Franklin Matters: Rausch Report: Celebrating Women's Herstory (March 2024)

Saturday, March 30, 2024

Rausch Report: Celebrating Women's Herstory (March 2024)

View this email in your browser

At the beginning of Women's History Month, I attended the unveiling of a portrait of Abigail Adams, which now graces the entrance to the Senate lobby. It was cause for great celebration: a foundational woman taking her permanent place on the walls of our State House.

As the Presidents of the Senate and the Massachusetts Historical Society spoke, I reflected on how far our Commonwealth has come, and how much farther we still have to go.

More than 20,000 men have served in the Massachusetts Legislature. In 2019, the year I took office, my classmates and I finally brought the number of women legislators above 200. I have this honor and privilege thanks to the women who came before me, blazing trails and holding open doors.

In that spirit, every year when Women's History Month comes in March, I recognize and uplift the diversity, dedication, and talent of women leaders across our district. Click here to learn more about some exceptional women making positive impact and change in our communities.

Top row from the left: Jignasa Patel, Norfolk; Becca Kahane, Needham; Carrie Galhouse, Needham. Second row: Sandra Elaine Scott, Millis; Liz Berthelette, Bellingham. Third row: Roberta Trahan, Franklin; Tina Powderly, Franklin. Fourth row: Laurie Mills, Medfield; Julie Garland, Wrentham; Amber DeGrandpre Wilson, Franklin.

You too can get involved and bring representation to the State House. To complement the portrait of Adams, the Senate will be installing a bust of a female historical figure in the last vacant alcove in the Senate Chamber. Nominate an influential woman with ties to Massachusetts by May 1!

Read on in this month's Rausch Report for legislative updates, a roundup of district events, and a look ahead at upcoming youth engagement opportunities, Earth Month activities, and more.

For real-time updates, please follow me on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. If you are a constituent and need assistance, please don't hesitate to call me and my team at (617) 722-1555, email me at becca.rausch@masenate.gov, or attend upcoming office hours. We are here to help.

Yours in service,

Senator Becca Rausch

ON THE FLOOR

The Senate voted on several important pieces of legislation in March. I voted yes alongside my Senate colleagues to pass the following bills:

Preventing Abuse and Exploitation: The Senate unanimously passed this long overdue bill, which will criminalize the sharing of sexually explicit images or videos without an individual's consent. Online abuse is a serious problem for adults and young people, and this legislation brings a measure of recognition and justice to survivors. It also contains protections to prevent future harms, such as directing the Office of the Child Advocate to develop and implement an educational diversion program for adolescents on the consequences of sexting and posting indecent visuals online. This legislation must now be reconciled with the version passed by the House before heading to the Governor's desk for her signature.
Supplemental Budget: The Senate passed a supplemental budget to fund certain activities and projects, including the Emergency Assistance Housing Program and workforce training initiatives, and make permanent certain pandemic-era provisions like outdoor dining. Through a carefully crafted financial step-down program, the bill sent a strong message that the EA system is unsustainable in its current form and must be rectified and reined in, while simultaneously approaching this deeply difficult situation with care and compassion. I successfully championed an amendment to ensure postpartum women and newborns will not be tossed out into the cold. I was disappointed, however, that my amendment to mandate independent oversight of the program was rejected, despite bipartisan support. The bill is now in a conference committee.
Early Education Act: I proudly voted yes to again pass the Senate's Early Education Act, which expands the accessibility and affordability of childcare and early education. Massachusetts is among the most expensive states in the country for childcare, with more than 19,000 children on a waitlist for subsidized care. As the only mom in the Senate with elementary school aged kids, I can personally attest to the extremely high cost of this care, and also its absolute necessity. This legislation expands the number of families who qualify for subsidies and helps providers through permanent operational grants. It also supports early educators with scholarship and loan forgiveness programs. I was honored to join Senate President Karen Spilka, Senator Jason Lewis, and several other Senate colleagues to announce this bill at a Head Start early education facility in Malden a few days before it came to the floor. The bill now goes to the House of Representatives for its consideration.

Reading a picture book alongside Senator Lewis and meeting some of the Commonwealth's youngest students!

Hot Work Regulations: Today the Senate voted unanimously to strengthen regulations of hot work processes, like welding, cutting, brazing, and other flame-producing operations. Ten years ago, a tragic fire reportedly sparked by welding claimed the lives of two Boston firefighters. In the investigation, it became clear that the Commonwealth needs to establish and maintain standards of training, oversight, and accountability, and to back them up with enforcement. This bill will create a publicly accessible database that documents code violations and fines resulting from noncompliance with the state fire code. The bill now goes to the House of Representatives for its consideration.
Fairness in Debt Collection: This legislation protects Massachusetts consumers by imposing stricter regulations on debt collectors. The bill ensures that residents can repay their debt without the impediment of excessively high interest rates or the possibility of debtor's prisons.