Hello everyone,
I hope you all have had a great start to the month of November, I truly can’t believe how fast 2025 has flown by.
Around the district we had a lot to celebrate this week. I want to extend my heartfelt congratulations to Puffer’s Salon & Day Spa on their business’s 40th anniversary this past Wednesday and share my gratitude for all that they do to give back to our Westfield community. Later in the week, Team Velis joined the Greater Westfield Chamber of Commerce to welcome Zeretas Hair Salon to the City during their grand opening celebration on Friday.
Throughout this week my State House Team and I were hard at work preparing for Thursday’s debate of my bill, the EASE Act, which aims to strengthen the support we provide to our military families. When someone raises their right hand and pledges to lead a life of service and sacrifice for our great nation, in many ways so do their families. Truly, there is so much that military families sacrifice as they navigate the unique challenges of having a loved one in the armed services.
The EASE Act aims to help limit the disruptions that will inevitably arise throughout our military connected students’ education when that student is coming to Massachusetts. It will allow a child to get situated in their new school district where their new permanent residence will be, allows a child whose parents are temporarily transferred on orders to remain at their school until they complete the highest grade level, and ensures a smooth transition for military connected students who receive special education services by requiring that the district provide services within a timely manner. I am incredibly proud that after a robust debate during Senate Session on Thursday that the EASE Act was passed!
As we approach Veterans Day, my district team was busy crisscrossing our district to collect letters from local students that were thoughtfully made for the residence of the Holyoke Veterans Home and other area Veteran organizations. I am always so grateful to all the many local teachers that take the time to teach their students about the sacrifices that our nation’s veterans have each made to protect our country and the freedoms we hold dear.
This week Team Velis hosted office hours in Agawam. Next week Team Velis will be hosting office hours at the West Springfield Council on Aging on Wednesday from 11:00am to 12:00pm. If you are unable to make office hours, I can always be reached by email, john.velis@masenate.gov, by phone, (413) 572-3920, and you can find me online at senatorjohnvelis.com.
Sincerely,
John C. Velis