Volume 3, Issue 12 | March 26, 2021
Dear Friends and Neighbors,

I hope this finds you all healthy and safe. Below are COVID-19 updates and resources, legislative updates from Beacon Hill, and selected news from the district.

As always, constituent services are our top priority. We continue to work remotely and our office is fully functioning. Please contact us if we can be of assistance.

Very truly yours, Joan Meschino
PUBLIC HEALTH UPDATES
COVID-19 Updates
  • The Administration has set up a homebound vaccination program, which will begin on Monday, March 29th. The program will provide in-home vaccinations to Massachusetts residents who are unable to leave their homes to receive COVID-19 vaccinations. For more information, including who is eligible and how to schedule appointments, visit this link.

  • On Monday, March 22, Massachusetts moved to Step 1 of Phase IV of the plan to reopen the Commonwealth. This phase allows for openings of some arenas and stadiums, as well as increases the gathering limits of public venues. More information can be found here.

  • Massachusetts has announced an extension of the “Stop the Spread” initiative until June 30, 2021. The program offers free COVID-19 testing to residents throughout more than 35 locations around the Commonwealth. To learn more about the program and view the state-sponsored testing sites, click here.

  • A new COVID-19 vaccine pre-registration signup system was released on Friday, March 12. The system, as well as more detailed instructions, can be accessed here.

  • On Thursday, March 11, K-12 educators and school staff as well as child care workers became eligible to receive COVID-19 vaccinations in the Commonwealth. These individuals may book appointments at any of the vaccination sites open to the public, or may wait for their district’s mass vaccination. For more information, visit the press release here

  • Follow this this link to the COVID-19 vaccine map to find the closest vaccination centers and schedule an appointment.
Food Security Resources
The Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) recently created a tool to help SNAP clients find open Healthy Incentives Program (HIP) farm vendor locations near them for safe, healthy shopping options: DTAfinder.com. Individuals who reside in an area with a winter HIP vendor should have already received texts and DTA Connect alerts to connect them with this new resource.
STATE AND FEDERAL HIGHLIGHTS
RMV Extends Senior Hours, Expands to 65+
Beginning on April 7, residents 65 and older will be able to utilize in-person transaction appointments during the Wednesday senior hours at RMV locations. Services available during designated senior hours include ID and driver’s license renewals, as well as registration and title transactions. For additional information and to schedule an appointment, visit this link.
Our Federal Delegation Passed the American Rescue Plan
With the passage of the 1.9 trillion dollar American Rescue Plan, the Commonwealth will receive funding to assist with vaccinations, begin opening schools, and provide much needed assistance to Massachusetts families and small businesses. To read more about the APR, see Senator Warren’s announcement and summary.
Consumer Protection Resources from the AGO
To commemorate National Consumer Protection Week, the Attorney General hosted events as well as highlighted efforts to protect the residents of Massachusetts. Among the resources offered were information regarding expansion of resources to underrepresented groups, vaccine scams, eviction assistance, debt collection, and many other timely topics. To find out more about the week and access the information offered, visit this link.
FROM THE MA LEGISLATURE
Massachusetts Legislature Passes Landmark Climate Legislation, Governor Baker Signs Into Law
We did it! Last Thursday, the Massachusetts Legislature passed 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.

Just today, Governor Baker signed the bill into law!

The bill’s central components contain key provisions from my 2050 Roadmap. These provisions update the state’s greenhouse gas emissions reduction goal to net zero by 2050, set strong interim targets, and establish comprehensive and iterative planning mechanisms focused on equity to enable the Commonwealth to achieve this ambitious goal.

Read more about the other components of the legislation including environmental justice, nature based solutions, and much more! Click here.
MA Legislature Extends Vote-By-Mail
The Massachusetts House of Representatives and Senate on Thursday, March 11, 2021, passed legislation to extend mail-in voting and early voting options for elections held through the end of June, 2021. The vote-by-mail provision was previously set to expire at the end of March 2021. The bill also allows municipalities to provide residents with the option to vote early in-person in these elections. Read more here.
IN THE DISTRICT
Virtual DAR Good Citizens Award Celebration
On March 7th, I had the great pleasure of presenting two of our district's youths with a citation for their achievement of the Good Citizens Award from the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) Colonel Thomas Lothrop-Old Colony Chapter. This award honors high school seniors who are outstanding in character and who exhibit qualities of Good Citizenship.

Congratulations to Quinn Walsh and Siobhan Burke!
Cohasset Awarded Grant to Protect Water Supply from PFAS
The Town of Cohasset was recently awarded $182,500 to support efforts to address elevated levels of PFAS in drinking water. PFAS compounds are a family of chemicals widely used since the 1950s to manufacture common consumer products and used in some legacy fire-fighting foams. Drinking water may become contaminated if PFAS deposited onto the soil seeps into groundwater or surface water. PFAS have been linked to a variety of health risks, particularly in women who are pregnant or nursing, and in infants. Read more here.
St. Patrick's Day and Irish-American History Month
For St. Patrick's Day, I joined Scituate and her sister city of West Cork, Ireland, for a virtual toast. March is also Irish-American Heritage month in order to honor the contributions of Irish immigrants to the United States. Sláinte!
Announcing Virtual Office Hours

We continue to hold office hours via Zoom! Please call the office at 617-722-2320 or email to reserve a time slot in the new year:

  • Monday, April 5, 4-5 PM
  • Monday, April 19, 4-5 PM
  • Monday, April 26, 4-5 PM

To learn more about our constituent services, please visit our website.
Important Links and Resources





  • HandholdMA.org website for parents of school-aged children in Massachusetts concerned about their child's mental health.


  • Massachusetts residents can seek COVID-19 testing through the Stop the Spread Initiative which provides free testing in high-priority locations.

  • DESE's report on the number of positive COVID-19 cases in schools.



  • SafeLink 24/7 Crisis Hotline for Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault: 877-785-2020.


Stay Informed
Visit your town websites to learn the most recent information, local services, and guidance from our municipal officials.

State Resources

Federal Resources
Constituent Questions | 617-722-2320 | Office Contact Information
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