Hello Everyone,
This past Monday marked the observance of the birthday of the Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King, Jr. I hope everyone was able to take a moment during the federal holiday to reflect on his impact on our society and his contributions to the advancement of civil rights in this country.
As usual, the beginning of formal session has been exceptionally busy ahead of our bill filing deadline. While bills may be filed after this deadline, all bills filed prior are guaranteed a public hearing, an important step for any legislation to become law. My team and I have been taking meetings all week on potential bills to file and I’m very much looking forward to all that the legislature will accomplish this session.
Wednesday, I had a great discussion with law enforcement leaders in the State Police as well as the Department of Homeland Security to talk about their work in combatting the growing supply of fentanyl on the black market. Substance abuse disorders are one of the most pressing challenges here in the Commonwealth and our law enforcement officers are on the front lines of tracking and stopping the influx of narcotics into our communities. Thank you to both groups for taking time to speak with me and sharing some ideas for improvement.
This week I also had a digital meeting with Boston Dynamics, one of the leading robotics companies in the world based right here in Massachusetts. We discussed at length the roles that robotics already play in everyday life and what role they may come to play in the future as technology progresses. This was a very informative meeting and I thank their staff for taking their time to meet with me.
Thursday afternoon, I attended the annual Easthampton Chamber of Commerce Meeting. I always enjoy getting out into our communities and meeting with our local business leaders. It’s organizations like this one that fuel economic growth in our cities and towns and I’m grateful to the Chamber for inviting me to this event.
Thursday night, I also guest celebrity bartended at the Scoreboard to benefit the Agawam and West Springfield St. Patrick’s Day parade committee. Thank you to the committee for inviting me and my apologies to anyone who actually had to order a drink from me!
This week, my staff held office hours at the Easthampton COA on Tuesday and at the Holyoke COA on Wednesday. Next week, we will be holding three sperate office hours. On Monday we will be at the Westfield COA from 12:30pm to 1:30pm. On Tuesday, we will at the Russell COA from 11:30am to 12:30pm. Then on Wednesday, we will be at the Southampton COA from 10:00am to 11:00am. 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