpond.org/   

I spent a good amount of Friday in West Springfield. This included meetings with Mayor Reichelt, Interim School Superintendent Perrone, and a great visit to the West Springfield COA where I met with staff and residents to discuss the needs of the Senior Center and learn more about community events coming up soon in West Side. I always love getting out in the district and hearing from local leaders and residents about how I can support our communities.  

This week, as a result of market price changes, the Department of Public Utilities also announced an approved reduction in the price of natural gas for the Berkshire Gas Company, Eversource, National Grid and other utility suppliers. Starting February 1, customers can expect to see a 4-5% decrease in their monthly natural gas bills. After having cosigned a letter with other legislators urging the DPU to reconsider these rates, I’m happy that this reduction has been approved. I will continue to work with my colleagues to pursue any and all additional relief opportunities.  

I’d also like to congratulate the “We the People” Civics team at Easthampton High School for their sixth State Championship this week. This team competes academically with other schools to test their knowledge of civics as well as their skills in debate and oratory.  I with the best of luck to the “We the People” team as they continue on to the national competition.  

My office will be hosting office hours in Agawam on Monday from 11:00am to 12:00pm.   We will also be back at the West Springfield COA on Wednesday from 11:00am to 12:00pm.  Please feel free to stop by with any questions, comments, concerns, or just to say hello! 

If you are unbale to make our office hours or need assistance any sooner, I can always be reached at my email: john.velis@masenate.gov or by phone: (413) 572-3920. You can also find me online at senatorjohnvelis.com where you can also sign up for my newsletter! 

 
Best,  

John Velis