Thursday, July 1, 2021

Senator Rausch: Beacon Hill Summer Update


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Senator Rausch State House Briefing  

Part 2, Chapter 8 (June 30, 2021) 

Dear friends,   

Summer is here! And with it came the end of the declared COVID-19 state of emergency, though the persistently inequitable public health crisis remains (especially with the emergence of the delta variant in Massachusetts). Earlier this month, the Senate passed a bill to extend numerous provisions implemented in the early days of the pandemic to facilitate Bay Staters' access to resources and help communities continue to operate even while remaining physically apart. Although there was a brief lapse, I am pleased to report that the House engrossed a similar extension bill, and the Governor signed it into law. This means we've got evictions protections, virtual public body meetings, and outdoor dining until April 1, 2022; cocktails to go until May 1, 2022; continued representative town meeting remote options; and several other extensions. We still have plenty more work to do, including the pressing questions of telehealth pay parity, 2021 voting access (and my MAIL-in Voting Act for permanent solutions), remote open town meetings, and exorbitant third party service delivery fees, to name a few.
  
Some of this work is already underway in the usual course of the legislative process. All the timely filed bills have been assigned to committees, the hearings are happening (virtually, as we continue to protect public health), and both chambers passed versions of the Fiscal Year 2022 budget. I proudly secured funding in the Senate budget for a statewide youth mental health support text line, reproductive justice advancements, and several local priorities, including anti-racism work in our district. Many of my priority bills have already had early hearings, including several elections bills (like local option ranked choice voting) and two of my reproductive justice bills (the Pregnant Persons Health Act and licensing midwives who provide home birth care). I hope you'll read more about my ongoing advancement of our shared values on Beacon Hill through legislation and committee leadership and service. 

My team and I also continue to directly engage with constituents throughout our district. Last month, we held our first youth legislative forum (stay tuned for details about the next one!), and our virtual office hours are still going strong. I'm excited to see folks during the upcoming Needham July 4th parade (on July 5th this year) and hopefully an increasing number of in-person opportunities to reconnect safely. 

For real-time updates, please follow me on Twitter and Facebook. If you are a constituent and need assistance, please don't hesitate to contact me and my team via phone (617-722-1555) or email (becca.rausch@masenate.gov). We are here to help. Our COVID-19 resources are still available on my website. Remember to mask up indoors and keep your distance if you are not vaccinated or otherwise at higher risk. 

I wish you and your loved ones strength, health, resilience, and joy.  
  

Yours in service,  

 
Senator Becca Rausch   

Massachusetts VaxMillions Giveaway

Tomorrow (July 1, 2021), any Bay Stater who has received their COVID-19 vaccine will be eligible for massive prizes for doing their part in keeping our communities safe. Five vaccinated people 18 or older in Massachusetts will win $1 million, while five people 12-17 years old will win a college scholarship. 

Don't miss out! For more information, go to https://www.mass.gov/massachusetts-vaxmillions-giveaway.


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