continue working with my colleagues to foster a Commonwealth that stands up for our shared values in Mission Hill, Jamaica Plain, Roslindale, and Brookline. Yours in service, Jeffrey Sánchez
We’re almost halfway through the
2017-2018 legislative session, so I wanted to take this moment and
update you on what I’ve been doing
to represent you in the State House. In my first few months as Chair of the House Ways & Means Committee, we overrode the
Governor’s budget vetoes and
passed a $130 million supplemental budget that included $3 million for youth violence prevention programs. Massachusetts continues to be a progressive beacon despite policies in DC, passing important legislation to stand up to President Trump, while continue investing in healthcare, housing, and the environment.
It’s been one year since I
conducted my community survey, which I still reference as we take
up criminal justice, women’s
health, and other legislation. In this new statewide role, I will
It’s been a productive year in the
Massachusetts House of Represent-
atives, where I’ve worked to pass
legislation that improves the lives of our most vulnerable, creates job opportunities, and protects our shared values. In 2017 we voted to:
Reform the criminal justice system
Guarantee a woman’s right to
access birth control
Uphold our environmental leadership in the Trump era
Ban deadly bump stocks on guns
Invest in community-based criminal justice programs
Ensure fairness for pregnant workers Please continue reading for a short summary of these bills I supported
Women’s Healthcare
In October, the Trump administra-tion weakened rules ensuring copay-free birth control for women. In response, we passed the AC-CESS bill to guarantee free birth control for women in Massachu-setts, regardless of changes at the national level. The bill, now signed into law, requires insurers to cover at least one of every type of FDA-approved birth control. The House is committed to em-powering women to make in-formed decisions about their health, no matter their economic status. With this law, Massachu-setts women will no longer have to choose between their health and putting food on the table.
Paris Climate Agreement
By investing in offshore wind, hydropower, and solar power, Massachusetts has emerged as a clean energy leader. We contin-ued our leadership in a vote pro-
claiming Massachusetts’ dedication
to the Paris Agreement. It will ensure that we as a Common-wealth have the tools to accom-plish our climate goals, and that we will continue to engage the international community on this critical issue.
Bump Stock Ban
On October 1st, the deadliest mass shooting in modern US his-tory was carried out in Las Vegas.
The shooter used a “bump stock,”
an attachable device that makes a gun fire rapidly, similar to a ma-chine gun. In response to this unprecedented violence, we banned bump stocks.
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Friends and Neighbors:
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
Criminal Justice Reform
2
Healthcare
2
Budget Overrides
2
Around the Neighborhood
3
Remembering a Leader
3
Language Opportunities for Our Kids
4
Puerto Rico Update
4
Legislative Updates
Jeffrey Sánchez
NOVEMBER | 2017
State Representative
These actions build upon Massachusetts’
leadership in gun violence prevention. We are committed to preventing such tragic events.
Healthcare
As Chair of the House Committee on Ways & Means, I am responsible for considering financial issues across the state. Healthcare is a major component of my work since it is 40% of all state spending and a key driver of our economy. Recently, we have seen a lot of attempts to
undo the progress we’ve made to insure
98% of our population. Massachusetts dodged a bullet when Republican efforts to repeal Obamacare failed. However, we still face challenges in the days ahead: 1. Con-
gress has not reauthorized CHIP (Children’s
Health Insurance Program) funding, 2. fund-ing for community health centers has lan-guished, and 3. President Trump ceased CSR (Cost Sharing Reduction) payments. We continue to monitor events in Washington and what is needed here in Massachusetts.
Safe and Successful Youth
The Safe and Successful Youth Initiative (SSYI) is a program that funds outreach and intervention for high risk youth. In the sup-plemental budget, I helped ensure that $3 million in funding for programs like Mis-sionSafe, ROCA, and BCYF to help the hard-est hit youth in our neighborhoods. In October, we had to challenge the Senate to adopt funding in the state supplemental budget to fund this program. Ultimately, I was able to work with House leaders to ensure these programs were funded and could continue to work on our streets. This funding addresses immediate needs in our communities and is a key part of the broader criminal justice reform discussion.
Pregnant Workers Fairness
This legislation makes pregnancy a protected class, meaning that working women have the right to be free from pregnancy discrimina-tion. Under this law, employers must pro-vide reasonable accommodations, such as job restructuring, time off, private non-bathroom space for breast feeding, and fre-quent or longer breaks, for employees who are pregnant.
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Legislative Priorities
Budget Overrides
The FY18 budget invested in areas critical to our commonwealth. It was a balanced budget that passed with bipartisan support. After the budget was passed, the Governor signed the package into law, but vetoed certain line-items. The House overrode these vetoes. A * indicates that the Senate did not restore funding for the program.
$209 million: MassHealth*
$6.6 million: Transitional Aid for Families with Dependent Children
$1.9 million: Mass. Cultural Council
$2.5 million: HIV/AIDS Prevention, Treatment, and Services
$1.1 million: Recovery High Schools
$1.7 million: DCR Parks & Recreation
$1.3 million: After-School and Out-of-School Programs
$850,000: Adult Basic Education
$675,000: Unaccompanied Homeless Youth
$300,000: Youth-At-Risk Grants
Around the Neighborhood
PAGE 3 NOVEMBER | 2017
It’s been nonstop in Mission Hill, Jamaica Plain, Roslindale, and Brookline. We officially commemorated the Jamaicaway bridge
over Rt. 9 in honor of Lance Corporal Alexander Arredondo and Brian Arredondo. We held weekly barbeques in Bromley-Heath all summer long and held our annual Back to School Jam in Brookline High St. Housing, Mission Main, and Bromley-Heath. We enjoyed the Taste of JP to raise money for scholarships, celebrated Hispanic Heritage Month at the Nate Smith House, and had students at the State House to learn about civics. We
held a reception for Mission Hill artist Marilyn Casey, who’s work is being showcased in my office. Bringing people together
is one of the most
important things we can do as a community, and I’m excited to continue the conversation.
Ida B. Graves Memorial Yard
On October 31, The Mission Hill community gathered behind the Tobin Community Center to unveil the Ida B. Graves Memorial Yard. A warm heart to all, Miss Ida was an active member of the Mission Main Tenant Task Force and leader during a time of transformation in Mission Hill. Known for her wit and quick come backs, she always pushed others to excel. She fought for equal rights for the underserved while volunteering for numerous community organizations. Everyone respected and appreciated her honesty, opinions, and views on life. She loved Mission Hill and Mission Hill loves her. She played a key role advocating for the backyard space at the Tobin. The Ida B. Graves Memorial Yard will ensure that all children in Mission Hill and the City of Boston have the opportunity to explore their talents and grow strong as young men and women.