Hello Everyone,
I hope everyone got the chance to enjoy some of the sunny weather this week! It is hard to believe that we are nearly halfway through the summer.
This week Team Velis was hard at work meeting with constituents and local officials, both in the district and the State House. I started Monday off strong by getting the opportunity to meet with the new president of Western New England University, Dr. Joseph Hartman. It was wonderful to sit down and hear about the new President’s priorities. On Monday, Team Velis also joined the Holyoke Food and Resources coalition meeting, where we met with local providers to discuss food access and local community resources.
I started off Tuesday morning in Chicopee with office hours, where I never fail to have a great time meeting with members of our community and hear concerns directly from them. Tuesday afternoon was the highlight of my week as I stopped by the Easthampton Fire Department Open House and caught up with folks from across the community. The open house featured ice cream, a simulated fire house, and a dunk tank! I happily took a turn in the dunk tank, and while I was dunked over 20 times, it made the summer heat a little bit more bearable. Overall it was great to see so many families get to know their local fire department.
On Thursday the Senate was in session to discuss two major health care bills. One bill would establish a statewide licensure system for home care agencies, creating stronger standards to improve the quality of care for those receiving services at home. The second would strengthen protections for health care workers by requiring hospitals and medical facilities to develop workplace violence prevention plans and enhance security measures. These bills raise an important discussion around improving both patient care, and care for the dedicated professionals who serve our communities. I was grateful to see them both pass and am looking forward to the next few weeks of legislative formal sessions.
I ended the week on Friday morning with the Hampshire Sheriff’s Office Legislative Breakfast, where I got the opportunity to discuss the FY27 budget framework, including staffing and inmate care, and receive an update about office operations throughout Hampshire County.
This week, Team Velis hosted office hours in Chicopee and Holyoke. Next week, we will host office hours at the Easthampton Council on Aging at 10:30a.m. on Tuesday. If you are unable to make office hours, please remember that you can reach us by email at john.velis@masenate.gov, by phone at (413)- 572-3920, or online at senatorjohnvelis.com
Best,
John Velis