House Passes $1.8 Billion Infrastructure Bond Bill

A bill passed by the Massachusetts House of Representatives this spring which authorizes up to $1.8 billion in capital funding for key investments in public safety, food security, and information technology has now become law. The bill, H.4932 An Act financing the general governmental infrastructure of the Commonwealth, includes programs to enhance the safety and security of the…

DMF to Distribute $28 Million in Relief for Fishing and Seafood Industries

The Commonwealth’s Division of Marine Fisheries is distrubuting $27.8 million in federal disaster relief funding to mitigate the financial impacts to the fishing and seafood industries from the COVID-19 pandemic. The Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) worked with fishing industry stakeholders and legislators to develop a plan to distribute the federal fisheries assistance, which has…

MassGrown Exchange Platform Launched

I am pleased to announce that today the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR), in collaboration with the Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF), has launched the MassGrown Exchange online platform to link food system channels and help facilitate business-to-business connections within the local food system for products and services. When COVID-19 hit in earnest in March of…

House Passes Climate Change Legislation

Last week, I proudly joined my colleagues in the Massachusetts House of Representatives to pass legislation building on the House’s continued commitment to address the effects of climate change by requiring the Commonwealth to achieve net-zero statewide greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.  An Act Creating a 2050 Roadmap to a Clean and Thriving Commonwealth (H. 4933)…

House Passes Economic Development Bill

I am pleased to report that last week, the Economic Development Bill that I originally authored passed the Massachusetts House of Representatives.  This omnibus bill contains provisions to equitably address our housing crisis, support vibrant neighborhoods, strengthen Massachusetts competitiveness, and create pipelines to higher paying jobs and careers for Massachusetts residents. The bill also contains a…

Food Security Infrastructure Grants Available

Applications for the Commonwealth’s Food Security Infrastructure Grants are now being accepted on a rolling basis through September 15, 2020. The goal of the Food Security Infrastructure Grant Program is to ensure that individuals and families throughout the Commonwealth have access to food, with a special focus on food that is produced locally and provides equitable access to…

New Travel Order and Updated Guidance

Starting August 1st, all travelers entering the Commonwealth, including out of state residents, Massachusetts residents returning home, and students returning to campus, will be required to comply with a new travel order.  All visitors and Massachusetts residents returning home must fill out a “Massachusetts Travel Form” and quarantine for 14 days unless they are coming…