Rep. Stanley and Rep. Lawn helped pass nation-leading climate legislation known as the Next Generation Climate Roadmap bill, which overhauls the state’s climate laws, reduces greenhouse gas emissions, advances the clean energy industry, and prioritizes and protects environmental justice communities. Senator Mike Barrett (D-Lexington), Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy, sponsored the bill which is now headed to the Governor’s desk after being approved by the House and Senate.

The passage of the climate bill comes after a joint commitment from Senate President Karen E. Spilka and House Speaker Ronald Mariano to quickly refile the legislation following a gubernatorial veto last session. This session Governor Baker offered amendments to the bill, which have been considered by the Legislature. The House and Senate rejected efforts to slow the rate of progress toward net-zero emissions by 2050, while accepting a number of more technical amendments that improve the bill.

The Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development (EOLWD), through the Department of Industrial Accidents, awarded a $25,000 Workplace Safety Training Grant to TG Gallagher to train 100 workers by June 2021. As part of EOLWD, the Department of Industrial Accidents administers this initiative to provide Massachusetts companies with the financial assistance to promote safe and healthy conditions in the workplace by funding preventative safety training and education programs. TG Gallagher specializes in HVAC, plumbing, fire protection, refrigeration, maintenance, design-build, design-assist, BIM, pre-planning, budgeting, system analysis, and deferred maintenance planning.

As Chair of the Joint Committee on Elder Affairs, Rep. Stanley oversees the LGBT Aging Commission. Last month, Rep. Stanley hosted the Commission’s spring quarterly meeting. The LGBT Aging Commission is tasked with analyzing and studying the health, housing, financial, psychosocial and long-term care needs of older LGBT adults and their caregivers, and with making recommendations to improve access to benefits and services where appropriate and as needed.

The Commonwealth is working with local Boards of Health and developed a statewide program to offer in-home vaccinations for homebound individuals who cannot leave their home to get to a vaccination site. Click here to view a detailed resource guide on the Massachusetts Homebound Vaccination Program.

Rep. Stanley recently signed onto a letter to the House and Senate Ways and Means Committees in support of the Community Mediation Center (CMC) Grant Program FY22 budget request. This past year has seen an unprecedented increase in the need for mediation services to help mitigate the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Massachusetts Office of Public Collaboration and the local Community Mediation Centers partnered to establish a new statewide Housing Mediation Program to provide eviction diversion services and promote housing stability while saving millions of dollars in avoided evictions and emergency sheltering costs.

This program is an evidence-based, statutory framework that awards operational funding to 12 qualified local Community Mediation Centers operating throughout the Commonwealth, that primarily serve low-income and marginalized communities. Their services are free or low-cost and are provided by trained volunteers for disputes referred through the courts, government agencies, and the wider community. This funding is crucial to ensuring the continued success of this program.

As a state representative and Waltham City Councilor, Rep. Stanley is proud to share a list of frequently asked questions about Waltham Community Electricity, an electricity supply program organized by the City of Waltham. After Rep. Stanley and councilors approved the program in 2018, it was presented for public review before given final approval by the City Council in 2019.

The Department of Public Utilities approved the program plan in November of 2020, which allowed the City to launch the program in the spring of 2021. The program, known as municipal aggregation, is authorized by state law to enable cities and towns to deliver the benefits of the competitive electricity market to their residents and businesses. The law empowers the municipality to create a large buying group of the electricity customers within its boundaries that are not yet using a competitive electricity supply.

Rep. Stanley recently filed a City Council resolution studying the community impact fee (CIF) on short term rentals, hoping to raise funds for affordable housing initiatives to meet the increasing need for affordable homes for individuals and families in Waltham. The state’s short-term rental tax is currently six percent of a room rental charge while the CIF is three percent of a room-rental charge. Assuming the added CIF charge does not negatively impact travel or tourism, Waltham could expect an additional 50 percent revenue from short-term rentals. Therefore, if the CIF was fully implemented by Waltham in September 2021, the City would receive $354,265 annually in additional funding (up to 50%) which could then be allocated to affordable housing initiatives. View the Department of Revenue’s annual rooms tax revenues collected for Waltham for 2019, 2020 and 2021 on Rep. Stanley’s website. 

Rep. Stanley filed a bill to establish a statewide affirmatively furthering fair housing framework (AFFH) framework, requiring developers of new apartment buildings or condominium complexes to analyze the impact of their developments on fair housing and submit plans to both the municipality and Department of Housing and Community Development demonstrating that their developments advance housing accessibility. A Globe Editorial from last year recommended for the Legislature to consider adopting a statewide approach to support Boston's recent AFFH rule.

The Executive Office of Health and Human Services and respective agencies released a series of new guidance documents for health care and human service providers that supports the safe reopening of programs and provider sites and protects workers, patients, families, and the public. Additionally, the Executive Office of Health and Human Services, Department of Public Health (DPH), and Executive Office of Elder Affairs (EOEA) recently released updated guidance to long-term care facilities (nursing and rest homes), Assisted Living Residences (ALRs), and congregate care settings in response to the high rates of residents and staff that are now vaccinated against COVID-19 in these settings. These changes align with recent guidance published by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Click here for detailed information.

The Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women announced its second year hosting The Girls Initiative. The Girls Initiative is a series of virtual round table conversations that provide space for girl identified youth living in Massachusetts to advocate for themselves and their community. The discussions will serve as a space where girls can share how they have been impacted and what are some possible solutions as we move forward in the process of healing. The MCSW will summarize all the conversations and information (anonymously!) into a Girls Report which will be shared with State Legislators and helps them see what the community is identifying as their own needs and what policy changes could help address those needs. Learn more.

Registration is open for the May 6 symposium on older adult mental health. The National Council on Aging, U.S. Administration for Community Living, and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration sponsor the day-long symposium. Issues around mental health are especially relevant during the COVID-19 pandemic and particularly for older adults who may already face isolation and loneliness. This free, virtual event will empower professionals with the latest tools to improve the lives of older adults in their communities, both during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Tom Coderre, acting Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use, will provide opening remarks at 10 a.m. in support of all who provided services to older adults and their families during this very difficult year. Learn more.

Gov. Baker announced that more than $400 million in new federal funding from the Consolidated Appropriations Act is now available through the Administration’s Eviction Diversion Initiative (EDI). First launched in October 2020, EDI consists of a comprehensive set of resources that serves individuals, families and landlords in crisis with financial aid, free and low-cost legal aid and community mediation to keep people in their homes. The infusion of more than $400 million in federal resources, which is expected to be supplemented by hundreds of millions in additional dollars through the American Rescue Plan Act, allows the Commonwealth to provide longer-term relief to low-income renters and landlords in crisis, while implementing system efficiencies and processes for the future.

Governor Baker signed comprehensive climate change legislation which supports the Administration’s commitment to achieve Net Zero emissions in 2050 and furthers the state’s nation leading efforts to combat climate change and protect vulnerable communities. The new law, Senate Bill 9 - An Act Creating a Next Generation Roadmap for Massachusetts Climate Policy, establishes new interim goals for emissions reductions, significantly increases protections for Environmental Justice communities across Massachusetts, authorizes the Administration to implement a new, voluntary energy efficient building code for municipalities, and allows the Commonwealth to procure an additional 2,400 Megawatts (MW) of clean, reliable offshore wind energy by 2027.

Deaconess Abundant Life Communities is a growing network of residential communities that offer a variety of accommodations, services, features and amenities designed to fit the changing needs of older adults. It is proud of its tradition of reaching out to meet and serve the changing physical, social, and spiritual needs of older adults over the years. Learn more.

Thrive Cultivation & Dispensary, LLC will hold a Virtual Community Outreach Meeting on April 21, 2021 at 6:00 PM to discuss the proposed siting of an Adult Use Marijuana Retail Establishment at 235 Bear Hill Road in Waltham. Virtual Community Outreach Meeting via Zoom is available using the following link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83420639373 or via telephone at 301-715-8592, using webinar ID 83420639373#. A copy of the meeting presentation will be made available at least 24 hours prior to the meeting at ThriveWaltham.Squarespace.com.

Interested members of the community are encouraged to ask questions and receive answers from company representatives about the proposed facility and operations. Questions can be submitted in advance by emailing rebecca@vicentesederberg.com or asked during the live presentation.

Spring into conversation, connections and wellness through a new group designed to engage the Mind, help the Body, and uplift the Spirit. “Mind, Body, Spirit” is a no cost, 6-week journey, where older adults will gather – through Zoom meetings on the computer – to learn new things and connect with others.

Through “Mind, Body, Spirit,”’ participants will engage in six, 75-minute workshops presented by local practitioners and experts in the class subject. The workshops will be held from 10:00 am-11:15 am (through Zoom) on April 6, April 13, April 20, April 27, May 4, and May 11. Planned “Mind, Body, Spirit” workshops include: Waltham History—Places that Mattered Then and Make a Difference Now; Journaling—The Rewards of Reminiscing; Exercise Class—Move It and Use It; Gentle Yoga; Emotional Well Being and COVID and Mindfulness—The Peace and Joy of Breathing.

“Mind, Body, Spirit” is sponsored by Waltham Connections for Healthy Aging in association with the Waltham Council on Aging. To sign up, call 781-314-3499 (x2) or e-mail w.connections.mbs@gmail.com.