Category: Uncategorized

Hello Everyone! 

I hope you are all doing well and will be getting some much-deserved time off to spend the holidays with family and friends.  

Unfortunately, COVID-19 cases are back on the rise in our communities and around the community. Vaccines and boosters are widely available, and I encourage you to get vaccinated if you have not done so already. Testing is also critically important if you have symptoms or have been exposed to COVID-19. You can find vaccine locations at vaxfinder.mass.gov and testing sites at mass.gov/covid-19-testing 

Some of you may have watched the Army-Navy Football game last weekend and know of the friendly wager my good friend Senator Rush and I made on it. Unfortunately, Army lost and as a result I began my Monday morning singing the Navy Fight Song for Senator Rush over zoom. You can head to my social media to see my singing and we will be back again next year! Later on Monday I had a few meetings with constituents in the district to talk about legislation currently being considered for Veterans in the Commonwealth.  

On Tuesday I visited the Mass Fair Housing Center in Holyoke. The Center helps so many families who struggle with housing insecurity and homeownership. In the recent American Rescue Plan Act legislation signed by the Governor, $250,000 was included for the Center to support and expand their efforts. I look forward to seeing these funds put to use! Later, Tuesday I met with Doctors from Prevent Blindness Organization about S.136, An Act Improving Child Eye Care, which would increase vision screening for pre-k children. Speaking of Eye Care, the Holyoke Health Center held the Grand opening of its new Vision Center this week and I was grateful that Team Velis could attend the event! 

On Wednesday I toured VF Auto in Agawam, a family-owned local business that has been operating since 1988. I always love to visit local businesses around the district, and it was great to learn about their operations. Later in the afternoon I met with the TreeHouse Foundation, an incredible organization that works to support foster children, low-income families, and senior residents. I was able to secure $2,000,000 in the American Rescue Plan bill for the foundation to create additional TreeHouse communities across the Commonwealth and this meeting was a strategic planning conversation about those funds.  

On Thursday I met with the Holyoke Taxpayers association to discuss numerous issues facing Holyoke businesses and residents. We had a great conversation and I look forward to being back.  

Always fun to attend holiday events in the district! Friday, I joined Mayor Vieu in Chicopee for his annual Holiday Luncheon and on Saturday I headed over to the American Legion Post 124 in Westfield for their annual holiday party. It was great to see everyone! I wrapped up my Saturday with the Agawam Firefighters Union, IAFF Local 1973, to help celebrate the retirement of Dean DiCarlo, Kenneth Sagendorph, Norman Colburn, Frank Cavallo, and Anthony Albano, from the Agawam Fire Department. Thank you for your service to our community! 

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 

Happy Holidays Everyone! 

I hope you all are getting into the holiday spirit! I am looking forward to spending Christmas tomorrow with my family and wish you all a happy and healthy holiday as well.  

As we head deeper into the winter months, it is clear that COVID-19 is not going away as the Omicron variant continues to spread throughout Massachusetts and our country. Vaccines and boosters are widely available and have proven to be extremely effective at preventing serious disease. I encourage you to get vaccinated if you have not done so already. Testing is also critically important if you have symptoms or have been exposed to COVID-19. I know that many are facing challenges in finding tests and I will continue to push for increased testing resources from the state. You can find vaccine locations at vaxfinder.mass.gov and testing sites at mass.gov/covid-19-testing 

This past Monday, Team Velis held office hours at the Holyoke Senior Center to meet with constituents and answer questions. My office is always available to assist, and my next office hours will be on Monday, January 3^rd, from 10:30-11:30AM at the Agawam Senior Center.  

Later that day, I joined some of my Western Mass colleagues at Chicopee City Hall for a funding presentation for the Food Bank of Western Mass. In the American Rescue Plan Act supplemental budget, we were able to secure $5 million for Food Bank of Western Mass’ new building project in Chicopee, which will greatly expand their outreach and capacity. I was glad to help secure these funds and know they will be put to good use! I wrapped up my Monday at the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home with Major General Gary W. Keefe, the Adjutant General of the Massachusetts National Guard. We stopped by to visit and help hand out some new winter coats to residents.  

It’s always great to stop by Westfield High School, but especially when it’s to celebrate our students’ achievements. I was thrilled to present Jay Sherpa with a Senate Citation on Tuesday in honor of his best-in-the-nation recognition by the National Association for Music Education. In his senior year, Jay holds the only bass trombone spot in the National Symphony Orchestra but can play SIX other instruments as well. Congratulations on the incredible achievement Jay! While I was at Westfield High, I also stopped in to check out the schools “Community Closet”, a space where students, faculty, and staff can get access to anything they might possibly need, including toiletries, food, clothing, backpacks, and more. Great work WHS! 

During these unprecedented times, our community organizations continue to do great work for residents in our communities. I was glad to help out the Westfield Senior Center on Wednesday for their holiday curbside meal event. With over 200 residents attending, it was great to spend some time volunteering and also get to see some familiar faces. Later on Wednesday I joined the Russell Police Department and Fire Chief to help drop off holiday meals to folks throughout Russell.  

One of my favorite traditions in the Senate is our annual “gift exchange” where we each make a donation to an organization in our colleagues’ names. It’s a great way for us to learn about each other’s districts while supporting great initiatives. This year I picked the Ascentria Care Alliance of West Springfield to support their Refugee and Immigrant Services program. As an Afghanistan Veteran who knows many Afghan citizens who are desperately trying to rebuild their lives here in the United States, this is a cause very near and dear to my heart. As our Commonwealth continues to welcome Afghan refugees, Ascentria is one of the major organizations who has stepped up to support these individuals and their families, from finding housing to assisting with job training. As the holiday season continues, I hope we can all remember the individuals throughout our communities who need our support during these difficult times.  

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 

Happy New Year Everyone! 

As we come to the close of 2021, I am reminded of what our communities and Commonwealth as a whole have faced over the past year. Despite all the isolation and the challenges, we have made it through and accomplished a lot. It has been a truly difficult year, but I am incredibly thankful to be a part of this community and I’m nothing but hopeful for the year ahead. I wish you all the best as we ring in 2022! 

As COVID-19 continues to spread, I encourage you to get vaccinated and boosted if you not done so already. Vaccines and boosters are widely available and have proven to be extremely effective at preventing serious disease. Testing is also critically important if you have symptoms or have been exposed to COVID-19. You can find vaccine locations at vaxfinder.mass.gov and testing sites at mass.gov/covid-19-testing 

As the Chairman of the Veterans & Federal Affairs Committee, I always make meeting with Veterans in our communities a top priority. We must continue to improve Veterans services our Commonwealth provides and hearing directly from those who have served is the best way to learn what changes we need to make. This week I had a number of those meetings, including a robust discussion with Chicopee Veterans at the Chicopee Senior Center. We discussed the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home project, my work to support military families, and how we can extend outreach to older Veterans in our communities.  

This week I also toured the Alano Club in Agawam, a local 501(c) that supports individuals who struggle with alcohol and substance use. The organization houses and facilitates several programs for our community all of which have been critically important during this pandemic. This is an issue very near and dear to my heart and I look forward to supporting them however I can.  

This week the Mass Cultural Council announced the recipients of their Fiscal Year 2022 Fall/Winter Festivals grant program, and I am thrilled that that three organizations in our district have received funding to support cultural events taking place in our community! The Greater Holyoke chamber Centennial Foundation will be receiving $1,500 for the Paper City Food Festival, the Wistariahurst Museum Association will be receiving $1,500 for their Holidays in Holyoke event, and the Print Shop Inc. will be receiving $1,500 for their annual Brick Race event. I look forward to seeing these events come to fruition and continuing to support arts and culture throughout our region.  

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 12/20/2021) Last week the Joint Committee on Veterans & Federal Affairs reported out S2542, An Act to support military families. The legislation, filed by Governor Baker, would permit Massachusetts to participate in several interstate licensure compacts, ultimately allowing qualified practitioners to more easily transition to practicing their profession in the Commonwealth. Senator John C. Velis, Chairman of the Committee, stated that this will be an enormous benefit for military families and Massachusetts military installations.  

“Earlier this fall, the Senate passed the SPEED Act, a bill I filed to support military children and expedite our Commonwealth’s licensure process for military spouses in general. This legislation continues that work by allowing military spouses in these specific professions to seamlessly obtain their licenses upon arrival in Massachusetts,” stated Chairman Velis. “Both of these bills will help ensure that military members and spouses are able to easily continue working in Massachusetts, but they will also ensure a secure future for our Commonwealth’s military installations.” 

“The Department of Defense and the respective military services have all made it explicitly clear that they are now ranking states on how they treat military families when considering mission assignments and military investments.  If we don’t act to meet those standards, there is a very real risk that we will lose out on federal investments to other states and that our military installations will close,” stated Chairman Velis. “Bringing the F-35s to Barnes Air National Guard Base, bringing the new Space Force to Hanscom Air Force base, bringing new investments to Westover Air Reserve Base: these are major investments that will keep our military installations relevant and benefit our entire Commonwealth’s economy.  But we can only secure these investments if we meet these standards for military families that the Department of Defense is looking for.” 

In September of 2019, the Secretary of Defense defined a fourth line of effort to the National Defense Strategy to support the wellbeing of military families. Military spouse licensure was designated as a key initiative in this effort. Section 2883 of the Fiscal Year 2021 National Defense Authorization Act further emphasizes the role these measures play in the DOD’s strategic basing evaluation. This section requires the department to produce annual basing decision scorecards at the state and installation level considering military family readiness issues, with one of the top criteria being interstate portability of licensure credentials. 

Massachusetts is home to six military installations with more than $13.2 billion in total economic activity and support for more than 57,600 jobs, including Barnes Air National Guard Base, Westover Air Reserve Base, Fort Devens, Hanscom Air Force Base, Joint Base Cape Cod, the U.S. Army’s Natick Soldier Systems Center. The value of defense spending in the Commonwealth is 2.6% of the entire state’s GDP. 

S2542 was reported out to the House of Representatives, where it could be referred to another committee before being brought to the floor for a vote. The SPEED Act, S2559, passed the Senate on October 21^st, and is now in the House Committee on Ways and Means.  

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Hello Everyone,  

Hope you are all doing well as preparations for the holiday season begin! This week I was busy with events throughout the district, and it was great to see so many residents in person.  

This past Tuesday marked the 80^th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor. I was proud to join Westfield community members at the Great River Bridge on Tuesday for a powerful ceremony in remembrance of the more than 2,400 American lives lost in the attack. Last Sunday I also attended Easthampton and South Hadley’s Pearl Harbor Day Ceremony. We will never forget those lives lost and I am grateful to our communities for always honoring the sacrifices and service of our military members.  

On Monday my team held office hours at both the Southwick Senior Center and Agawam Senior Center. My next office hours will be this upcoming Monday at the RiverMills Center in Chicopee from 10AM-11AM. After our office hours, I was thrilled to have Agawam officials join me to present $50,000 in state funding to the Center that was secured in the FY’22 budget. Speaking of Senior Centers, Bingo is back! On Wednesday I went over to the Southampton Senior Center to call some bingo games and spend some time with residents. You’ll be sure to see me calling more bingo games at senior centers throughout the district as games resume.  

Some of you may have heard that this past week I organized and played in a basketball challenge with Holyoke High Schoolers at the Greater Holyoke Boys & Girls Club. When I was first visiting the Boys & Girls Club as a candidate for Senate, I couldn’t keep myself from challenging kids in the gym to some games. Time passed, the trash-talk continued, and finally I called up Eileen Cavanaugh, President of the Club, and said ‘let’s organize this thing. To up the stakes, I pledged to donate $500 to the Boys & Girls Club if my team lost.  

After winning game one, Team Velis came up short in the next two games against the Boys & Girls Club team. In hindsight, we should’ve stopped after game one, those kids were fast! As promised, I handed over my donation on the spot after the series. From my time as a mentor at the Westfield Boys & Girls Club, I know the incredible impact our Clubs have on kids throughout our community, and I will always be a strong supporter. Nothing brings people together like sports and there was something really special about being able to actually engage with the kids on the court and have some fun, even if I was a bit rusty. While they called me on my smack talk this time, plans for a rematch are already in the works and you should expect to see Team Velis on a court near you soon! 

I began Thursday in Westfield for the Chamber of Commerce’s holiday breakfast. It was great to see so many business owners and local residents. Later on in the day I hosted a virtual briefing with the American Red Cross for members of the Veterans Committee. The Red Cross provides so many supports for our veterans, active military members and their families, and I am grateful to them for talking with our committee about their services and how we can help them. 

Special shoutout to Mrs. Ward from Southampton Road Elementary School for letting me borrow my new favorite book “House Mouse, Senate Mouse” to read to Franklin Avenue Elementary School students on Friday morning. The kids loved it! On Friday I also spent some time volunteering as a bell ringer for the Salvation Army at Walmart, a holiday tradition I always love participating in.  

This Saturday was the Army-Navy football game! Last year my colleague Senator Rush, a Navy Reservist, and I made a wager on the game, with the loser having to sing the other’s fight song. We continued that tradition this year, and with Army winning, you can check my social media accounts to see Senator Rush sing!  

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

On Wednesday, December 8^th, Senator John C. Velis organized and played in a basketball game against Holyoke High Schoolers at the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Holyoke. After months of Senator Velis trash-talking, his team lost 2-1 in the best of three series. As promised, Senator Velis handed over a $500 donation check to the Club upon losing.  

“When I was first visiting the Boys & Girls Club as a candidate for Senate, I couldn’t keep myself from challenging kids in the gym to some games. Time passed, the trash-talk continued, and finally I called up Eileen Cavanaugh, President of the Club, and said ‘let’s organize this thing’”, said Senator Velis. “In my experience, nothing brings people together like sports and it was a phenomenal community event. There’s something really special about going beyond just donating and actually engaging with the kids and having some fun.” 

The hour-long event was a best of three series that brought in a large audience of Club youth and staff. After winning the first game, Team Velis lost the following two games. The Boys & Girls Club Team included Kelvin Medina, Nathaniel Morales, Jayden Rivera, Jeremy Canales, Juan Rivera, Jaden Colon, Astin Chapman, Lexan Fontanez, and Samuel Chea. They are all Holyoke High Schoolers and longtime Club members who frequently play basketball during the Club’s drop-in gym hours. Teddy Morales, a Club staff member, coached the team.  

To round out his team, Senator Velis recruited his Communications Director, Gabe Adams-Keane, as well Holyoke City Councilor-Elect Israel Rivera to play. Unfortunately, they came up short.  

“In hindsight, we should’ve stopped after winning that first game. The age difference only become more apparent as the games continued,” said Senator Velis. “As promised, I handed over my donation on the spot after we lost, but the Club was getting that check regardless of the outcome. From my time as a mentor at the Westfield Boys & Girls Club, I know how dedicated our Clubs are and how many lives they impact throughout our community. They truly do incredible work and I just want to help however I can.”  

“It was a pretty surreal moment for me to be the grown up playing against the teens. I was once the teen in their shoes playing against the adults, the game helped me understand I am no longer that teen,” said Councilor-Elect Rivera. “The club has given so much to me and many of those I grew up with here in Holyoke, now it’s my time to give back.” 

“We can’t thank Senator Velis enough for not only the donation but for coming to the Club to meet and play with our youth. Since taking office, Senator Velis has been a staunch supporter of Boys & Girls Club. He understands what an incredible resource Clubs are to communities. We had a great time and can’t wait to welcome him back to the Holyoke Boys & Girls Club,” said Eileen Cavanaugh, President and CEO of the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Holyoke.  

When asked about a rematch, Senator Velis said plans for future games were already in the works. 

“Events like these are the highlight of my job and you better expect Team Velis will be coming to a Boys & Girls Club near you real soon,” said Senator Velis. “As far as Holyoke goes, a rematch is already planned for the spring. While my smack talk got the best of me last night, I really guarantee victory next time and am beginning my wind-sprints training tomorrow. 

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Hi Everyone,  

I hope you’re all doing well as we welcome the last month of 2021! This week we had a lot of new beginnings. On Monday we welcomed a new staff member into the office, Marissa! Marissa is a recent graduate from NYU and a long-time resident of Westfield. We are excited to have them join us in the Westfield office as our new Constituent Services Aide!  

This past Monday I  filmed the first of many episodes in my new series, “From Beacon Hill to the 413”, a show I will be hosting that will air on local cable channels and online. Each episode will provide an in-depth look into what’s happening on Beacon Hill, and how it impacts you. In this first episode, Representative Mike Finn joined me to discuss redistricting and our work on the Joint Committee on Children, Families, and Persons with Disabilities. Keep an eye out on your local cable channels or head to my website to stream the show. 

 I spent Tuesday morning with constituents assisting in the delay of unemployment benefits. I also spoke to a constituent about the process of accessing Veteran Assistance (VA) benefits. Our office is always open and happy to help anyone who has questions regarding public services! Later on Tuesday I chaired a hearing for the Joint Committee on Veterans and Federal Affairs. The hearing focused on legislation related to Veterans’ benefits and their transferability. It is so important that these benefits are easily accessible to those who have earned them in service of our nation.  

On Wednesday I had the privilege of joining Former Representative Aaron Vega to talk to his UMass Political Science class about state government and legislation currently being considered. I really enjoyed talking to the students about my path as a political official and the steps that I have taken to ensure that the people of Western Massachusetts are represented on Beacon Hill!    

I began my Thursday by meeting with Agawam City Council and School Committee officials to discuss how I can support them at the state level. Later that day I also met with Holyoke’s newly elected Mayor Garcia. The Mayor and I  have many shared priorities for Holyoke, and I am excited to get to work alongside him in the upcoming year. These types of meetings are always very important for me, as I believe it is critical to maintain strong relationships with local officials throughout our communities. Thursday evening, I was proud to join the official ribbon cutting of Swingfield Batting Cages located on Springfield Street in Westfield. It’s always great to see the development and success of new businesses here in the district. 

Finally on Friday I joined several of my Western Mass colleagues to tour Valley Eye Radio, the only accessible local news and information broadcasting service in the Pioneer Valley for those who can no longer read independently due to vision, medical, and physical disabilities. Valley Eye keeps listeners informed and connected to their community by working to reduce and prevent further health decline, social isolation, and depression. Over the course of the pandemic their work has been especially critical to the welfare of the community. As the Vice-Chair of the Joint Committee on Children, Families, and Persons with Disabilities, I look forward to further supporting their initiatives. 

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

Hello Everyone,  

I hope you are all doing well as we prepare for our Thanksgiving celebrations! It is a busy time in the Senate, and I am looking forward to spending some quality time with family and friends over the holidays.  

This week, the Baker-Polito Administration announced that effective immediately, all Massachusetts residents aged 18 and over are eligible to get a COVID-19 booster six months after receiving the second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines or two months since receiving a Johnson & Johnson single dose vaccine. Vist mass.gov/covid-19-vaccine for a list of locations and more information. 

I began my week at Holyoke City Hall for the official swearing in ceremony of Mayor Garcia! I am looking forward to working closely alongside the new Mayor to advocate for Holyoke and it was a fantastic event. Afterwards Team Velis held office hours at the Holyoke Council on Aging. It’s so important to me to hear directly from constituents and I encourage anyone to stop by our office hours or make an appointment by calling 617-722-1415. My next office hours will be this Monday, November 22^nd, from 12:30-1:30PM at the Westfield Senior Center.  

This Wednesday, the Senate passed the Mental Health ABC Act 2.0, a comprehensive piece of legislation that continues the process of reforming the way mental health is delivered in our Commonwealth. So many individuals across our state struggle with mental health challenges and those issues have only been exacerbated by the isolation and stress of the COVID-19 pandemic. From guaranteeing annual mental health wellness exams, to addressing the emergency department boarding crisis, to reforming mental health insurance coverage and expanding access to care, this legislation is going to do a world of good. I was proud to work on this bill as Vice-Chair of the Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance and Recovery and was thrilled to join my Senate colleagues in voting to pass it this week.  

Wednesday evening, I joined the Western Massachusetts Counselors Association at Western New England University to honor counselors across our region. The work our school counselors do has always been critical but is even more important now as our students navigate their return back to in person. It was a great event and I was lucky enough to bump into some Westfield counselors as well!  

Friday I was in Boston to chair a public hearing for the Joint Committee on Veterans and Federal Affairs. The focus of the hearing was on H.4195/S.2582, An Act relative to the governance, structure, and care of veterans at the Commonwealth’s veterans’ homes. We heard powerful testimony from elected officials, Board of Trustees members, veteran organizations advocates, and the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home Coalition. The goal of our committee is to advance legislation that not only addresses the flaws that were exposed at our Commonwealth’s veterans’ homes during the COVID-19 pandemic but that also addresses the longstanding issues that we know existed even before that. We must get this right and I look forward to continuing to work with committee members on this legislation.  

While I was in Boston on Friday, Caitlyn from my office joined Senator Gomez and staff from Senator Lesser and Representative Ramos to present $60,000 in funding to the City of Chicopee for their City Center Cleanup project. I was proud that our Chicopee delegation could secure this funding in the FY22 budget process to help make Chicopee Center a safer, cleaner place! 

This Sunday, 911 Burgers and Dogs in Agawam will be open for one last time. Growing up my mom always knew that a trip to 911 would do the trick to bring my spirits up after a difficult day. For over 40 years they have been a cornerstone of the community and I was glad I could stop by Thursday for a quick lunch and to present a Senate citation to the Mercadante family. They will be missed! 

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, where you can also sign up for my newsletter. 

Sincerely, 

John Velis

Hi Everyone,  

I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving and holiday with your family and friends. After the crazy year we have had, it was so nice to sit down and spend time with my loved ones, but also fantastic to join our community for some events as well. On Wednesday I joined the Forum House in Westfield for their annual Thanksgiving Meal Pass-out. It was great to see so many residents volunteer and come by.  

Although a shortened week with the holiday, I was still kept busy. On Monday I participated in a public hearing for the Joint Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities. As Vice-Chair of this Committee, I try to stay as involved as possible, and this hearing focused on legislation related to the care and supports for individuals with disabilities. Later on in the day my team held office hours at the Westfield Senior Center. Our next office hours will be on December 6^th, from 10:30-11:30AM at the Agawam Senior Center and later in the day from 1:00-2:00PM at the Southwick Senior Center. Call 617-722-1415 to make an appointment or feel free to stop by! 

Tuesday morning I testified before the Joint Committee on the Judiciary in support of a bill I filed, S.1151, An Act to Establish the Massachusetts Judicial Security Act. The legislation would prohibit publicly sharing the personal information of active and retired state judges without permission. On July 19, 2020, 20-year-old Daniel Anderl, the late son of Judge Esther Salas of the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jesey, was tragically shot and killed at his family’s home. The gunman responsible was an attorney who had appeared in a case before Judge Salas and who used publicly available information to track down the judge and her family. In response, The Daniel Anderl Judicial Security and Privacy Act was filed in the US Senate and House of Representatives to prohibit such information about federal judges from being publicly posted online. Threats and attacks against judges continue to increase, and I modeled S1151 after this federal legislation to extend these same protections to state judges in Massachusetts. 

Later on Tuesday I was thrilled to join Representative Carey in Easthampton to present $25,000 in state funding to the Easthampton Community Center to support their important work. The Center has about 1,200 children accessing their food pantry and this funding will help them continue to address food insecurity as the holidays and colder months approach. I am proud that the Rep and I were able to secure this funding in the FY’22 Budget’s food insecurity initiative.  

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, where you can also sign up for my newsletter. 

Sincerely, 

John Velis 

(BOSTON 11/23/2021) Today Senator John C. Velis (D-Westfield) testified before the Joint Committee on the Judiciary in support of Senate Bill 1151, An Act to Establish the Massachusetts Judicial Security Act. The legislation would prohibit sharing without written permission the personal information of active and retired state judges. 

“Judges are the ones who are personally and professional responsible for depriving someone of our most sacred right, liberty. They are the ones who must tell a person that they are going to prison for the rest of their life,” stated Senator Velis during his testimony. “The threat of retribution against these individuals and their families is not only real, it is also growing.” 

On July 19, 2020, 20-year-old Daniel Anderl, the late son of Judge Esther Salas of the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jesey, was tragically shot and killed at his family’s home. The gunman responsible was an attorney who had appeared in a case before Judge Salas and who used publicly available information to track down the judge and her family. The assailant also shot and critically injured Judge Salas’ husband, who survived the attack. 

In response, The Daniel Anderl Judicial Security and Privacy Act was filed in the US Senate and House of Representatives to prohibit such information about federal judges from being publicly posted online. The federal legislation is supported by the Judicial Conference of the United States, the American Bar Association, and attorney generals across the United States. New Jersey and other states have enacted similar laws at the state level and Senator Velis said he modeled his bill after the federal legislation to bring these same protections to state judges in Massachusetts. 

Specifically, the legislation would prohibit state, county, and municipal agencies from publicly posting the personal information of any judge or justice on the internet without written permission. It would also prohibit data brokers from selling, purchasing, or sharing this personal information, and would require any person, business or association to delete any publicly posted information if a written request is made to them. Personal information includes home addresses, phone numbers, emails, and social security numbers.  

“The safety of our judges is critical to the administration of justice in the Commonwealth and this bill will provide a tool to help ensure their security,” said Chief Justice Paula M. Carey of the Massachusetts Trial Court, who also testified in support during Tuesday’s hearing. 

According to the U.S. Marshals Service 2020 annual report, incidents, inappropriate communications, and threats against federal judges and other persons protected by the U.S. Marshals Service rose from 2,357 in FY2016 to 4,261 in FY2020, an increase of 2020.  

“Our judicial system and our Commonwealth—as a whole—depends on our judges to ensure that justice is carried out and that public safety is maintained. It is paramount that these individuals are able to do their job without fear,” said Senator Velis. “When these individuals and their families’ safety is at risk, the integrity of our entire democracy is at risk as well. As lawmakers, we must do everything in our power to ensure that these individuals and their families have the protections that they need.” 

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