THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – FRiDAy, MARCH 1, 2024 Page 5 DiDomenico’s priorities advance through key legislative committees T Special to The Advocate his month almost every bill in the Massachusetts Legislature received a favorable or unfavorable determination from their committee. Due to advocacy from Senator Sal DiDomenico and countless coalition advocates, many of the Senator’s legislative priorities advanced favorably and are moving on to the next committee. These bills tackle a wide range of issues – from supporting working families in need, to providing the best education for our youngest generation, to making our government work better for people regardless of their background or spoken language. “I am excited by the amount of progress we are seeing on my policy priorities that will improve the well-being of children and people in need across the Commonwealth,” said Senator DiDomenico. “We could not achieve this success on so many life-changing proposals without the many advocates, community leaders, and residents who have stood up and used their voice to demand change from our government and I am grateful for all of their support. I also want to thank Senate President Spilka and all the Committee Chairs for advancing so many of my priorities with a favorable report.” Below is a list of a few DiDomenico priority bills that have moved forward in the Legislature: • Lifting kids out of deep poverty (S.75): increase cash assistance to families below 50% of the poverty line. • Healthy Youth Act (S.268): require that when sex and relationship education is taught in school, it must be medically accurate, cover healthy consenting relationships and be inclusive of all identities. • The SUPER Act (S.160): empower more people to become behavioral health professionals, especially those who come from diverse backgrounds with a wide variety of experiences. • Feeding our neighbors (S.76): restore state funded SNAP benefits to Massachusetts residents regardless of where they came from. • Promote high-quality comprehensive literacy instruction (S.263): starts a conversation about how to improve reading and writing outcomes for our children. • Establish a Massachusetts Children’s Cabinet Senator Sal DiDomenico is shown speaking at a rally in the State House and advocating for one of his many proposals. (S.79): This legislation would create a Children’s Cabinet comprised of executive office Secretaries and Commissioners serving children to ensure our youngest generation is prioritized. • Language access and inclusion (S.1990): expand the availability of non-English language applications and interpretation services at the state’s public-facing state agencies, such as MassHealth, the Department of Children & Families and the Department of Unemployment Assistance. • Expand access to pediatric palliative care (S.1359): increases the funding and age of eligibility for pediatric palliative care services to 22 years Council on Aging events and programs for March All are welcome to participate in the upcoming events and programs M ayor Carlo DeMaria is pleased to announce that the City of Everett’s Council on Aging will host the following events throughout the month of March: • Thursday, March 7: Dance Party Thursday beginning at 12:30 p.m. with DJ Chris Fiore. Admission is free. • Tuesday, March 12: the Annual Health Fair from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. – free raffle drawings. • Thursday, March 14: the Indoor Senior Olympics. Join us for competitive games of Corn Hole, Horseshoes, TicTac-Toe, Roll the Dice and Indoor Golf Putting. This event begins at 1 p.m. Prizes will be given. • Friday, March 15: St. Patrick’s Day Party. Please call to reserve your ticket. There is a nominal fee for this event. • Thursday, March 20: Monthly Senior Social at Anthony’s of Malden; ballroom dancing with Ray Cavicchio. There is a nominal fee for this event. • Thursday, March 21: Movie Day in celebration of International Women’s Day – showing “Little Women” (2019). This is a free event with refreshments served. For additional information about any of these events and programs, please call 617394-2270 to be connected to the Connolly Center or call directly at 617-394-2323. of age so young people most in need of care won’t ever be turned away. • Reduce waste and recycling costs (S.471): require that manufacturers of packaging materials create systems for recycling those materials after being used that will reduce fossil fuel emissions and waste. • Allow partial payment of driver’s license fines (S.2229): allow people to pay fines in partial payments so they can get back on the road safely (regardless of their income) and the state can collect more fines. • Compensation for work-related scarring (S.1159): eliminate the requirement that compensation can only be given to employees when work-related scarring is exclusively on the worker’s face, hands or neck; allow workers to access more comprehensive compensation. Lawrence A. Simeone Jr. Attorney-at-Law ~ Since 1989 ~ * Corporate Litigation * Criminal/Civil * MCAD * Zoning/Land Court * Wetlands Litigation * Workmen’s Compensation * Landlord/Tenant Litigation * Real Estate Law * Construction Litigation * Tax Lein * Personal Injury * Bankruptcy * Wrongful Death * Zoning/Permitting Litigation 300 Broadway, Suite 1, Revere * 781-286-1560 Lsimeonejr@simeonelaw.net
6 Publizr Home