Dear Neighbor,
Greetings from sunny Beacon Hill, where legislative work continues after the July 31st checkpoint in the legislative cycle. In fact, I presided over the Senate this morning and we advanced several bills during today's session, including engrossing the so-called "hot works" legislation, designed to help prevent work-related accidents involving heat, sparks, or flames capable of initiating fires or explosions. This bill implements the recommendations issued by the Walsh-Kennedy Commission, which was established after a nine-alarm fire, ignited by sparks from unpermitted welding work, claimed the lives of Boston Fire Department Lieutenant Edward Walsh and Firefighter Michael Kennedy.
Several important bills are in conference committees, where differences in the House and Senate versions of the legislation are negotiated until conferees reach a compromise. Governor Healey signed several other bills into law in recent weeks, including measures to protect immigrants and uphold public safety, improve child welfare, fight book bans, and strengthen abortion access.
I’m deeply proud to share that the Senate voted unanimously, 40-0, to pass my legislation creating a press shield law for Massachusetts! After roughly 50 years of trying to move forward this critical protection for a free press, this vote was truly historic. Massachusetts is one of just nine states without a press shield law on our books, leaving journalists exposed to government pressure and lawsuits forcing them to reveal their confidential sources. This legislation will safeguard and strengthen our free press and our democracy.
Back in the district, after the hugely joyful Freedom to Read bill signing ceremony at the first public lending library in the nation, right in the heart of our district in Franklin, and after picking up my next book at the Needham library, I spent a morning with kids and families at the Dover Town Library for a special summer reading event with Blades the Bruin, hosted by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners. Blades and the kids heard “Hockey in the Wild” read to them by a member of the Dover Library staff, and then Blades and I did a bit of Bruins trivia with these little hockey hopefuls. As a library lover, I want to thank the librarians and staff all across our district and the Commonwealth at large for engaging young people with literary and community-focused events all summer (and year) long.
Read on in this month’s Rausch Report for details on upcoming events in the district, legislation the Senate passed, bills the Governor recently signed into law, and more.
For real-time updates, please follow me on Facebook and Instagram. If you are a constituent and need assistance, please 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,
Becca Rausch
Continue reading the Rausch Report - https://mailchi.mp/masenate/monthlynewsletter-18254728
