Dear Friends and Neighbors,
On Tuesday, I joined my colleagues in the House of Representatives to vote in the affirmative on S.2475 – An Act relative to extending certain COVID-19 measures adopted during the state of emergency. This legislation extends important COVID-19 State of Emergency policies including:
- Remote public meetings until April 1, 2022
- Alcoholic-beverage delivery until May 1, 2022
- Expanded outdoor seating at restaurants until April 1, 2022
- Virtual Notarizations until December, 31, 2021
For more information on this legislation, click here.
Yours in Service,
Denise
DISTRICT UPDATES
- In Needham, the Town of Needham is accepting grant applications for the Small Repair Grant Program for qualifying seniors and those with disabilities. The Health and Human Services Division is offering Youth Mental Health First Aid on July 22 for adults in the community who interact with youth.
- In Dover, following the outcome of the Special Town Meeting regarding the Community Center, there will be a Special Town Election on Monday, June 21 in the Great Hall at the Town House from 7:00 AM – 8:00 PM. You can get an Absentee Ballot from the Town Clerk until Friday, June 18 at 12:00 PM.
- In Medfield, the Medfield Energy Committee and Medfield Environment Action are sponsoring a webinar, “Climate: The Problem, The Path, and A Plan for Medfield” tonight, Thursday, June 17 at 7:00 PM.
LEGISLATIVE UPDATES
- On Tuesday, the PFAS Interagency Task Force, established in the FY2021 budget, met to review and investigate water and ground contamination of per- and polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS) substances across the Commonwealth. The hearing consisted of information regarding the widespread diversity and prevalence of PFAS that exist in our environment, the methods and risks accompanying human exposure to PFAS, and the likely pathways of exposure that result in the detection of PFAs in 98-99% of all individuals.
- On Thursday, my office attended a virtual program hosted by the Trial Court “Clearing the Questions: Constituent Services and the Trial Court”. This program provided an overview of the court system and substantive information on issues often raised by constituents, including evictions, sealing criminal records, and probate matters. This information supports my office in assisting constituents navigating the trial court system.
STATEWIDE UPDATES
- This Summer, the MBTA will be adding back services across the system to support increased travel. Weekend service will return to the entire Needham line on Saturdays and Sundays. Subway and bus service changes will be effective as of June 20 and commuter rail service changes will be effective July 3. For more information, click here.
- The Department of Unemployment Assistance has reinstated the work search requirements for regular Unemployment Insurance claimants, effective June 15. Claimants must attest each week that they are making at least three work search activities per week. For more information, click here.
RESORUCES
If you are in need of information, resources, or support please visit my website for a list of resources regarding unemployment assistance, food assistance, housing, and mental health. Additionally, for town specific information visit the Towns of Needham, Dover, and Medfield‘s websites.
If you are in need of assistance, my office is still accessible by phone and email so please contact my office and we will get back to you.
Email: Denise.Garlick@mahouse.gov
Phone: 617-722-2380
