I hope this finds you all healthy and safe after this week's Nor'Easter. Please find some power outage safety tips here and additional safety tips from the Red Cross below.

You will also find in this newsletter legislative updates from Beacon Hill, including information on the redistricting process, and selected news from the district.

As always, constituent services is our priority. In November, I am looking forward to hosting five in-person office hours in the district. Please do not hesitate to contact my office with any questions.

Stay safe!

Very truly yours, Joan

The Red Cross provides assistance to residents whose homes have sustained significant structural damage. If you are in need of Red Cross assistance, please call their 24-hour hotline, 1-800-563-1234. The Red Cross wants those in the impacted communities to be mindful when returning home or out and about in the area and provides the following safety tips:

This week I shared an update on boosters and vaccinations for children. In case you missed it, you can find the information in that update here.

On October 26th, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) announced that after consulting with medical experts and state health officials, Commissioner Jeffrey Riley will extend the mask requirement in all K-12 public schools through at least January 15, 2022. DESE will continue to evaluate and consider other criteria that could be used in the future to lift the mask requirement based on public health data. For more information, view DESE’s announcement here.

On October 29, 2021, the application period for these grants, sponsored by the Executive Office of Technology Services and Security (EOTSS), opened. Eligible entities include municipalities and public school districts, and more information on the grants can be found here.

Mass Cultural Council has extended the deadline to apply for a FY22 Local Cultural Council (LCC) grant to Monday, November 1, 2021. See this link for more details about the LCC grant.

The Massachusetts Department of Fire Services has announced the annual SAFE (Student Awareness of Fire Education) and Senior SAFE grants to municipal fire departments. Applications are due back at the Department of Fire Services no later than 5:00 p.m. on Friday, November 19, 2021. To find more information, visit this link.

Information on these grants may be found here, and the submission deadline for applications is Friday, November 19, 2021.

On October 19, 2021, I testified in support of my bill, An Act relative to waivers for non-fault overpayments (H.4202,) which would streamline and enhance the standards to determine whether the collection of overpaid state and federal unemployment benefits accrued in 2020 and 2021 will be waived. The bill supports the Commonwealth’s workers and their families by providing clear guidance to the Department of Unemployment Assistance (DUA) on the process and standards to consider no-fault waiver requests. View our press release on the hearing here.

Representative Meschino testifies before the Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development in support of H.4202.

On October 12, 2021, at a hearing held by the Joint Committee on the Judiciary, I testified in support of my priority bill, An Act to create access to justice (H.1792). The legislation empowers an individual to seek redress against discrimination by government policies, restoring the individual’s right to bring a claim in state court when a government policy creates disparate impact. The bill provides access to justice for numerous constituencies, including for people seeking to enforce environmental justice, language access, fair housing, and equitable healthcare and education, and it promotes overall social justice within Massachusetts. For more on this legislation, you can find a press release on a briefing for the bill here.

On the same day as the hearing for H.1792, a hearing was held for An Act to create and implement a Massachusetts flexible housing subsidy pool program to address the medically complex needs of disabled men, women and children experiencing homelessness in Massachusetts (H.3838). The legislation would create a new Massachusetts Flexible Housing Pool (MFHP) – a pool of public and private resources to meet the complex housing and health needs of individuals, youth, and families experiencing homelessness. The bill aims to expand supportive housing and services for adults, youth, and families experiencing homelessness, and enable funds to get out quickly and equitably to those that need it most. For more on this legislation and the hearing, you can find United Way’s press release on my website.

On September 30, 2021, I spoke at a webinar hosted by CERES that focused on the Commonwealth's efforts to decarbonize the transportation sector. Along with Senator Brendan Crighton, I shared information on our bills that promote an equitable transition to zero emission vehicles, a necessary piece of the decarbonization plan. For more information on this legislation, you can find our press release here.

In addition to speaking at this webinar, I collaborated with CERES on an op-ed that called for the swift and equitable electrification of the transportation sector. I shared this op-ed in a newsletter recently, which you can find here.

Representative Meschino joins Senator Crighton to offer remarks at a CERES webinar moderated by John Carlson, Manager, State Policy at CERES.

This month I gave presentations to two organizations, SEBANE and the Northeast Energy and Commerce Association (NECA), to discuss the Next Generation Roadmap and its intersection with these groups’ priorities. SEBANE works to promote the New England solar industry through informed policy intervention, coalition building and stakeholder education, and NECA serves as an open forum among all stakeholders with a full range of energy and environmental interests, including traditional and renewable electric generation, natural gas and other fuels, and energy efficiency.

In mid-October I joined Senator Ed Markey, State Senator Patrick O’Connor, officials and personnel from FEMA, WBZ, and the Town of Hull at the unveiling of an all-hazards upgrade to the Primary Entry Point (PEP) facility at WBZ NewsRadio 1030 Boston.

Trusted and steadfast sources of information are vital to our public health and safety emergency planning. These facility upgrades allowing for continuous broadcasting during hazardous events are a welcome investment in resiliency and emergency preparedness.

A few weeks ago I addressed the South Shore Elder Services’ Annual Meeting and thanked the organization's leaders, staff and volunteers for working to promote and support older adults’ independence in our communities.

I gave closing remarks in Hingham this month at a ceremony dedicating the ferry terminal to Seaman Herbert L. Foss. A full-time resident of Hingham, Herbert L. Foss was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for heroism and gallantry under enemy fire during an operation in May of 1898.

In early October I joined colleagues from the legislature, advocates, and families from the South Shore to celebrate the 3rd Annual PANS/PANDAS Awareness Day. Earlier this year, the legislature passed S.2984, which established the creation of a PANS/PANDAS Advisory Council and a mandate that insurance companies provide coverage for the disease - a big win for children. Visit NEPANS.org for more information on the disease and the great work of these advocates.

Constituent services are our top priority. My Legislative Aides and I continue to work remotely. However, I have now returned to hosting in-person office hours in the district.

If you would like to reserve a time slot for virtual office hours outside of these in-person times, please call the office at 617-722-2320 or email my legislative aide.

To learn more about our constituent services, please visit our website.