Take a moment to look at the I have filed this session that have a direct impact on the western and north central Massachusetts communities I serve. Please note that the bills listed below are also cross-listed in the relevant policy category.

You can also view all bills I’ve co-sponsored this session here.

Filed bills

An Act creating a Municipal and Public Safety Building Authority

Buildings such as town offices, fire stations, police stations, and highway facilities are critical to the operation of a municipality. Yet, many small towns in western Massachusetts and throughout the state do not have the tax base or the borrowing capacity to build or upgrade their aging or inadequate municipal buildings. My bill creates an independent public authority, similar to authorities that help finance municipal school buildings and libraries, to provide matching funds for local municipal and public safety buildings.

 

An Act defining clean energy

In 2024, the legislature passed significant and necessary clean energy legislation (An Act promoting a clean energy grid, advancing equity and protecting ratepayers). However, provisions in the new law amended the way the state defines a clean energy generating source to newly include both nuclear fusion and pumped hydro storage power plants. Nuclear fusion, the process used to generate energy from nuclear power plants, is not a clean energy process — uranium mining, disposal of radioactive waste, and far-reaching consequences from nuclear power accidents represent serious risks and challenges to environmental and human health. Similarly, the construction of dams and reservoirs for pumped hydro storage facilities can affect local ecosystems, displace people and wildlife, and produce methane emissions, among other concerns. My bill removes nuclear fusion and pumped hydro storage from the definition of clean energy, and also prevents existing energy storage systems from being eligible for state procurements — ensuring that the state meets its climate goals by procuring new energy storage, and not by providing additional incentives for existing storage facilities. 

 

An Act encouraging the donation of food to persons in need

Food insecurity levels across the Commonwealth remain high, with one in three households reporting experiencing food insecurity. At the same time, food waste accounts for more than one fifth of Massachusetts’ trash. Many farmers want to donate their excess crops, but donating excess crops requires storage, time, and labor, all of which cost money. My bill facilitates the donation of food from farms, grocery stores, and restaurants by extending liability protection in existing law to allow for direct food donations, and creates a tax credit of up to $25,000 for the donation of food to non-profit organizations.

 

An Act ensuring tuition equity at the Stockbridge School of Agriculture

The Stockbridge School of Agriculture at the University of Massachusetts Amherst hosts a unique associate degree (AS) program for students interested in pursuing a career or further education in agriculture. Stockbridge’s AS program sets students up for success, with most students finding employment after graduation or transferring to a bachelor program within the University system. However, enrollment in the Stockbridge AS program has dropped precipitously over the last 20 years. One significant factor is the high cost of a Stockbridge associate degree compared to a similar degree from a Massachusetts community college. MassEducate, the state’s newly launched free community college program, makes this differential even wider. My bill expands MassEducate to include the Stockbridge School of Agriculture, enabling students to pursue an associate degree in agriculture without worrying about the cost. 

 

An Act establishing an ecologically-based mosquito management program in the Commonwealth to protect public health

Our current mosquito management system, based on a statute enacted in 1918, is woefully out of date. The structure is fragmented, does not reflect current scientific understanding, provides no opportunity for public input, and uses environmentally toxic pesticide spraying as the primary response to mosquito-related threats. My bill updates the state’s mosquito control system to prioritize education, monitoring, and habitat modification and allows pesticide use only for disease control. The bill prohibits aerial spraying of pesticides and completely bans the use of chemicals containing PFAS. The bill also allows residents and municipalities to opt out of ground-level spraying, unless the Governor has declared a state of emergency.

 

An Act expanding access to trails for people of all abilities

Outdoor trails connect people with nature, promote active lifestyles, and protect natural spaces while fostering community. Unfortunately, many public trails remain inaccessible to people with disabilities and mobility limitations — of the nearly 4,000 miles of trails in state parks, only 7.5 miles meet accessible trail guidelines. In 2023, I filed legislation to create a working group of state agencies, disability advocates, and conservation organizations to assess trail accessibility and recommend effective access policies. In 2024, Governor Healey launched the Trails for All Initiative, implementing many provisions from my bill. I am refiling this legislation to codify in law a policy to maximize equitable access to trails, outdoor spaces, and outdoor recreational activities for people of all abilities, permanently establish an advisory council to advise the state on trail access, and create a state fund to support this important work.

 

An Act investing in natural and working lands

When a parcel of forest, farmland, or a wetland is developed and permanently converted to another use, biodiversity, local food systems, and public and environmental health are negatively impacted, and the Commonwealth’s ability to fight climate change now and into the future is reduced. Although Massachusetts’ natural and working lands are critical to prevent runaway global warming, the state does not currently have a ‘no net loss’ goal or requirement. My bill gives the Commonwealth the mission to preserve our natural and working lands and wetlands. It directs state agencies to prevent the permanent conversion of these lands, and recognizes the financial burden on the municipalities that are stewarding the lands that we all need to survive. It also updates the threshold for an environmental impact review to grapple with modern day developments like solar and battery facilities.

 

An Act maintaining the state disaster relief and resiliency trust fund

In 2023, after a summer of devastating storms, I filed legislation to create the state’s first permanent disaster relief fund. Thanks to the work and partnership of the Governor and great colleagues, most of that policy was signed into law and the Disaster Relief and Resiliency Trust Fund was established. This fund will provide financial assistance to municipalities, organizations, farms, businesses, and individuals to recover from natural disasters. However, the language signed into law did not include a dedicated revenue stream for the fund. My bill protects the fund’s long-term sustainability by redirecting ten percent of the state’s excess capital gains taxes to the fund, ensuring that state support is always available to help our communities in the wake of future natural disasters.

 

An Act promoting geographic equity in state-funded housing development

In August 2024, Governor Maura Healey signed the Affordable Homes Act (AHA) into law, authorizing a transformative $5.1 billion investment in housing production over the next five years. It is imperative that the Commonwealth track where the funds are disbursed to ensure maximum impact and equitable distribution throughout the state. My bill requires the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (HLC) to publicly report on all funding and housing production resulting from the AHA, as well as any other state funding distributed for housing production. The bill also requires HLC to ensure geographic equity in the state’s Qualified Allocation Plan, the document which helps guide how and where to allocate federal funding for affordable housing.

 

An Act protecting consumers from unreasonable utility rate increases

Constituents are struggling with high costs for electricity and home heating. In 2023, Massachusetts had the fourth-highest average retail electricity rates in the nation. The gas and electricity rates that we pay to utilities must be approved by the Department of Public Utilities (DPU), and current rules allow utilities in Massachusetts to make higher profits than utilities in other states are allowed. My bill protects electricity and gas consumers by prohibiting the DPU from approving a rate request that would result in a utility earning a higher profit than what is allowed in neighboring states.

 

An Act providing for timely reimbursement of cities and towns for veterans’ benefits

Local veterans’ service officers provide critical, often life-saving resources and services to veterans across the Commonwealth. The state shares the cost of veteran’s services with municipalities, however, cities and towns often wait a full year to be reimbursed by the state, imposing a significant strain on local budgets, particularly in small towns. My bill directs the Executive Office of Veterans’ Services to reimburse municipalities within six months of any expenditure being certified so that municipalities can better support veterans and not be burdened financially awaiting reimbursement.

 

An Act providing for transparency and geographic equity in all state grant funding

Appropriating grant funding is a key function of state government. Grant funds are used to support education programs, environmental conservation work, public health services, community development efforts, municipal infrastructure projects, and much more. Despite the importance and prevalence of these funds, Massachusetts does not track nor report on grant funding in aggregate, making it impossible to evaluate the impact of state funding or assess whether grants are distributed equitably. My bill directs the Executive Office of Administration and Finance to create an interactive, publicly accessible dashboard with data on all state grant funding, including information on how much grant funding is distributed each year to every county and every municipality in Massachusetts. The bill also requires an annual report evaluating geographic equity in the distribution of state grant funding, with recommendations for how the state can improve geographic equity in the following year.

 

An Act relative to an agricultural healthy incentives program

The Healthy Incentives Program (HIP) provides Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) users with extra benefits each month when they buy healthy, local fruits and vegetables from participating farm vendors. HIP provides critical nutrition and food access for food insecure residents, essential revenue for farmers, and jobs and increased economic development activity in communities across the state. Despite its importance, HIP is not enshrined in statute and can experience abrupt funding cuts. My bill establishes a permanent, year-round Healthy Incentives Program in statute, ensuring stability for residents and farmers alike.

 

An Act relative to the Quabbin watershed and regional equity

Nearly 87 years ago, the state disincorporated and flooded four towns so that eastern Massachusetts could have reliable access to pristine drinking water. The communities that surround (what’s now known as) the Quabbin Reservoir steward an invaluable resource, but they cannot access Quabbin water and receive minimal compensation for their sacrifice. My bill creates a Quabbin Host Community Development Trust Fund, into which the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA) will deposit $35 million annually, indexed to inflation. These funds will be provided to Quabbin watershed communities for municipal needs and to non-profit and cultural organizations that serve the health, welfare, safety, and transportation needs of Quabbin watershed communities. The bill also provides payments in lieu of taxes (PILOT) for the land under the Quabbin reservoir and adds representatives from Quabbin watershed communities to the MWRA board. Lastly, the bill prohibits the MWRA from approving any new transfer of water from the Quabbin Reservoir until they have completed a study and evaluation on providing Quabbin water to surrounding communities in western and north central Massachusetts. 

 

An Act fostering agricultural resilience in Massachusetts (the FARM bill)

Despite their essential role in the Commonwealth’s food system and economy, many farmers struggle to make a profit and keep their farms and businesses afloat. Between 2017 and 2022, Massachusetts lost farmland at twice the national rate, losing approximately 27,000 acres, and American Farmland Trust estimates that Massachusetts could lose an additional 89,000 acres of its remaining farmland by 2040 without significant new investments and policy changes. My bill makes a number of reforms to support farms and farmers and preserve valuable farmland, including directing the state to maximize the amount of local food that is distributed through state food assistance programs, creating a grant to support training for new farmers, allowing farmers to use state grants for used farm equipment, facilitating agritourism, and other initiatives to strengthen the state’s food systems and help farmers remain competitive and viable.

 

An Act to provide a sustainable future for rural schools

Rural schools face many structural challenges, including declining enrollments, stagnating local tax bases, disproportionately high transportation and special education costs, and a state funding formula that favors schools with dense populations and larger enrollments. My bill addresses these and other issues by providing funding for regional schools, school building construction and renovation, and exceptional transportation and special education costs; supporting shared services among regional schools and looking for ways to reduce their health care costs; and establishing commissions to review and update special education regulations and funding to better support rural schools. The bill also ensures representation from western Massachusetts on the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education so that our communities have a voice in the state’s decision-making body. 

 

An Act to reform payments in lieu of taxes for state-owned land

The state-owned land “PILOT” (payments in lieu of taxes) program reimburses municipalities for the loss of property tax revenue due to tax-exempt state-owned land within their borders. However, the state-owned land PILOT reimbursement formula dramatically shortchanges western Massachusetts cities and towns and disproportionately rewards urban and suburban communities in eastern Massachusetts. My bill rebalances the formula for distributing PILOT funds based on recommendations from a 2020 State Auditor report to achieve fair reimbursements to western Massachusetts cities and towns. For the first time this session, my bill also proposes that we value the “ecosystem services” provided by our natural and working lands, like clean air, water, and carbon sequestration — those services that allow for life on earth.

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