Category: Uncategorized

Hello Everyone, 

I hope everyone had a great week, and happy Master’s weekend to all the golf fans out there. Although I might not have the prettiest golf swing, seeing folks tee off along East Mountain Road is a great reminder that warmer weather is on the way. Fortunately for our district, I am better suited to hitting events in our communities. 

This past Tuesday, Governor Baker hosted a group of Gold Start Spouses and members of the legislature at the State House. It was truly an honor to meet with and salute these spouses who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. Gold Star Families are the embodiment of the selfless heroism of our fallen servicemembers. These families devote their time and energy to supporting others who have lost an active-duty family member. Their selfless dedication ensures that the legacy of their sons, daughters, husbands, and wives, will carry on.  

As Vice Chair of the Committee on Children and Families, I have a tremendous appreciation for the social workers in our communities. That is why I was so glad to join Chairman Michael Finn and Sherriff Cocchi at the Holyoke DCF Office on Wednesday morning. We met with and recognized local social workers for their compassion and dedication. These folks are the eyes and ears that ensure children and families receive the care and services that they deserve.  

Later that afternoon,  I presented the $15,000 in ARPA funds earmarked for the Agawam Veterans Council. I was joined by Mayor Sapelli and members of the Agawam City Council for the presentation, which took place at the Agawam Senior Cener. As with each earmark, it is my pleasure to go to Boston, advocate for my constituents, and bring funding back home to the district. Looking forward to seeing the Agawam Veterans Council put the funds to work and continue supporting our local veterans. 

My office doubled up on office hours this week, visiting with constituents in both Agawam and Russell. Next week’s office hours are scheduled for 10:00AM on Monday, April 11^th at the Chicopee Senior Center. Additionally, The Emily Williston Memorial Library is reopening their doors for monthly office hours, so keep an eye out for me there as I add dates to my calendar! 

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   

(BOSTON – 04/07/2022)  The Massachusetts Senate on Thursday passed S.2801, An Act Relative to Equity in the Cannabis Industry. Through the creation of a new fund that aims to support equity in the cannabis industry and improvements to the local licensing process, the bill levels the industry playing field to help members of communities disproportionately harmed by marijuana prohibition and enforcement take part in the Commonwealth’s growing cannabis market. 

During the Senate’s debate of the bill, Senator John C. Velis (D -Westfield) filed an amendment to support municipalities in constructing agreements with prospective cannabis businesses. The amendment was unanimously adopted.  

Amendment 15 would require that the Cannabis Control Commission develop a model host community agreement to serve as guidance for municipalities and prospective cannabis licenses. In addition, the amendment would require that if the CCC does reject a host community agreement, that they must provide written notice to the municipality and the prospective cannabis license of what criteria was not met. 

“For so many municipalities in our Commonwealth, but especially for smaller communities like those in Western Massachusetts, these contracts with cannabis businesses are a critical source of revenue,” said Senator Velis during his remarks on the Senate floor. “It’s important that we work to support our municipalities in this process. After all, it is in these communities where the cannabis establishments themselves will reside. This amendment will ensure that our communities have the information they need to quickly get their contracts across the finish line and get this new revenue into their communities.” 

Social Equity Fund 

A combination of high entry costs and lack of access to capital have kept many would-be entrepreneurs from taking part, resulting in fewer than seven percent of cannabis licenses in Massachusetts going to social equity businesses. 

Opening an average cannabis retail shop can require $1 to $1.5 million in liquidity, and the numbers are even higher for manufacturing facilities –at around $3-$5 million. The social equity fund, created by the legislation, would facilitate new access to capital by making grants and loans, including forgivable and no-interest loans, to equity applicants. The fund will receive ten percent of annual revenue collected from the marijuana excise tax (an estimated $18 million for FY2023). Massachusetts is poised to join a handful of other states in pioneering this program. 

Host Community Agreements 

The bill also responds to concerns about the process of negotiating Host Community Agreements (HCAs), which have been identified as a key factor in keeping industry entry costs high. The bill re-affirms that fees in HCAs cannot exceed three percent of a cannabis business’ annual gross sales and must be reasonably related to the costs associated with hosting a cannabis business in a city or town. 

Other components of the bill include: 

• Incentives for municipalities to prioritize equity, through a portion of the marijuana excise tax that is distributed to cities and towns that host social equity marijuana businesses.  
• ·A requirement that the CCC establish rules and regulations for municipalities to promote full participation in the industry by previously harmed communities. 
• Clarifications to the existing law’s authorization of social consumption businesses, clearing a path for municipalities to permit on-site cannabis consumption businesses in their city or town via local ordinance as well as local referendum.  

The bill now moves to the Massachusetts House of Representatives for further consideration. 

### 

Welcome to the month of April! The month of budding flowers, religious holidays, and my favorite … practical jokes! Many folks in our communities will observe holidays, such as Ramadan, Passover and Easter. I look forward to seeing the way that families in our district celebrate and honor their traditions. Hopefully I’ll sneak in a few great meals, too! It was a busy week in the district, so I will jump right in.

If you want to see one of the most impressive group of students in the state, I recommend paying attention to Easthampton High School’s “We the People” Civics Team. On Monday, Rep. Dan Carey and I witnessed just how much work EHS teacher Kelley Brown and her students put into their work. I took part in a question-and-answer session with the students and participated in a riveting practice hearing. I’m looking forward to this group of students making Massachusetts proud at the national “We the People” finals in Washington, D.C., later this spring.

Later that day, I drove over to the Leeds VA Medical Center to join a rally in opposition of the proposed closure of the site. So many of our local veterans rely on this location to receive critical medical care, and closure of the site would put dangerous barriers between our veterans and the services they depend on. I’m extremely proud to stand alongside veterans, caretakers, and members of the community in pushing back against this idea.

Tuesday morning, I had the opportunity to meet the folks at Western Mass. Elder Care in Holyoke. They have quite the operation in place to deliver meals to residents of the city. From the nutritionists making sure that customers are sticking to their cardiac or renal diets, to the delivery drivers making sure to check up on meal recipients, I was floored by the systems in place to care of senior members of their community.

On Wednesday the Soldiers’ Home Conference Committee held its first meeting. I am humbled to serve on the committee alongside Rep. Joseph Wagner. The work of the conference committee is already underway regarding these incredibly important reforms, and it is critical that we get them right. “Care with Honor and Dignity” is the mission of the Soldiers’ Home, and we will be relentless in completing that mission.

I also want to congratulate the group of Young Marines that graduated at Westover Air Reserve Base on Friday. Young Marines is a national program that instills leadership skills, community service, and physical and mental discipline in local youth. We are all looking forward to seeing the future accomplishments of these young leaders, as they continue to be upstanding contributors in their communities.

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 Velis

(Boston 3/10/2022) Today the Massachusetts State Senate unanimously passed S.2739, An Act relative to the Governance, Structure and Care of Veterans at the Commonwealth’s Veterans’ Homes. During the Senate’s debate of the bill, which improves the reporting structure of Veterans’ Homes, elevates the position of Veterans Secretary to cabinet level, and institutes new medical oversight, five amendments filed by Senator John C. Velis (D-Westfield) were adopted that further streamline the Chain of Command and expand the role of each Home’s Local Regional Council.  

“From removing burdensome reporting layers and cleaning up the Chain of Command, to putting in place important infection control and medical oversight, this legislation builds on a lot of the critical lessons that we learned since the tragic COVID-19 outbreak at the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home in the spring of 2020,” said Senator John Velis, who is the Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Veterans and Federal Affairs. “This legislation is about doing right by those Veterans who passed away at our Veterans’ and about doing right by all the Veterans who will call Massachusetts home in the coming years.” 

A highlight of the new streamlined chain command is that the State-Wide Veterans Council is only advisory and not in the reporting structure. In addition, amendment 13 from Senator Velis was adopted to further streamline the structure by taking the Executive Director of Veterans’ Homes and Housing out of the Chain of Command and clarifying that each Superintendent report directly to the Secretary of Veterans Services.  

“The one issue we’ve heard over and over again during every hearing and from every investigation is that there was a colossal breakdown in the Chain of Command at the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home that led to disastrous consequences,” said Senator Velis. “This legislation puts in place a governance system that makes sense, that provides a clear chain of command, and that ensures communication, transparency and accountability.” 

Amendment 8 from Senator Velis ensures regional equity on the State-Wide Advisory Council and expands the responsibilities and makeup of the Local Regional Councils.  

The amendment: 

• Expands the Local Council to 9 members:  
  • Requires that 3 members come from a list nominated by the Home’s Area President for the Massachusetts Veterans’ Service Officers to ensure local Veteran input. 
  • Requires that one seat be chosen by the President of the Veterans Advocate Committee for each Veterans’ Home, a resident elected by fellow residents. 
  • Requires that one seat be filled by the President of the Family Advocate Committee for each Veteran’s Home, a position elected by family members of residents. 

• Expands the Local Council’s role by: 
  • Empowering them to review and make recommendations on rules and regulations pertaining to each Veterans’ Home, staffing levels and other topics. 
  • The councils must also hold public meetings for the general public to participate. 

• Requires that the State-Wide Advisory Council has regionally equitable membership and has least one member residing in the county in which each Veterans’ home is located. 

“This amendment is about ensuring that those people closest to the Home have a say–an indispensable role in the oversight of our Homes. As anyone in the military will tell you, the boots on the ground perspective is absolutely critical to understanding what is going on. The members of the Local Council are those boots on the ground,” said Senator Velis. “This amendment guarantees that residents, family members, and local Veterans have a voice on this council, and that they will be heard on all issues pertaining to their Veterans’ Home.”  

Amendment 12 from Senator Velis creates an annual Soldiers’ Home Remembrance Day to honor the Veterans who lost their lives due to COVID-19 at the  two Veterans’ Homes.  

“A Veteran is a Veteran, is a Veteran, no matter where they reside. We must never forget their service and sacrifices, and we must never forget the ultimate tragedy that befell so many Veterans at the Holyoke and Chelsea Soldiers’ Home in the spring of 2020,” said Velis. 

In addition, amendment 9 from Senator Velis was adopted during the Senate’s debate to employ an infection control specialist and emergency preparedness specialist at each Veterans’ Home. Amendment 16 from Senator Velis was adopted to ensure that the office of the Executive Director of Veterans’ Homes and Housing has sufficient staffing and resources for their other duties.  

With the House of Representatives having previously passed a Soldiers’ Home Governance Reform bill, the two branches will now appoint a conference committee to reconcile differences between the two versions.  

### 

Hello Everyone, 

I hope that you all had a great week. By Wednesday I fully recovered from both running the Holyoke St. Patrick’s Day Road Race and marching in the parade. I really enjoyed seeing so many of your faces last weekend. But, if I am being completely honest, I am thankful for a change from wearing green every day! What a great tradition in the city of Holyoke, and an excellent way to kick off the spring season. 

The young people in our communities have experienced unprecedented hardships the last few years. School districts moved to remote learning, sports seasons were cancelled, and students were unable to enjoy simple everyday interactions with one another. It is difficult to imagine thriving as a student during a complete upheaval of education in the traditional sense. However, on Tuesday evening at Agawam High School, I attended a celebration of academic achievement. It was an honor to be in the presence of such a large number of students receiving an Agawam “Academic A”. To me this award does more than highlight their success in the classroom, it proves that these students are going places. Balancing academic, social, and family obligations is no easy task, but they’ve done it in extremely unordinary circumstances. In fact, I’d be willing to bet they are much more capable of operating a zoom meeting than the majority of the Massachusetts legislature. Hats off to these young achievers, we are all eager to watch your future successes. 

On Thursday morning I was back in Holyoke for the kickoff of MassHire’s “Recovery Ready Workplace” program. As we all know, the American workforce is the lifeblood of the American economy. What many do not know, is that there are more than 15 million Americans in the workforce with current or past substance use disorders. MassHire’s program is designed to provide employers with the education and resources to effectively help employees and their families overcome challenges presented by substance use disorders. The work that they are doing is critical to solving issues around substance use disorders and erasing the stigma of addiction in the workplace. 

There are times while working for the citizens of our district when you step back and say, “wow, we really have some of the greatest people in the world living here”. This Friday was one of those moments. I’d like to say I was stunned by the support we saw at our Ukrainian donation drive in Westfield, but honestly it was not surprising. We were able to gather items ranging from first aid kits to protein bars which will make it to the people who need them most in Eastern Europe. Thank you for the great turnout! 

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   

Bill addresses COVID-19 response, housing assistance, restaurant supports, and help for Ukrainian refugees

(BOSTON – 03/24/2022) The Massachusetts State Senate on Thursday passed a $1.65 billion supplemental budget for Fiscal Year 2022 (FY22). The legislation makes investments in the state’s long-term COVID-19 response; addresses staffing shortages in schools; provides support for home and community-based services, assistance and protections for families experiencing housing and energy insecurity; funds winter road improvements; extends outdoor dining services as well as beer, wine and cocktails to-go, and provides for the resettlement of Ukrainian refugees in Massachusetts. Notably, the bill also would divest the state pension fund from Russian assets in response to the Russian war in Ukraine.

“Massachusetts has avoided the worst of the financial downside from this pandemic and its effects thanks to a history of careful financial planning and consistent investment in those programs and services which support public health and build resiliency in our communities and our Commonwealth,” said Massachusetts Senate President Karen E. Spilka (D-Ashland). “Today’s supplemental budget continues this trend by providing targeted funding to healthcare, housing, education, and transportation needs. Importantly, this budget ensures that Massachusetts can continue to offer sanctuary to refugees fleeing from violence abroad even as war continues in Ukraine. Thanks to an amendment championed by Senator Comerford, we are also investing crucial funding to the Massachusetts Office of Victim Assistance to continue providing victim services, including children’s advocacy centers and sexual assault programs. I want to thank Chair Rodrigues and his staff, the members of the Senate Ways and Means Committee, and my colleagues for their work to ensure that the needs of Massachusetts residents are met.”

“The passage of this supplemental budget today addresses a number of time sensitive needs as we look to simultaneously support our ongoing response to COVID-19, while continuing our Commonwealth’s recovery,” said Senator Michael J. Rodrigues (D-Westport), Chair of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means. “Thanks to Senate President Spilka’s leadership and the overwhelming support of the Senate membership, we made clear with the passage of this supplemental spending plan that we will always prioritize protecting our most vulnerable populations, supporting our health care and education workforce, investing in local infrastructure needs and taking the necessary steps to ensure vital public services will be available and accessible to all who need them across the Commonwealth as we recover from the impacts of the pandemic.”

Responding to COVID-19

To mitigate the spread of COVID-19 and ensure robust preparation in the event of a future variant outbreak, the bill invests $700 million for the state’s COVID-19 response. This funding would ensure the continued no-cost availability of crucial services offered to residents during the pandemic, including on-site testing, vaccinations, and treatment, as well as public health staffing needs resulting from COVID-19.

To further protect families facing housing challenges, the supplemental budget extends through March 2023 several protections for tenants experiencing COVID-19-related financial hardship, including extending the requirement that a court grant a continuance in an eviction case for nonpayment of rent when the tenant has a pending rental assistance application.

The supplemental budget also extends popular pandemic-related provisions including outdoor dining services, and beer, wine and cocktails to-go through April 2023. The legislation also extends COVID-19 related bonuses for members of the Massachusetts National Guard.

Responding to Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine

The supplemental budget responds to the Russian Federation’s February 2022 invasion of Ukraine and the subsequent violence against Ukrainian civilians. An amendment unanimously adopted on the floor of the Senate requires the Commonwealth’s Pension Reserves Investment Management (PRIM) Board to divest any holdings from companies officially sanctioned by the Biden administration or incorporated in Russia. The supplemental budget also allocates $10 million for the Office of Immigrants and Refugees to support the resettlement of international evacuees, including Ukrainian evacuees.

Housing and Energy Assistance

The supplemental budget includes several provisions relating to housing stability and support for individuals currently experiencing or near homelessness. The Senate proposal includes $100 million for the Residential Assistance for Families in Transition (RAFT) program which provides eligible families with funds that they can use to keep their housing or obtain new housing. One amendment added to the budget on the Senate floor would increase the cap of the RAFT program to $10,000 for the remainder of the fiscal year. Another amendment clarifies existing law to ensure that in all eviction cases where the only valid reason for the eviction is nonpayment of rent, that the tenant has access to protections. The supplemental budget also dedicates $20 million to the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), which provides crucial assistance to families facing high utility bills. To increase oversight, the bill also directs the department of housing and community development to make detailed quarterly reports on the state’s eviction diversion initiative.

The supplemental budget allocates $2.8 million for rates at shelters for homeless individuals and also ensures that down payment assistance funds received from the Massachusetts Housing Finance Agency or the Massachusetts Housing Partnership will not be considered taxable income.

Health Care & Mental Health

The bill allocates $346 million in federal American Rescue Plan funding for Home- and Community-Based Services (HCBS) resources to ensure that eligible Medicaid users throughout the Commonwealth are able to receive health care and medical services in their own homes or local communities. Alongside this investment, the bill also appropriates $55 million in state resources to support reimbursement rates for human and social service providers that have also been doing crucial work during the pandemic. To address the crisis of mental health care, the bill also dedicates $10 million to suicide prevention and intervention services, focused on staffing and other resources at crisis centers, and the establishment of a statewide 988 suicide prevention hotline.

An amendment adopted to the supplemental budget allocates $24 million of the state’s American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds specifically for the creation of new behavioral health and substance use disorder treatment beds.

Education

In response to reports of staffing shortages in public schools, the supplemental budget includes a provision authorizing the Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education to issue emergency educator licenses until 180 days after the end of the public health emergency. For private special education schools operating under Chapter 766, the budget allocates $140 million to fill immediate staffing needs.

Other funding items of note include:

• $100 million for a new Winter Road Recovery Assistance Program for cities and towns to repair potholes and roads and bridges worn down by adverse weather conditions.
• $20 million for Victim of Crime Act (VOCA) funding which supports no-cost counseling, advocacy, and intervention services to victims of crime, thereby covering the immediate needs of the Victim and Witness Assistance Board as they are experiencing a shortage of federal funding
• $10 million for Emergency Aid to the Elderly, Disabled and Children (EAEDC)
• $8.4 million for Department of Children and Families foster family rates
• $8 million for Early Intervention staff stabilization supports
• $5 million for state election costs
• $5 million for the Department of Mental Health to expand clientele housing supports
• $1.8 million for mental health services for international evacuees resettled in the Commonwealth
• $1.7 million for state park investments, including water safety initiatives
• $609,000 for additional staffing to implement the Next Generation Roadmap for Massachusetts Climate Policy legislation, which was passed early in the session
• $500,000 to expand the capacity of the Commission on the Status of Women

A version of this legislation having previously passed the House of Representatives, the differences will need to be worked out by the branches before advancing to the Governor’s desk

###

May the road rise up to meet those running and marching in our St. Patrick’s Day parades this weekend! What a great feeling to get back to traditions that we have so dearly missed. The Westfield Senior Center served up a corned beef and cabbage lunch, Chicopee City Hall hoisted the Irish flag, and the colleens donned their Irish sweaters, in what was a palpably exciting week. If only I could have gotten my hands on one of the meals served by the Senior Center.

This week kicked off on the beautiful campus of Westfield State University, where I hosted a substance use roundtable discussion. It was so great to be joined by members of the local medical community. During our meeting we discussed the challenges that both patients and clinicians are facing in the treatment of substance use disorders. We heard from partners that are doing critically important SUD research, doctors who are seeing the personal impacts of substance use, and the folks who are doing the lifesaving work at local clinics and treatment facilities. Effective treatment starts with the boots on the ground providing lifesaving care, and we must do everything we can to support these heroes. A sincere thank you to Westfield State University for hosting this meeting, Mayor Michael McCabe of Westfield, and everyone from the medical community who participated in this extremely important dialogue.

On Wednesday morning I presented Senate citations to the colleens representing the cities of Holyoke and Chicopee for this year’s St. Patrick’s Day celebrations. These young ladies are great ambassadors to their communities, and I look forward to seeing them march in Sunday’s parade. The presentation took place on what was a traditional Irish morning, cool and misty! Thank you to the folks at Holyoke Medical Center for hosting this presentation, year in and year out HMC has been an incredible community partner.

Later that day, I visited the Westfield Senior Center while they served a traditional Irish lunch. You wouldn’t believe the number of cars in line to bring home a hot order of corned beef, cabbage, and all the fixings. While there, I took the opportunity to wish longtime resident, Pearl DeGray, a happy 100th birthday. Wishing Ms. DeGray much health and happiness. Later in the week I also joined West Springfield Mayor William Reichelt, Police Chief Paul Connor, and state Rep. Michael Finn at the West Springfield Senior Center to help with their St. Patrick’s lunch.

I cannot wait to see everyone out on the parade route Sunday. Everyone have a fun and responsible celebration this weekend!

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 Velis

Yearly, on March 8, we celebrate International Women’s Day. This past Tuesday I took time to reflect on the extraordinary impacts that women have had and will continue to have on our society. From the work that our local heroines do in our district, to the international organizations bringing awareness to women’s issues, it is so important that we commemorate and champion the tremendous societal contributions of women around the world. I know I would not be the senator, husband, or father I am today if not for the extraordinary women in my life.

It looks like the folks at the Agawam Senior Center are ready for a new set of wheels. Earlier this week, I presented $75,000 in earmark funding to the center. The funding, which is a product of the American Rescue Plan (ARPA), will “give the keys” to the center to acquire a new van. The issue of transportation for seniors was brought to my attention at one of my weekly office hours sessions in Agawam. I am so proud to be able to go to the State House and advocate for my constituents. Nobody should have to miss an important medical appointment due to insufficient means of transportation, especially not our seniors. Office hours will be held on Monday next week from 10 to 11 a.m. at the Chicopee Senior Center.

This week the Senate unanimously passed its Soldiers’ Home governance bill. From removing burdensome reporting layers and cleaning up the chain of command, elevating the secretary of veterans’ services to cabinet level, and putting in place important infection control and medical oversight, this legislation builds on a lot of the critical lessons that we learned since the tragic COVID-19 outbreak at the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home in the spring of 2020.

I was also pleased that five of my amendments further streamlining the chain of command and expanding the role of each home’s Local Regional Council were adopted during the debate. It is so important that there is a clear reporting structure in place and that our local councils have a strong voice and presence on all issues pertaining to our veterans’ homes.

As the House of Representatives already previously passed a Soldiers’ Home governance reform bill, the two branches will now appoint a conference committee to reconcile differences between the two versions.

Good luck to all our local high-school athletes competing in their winter sport tournaments. Compete hard and represent the district with class and integrity! Also, shoutout to the UMass Minutewomen basketball team who won the Atlantic 10 tournament and are participating in their first-ever NCAA tournament.

Wishing everyone a happy and safe St. Patrick’s Day next week, sláinte!

As always, if there is anything I can do to assist you, never hesitate to reach out to my office. I can be reached at john.velis@masenate.gov or 413-572-3920, and you can find me online at senatorjohnvelis.com.

Sincerely,

John C. Velis

(Boston 3/10/2022) Today the Massachusetts State Senate unanimously passed S.2739, An Act relative to the Governance, Structure and Care of Veterans at the Commonwealth’s Veterans’ Homes. During the Senate’s debate of the bill, which improves the reporting structure of Veterans’ Homes, elevates the position of Veterans Secretary to cabinet level, and institutes new medical oversight, five amendments filed by Senator John C. Velis (D-Westfield) were adopted that further streamline the Chain of Command and expand the role of each Home’s Local Regional Council.  

“From removing burdensome reporting layers and cleaning up the Chain of Command, to putting in place important infection control and medical oversight, this legislation builds on a lot of the critical lessons that we learned since the tragic COVID-19 outbreak at the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home in the spring of 2020,” said Senator John Velis, who is the Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Veterans and Federal Affairs. “This legislation is about doing right by those Veterans who passed away at our Veterans’ and about doing right by all the Veterans who will call Massachusetts home in the coming years.” 

A highlight of the new streamlined chain command is that the State-Wide Veterans Council is only advisory and not in the reporting structure. In addition, amendment 13 from Senator Velis was adopted to further streamline the structure by taking the Executive Director of Veterans’ Homes and Housing out of the Chain of Command and clarifying that each Superintendent report directly to the Secretary of Veterans Services.  

“The one issue we’ve heard over and over again during every hearing and from every investigation is that there was a colossal breakdown in the Chain of Command at the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home that led to disastrous consequences,” said Senator Velis. “This legislation puts in place a governance system that makes sense, that provides a clear chain of command, and that ensures communication, transparency and accountability.” 

Amendment 8 from Senator Velis ensures regional equity on the State-Wide Advisory Council and expands the responsibilities and makeup of the Local Regional Councils.  

The amendment: 

• Expands the Local Council to 9 members:
  • Requires that 3 members come from a list nominated by the Home’s Area President for the Massachusetts Veterans’ Service Officers to ensure local Veteran input. 
  • Requires that one seat be chosen by the President of the Veterans Advocate Committee for each Veterans’ Home, a resident elected by fellow residents. 
  • Requires that one seat be filled by the President of the Family Advocate Committee for each Veteran’s Home, a position elected by family members of residents. 

• Expands the Local Council’s role by: 
  • Empowering them to review and make recommendations on rules and regulations pertaining to each Veterans’ Home, staffing levels and other topics. 
  • The councils must also hold public meetings for the general public to participate. 

• Requires that the State-Wide Advisory Council has regionally equitable membership and has least one member residing in the county in which each Veterans’ home is located. 

“This amendment is about ensuring that those people closest to the Home have a say–an indispensable role in the oversight of our Homes. As anyone in the military will tell you, the boots on the ground perspective is absolutely critical to understanding what is going on. The members of the Local Council are those boots on the ground,” said Senator Velis. “This amendment guarantees that residents, family members, and local Veterans have a voice on this council, and that they will be heard on all issues pertaining to their Veterans’ Home.”  

Amendment 12 from Senator Velis creates an annual Soldiers’ Home Remembrance Day to honor the Veterans who lost their lives due to COVID-19 at the two Veterans’ Homes.  

“A Veteran is a Veteran, is a Veteran, no matter where they reside. We must never forget their service and sacrifices, and we must never forget the ultimate tragedy that befell so many Veterans at the Holyoke and Chelsea Soldiers’ Home in the spring of 2020,” said Velis. 

In addition, amendment 9 from Senator Velis was adopted during the Senate’s debate to employ an infection control specialist and emergency preparedness specialist at each Veterans’ Home. Amendment 16 from Senator Velis was adopted to ensure that the office of the Executive Director of Veterans’ Homes and Housing has sufficient staffing and resources for their other duties.  

With the House of Representatives having previously passed a Soldiers’ Home Governance Reform bill, the two branches will now appoint a conference committee to reconcile differences between the two versions.  

### 

Hello Everyone, 

It was great to start an eventful week out in the Westfield community. On Monday morning I discussed the important issues that we are facing on both a local and state level with a group of students at Westfield High School. It is extremely encouraging to know that the young people in our district have such a healthy interest in policy and current events.  

Later on, Monday afternoon I was happy to see my friends at the Westfield Senior Center during office hours. While chatting with constituents I could not help but notice the steady stream of seniors arriving to participate in various activities. Having a modern, clean, and safe place for our seniors to congregate is important on many levels. I am hoping to participate in line dancing with the Senior Center soon, I think our elders could probably teach me a few moves! 

In addition to visiting with seniors in Westfield, I also heard from some of our seniors in Easthampton on Tuesday during an exciting funding announcement for the Treehouse Foundation. For those of you who don’t know, Treehouse Easthampton is an intergenerational community that provides affordable housing and critical supports for foster youth, working parents, and senior residents. It is truly a remarkable community that has seen incredible outcomes in terms of education rates for youth, child-care accessibility for parents, and quality of life for older residents. In the recent ARPA legislation signed into law, I was able to secure $2,000,000 for Treehouse to help establish two more communities across Massachusetts. It was a great event and I look forward to seeing the impact that Treehouse can make with this funding for our youth, adults and elders.  

On Friday, my staff rounded out the week holding office hours in Southwick. Next week’s office hours will be held on Monday at the Agawam Senior Center from 10:30AM to 11:30AM.  

It is heartening to see communities across the district step up to support refugees from the war in Ukraine. It is not lost on me that many of my constituents can trace their family’s roots back to Eastern Europe and Ukraine. As a Major in the Army Reserve and from my time deployed in Afghanistan, I know firsthand how important it is to get immediate relief to those in needs. The Massachusetts Legislation is actively looking at ways that we can help, while locally my office is organizing a charitable drive to gather items to be sent to Europe. We’ve heard from organizers that medical supplies, baby care, feminine products, and blanket/sleeping bags are in demand. Please stay tuned for further details. In the meantime, local places of worship and non-profit organizations are also gathering donations. 

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