Commonwealth Announces COVID-19 Boosters Available for Children Ages 5-11

Following updated guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Commonwealth of Massachusetts announced today that all Massachusetts residents ages 5-11 are eligible to receive a Pfizer COVID-19 booster. The booster should be administered at least five months after completion of a primary COVID-19 vaccine series to provide continued protection against COVID-19.…

Budgeting for Success

Last week, the Massachusetts House of Representatives passed a balanced budget for the 2023 fiscal year, which starts July 1, 2022. As the Vice Chair of the House Committee on Ways and Means, I had the privilege of working closely with Chair Aaron Michlewitz and the House Ways and Means Committee and staff in developing…

Massachusetts House of Representatives Passes FY23 Budget

The Massachusetts House of Representatives yesterday passed its Fiscal Year 2023 (FY23) budget. This budget responsibly responds to the needs of residents and makes targeted investments to support families in the Commonwealth. Funded at $49.73 billion, the House’s FY23 budget continues its strong commitment to cities and towns, and includes significant investments in health care,…

Newburyport/Rockport Commuter Rail Line Temporary Service Changes

Starting next week, there will be service changes on the Newburyport/Rockport Commuter Rail Line to accommodate ongoing work to significantly improve signals, track, and bridges. During this construction, bus shuttles will replace trains on specific dates. Important safety and reliability work taking place during these Newburyport/Rockport Line shuttle bus diversions includes the replacement of the…

Offshore wind lease dollars seen as potential fishing aid

The Baker administration and the Massachusetts Legislature have been gung-ho about pursuing offshore wind power and preparing the state’s infrastructure to deal with the consequences of climate change, but lawmakers last week impressed upon the administration the importance of keeping the state’s historic fishing industry in mind as well. “We’ve been taking steps over the…

New Small Business Relief Program

Today, the Commonwealth announced a new $75 million grant program to support Massachusetts small businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The new program is part of the plan to spend $4 billion in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding that was passed by the House of Representatives in December 2021. The new program is modeled after Massachusetts Growth Capital Corporation’s (MGCC)…