Pride, public health, and body size discrimination

Greetings from Beacon Hill!

Every month I say how busy it’s been, and June is no different. My team and I are hard at work, advocating for people throughout our District and social justice priorities in our Commonwealth.

Boston Pride Parade

A real highlight for me was marching with my entire family in the Boston Pride Parade. Our oldest even had a few moments of “leading” the Senate crew!

Education Forum

My team and I also hosted an Education Forum at the Millis Library, featuring a presentation on school funding by Senator Jason Lewis, Co-chair of the Joint Committee on Education, and a truly engaged and informative dialogue with residents and school employees from the district.

We heard several concerns about funding issues specifically related to charter schools, low income students, special education students, regional school transportation, and vocational education. Thank you to everyone who attended. If you couldn’t make it, don’t worry… we’re planning to host another forum in the Fall. Stay tuned for details.

Body size discrimination

June was also packed full of hearings and testimony at the State House. In a hearing before the Judiciary Committee, I testified on S.1012, our bill to prohibit body size discrimination. I offered the Committee some background facts, what I called “the skinny on fatness,” before explaining the prevalence and ramifications of body size discrimination, unpacking the bill a bit, and asking for a favorable report.

The Roe Act and public health

Later in that same hearing, I stood with dozens of my colleagues to support the ROE Act, a critical piece of legislation to protect people’s access to abortion care in Massachusetts.

As a member of the Public Health Committee, I heard extensive testimony on the End of Life Options bill.

Transparency, voter access and good governance

I also offered testimony this month on my bills to promote governmental efficiency, require administrative information governance, and expand voter access.

Finally, in a constitutional convention, I joined over 75% of my legislative colleagues in voting YES to advance the Fair Share Amendment to the next stage of the process. 

Plenty accomplished. And plenty more to do.

Please follow along on Twitter and Facebook, and don’t hesitate to call our office at 617-722-1555 or stop by Room 218 in the State House.

Yours in service,