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2024 Fall Newsletter
Subscribe to receive State Senator Ed Kennedy’s newsletters.
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Massachusetts Secretary of Veterans’ Services, Jon Santiago, visits Lowell VA Clinic
On Wednesday, October 9th, Massachusetts Secretary of Veterans’ Services, Jon Santiago, toured the Lowell VA Clinic and conducted a roundtable discussion with the Lowell delegation and city officials. Secretary Santiago’s visit heavily featured conversations about the recently enacted HERO Act, also known as An Act Honoring, Empowering, and Recognizing our Servicemembers and Veterans. The HERO…
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Legislators, Environmental Experts from MA and NH Discuss Solutions to CSO Events Impacting the Merrimack River
(LOWELL — 10/04/2024) On Monday, September 30th, State Senator Ed Kennedy (D-Lowell) and Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr (R-Gloucester) reconvened for the second time recently to discuss Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs) in the Merrimack River. In attendance were legislators and officials from Massachusetts and New Hampshire, as well as representatives of the federal legislative delegations…
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Key Provisions of An Act to Improve Quality and Oversight of Long-Term Care
The bill includes provisions related to basic health services administered in assisted living facilities and oversight of long-term care facilities, including the following: Inclusion for LGBTQ+ Residents: The legislation requires each long-term care facility to provide staff training on the rights and care of LGBTQ+ older adults and older adults living with HIV. It also forbids…
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Lowell Delegation Announces Enactment of Special Election Home Rule Petition
City-crafted bill would allow for special elections in the case of midterm vacancies in the Lowell City Council and School Committee (BOSTON—7/24/2024) The four members of the Lowell State House delegation are pleased to announce that S2878, An Act relative to vacancies on the city of Lowell city council and school committee was enacted in…
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Massachusetts Legislature Passes the FutureTech Act
Legislation authorizes $1.26B in bonds, allocates $400M in federal funds (BOSTON—7/26/2024) Today the Massachusetts Legislature enacted the FutureTech Act, taking action on a $1.26 billion bond authorization to modernize the Commonwealth’s digital infrastructure and create safer and more accessible experiences for residents and employees alike. Funding and projects included in H.4889, An Act to provide…
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Lowell Delegation on Courthouse Home Rule Petition
(BOSTON — 07/31/2024) Today, the Massachusetts State Senate and House of Representatives enacted the City of Lowell’s Home Rule Petition allowing the city to take ownership of two properties previously used as courthouses. Since the opening of the Cornelius F. Kiernan Judicial Center in May 2020, the former courthouse buildings on Hurd Street and Gorham…
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$152,415 in Federal Funds Awarded to Local Nonprofits for Increased Security Measures
Awards allocated through American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding to support security for nonprofits that are at high risk of a terror attack or hate crime. (BOSTON—08/05/2024) The Executive Office of Public Safety and Security’s (EOPSS’s) Office of Grants and Research (OGR) is awarding $4.75 million in federal funds to nonprofit organizations (NPOs) throughout the…
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Firearm Safety Reform Bill Creates Charge for Shooting at Dwelling
(BOSTON – 7/19/2024) Yesterday the Massachusetts Legislature passed a firearm safety reform bill thatrepresents an ongoing effort by the legislature to tighten the scope of acceptable gun use and to limit gun violence overall. A bill introduced by Senator Edward J. Kennedy and integrated into the passed legislation as Section 12G of S.2584 is the…
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Healey-Driscoll Administration Awards Nearly $7 Million in Cybersecurity Grants, close to 300k to first Middlesex Senate District
Lowell, Tyngsborough, and Dracut to be awarded funds to improve cybersecurity measures (BOSTON—07/18/2024) The Executive Office of Public Safety and Security’s (EOPSS’s) Office of Grants and Research (OGR) is awarding nearly $7 million in federal funds to communities throughout the Commonwealth and state agencies under the Municipal Local Cybersecurity Grant Program and State Share Cybersecurity…
