Falling Into Action

Surrounded by Senator Mike Barrett and Senator Cindy Friedman, I joined with young activists from Lexington High School on September 20th to demand action on the climate crisis

As the weather turns and the General Court kicks back into high gear, I wanted to update you on the education bill that was recently released by the Joint Committee on Education and unanimously passed by the Senate. I also wanted to let you know about my upcoming office hours in Woburn and Lexington.

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Student Opportunity Act

As you may have heard, the Joint Committee on Education recently released the long-awaited Student Opportunity Act. Without a doubt, this thoughtful, comprehensive legislation will make our statewide education funding more equitable. It will also make tremendous progress toward implementing the recommendations of the Foundation Budget Review Commission.

The Senate took up the bill last week and, after debate and some amendments, passed it unanimously. I look forward to continuing to evaluate this legislation as it makes its way to the House of Representatives, and I welcome your input. You can read more about it here.

While on the topic of education, I want to acknowledge the hard work of Minuteman Superintendent Ed Bouquillon and his team at Minuteman High School for putting together a tremendous grand re-opening celebration for the newly remodeled school. After remarks by State Treasurer Deb Goldberg and Senator Cindy Friedman, I had the pleasure of presenting a citation I authored, which was signed by nine of my colleagues in the House who represent communities in the Minuteman School District. The facility is second to none, and I cannot wait to see the 21st century teaching and learning that are made possible as a result!

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​Climate Strike & Green Works

In my last newsletter, I told you about the Green Works bill the House passed to help address the urgent need to reduce carbon consumption. As this bill is still making its way through the General Court, having not yet been considered by the Senate, I encourage you to weigh in on its merits and share your ideas with me and my colleagues on the Senate side. With the recent climate strikes, we are all reminded of the urgency of addressing global warming, and I welcome your input on actions we can take at the state level to accelerate our response to this crisis.

Left and above: more images from the Climate Strike at Lexington High School on September 20th.

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Upcoming Office Hours

As a public servant, it is critical for me to hear from my constituents in order to do my job appropriately. In that spirit, I am pleased to announce my upcoming office hours throughout the 15th Middlesex. Come join me to hear about the latest happenings at the State House and let me know how I can best represent you in Boston.
 
October 17th, 4:30 pm
Panera Bread, 1684 Massachusetts Ave, Lexington
 
November 6th, 8:30 am
Woburn City Hall
 
December 3rd, 5:00 pm
Lexington Community Center
 
January 13th, 2:35 pm 
Lexington High School  (10 minutes after dismissal)
 
January 28th, 2:01 pm 
Woburn Memorial High School (10 minutes after dismissal)
 
February 4th, 7:30 pm
Lexington Community Center
 
March 12th, 5:30 pm
Woburn Public Library
 
April 7th, 8:00 am
Ride Studio Cafe, Lexington
 
May 15th, 9:30 am
Lexington Public Library

 
Please note: all dates are tentative and subject to change. Any changes will be communicated ahead of time through as many channels as possible. All events will last one hour.

I recently submitted two Home Rule Petitions on behalf of the Town of Lexington to be considered by the General Court. On September 24th, I was joined by my colleague and friend, Jill Hai, Vice-Chair of the Board of Selectmen, as we gave testimony on the petitions.
 
You can follow these measures, which would rename the Board of Selectmen the "Select Board" and add a member to Town Meeting, as they proceed through the legislative process: H.4062 and H.4035.

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Hearing your thoughts and concerns by email or letter is also a terrific way for me to stay current on the pulse of public sentiment! Given the volume of correspondence I receive, I am unfortunately only able to respond to those who write from the 15th Middlesex District.
 
If you are writing me from Lexington or Woburn, please indicate in your note that you would like a response along with your home address and a good telephone number. My Legislative Aide, Mason Heilman ([email protected]), and I will do our best to get back to you as soon as possible.
 
If you require urgent assistance, please follow up with us by email as well as phone at 617-722-2210.