Happy New Year! There seems be near unanimous agreement in welcoming a new year, one bound with new hope and yet likely still a high level of trepidation about where we find ourselves given the ongoing challenge of COVID-19. I hope that this holiday season you were able to enjoy some time with family and friends and that you and your loved ones are healthy as we begin 2022. Our family had a wonderful fall, doing much that seemed like years previous, despite layering a new normal of expectations and responsibilities. Caitlin’s Endicott College Rugby team traveled through-out New England and into New York for a great winning season and we were happy to be able to have our family join us at several games. |
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Conversations with Hannah
In December’s episode of Conversations with Hannah, I was joined by my friend and colleague Rep. David Muradian to discuss the ARPA funding bill, redistricting, the genocide education bill, and the unfortunate news that Governor Baker and Lieutenant Governor Polito will not be running for re-election. We also discussed their extraordinary service to the Commonwealth and our gratitude for their and their family’s sacrifice. Watch the latest episode here.
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Beacon Hill
The House ended our formal session for this year on Wednesday, November 17. We remain in informal session throughout the year, and I am honored to be able to cover informal session several times a year for the GOP Caucus. All informal sessions must have a member of the minority party present and the sessions are led by the majority party, and the legislation taken up in informal sessions is generally local petitions and other legislation that is not contested.
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ARPA: On Monday, December 14, Governor Baker signed a $4B bill (H4269) that directs federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and Fiscal Year 2021 (FY21) surplus funding to assist the Commonwealth’s ongoing economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. With a focus on making equitable investments and prioritizing communities disproportionately impacted by the pandemic, the legislation delivers targeted support to workers and businesses, housing, health care, mental and behavioral health, climate preparedness, education, and workforce development. Earlier this year, the Legislature voted to transfer the state’s $4.8 billion allocation from ARPA, which must be allocated by 2024, into a separate fund to ensure stakeholder and resident engagement in a public process. Following six public hearings and more than a thousand pieces of testimony received, the House and Senate spending proposals were unanimously approved by each chamber, resulting in the compromise bill. This bill utilizes $2.55 billion in ARPA funds and $1.45 billion in FY21 surplus funds.
I worked alongside Senator Moore to secure $205,000 for Shrewsbury Youth and Family Services, $75,000 for Shrewsbury to establish a food bank and related programs to be operated by the Town in partnership with private non-profit organizations currently operating on a limited basis, and $50,000 for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning upgrades for Shrewsbury Public Schools in the final bill. The Westborough delegation was able to secure $25,000 for the Westborough Food Pantry to provide assistance to those experiencing food insecurity. I also worked alongside colleagues Representative Garlick and Senator Comerford to secure $200M for local public health as part of the SAPHE initiative we have been working on in the Legislature and my colleagues in the Food System Caucus to help secure $44.8M in food security and system investments.
Further notable investments included in the bill include $500 million for premium pay bonuses for essential workers (up to $2,000 per worker), $500 million for the Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund, $150 million for supportive housing, $150 million for public housing authorities to maintain and upgrade existing infrastructure, $400 million in mental and behavioral health supports, $44.8 million for food security, $100 million for water and sewer infrastructure investments through the Clean Water Trust, $100 million for environmental infrastructure grants, including the Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) program, and $100 million to improve indoor air-quality in schools and support healthy learning environments for grants to public school districts with high concentrations of low-income students, English language learners, and communities disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. There is approximately $2.3 billion in federal ARPA money provided to Massachusetts remaining unspent. It is important that this funding be earmarked in the coming year to address some of the most critical needs facing the residents of the Commonwealth and ensure a robust post-pandemic recovery.
Redistricting: On October 21, I joined my colleagues to support the establishment of new district maps for the House of Representatives that will take effect for the 2022 state elections. House Bill 4210, An Act relative to establishing representative districts in the General Court, which was subsequently passed in the Senate and signed into law by Governor Baker. The new legislative districts outlined in House Bill 4210 reflect the population changes identified by the 2020 U.S. Census. Legislators are required to redraw the districts every 10 years based on the Census results to ensure a roughly equal number of people reside in each district. With Massachusetts’ population increasing to 7,029,917, the size of each Representative’s district has grown to an average of 43,937 compared to 40,923 in 2011, the last year the maps were redrawn.
I currently represent the 11th Worcester District, comprised of Shrewsbury and Westborough Precincts 4 and 5. Beginning after the 2022 election, my district will be comprised of Shrewsbury and Westborough Precinct 4 and unfortunately, I had to lose Precinct 5 as the district size would have exceeded the upper size limit. I worked hard this fall to make sure I would still represent part of Westborough in the House come 2022, and I will welcome a new colleague who will represent the new seat that was created to include the balance of Westborough, most of Northborough, all of Southborough and part of Framingham.
Members of the Joint Special Committee on Redistricting held 20 hearings and created a website to solicit input from the public on the new House district maps. The committee took those comments into consideration when filing its final recommendations on October 19, noting that it worked to ensure that the new districts “comply with all constitutional and legal requirements,” including prior federal decisions and rulings issued by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court. The new House maps expand the number of majority-minority districts across the state from 20 to 33, reflecting increases in the state’s Black, Asian, and Hispanic populations.
Emergency paid sick leave: On September 27, Governor Baker signed H4127, An Act extending COVID-19 Massachusetts emergency paid sick leave into law. The bill extends COVID-19 emergency paid sick leave until April 2022 or until $60M in applications for sick leave have been submitted to the Administration. It was previously set to expire on September 30, 2021. The new law also expands eligibility to any person who is “obtaining an immunization related to COVID-19 or is recovering from an injury, disability, illness or condition related to such immunization” and sets aside $500,000 to establish a public information campaign to educate the public on emergency paid sick leave and its extension.
Emergency access to insulin: The Joint Committee on Financial Services held a public hearing on December 9 in which H1132, An Act relative to emergency insulin access was heard. I filed H1132 along with Representative Lewis in the House and Senator Lesser in the Senate. The bill, known nationally as “Kevin’s Law,” would allow pharmacists in Massachusetts to dispense up to a 30-day supply of insulin in an emergency situation when a medical practitioner’s authorization cannot be “readily obtained.” The untimely death of Kevin Houdeshell on New Year’s Eve in 2013 inspired his father, Dan, to push for this law in states across the nation, several of which have passed similar bills. Kevin tragically passed away in his home after falling into diabetic ketoacidosis due to his pharmacy being unable to reach his doctor to prescribe him more insulin over the holiday weekend. H1132 is common-sense legislation that will save lives, and I thank Mr. Houdeshell and the advocates he has joined forces with to fight for its passage. I hope to see it become law in Massachusetts this session.
Protecting community hospitals: On November 17, I joined my colleagues in the House to support legislation that would update the determination of needs process for Massachusetts health care facilities. H4253, An Act enhancing the market review process would also strengthen consumer protection and enforcement measures for expansions of health care facilities, similar to the existing protections already in place for mergers and acquisitions. The bill is now in the Senate for its consideration. The bill authorizes the Health Policy Commission (HPC) to conduct a cost and market impact review to determine if any planned hospital expansion would create a dominant market share for the services offered by the health care provider or would lead to higher prices for the same services in the same market. The HPC would also be authorized to initiate a review to determine if the proposed expansion would have a “significant impact” on competition or the state’s ability to meet its health care costs growth benchmark. In addition, the Attorney General’s office would be empowered to conduct an investigation based on HPC’s findings. H4253 also calls for the Health Planning Council, which currently falls under the Executive Office of Health and Human Services, to be re-constituted under the Health Policy Commission, and to assemble an advisory committee of up to 15 members reflecting “a broad distribution of diverse perspectives on the health care system.”
Genocide education: On November 16, I joined my colleagues in the House to support legislation that provides for the teaching of genocide education to middle and high school students, beginning with the 2022-2023 academic year. House Bill 4249, An Act concerning genocide education was engrossed on a vote of 157-2 in the House of Representatives and requires school districts to educate students in middle school and high school about the history of genocide, consistent with the standards articulated in the history and social science curriculum framework adopted by the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education. Genocide education will be structured to promote the understanding of human rights issues, with a focus on the inhumanity of genocide, the history and patterns of genocide that demonstrate how hatred against national, ethnic, racial or religious groups impacts nations and societies, and the rejection of the targeting of a specific population and other forms of prejudice that can lead to violence and genocide. The bill also establishes a Genocide Education Trust Fund, which will be partly supported by revenue from fines imposed for hate crimes and civil rights violations. The Fund will be used to develop materials for students detailing the underlying causes, international reaction, progression, and aftermath of genocide, and to provide professional development training for teachers. The bill was previously passed in the Senate and has now been signed into law.
Animal welfare bill: On October 6, the House approved legislation to promote hen welfare and establish uniform cage-free standards for the egg and meat industries. The bill set standards to ensure that livestock used to produce eggs and meats such as pork and veal are not confined to tight spaces that restrict their movement. Without legislative action, a new law that was scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2022, could have led to a shortage of eggs available to consumers due to non-compliance with the previous industry standards established by a 2016 ballot question.
A compromise version of the bill worked out by a six-member House and Senate conference committee was enacted by both branches on December 20 and signed into law by the Governor on December 22. The final bill applies not only to shelled eggs, but to other egg products sold in Massachusetts, such as liquid eggs. It also extends the deadline for pork products to comply with the new standards until August 15, 2022.
Food System Caucus: The Food System Caucus (FSC), of which I am a founder and Co-Chair, had a busy fall working on initiatives to help the Commonwealth continue to recover from the damage COVID-19 caused to our food system, including large spikes in food insecurity. In October, the Food System Caucus weighed in with its ARPA priorities, which included reducing food insecurity, bolstering the food system workforce, building a more resilient food system, and recapitalizing the Food Security Infrastructure Grant Program.
The Caucus was also involved in several events this fall, including two farm tours. In September, FSC members joined a Western Mass Farm Tour, organized by Senator Comerford and Representative Blais. The tour included five stops and gave legislators insight into the issues farmers face in Massachusetts. The FSC was also represented at an Urban Farm Tour in October, during which attendees visited four Boston-area farms and heard directly from farmers and advocates about urban farming issues. Finally, the FSC hosted a briefing in September during which Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Theoharides and Agricultural Resources Commissioner Lebeaux briefed the Caucus on food system resiliency and insecurity programs such as Healthy Incentives Program and FSIG and also led a discussion on long-term priorities for the food system.
Cancer Caucus: In late October, Representative Thomas Golden and I announced the founding of the Massachusetts Legislative Caucus on Cancer Awareness. Co-Chaired by Representative Golden and me, the Caucus is designed to serve as a forum for state lawmakers to learn about topics spanning the cancer continuum, including updated information on prevention, advances in treatment, research and development, barriers to care and clinical trials, quality of life, survivorship, and more. Caucus members will engage in conversation guided by members’ interests and informed by health care experts. The goal is to provide legislators with the knowledge they need to support policies that will provide the best possible outcomes for their constituents who have been touched by cancer. The Caucus is open to all members of the Legislature and supported by a broad coalition of oncology-focused stakeholders, including physician and patient groups, academics, survivors and caregivers.
COVID-19 Updates: In mid-December the central MA delegation had one of our regular update meetings with Dr. Dickson, President and CEO of UMass Memorial Healthcare, and he indicated that the hospital system as a whole is under the greatest stress it has been under during the pandemic. This is due to several reasons, including fewer ICU beds open in the region, not having an open field hospital at the DCU, staffing challenges, the surge of unvaccinated patients accounting for 75% of their ICU beds, and an increased level of breakthrough cases. It is also very challenging mentally and physically for all the medical professionals and hospital staff who have been working essentially non-stop for nearly two years. Dr. Dickson is very worried about his staff and also for people who have delayed access to care for medical challenges and the health impact that delay has once folks seek care for diseases that have progressed. Finally, Dr. Dickson spoke to the challenge of increased behavioral health needs and the systems inability to meet those needs right now. This issue has been a priority for the Legislature and is one we are working on. A recent bill passed in the Senate addressing some of these issues is pending in the House and I am hopeful we will take it up very soon.
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As you are likely aware, the CDC has updated their recommendation on isolation and quarantine period for the general public. These updates come as both the Omicron and Delta variants continue to spread and reflects the current science on when and for how long a person is maximally infectious. It is now recommended to isolate for 5 days rather than 10 for people who are both COVID-19 positive and asymptomatic, followed by 5 days of wearing a mask when around others. Isolation relates to behavior after a confirmed infection.
Additionally, the CSC is updating the recommended quarantine period for those exposed to COVID-19. For people who are unvaccinated or are more than six months out from their second mRNA dose (or more than 2 months after the J&J vaccine) and not yet boosted, the CDC now recommends quarantine for 5 days followed by strict mask use for an additional 5 days. Alternatively, if a 5-day quarantine is not feasible, an exposed person must wear a well-fitted mask around others for 10 days after exposure.
Finally, individuals who have received their booster shot do not need to quarantine following an exposure but should wear a mask for 10 days after the exposure. Quarantine refers to the time following exposure to the virus of close contact with someone known to have COVID-19.
For all those exposed, best practice would also include a test for SARs-CoV-2 at day 5 after exposure. If symptoms occur, individuals should immediately quarantine until a negative test confirms symptoms are not attributable to COVID-19.
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COVID-19 Testing: Access to COVID-19 testing continues to be a challenge due to both testing supplies and staffing issues. The Baker-Polito Administration announced on December 13 that they secured 2.1 million iHealth Labs over the counter (OTC) at-home rapid antigen tests and will deliver them to 102 towns with the highest percentage of families below the poverty level. Each municipality will distribute the tests to the public, with an emphasis on increasing access for individuals and families who are facing financial hardship. The Baker-Polito Administration is also finalizing plans to allow municipalities and other public entities to directly purchase tests from test manufacturers at fixed, state-negotiated prices. The CDC recently issued guidance on self-tests like the iHealth tests, with information on when to consider self-testing, how to complete the tests, and how to react to a positive or negative result. Read the guidance.
COVID-19 Vaccine: The Baker-Polito Administration announced on November 18 that, effective immediately, all Massachusetts residents 18 and up are eligible to get a COVID-19 booster six months after receiving the second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines or two months after receiving a Johnson & Johnson single dose vaccine. Furthermore, on December 10, it was announced by the Department of Public Health that all residents ages 16 and 17 are eligible and encouraged to get a Pfizer COVID-19 booster shot if they are at least 6 months post their initial Pfizer vaccination series. If you are a parent and you would prefer that your child receive their booster from your primary care provider instead of at a pharmacy, please call your PCP directly. Visit the Vaxfinder tool at vaxfinder.mass.gov for a full list of locations to receive a booster. If you are unable to use Vaxfinder, call the COVID-19 Vaccine Resource Line at 2-1-1 and follow the prompts. Getting vaccinated remains the most important thing we can do to protect ourselves, our families, and our community.
Hospital Capacity: The Baker-Polito Administration issued updated hospital guidance, effective Monday, November 30, to conserve inpatient hospital capacity and to protect patients and the healthcare workforce in response to several challenges impacting the Commonwealth’s hospitals. As of 11/30, any hospital or hospital system that has limited capacity must begin to reduce non-essential, non-urgent scheduled procedures to ensure adequate hospital capacity for immediate healthcare needs. This guidance was agreed upon due to the critical staffing shortage across the healthcare system caused by the pandemic. The staffing shortage has also contributed to the loss of hundreds of ICU beds across the Commonwealth. These factors, coupled with rising COVID cases and annual increases in hospitalizations commonly experienced during the holidays, require this concerted effort to preserve inpatient capacity.
Children’s mental health resources: If you are worried about your child’s mental health and not sure where to start or who can help, visit HandholdMA.org, a new family-friendly website with mental health tips, tools, and resources created especially for parents. The mental health resources on #HandholdMA's website are available for kids of all ages in multiple languages, including Portuguese, Creole, Chinese, Spanish and Vietnamese. Navigate to the bottom right of the website to change languages.
Local Funding
Westborough Police Body-Worn Cameras: The Westborough Police Department was awarded $16,803 for their police body-worn cameras program by the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security.
Shrewsbury Strategic Planning: The town of Shrewsbury was awarded by the Baker-Polito Administration $50,000 to help cover some of the costs associated with the Strategic Planning Report underway.
Mass Cultural Council: Al-Hamra Academy in Shrewsbury was awarded a $5,500 grant through Mass Cultural Council’s FY22 STARS Residencies program. STARS, which stands for Students and Teachers working with Artists, Scientists and Scholars, gives awards of $700-$5,500 to schools to support creative learning residencies and bring students and teachers together to create rich cultural learning experiences of three days or more. Additionally, the Westborough Cultural Council was awarded a $1,500 grant from the Mass Cultural Council for the Arts in Common Festival.
Sustainable Materials Recovery Program: Shrewsbury received $16,200 and Westborough received $1,250 in grant funding as part of MassDEP’s Sustainable Materials Recovery Program. The Shrewsbury funding is part of the Recycling Dividends Program (RDP), which recognizes municipalities that have implemented policies and programs proven to maximize the reuse and recycling of materials, as well as waste reduction. Communities that earn RDP payments must reinvest the funds in their recycling programs. The Westborough funding is a Small-Scale Initiatives Grant to help purchase modest but critical recycling materials and outreach tools needed to sustain existing recycling programs or to facilitate new, low-cost initiatives.
Speaking Engagements
Student Nutrition Bill Signing: I joined Governor Baker, LG Polito, Representative Vargas, Representative Garballey, Senator Creem, and Senator DiDomenico for the Student Nutrition Act ceremonial signing at the State House on October 26 and was honored to say a few words about the importance of this new law. The unanimously passed bill expands student access to free meals while eliminating "meal shaming" policies that penalize students unable to pay. Reducing food insecurity is one of the three priorities of the Food System Caucus and I am grateful to the sponsors and the key advocates for their work advancing this bill into law.
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Women’s Rights History Trail: On October 7 I testified in front of the Joint Committee on Tourism, Arts, and Cultural Development alongside Representative Dykema, Representative Gregoire, and Senator Lovely in favor of legislation we re-filed this session, H3379, An Act to create a women's rights history trail. Originally filed by our late colleague Rep. Gail Cariddi, the House voted on this legislation unanimously twice last session, and we are very hopeful that this legislation can pass both chambers this session and be signed into law. The many women from our Commonwealth who contributed to the fabric of our nation, who held an integral role in shaping and advancing American democracy, and who courageously led the Women’s Suffrage movement are central figures in our Commonwealth’s narrative. This legislation directs the development and implementation of a “Women’s Rights History Trail” to promote education and awareness of these notable women and the struggle for women’s rights throughout our history as a Commonwealth.
Public Health Funding: On September 21 I joined Representative Garlick, Senator Comerford, and public health advocates on the front steps of the State House to advocate for a 5% investment of ARPA funding to strengthen our local public health system. We cannot make the local public health system efficient, effective or equitable without implementing the Special Commission on Local and Regional Public Health blueprint. I served on the Special Commission, as did Shrewsbury Town Manager Kevin Mizikar, and our recommendations in the June 2019 report were proven necessary as illustrated to all through the impact of COVID. No other local government agencies are as far-reaching - and generally invisible - no matter where you are - at home, at work, at school, at play, local public health departments are responsible for ensuring your safety and well-being. I was honored to speak at this event and am so pleased and grateful for the $200M funding allocation in the final ARPA bill signed into law by the Governor in December.
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Community Events & Recognitions
DetecTogether: Alarming data shows that firefighters have a 14% greater risk of dying from cancer than the general public and they develop certain cancers at younger ages before they qualify for screening. This is just two of the reasons that DetecTogether partnered with UMass Memorial and hosted a Free Skin Cancer Screening Plus event for Worcester area firefighters this past August at Polar Park. Maddie and I stopped by the event to express our gratitude to all that are working to detect cancer earlier and save lives!
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NEADS World Class Service Dog: I had the joy of visiting NEADS World Class Service Dogs to play with two puppies, Maple and Aspen, who are both training to become service dogs and to get an update on the work of NEADS. We are so fortunate to have this world-class facility in Central Mass and I am proud to be a supporter of their work, which enables people with hearing loss, PTSD, autism, or medical challenges to rely on a trained Service Dog to assist in their daily activities.
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Rotary Club Reading Day: So glad to be back in the classroom for Rotary Reading Day! I spent the morning at Floral Street School where I enjoyed reading three books to Mrs. Caforio’s 2nd grade class of engaged and respectful students!
Veterans Day: It was inspiring to see so many people gathered for the Shrewsbury Veterans Day ceremony at our WWI monument at the former Major Howard Beal school on November 11. Beautiful words were spoken to our Scouts and young attendees by veteran John Travers about the sacrifice of our selfless service members. I started my day in Westborough reflecting with community members at the first stop of the moving service at Minuteman Park.
Good Scout Awards: I was thrilled to honor Ian and Maureen Johnson on November 10, who both received the 2021 Good Scout Award from the Mayflower Council, Boy Scouts of America. Thanks to Ian and Maureen for years of selfless service to the Westborough community and to Scouting.
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Shrewsbury Veterans Day Lunch: On November 10, I joined volunteers with the Shrewsbury Senior Center and Council on Aging to greet and thank our veterans for their service when they came to pick up a delicious turkey dinner cooked by Napoli’s and packaged by volunteers. I was pleased to sponsor this event along with Chief Joseph.
Veterans Affairs Outpatient Clinic: It was wonderful to join United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs Denis McDonough, Lt. Governor Karyn Polito, Congressman Jim McGovern, Senator Elizabeth Warren, Chancellor Collins, my legislative colleagues, veterans, and many others to celebrate the ribbon cutting for the new Veterans Affairs Community-Based Outpatient Clinic in Worcester on the UMass Campus on November 8. New England's 2nd largest city now has a beautiful new facility for veterans, their families, and caregivers to receive healthcare services.
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Spirit of Shrewsbury: Enjoyed visiting the booths at the Spirit of Shrewsbury festival at Oak School in September. While the parade was curtailed due to COVID, it was nice to see the local community gather on Saturday to learn about community organizations and shop local store booths!
Amazon Robotics Campus: On October 21, I joined Lieutenant Governor Polito, Secretary of Housing and Economic Development Mike Kennealy, Select Board member Allen Falcon Edinberg, and local officials for a tour and the official ribbon cutting of Amazon's new Robotics Campus in Westborough. Over 200 new jobs (and growing!) have been created at the former AstraZeneca site on Otis Street, with the majority of employees coming from a 10-mile radius. It was great to see Amazon donate $25K to the Westborough Fire Department and commit to being a good community partner as well.
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Shrewsbury Turkey Trot: Happy to sponsor the Shrewsbury Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving morning and even happier that Patrick runs it and not me! A big thank you and congratulations to all walkers and runners who participated to raise money for Alzheimer’s research.
Westborough Urgent Care: I was pleased to attend the ribbon cutting of ConvenientMD Urgent Care in Westborough at Route 9 & Lyman Street on October 20 and look forward to seeing the impact their presence has on our community in terms of accessible healthcare.
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Fire Chief’s Association: I joined the Fire District Chiefs in Shrewsbury on September 29th to discuss the Fire Chief's Association legislative priorities for this session. Shrewsbury and Westborough are so fortunate to have two terrific Fire Chiefs leading them, Jim Vuona and Patrick Purcell. At the time, Massachusetts had not had a child fatality due to a fire in 2.5 years, the longest period in our history. Much credit to our incredible local fire departments and the state-funded SAFE program that funds firefighters teaching students fire safety protocol.
Beal School: On September 24 I joined local officials and Beal School Leadership and students to celebrate the dedication of the new Major Howard W. Beal School. Thank you to all who worked so hard to conceive this project, advocate for its passage, fund it (both local taxpayers and state MSBA), provide oversight, build it on time and under budget, and to the educators, leadership, and staff who have excitedly brought to life this beautiful new school. I was disappointed that Jim could not attend the event as he served as Chair of the Building Committee for a good portion of the time. Fortunately we attended the community open house on Spirit of Shrewsbury weekend, and we got a great tour from Superintendent Joe Sawyer!
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Manufacturing Awards: Congratulations to Industrial Polymers and Chemicals (IPAC) of Shrewsbury who was awarded a MA Manufacturing Award! I was pleased as a member of the Manufacturing Caucus to nominate IPAC, one of North America’s largest suppliers of fiberglass reinforcements to the abrasives industries. When COVID hit in the spring of 2020, IPAC switched gears to manufacture PPE including hospital gowns, filter systems and plexiglass.
Seven Hills: This fall Seven Hills Foundation’s held their grand opening of their new Child & Family Behavioral Health Center. I am honored to serve as a Trustee for Seven Hills and am so proud of their work and the hard-working and caring staff. Mental health services are desperately needed, and this new facility will bring much needed services and hope to many.
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Little Free Pantry: Rep. Danielle Gregoire and I attended the ribbon cutting for The Little Free Pantry in Westborough, where community members in need can access food and personal care products donated by other community members. You can learn more here.
20th Anniversary of 9/11: I attended September 11th memorial services in both Shrewsbury and Westborough in remembrance of that tragic day in American history and to pay respects to the brave men and women of the Shrewsbury and Westborough Fire and Police Departments who put their lives on the line to protect us.
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ADVISE: I am grateful to ADVISE (Against Domestic Violence in Shrewsbury Education project) for hosting the 2021 Shrewsbury Domestic Violence Vigil, a vigil to remember victims and survivors and to raise awareness about domestic violence. Thank you so much to all who work to prevent domestic violence, support survivors, and hold perpetrators accountable. I was honored to attend this annual event.
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UMass Chan Medical School: In early September I joined Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito, UMass Leadership, faculty, and students to celebrate a transformational $175M donation, the largest unrestricted gift to the UMass system, from the Chan family in honor of their parents, to the now named UMass Chan Medical School. Our state's medical school is world-class, and the Chan family's investment is an acknowledgement of the school’s prowess, strong leadership, and the importance of public health.
Shrewsbury Police Station: It was exciting to join local officials and members of our community for the official groundbreaking of the new Shrewsbury Police Station. I am so grateful for all who worked hard and advocated to make the new Station a reality and to the SPD officers who come to work each day ready to serve and protect our community selflessly. We are also fortunate to have a great Building Committee committed to delivering the new police station on time and on budget.
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Eagle Scouts: Congratulations to Shrewsbury Troop 227 members John “Jack” Wensky and Anthony Thomas for each achieving the rank of Eagle Scout!
Contacting my office
As a reminder, the State House is closed to the public and my Legislative Aide Anna Darrow and I are working remotely. We are fully accessible via email, and we are constantly checking our office voicemail. You can reach our office voicemail at 617-722-2810 and by email at Hannah.Kane@mahouse.gov or Anna.Darrow@mahouse.gov.
The next month will include a time of transition in my office as sadly Anna’s last day with me will be Friday, January 21st. Anna has worked almost all of her time in my office during COVID, with only five months in the State House before we went remote. Anna has done an excellent job during a very demanding period of time, working with a very high volume of constituents during COVID to navigate and solve their challenges with unemployment, small business and other COVID related issues. I am so grateful for her caring, empathetic and dogged approach to helping residents of the district. Anna has also been a key staff member of the Food System Caucus and has helped me advance many of my priorities. While I am very sad to see her go, I am thrilled that she has a new opportunity that she will excel in and I am very grateful to have had Anna by my virtual side during the past two years as we worked together to help people. I am in the process of hiring a new Legislative Aide and will look forward to sharing more information soon.
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While this email is not inclusive of all my work, I hope the information is relevant and helpful. My prior update emails can be found on my website, www.rephannahkane.com in the “Updates from Hannah” section and I will continue to post regular updates on my State Representative Facebook page.
Please do not hesitate to reach out if I can be of assistance.
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Hannah Kane
State Representative
11th Worcester District
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