May Newsletter

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Bringing Beacon Hill to You

State Senator John F. Keenan

Abington, Braintree, Hanover, Holbrook, Quincy, & Rockland

May Newsletter

Fiscal Year 2027 Budget

On May 21, the Senate approved a $63.37 billion fiscal year 2027 budget that incorporates 14 of my amendments which provide critical funding for initiatives and programs throughout the Norfolk and Plymouth District, as well as resources supporting individuals throughout the Commonwealth.

Key funding secured for the district within the Senate budget includes:

Local Aid: Record levels of Local Unrestricted General Government Aid and Chapter 70 school funding for district communities, including Quincy, Braintree, Abington, Hanover, Holbrook, and Rockland, totaling more than $137 million combined. This funding is used for education, public safety, senior and veteran services, public works, and libraries.
Public safety and emergency services: Funding for upgrades to the Quincy Fire Department’s communications system, improvements to Holbrook’s public safety building, and support for the Plymouth County Fire Chiefs Association.
Senior services: $179,000 for programs at local councils on aging.
Veterans' services: Support for Abington’s transportation program to provide free rides to medical appointments for veterans and spouses, plus upgrades to the Rockland Veterans’ Memorial.
Libraries and community infrastructure: Funding for programs at Abington Public Library, engineering studies for Rockland Memorial Library, and Hartsuff Park traffic improvements.
Student health and education: Funding for Hanover Public Schools to launch cardiac screenings aimed at preventing sudden cardiac arrest in students.
Substance use and public health: $475,000 for the RecoveryWorks Program at Massachusetts General Hospital and increased support for the Massachusetts Tobacco Cessation and Prevention Program.
Mental health services: Funding for the Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center to expand culturally responsive mental health services in Quincy.
Disability services: Support for The Arc of Massachusetts workforce training programs serving adults with developmental disabilities and autism.
Election administration: Funding flexibility for voter information booklets and vote-by-mail costs ahead of the 2026 election.

A more detailed press release on the budget is available here.

During debate on the budget, I spoke in strong support of Senator Moore’s Amendment 908, which allocates funding for firefighter cancer screenings. Firefighters face extraordinary dangers every day, especially so when at a fire scene where they are often exposed to toxic chemicals. Work-related cancer should not be part of the price they pay for their service. Early screening and detection significantly improve the chances of successful treatment and recovery. Having spoken on this subject on the Senate floor in the past, I was proud to vote alongside my colleagues to include this important amendment in the budget.

Now that the Senate and House of Representatives have passed their respective budgets, a conference committee has been formed to reconcile the differences, which will then return to each chamber for final approval so a consensus budget can go to the Governor for her approval.

Giving Back & Recognizing Service

As Senator, I work with many bills, but none quite like Bill Twomey from South Shore Habitat for Humanity. My team and I work with community members every day, but doing direct community service uniquely broadens our perspectives. Most recently, we spent a day with Habitat for Humanity helping restore a home in Abington. While community service may be the cornerstone of our Senate work, we spent much of the day working on the foundation.... of a deck. We had a blast digging ourselves deeper and making many jokes alongside site supervisors Bill and Tony Keeley. I encourage anyone who can to volunteer their time, as countless organizations across the district could use extra hands.

There is no service greater than that to the United States. On Vietnam War Veterans Day, I attended the City of Quincy’s ceremony, honoring those who served in the Vietnam War and the 50 soldiers from Quincy who made the ultimate sacrifice. I also attended the Town of Abington’s ceremony, a meaningful event honoring the service and sacrifice of its Vietnam Veterans. The Abington event featured especially strong community support from the Abington High School Veterans Appreciation Club, United States Veterans Vietnam Era Post 2 SSG. Richard A. Fitts Chapter, and the American Legion - Lewis V. Dorsey Post 112.

The State House hosted its annual Military Appreciation Day, where I proudly welcomed SGM (Ret.) Peter L. Walters of Abington to receive a special recognition. Pete served 34

years in the United States Army before retiring as a Sergeant Major in 2011, earning numerous awards including the Legion of Merit for his exceptional leadership and service. Since retiring, he has continued dedicating himself to veterans in Abington through weekly volunteer work with the Office of Veterans’ Services, where he helped reorganize and digitize more than 2,600 veteran records. He has also played a major role in several local veterans' initiatives, including the tax work-off program, emergency assistance efforts, and the town’s Purple Heart initiative, which helped identify more than 60 Purple Heart recipients connected to Abington. Pete’s lifelong commitment to serving both his country and fellow veterans makes him exceptionally deserving of this recognition.

On Memorial Day, I reflected on the brave men and women who gave their lives serving our nation. Their sacrifices secured the freedoms we enjoy today, and we owe them a lasting debt of gratitude. May we continue to honor their memory not only in words, but through service to our communities and support for our veterans and military families.

In the District

Abington, Rockland, and Hanover held their Town Meetings on the same night. I attended all three and appreciated the active participation of residents helping to make many big decisions for the towns.

Quincy had its annual Cleaner Greener Day, and I enjoyed joining friends and neighbors in Merrymount to clean the beach. I am always amazed how much litter and trash is collected each year and how much pruning and mulching occurs all across the city.

I had a fantastic time at the 5th Annual Quincy Multicultural Festival. Seeing the many cultures that make up Quincy come together to share their traditions, performances, and heritage across the community always inspires me.

I also sampled some tasty bites from Tiranga Indian Street Food in Quincy, so good it

prompted me to take my office team to dinner there the following week when we celebrated Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, one delicious bite at a time. Everything was packed with flavor — from crispy samosas to the Tiranga Special grilled sandwich. Food is such a powerful way to experience culture, history, and community, and I enjoy supporting local AAPI-owned businesses this month and every month.

Another powerful way to showcase experiences is through art and music. Norfolk County Juvenile Court’s Law Day showcased many outstanding students from Braintree High School. There were outstanding musical performances, artworks, essays, and a thought-provoking mock trial produced by the students. I am always impressed by the great work done by staff and students at the public schools in the district.

Later in the month, I attended the annual Hanover Chamber of Commerce Dinner, where Jesse Stiglich Music School was named the 2026 Business of the Year. The school fosters an inclusive environment that meets students where they are while providing quality music instruction. Congratulations to JSMS, as well as to all the Hanover businesses that work every day to make Hanover a warm, welcoming, and thriving community.

The PROTECT Act

The Senate passed sweeping legislation to protect residents from the Trump administration’s weaponization of federal immigration enforcement.

The PROTECT Act holds federal immigration agents legally accountable for civil rights violations, as current law does for other law enforcement officers. The Act also stops local and state police from participating in civil federal immigration enforcement, as it is my belief that local property taxes should fund local law enforcement efforts rather than federal responsibilities.

The Act prohibits immigration arrests at courthouses, houses of worship, schools, hospitals, and childcare facilities. Federal immigration authorities have ample opportunities and places to conduct their operations; people, regardless of their status, should feel protected during worship services and while at a hospital, and children should feel safe in schools. The bill also blocks unauthorized deployment of other states’ National Guards into Massachusetts and allows parents facing detention or deportation to pre-arrange guardianship for their children.

Two amendments I filed were adopted during the debate.

The first expands the definition of schools covered by this bill to include Chapter 766 schools. Chapter 766 schools are state-approved, private special education schools that provide tailored day or residential programs for students with disabilities whose needs cannot be met in traditional public schools. By broadening this definition, we extend protections for the particularly vulnerable population of students with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

The second makes a technical change to the definition of a law enforcement officer in the bill. The language simply requires that the officer be a member of a law enforcement agency, rather than any other type of agency.

Now that both the Senate and House of Representatives have passed versions of this bill, a conference committee has been formed to reconcile the differences.

At Sea

Quincy Ferry is up and running. I recently took to the water for my commute to the State House. On a beautiful spring day, taking the ferry is a reliable, enjoyable, and scenic way to travel between Quincy and Boston. View the full schedule here.