Fresh Garlick – Thursday, October 21, 2021

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

I am the sponsor and testified this week on H.370, An Act relative to maintaining independent authority over nursing licensure in the Commonwealth. This legislation protects the autonomy of the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing, preserves the Commonwealth’s independent authority concerning the Nurse Practice Act and prevents “outsourcing” of the function of Nurse Licensure.

These elements are critical for quality care for all patients in Massachusetts and that must be our highest priority in healthcare.

To read my testimony, please click here.

Yours in Service,
Denise

District Updates

• In Needham, the Town of Needham has announced a community-wide Food Waste Recycling Program that will launch in November. In partnership with Agri-cycle, residential food waste and food waste collected at the Needham Public Schools and the Recycling Transfer Station will be collected to create methane gas that will be used to generate electricity. For more information, click here.
• The month of October is recognized as Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The Ellie Fund in Needham provides support for breast cancer patients to ease the stress of everyday life. The Ellie Fund offers grocery assistance, transportation, light housekeeping, childcare reimbursement, nutritious prepared meals, and more. For more information, click here.

• In Dover tonight, Colonial Water and its consultants will present to the Board of Selectmen on their reports on water quality and infrastructure. For the agenda and meeting information, click here. Additonally, The Town of Dover has 13 monitoring wells that help the Town understand how groundwater moves to better determine the resource needs for the future. Residents can view this data in the new Monitoring Wells Dashboard featured on the Dover Water Resource webpage. To view the dashboard, click here.

• In Medfield, a Special Town Meeting will be held on Sunday, November 7 at the Medfield High School and a Special Town Election will be held on Monday, November 15 at The Center at Medfield about the proposed new elementary school project. To participate, you must be registered to vote in the Town of Medfield by Thursday, October 28. To register online, click here or contact the Medfield Town Clerk.

• National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is this Saturday, October 23. In Needham, Dover, and Medfield there will be opportunities for the disposal of unused or expired prescription and over-the-counter medications.
  • In Needham, the Substance Prevention Alliance of Needham and the Needham Police Department will be collecting at the Needham Town Common along Garrity Way from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM.
  • In Dover, the Dover Police Department has a permanent collection site that is accessible 24/7.
  • In Medfield, Medfield Cares About Prevention will be collecting at the Public Safety Building from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM.

Legislative Updates

• Today, I joined my colleagues in the House of Representatives to vote in favor for H. 4210, An Act relative to establishing representative districts in the General Court. This redistricting is based on the results of the 2020 Census and takes place once a decade. Under this map, the 13th Norfolk District that I represent does not change. For information on Redistricting, click here.

• On Wednesday, the Permanent Commission on The Status of Persons with Disabilities, of which I am the chair, met virtually. At this meeting the Commission discussed our value statements, lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic, and our upcoming Annual Report. To receive updates from the Commission, sign up here.

Statewide Updates

• Flu season in Massachusetts has arrived and every person over the age of six months is recommended to get a flu shot every year. The Department of Public Health is reporting weekly data on the flu this year which can be found online. The most common symptoms of flu are fever, cough, and sore throat. Symptoms can also include body aches, headaches, chills, runny nose, and fatigue.

• COVID-19 booster vaccines are available for individuals 65 years of age and older and individuals 18-64 years of age at risk for severe COVID-19 due to underlying medical conditions, and individuals 18-64 years of age who are at increased risk for COVID-19 because of occupational or institutional settings who have previously received the Pfizer vaccine. If you are eligible, you may find a location through VaxFinder or by calling the COVID-19 Vaccine Resource Line at 2-1-1. For more information on the COVID-19 booster, click here.

Resources