The Baker Administration announced plans to begin distribution of $500 payments to 500,000 low-income workers as part of the COVID-19 Essential Employee Premium Pay program. These payments represent the first round of funds to be distributed as part of the $460 million program, which was enacted in December when Governor Baker signed a $4 billion spending plan for American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds. These payments, worth $250 million, will be mailed to 500,000 people by the end of March. Learn more about the program.

Governor Charlie Baker and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) announced that the statewide mask requirement for K-12 schools in Massachusetts will be lifted on February 28. The mask mandate for all licensed childcare providers will also end on February 28. COVID testing will continue, and students will still be required to wear masks on all school buses because that is a federal order. If students test positive, they will still be required to wear a mask when they return to school, based on DESE’s protocols.

In a letter to the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy in support of H.3336/S.2135, Rep. Stanley submitted written testimony on a bill relative to energy facilities siting reform to address environmental justice, climate, and public health. The bill received a public hearing on January 11, 2022.

The legislation reforms the energy facility siting review process by requiring applicants to submit a preliminary project statement to the Board that identifies EJ populations within a five-mile radius of the facility and provides an analysis of the climate burdens and health risks/benefits of the communities within two miles. H.3336/S.2135 also requires for applicants to make the preliminary report accessible in multiple languages for the surrounding communities. Moreover, H.3336/S.2135 requires project proponents to invite community-based organizations, local elected officials, the director of environmental justice at the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EOEA), and Director of the Energy Facilities Siting Board to a meeting to review the proposed project within 30-days of the preliminary project statement’s submittal.

Rep. Thomas M. Stanley and Sen. Patricia D. Jehlen, Co-Chairs of the Joint Committee on Elder Affairs, announced favorable committee reports on three key bills involving assisted living facilities, licensing of home care agencies and safety of home care workers.

“The pandemic laid bare serious problems and shortcomings in long term care to elder citizens. We have the opportunity and responsibility to address these issues by enacting appropriate and, in some cases, long overdue legislation to remedy the problems,” said Rep. Stanley. “These three bills respond to the urgency to act now and ensure our long-term care and support systems meet the needs of older adults. We look forward to working with our colleagues in the House and Senate on advancing these bills as quickly as possible.”

Read the full press release here. 

Mass Cultural Council (MCC) is pleased to support 176 organizations across the Commonwealth with $431,000 in projects grants for programming during July 1, 2021 – June 30, 2022. From Waltham, Grow Native Massachusetts, Metalwerx, Gore Place, National Center for Jewish Film, and Robert Treat Paine Historical Trust will receive funding. From Lincoln, deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum and Mass Audubon Society will receive funding.

Cultural organizations across the Commonwealth are continuing to find innovative and creative solutions to connect with their communities, as they rebuild from the impact of the COVID pandemic. Part of the Cultural Investment Portfolio, Projects grants are one-year grants for public programming that provides access, excellence, diversity, or education in the arts, humanities, or sciences. These grants frequently provide a point of entry for smaller organizations, many of whom provide unique opportunities for Massachusetts residents to participate with cultural events in their own communities.

Susan M. Collins will be the next president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. Collins represents the first woman of color selected to lead one of the 12 regional Fed branches since the central bank system was created in 1914. Collins, who is Black, is only the second woman to hold the top job at the Boston Fed. Cathy Minehan served as president from 1994 through 2007. She is a Harvard- and MIT-trained economist with extensive experience in government and academia.

Collins will join the Boston Fed in July from the University of Michigan, where she has served as provost and executive vice president for academic affairs since 2020. She arrived at the university in 2007 and served for a decade as dean of its Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy before returning to teaching.

In a letter to House Speaker Ronald J. Mariano, Rep. Stanley expressed his support for legislation he cosponsored to prevent wage theft, promote employer accountability and enhance public enforcement. In the letter, he requested that the legislation be reported out of committee and brought to a full floor vote this session.

The bill will help protect our state’s workers from the practice of wage theft and misclassification that is rampant today in the construction and service sectors of the economy. Beyond protecting workers, this bill will generate millions of dollars in new payroll taxes and financial support for our state’s overburdened unemployment and workman’s compensation programs. It will also serve as a powerful deterrent to employers who use wage theft as a business model and protect legitimate employers who play by the rules.

Rep. Stanley submitted a letter of support to the Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture on behalf of legislation to increase protection of wildlife management areas (WMAs). Rep. Stanley is also co-sponsor of the bill which would designate a minimum of 30% of all WMAs in the Commonwealth as Nature Reserves. The bill would also prioritize biodiversity maintenance, nutrient cycling and soil formation, long‐term carbon sequestration, protection of late-successional and old growth forest habitats, and opportunities for wilderness recreation.

In 2006, the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (DFW) designated 15,000 acres of forest reservices, encompassing 9% of the Commonwealth’s 167,000 acres of WMAs. These reserves strictly prohibit forest management and other development to protect forests, sustain native species and biodiversity, and maximize carbon sequestration and storage. This helps us mitigate the effects of climate change and improve public health.

The Executive Office of Technology Services and Security's (EOTSS) 2022 Municipal Cybersecurity Awareness Grant Program selected the City of Waltham to receive a Municipal Cybersecurity Awareness Grant. This award will help train hundreds of city employees to identify, avoid and defend against cyberattacks.

The Municipal Cybersecurity Awareness Grant Program is a program that will help local government to improve overall cybersecurity posture through end-user training, evaluation and threat simulation. The program, including procurement and coordination, will be managed by the Executive Office of Technology Services and Security. Learn more about the program.

DESE announced that Waltham Public Schools received an $80,360 Alternative English Learner Education Programs Grant to develop and/or implement an alternative bilingual ELE program. This competitive grant program is one of the multiple ways DESE is supporting districts that have English learners and wish to implement new and innovative English Learner Education (ELE) programs and supports for innovative ELE programs, while also providing districts with an opportunity to create a more culturally and linguistically diverse workforce. 

The Waltham Family School Scholarship Fund announces scholarships to WFS alumni

The Friends of the Waltham Family School, Inc. are proud to announce an additional $100,000 donation from John Cloninger to the newly established Waltham Family School (WFS) Scholarship Fund. The WFS Scholarship Fund is available to alumni children and parents who attended the Waltham Family School. The WFS scholarship Fund will financially support both alumni parents and children of the program as they continue on their educational journey, whether in college or vocational training. Learn more. 

Rep. Stanley’s colleague Rep. Marjorie Decker, House Chair of the Joint Committee on Public Health, recently shared information about rapid antigen versus PCR COVID-19 tests. Chair Decker has frequent, in-depth conversations with infectious disease physicians, epidemiologists, and other public health experts. Her office put together a Frequently Asked Questions document to share what her office has learned. Read the FAQ here.

The City of Waltham established a scholarship fund in 1987 to provide financial assistance to eligible Waltham residents for the pursuit of further education. The fund is available to any Waltham resident for college, trade school, certificate programs, graduate school and other educational pursuits deemed eligible by the committee. Graduating seniors use the generic application available in the Guidance department at Waltham High School. Three copies of the application must be returned to the Treasurer’s Office no later than Friday, March 18th, 2022. If you have any questions, please contact the Treasurer’s Office at (781) 314-3258. Learn more.

The Massachusetts Senior Circuit Breaker Tax Credit was designed by the Legislature to help provide tax relief for older adults. Rep. Stanley’s office designed a brochure to help constituents learn more about the credit and its requirements. This brochure is not an official tax document. If you have questions regarding the Circuit Breaker Tax Credit, please contact a tax professional or the Department of Revenue at 1-800-392-6089. View the brochure.