The seasons are changing, and that means we're back with another update! Read on to find out what my office has been up to and how you can get involved in our planning for the next legislative session.

November 6th saw a number of historic firsts, especially for women. Maura Healey made history by being elected Massachusetts's first woman governor and the first openly lesbian governor in the nation. With Kim Driscoll as Lieutenant Governor-elect, Massachusetts became the first state in the nation to have an all-women executive ticket. And our Attorney General-elect, Andrea Campbell, is the first black woman to win statewide office. Massachusetts has shown that we are ready to have women at the helm. Our district is no exception.

I am honored to have been elected to a third term as your State Representative in the Fifteenth Middlesex District. Over the past four years, I have spoken with thousands of you and your neighbors about the issues that matter most, and I have taken those voices to Beacon Hill. Last session, the Legislature passed two massive climate bills, sweeping mental health reform, and one of the most progressive budgets in state history. With your vote of confidence, I cannot wait to begin next session and continue to push Massachusetts forward on climate, transportation, economic equity, and more.

So, thank you. Thank you to the numerous volunteers that worked to make this past election possible, and for the thousands of hours of time and organizing it takes to make effective change. None of this would have happened without you!

This past July, I made my inaugural speech on the floor of the House of Representatives. I spoke about my background in local government and transportation, as well as the urgent need for investment in our transportation infrastructure.

Speaking on the floor of the House reminded me how honored I am to serve the people of the 15th Middlesex District, and being able to make this speech in-person with my colleagues was meaningful and significant. Thank you to all who have made this possible over the years.

You can watch the speech by clicking on the video below!

This past Discovery Day was a huge success! I had a fantastic afternoon meeting with our local business owners, advocacy organizations, residents, and visitors. Every year, I am reminded how blessed we are to live in a town with so much pride, history, and civic engagement.

I was also thrilled to share a tent with Representative Ken Gordon, who - through redistricting - will be taking over Lexington's sixth precinct in January. Rep. Gordon has been a skilled advocate for Bedford, Burlington, and Wilmington for the past ten years, and I am looking forward to working with him on Lexington's issues for years to come.  

If we didn't get the chance to meet and you have an idea or event you'd like to discuss, please reach out! We are hosting virtual office hours at 4:30 PM on December 13th to meet with constituents and discuss what policy areas or issues are most important. The sign-up form is here.

With redistricting, I am looking forward to also serving Winchester's sixth precinct going forward, and I am grateful to have had the opportunity to speak during the Winchester Climate Week's panel discussion alongside Rep. Mike Day and Sen. Jason Lewis. As we all know, the climate crisis is now, and we have to move quickly and boldly to prevent the worst-case scenarios from occurring. We owe our children and grandchildren every effort we can muster.

Thank you to Ken Pruitt, Winchester's Sustainability Director, for the warm welcome and for all the work you do to operate programs and raise awareness to move us forward in this regard.

The New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill is stunning in every season - and now, maintaining the gardens will be safer and cleaner for its workers and the earth. The Tower Hill garden is the first botanic garden in the nation to be certified as a Green Zone by the American Green Zone Alliance, an independent certifier of eco-friendly and low environmental impact landscape practices.

I was honored to speak alongside Congressman Jim McGovern and give remarks at the recognition ceremony of this worthwhile change. As many of us know, green landscaping practices are not only about noise and smell. Switching to electric-powered equipment protects workers' health, promotes better air quality, and mitigates greenhouse gas emissions.

By setting this standard, Tower Hill proves that large-scale landscaping operations can make the switch, inspiring others to do the same.

You can watch the video of my remarks below!

As you likely know, Lexington's gas-powered leaf blower ban is being phased in, starting in 2023. This is an important initiative that will reduce noise pollution, improve air quality, and minimize diesel's negative health effects on residents and workers. And while we worked hard to get $75,000 in earmark funding to assist Lexington businesses in the transition to electric-powered lawn equipment, it is also important to ensure there are incentives for residents to make the switch sooner. 

To that end, Mass Save has created a rebate program for electric-powered lawn equipment. This statewide program will provide a financial incentive to folks who live in communities that have banned gas equipment and those who haven't!

For standard, residential lawn equipment, you can get $30-75 back after purchase. You can find information on what types of equipment qualify and how to submit your rebate request here!

May we always remember and celebrate those who have given so much to keep us and our families safe. This year, I was grateful to attend veterans' events in both Lexington and Woburn. On 11/5, I spoke at the Lexington Town Celebrations Committee's Veterans' Day breakfast, and on 11/11 at the Woburn Veterans' Services Veterans' Day Parade.

Both events reminded me of how much we owe our veterans, and how we've sometimes come short of meeting their needs. To that end, I'm looking forward to building on the progress we made this legislative session on key veterans issues and continuing to support measures for veterans in the upcoming session. Thank you to all who have served, and all who work to support our veterans when they come home.

As of November 1st, the state has officially banned mattresses from the waste stream. This means you may no longer drop your mattress off at a landfill or dump, deposit it in a dumpster, or set it out with your garbage. Instead, all mattresses must be recycled. This initiative will divert up to 60 million pounds of waste each year from our landfills and is a necessary step towards a circular economy.

The state is working with municipalities to coordinate convenient and accessible programs for residents to dispose of their mattresses. You can read answers to frequently asked questions here, and find more general information, including how to dispose of your mattress, here. Lexington resident textile and mattress recycling information can be found here.

Above: UTEC is a social nonprofit serving the Greater Lawrence area by providing jobs and job training to young adults through mattress recycling. They are centered on bringing opportunity to those most at-risk and helping "disconnected young people trade violence and poverty for social and economic success". This photo is from when we visited their facility in July.

We are looking for college-aged interns able to work 12-16 hours a week through May.

This role will include administrative work, research, policy comparisons and proposals, and attending meetings and hearings on behalf of the Representative's office. While State House internships are currently virtual, we are hopeful for opportunities to be in-person. Because of this, we are looking for interns anywhere in the EST time zone, with a preference for folks who are in the Boston area.

If you know any college students that may be interested, please have them send a resume and cover letter to my aide at abby.cutrumbes@mahouse.gov.

With the next session quickly approaching, we are looking for feedback from constituents on what issues matter the most to them. If there's a policy proposal, an area of interest, or a specific issue you'd like to discuss, please come to virtual office hours on December 13th!

From 4:30 to 5:30pm, I will be meeting with constituents and determining what some of our district's highest priorities are. You can sign up and submit comments ahead of time here. 

As the State House is open to the public, some meetings are now occurring in the office, but we will continue to host office hours over Zoom to make them as accessible as possible. If you'd like to discuss something outside of office hours, please never hesitate to reach out to me: Michelle.Ciccolo@mahouse.gov

Please also contact me if you'd like to host a meet and greet or another forum for your group, network, or neighbors. I would be happy to coordinate and attend!

Representative Michelle Ciccolo | Website

Thank you for your ongoing support so that I may continue doing this important work.