July Newsletter
Bringing Beacon Hill to You
State Senator John F. Keenan
Abington, Braintree, Hanover, Holbrook, Quincy, & Rockland
July Newsletter
End of the 194th Formal Legislative Session
The end of July marked the end of formal sessions, i.e. sessions during which more substantive or roll call requiring bills must be acted upon, unless they are in a confere
nce committee and a consensus bill is being worked on. Many of the larger bills considered during the last few weeks provided an opportunity for Senators and Representatives to file amendments reflecting their legislative priorities and district needs.
In the weeks leading up to the formal session cutoff date, the Senate passed many important bills.
I supported and the Senate passed energy affordability legislation that is projected to deliver billions in savings to ratepayers across the Commonwealth while keeping Massachusetts on track to meet its climate goals.
The bill, S.3143, An Act to save people money, repair the climate, and grow the economy, tackles rising energy costs head-on by cutting unnecessary fees, leveling price spikes that hit households during high-demand months, cracking down on predatory sales practices by energy suppliers, and steering the Commonwealth away from expensive infrastructure projects that fail to deliver value for ratepayers. It also ensures utility companies cannot shut off electricity to residents struggling to pay their bills during the hottest months of the year.
The House also passed an energy affordability bill and the differences between the Senate bill and the House bill are being worked out in a conference committee.
The Senate also passed the "Dark Skies Bill," which seeks to reduce energy consumption, lower costs, and preserve the night sky by limiting light pollution. The measure—S.3145, An Act to Improve Outdoor Lighting, Conserve Energy, and Increase Dark-Sky Visibility—focuses on outdoor lighting owned by state and local governments, including streetlights and parking lot lights. If enacted, the legislation would require the creation of a reduced electricity rate for low-wattage public lighting, allowing municipalities to cut energy costs while reducing unnecessary light pollution.
I was glad to have my amendment adopted into this bill to expand its reach to wildlife safety because improper roadway lighting puts wildlife at risk as well as humans. As of this date, the House has not taken action on the bill.
The Senate passed S.3164, An Act Protecting Children from Addictive Social Media Feeds, to protect young people from some of the most addictive features of social media. The bill would require platforms to disable overnight notifications and limit features such as autoplay, infinite scroll, and algorithm-curated feeds that can keep children scrolling for hours. Research has linked prolonged daily social media use to higher rates of depression and anxiety among children and adolescents.
As originally drafted, the bill prohibited notifications between 12:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. I was pleased to have my amendment adopted to expand that period from 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m., making it consistent with best practices. By extending the overnight notification-free period, this legislation will help young people get the sleep they need, reduce unnecessary distractions, and minimize harmful screen time.
The Senate voted to support the safety of frontline health care workers by improving security protocols at hospitals and medical facilities across the state. The Senate passed S.3171, An Act requiring health care employers to develop and implement programs to prevent workplace violence, which extends new supports to healthcare employees who are assaulted on the job, shields victims’ personal information from assailants, and empowers law enforcement in limited ways to make arrests for assaults at healthcare facilities.
The final version of the bill adopted by the Senate included four of my amendments to expand the bill's definition of employee to include non-medical staff, such as custodians and maintenance workers; protect employees from retaliation for reporting workplace violence to their employers; ensure paid leave is available for services related to an assault or battery, even when those services are not directly tied to the incident; and to clarify that disfigurement of any duration is considered a serious bodily injury.
This month, the Senate advanced efforts to strengthen our economy by passing its biennial economic development bill. Senate bill 3178 is a wide-ranging package that makes significant investments and policy changes in AI safety, housing, downtown revitalizations, the creative economy, and dozens of additional initiatives to support the Commonwealth. The Senate adopted an amendment I filed clarifying the circumstances under which a Power of Attorney may be used to create a trust.
By officially subjecting both the Governor’s office and the Legislature to a public records law, a Senate transparency bill marked an important step toward ensuring that constituents have access to the information they deserve. During this debate, I proposed eight amendments to build on these efforts and expand transparency. Two of these amendments would have made committee chair recommendations public and provide greater insight into Senate participation by showing not only how Senators voted, but whether they did so in-person or remotely. Another would have streamlined access to Senate records by requiring that they be posted online rather than requiring a somewhat burdensome request process, and yet another would have permitted direct public access to the Statements of Financial Interests filed by legislators.
While these amendments did not pass, I will continue advocating for increased transparency and accountability in the legislature.
No patient should have to leave Massachusetts to access critical medical care. This is why I supported H.5595, An Act Prioritizing Patient Access to Care. This bill closes an important gap in Massachusetts law by ensuring women can access in-state abortion care after 24 weeks when facing devastating diagnoses or medical emergencies.
Though formal sessions have ended, the Legislature will continue to meet throughout the coming months and into the first week of January, mostly in informal sessions to address a myriad of local and smaller impact bills. We will return to formal sessions when we have conference reports on major legislative initiatives like the economic development bill.
Happy, Happy Birthday
The United States turned 250 this July and as I have each year, I spent the day making
memories at four amazing community events. I began with the Adams Shore 4th of July Celebration, which is classic Americana, followed by the Squantum Parade, the Merrymount Parade, and finally the Marina Bay Maritime Festival.
On July 4 ,1776 John Quincy Adams was just a boy about to turn 9 years old. This July, we gathered to celebrate President John Quincy Adams' 259th birthday at the United First Parish Church, also known as the Church of Presidents. His lifelong service at home and abroad, in the executive and legislative branches, and his tireless efforts to fight slavery, make him a role model for all who love freedom and believe in the call to good and honest public service.
In the District & at the State House
At the State House, I assisted in organizing the annual Brian Donaghue Simpson Naloxone Training. Events like this one help to save lives by training people to recognize the signs of an overdose and respond quickly.
I am grateful to Representative Kate Donaghue of Westborough, originally from West Quincy, for being the driving force behind and hosting this important training in memory of her son, Brian. Her continued advocacy makes a meaningful difference across the Commonwealth.
Nurses do incredible work, and I am always proud to support them in whatever way
possible. This month, I joined the picket line with Boston Medical Center nurses as they fight for safer staffing and better working conditions and wrote the CEO of Mass General Brigham urging a contract settlement with their nurses. Every one of us has been impacted by a nurse—whether on one of our best days or one of our hardest. They show up every day to provide compassionate care and support for others. They deserve the same in return.
I joined Mayor Joyce, Senator Driscoll, Representative Cusack, and community leaders to welcome Secretary of Economic Development Paley for a tour of Braintree. We enjoyed a stop at Jozour Cafe, visited development and housing projects, and toured First Electronics Corporation, a leading manufacturer of cable assemblies.
I enjoyed meeting Audrey Tallent of Quincy to congratulate her on being named a Youth of the Year finalist of the Massachusetts Alliance of Boys and Girls Clubs. Seeing young leaders from our district recognized by Governor Healey at the State House reminds me that our future is in good hands.
Office Interns
I remember being an intern at the State House while in college and am always thrilled when students express an interest in our intern program. This summer we welcomed eight interns and I am excited to share what great work they accomplish during their time in the Senate.
Valentina Salazar Sandoval is a Master of Public Health candidate at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. This summer, she analyzed parallels between the opioid epidemic and the rise of sports betting. Her favorite part of working in the State House was attending press briefings, connecting with State House staff, and linking diverse legislative issues back to public health.
Cara MacDonald, of Quincy, is a rising senior at Fordham University studying marketing and law & ethics. This summer she researched same-day voter registration laws and created social media posts. Her favorite part of working at the State House was watching formal sessions and attending the summer speaker series.
Sonia Chu, of Braintree, is a rising sophomore at Brown University studying Political Science and Urban Studies. She researched Narcan on public transit and incarcerated voting laws. Sonia enjoyed discussing policy issues with other interns and staff members. During review of the social media bill, Sonia brought firsthand insight to current notification settings and helped research related policies. Her suggestions formed the basis for an amendment, which was adopted.
William Cunniff, of Quincy, is a rising junior at Stonehill College, studying political science. He completed a voter turnout analysis project, and researched policy related to the current sports betting epidemic and our Bettor Health Act. His favorite part of the internship was learning about the individual roles of each staff member in the office.
Avery Burke, of Rockland, is a rising junior at Saint Anselm College majoring in Politics and Social Work. She assisted with communications projects, researching legislation, and responding to constituent correspondence. Her favorite part of the internship was connecting with people from a wide range of positions, backgrounds, and experiences, which broadened her understanding of state government and the collaborative work that goes into serving constituents.
Avery O'Neill-Kelleher is a third-year student at Texas Christian University majoring in Political Science and Government. She updated our website for the 2027 fiscal year budget, wrote a policy memo on election laws and the use of artificial intelligence in campaigns, and created a 50-state AI legislation tracker. Her favorite part of working in the State House was attending hearings and press conferences for bills, then watching them get voted on while the Senate was in session.
Aero Le is a rising senior at North Quincy High School who is looking beyond high school to college to study marketing and media. This summer she gained valuable insight into public service and policy making. Her favorite part of the internship was exploring the State House and learning how the Legislature operates.
CJ Xu is a rising senior year at North Quincy High School. He’s interested in studying Political Science in college. CJ’s favorite part of the internship was the summer speaker series and listening to senators speak in the Senate Chamber, where he learned firsthand about the legislative process.
Farewell, Emerson!
My Legislative Director, Emerson Gagnon, is leaving the office after three years of remarkable dedication and service. While we are certainly sad to see him go, one of my favorite parts of being a State Senator is seeing talented staff members grow their careers and continue making a difference in new roles. Wishing Emerson the best of luck in his new chapter at the Executive Office of Veterans Services!
What's Next
We will continue our legislative work until the end of the session, focusing on several local bills, as supplemental budget bill, and wrapping up bills now in conference committees. We will be releasing a schedule for our next round of office hours, will be out and about in the district at meetings with local officials and groups, and as always, will be working with constituents on individual concerns and issues relating to state government. It is an honor to represent you, and I look forward to continuing our work together.
