Dear ,

I hope everyone had a wonderful Fourth of July celebrating with loved ones and enjoying the many community events that make this time of year so special on Cape Cod.

July was a month-long celebration of America's 250th birthday! Thanks to the Revolution 250 initiative, I had the privilege of presenting a commemorative copy of the Declaration of Independence to all 7 towns in the 4th Barnstable. 250 years ago, Massachusetts was the only state to deliver copies of the Declaration to every municipality, ensuring every community could partake in this defining moment. The Revolution 250 initiative has helped us to renew this tradition by providing every city and town with a historically accurate reproduction of our country's founding document.

Intern Day on Beacon Hill

We are fortunate to be working with 3 terrific interns this summer: John Hoctor, Christopher Arriola and Daniel Morgan. These high school students have supported our office through policy research, citation presentations, and constituent services. On July 15th, John, Dan, and Christopher joined us at the State House to observe a formal House session and participate in the legislative speaker series. It's wonderful to see young people interested in politics, policy, and public service!

Upcoming Community Office Hours

Tuesday, August 11th | 4 PM - 5 PM | Eastham Public Library

Monday, August 17th | 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM | Harwich Community Center

Constituent Spotlight

We celebrated 3 special people in July: Bonnie Snow, Chief Michael Anderson, and Judith Giorgio.

Our community celebrated the life of Bonnie Snow, whose lifelong dedication to service and preserving local history left an enduring mark on Orleans and across our region. Bonnie's volunteer efforts with Snow Library, the Orleans Historical Society, and the Church of the Holy Spirit enriched the lives of countless residents and has helped to preserve the stories and traditions of Orleans for generations. Listen to Bonnie share her love of Orleans and its rich history with the Orleans Historical Society here.

Congratulations to Michael D. Anderson on his retirement after 30 years of dedicated service to the Town of Chatham. After beginning his law enforcement career as a Chatham Special Officer in the summers of 1992 and 1993, Chief Anderson returned in 1996 as a full-time Patrolman, where he served the community for three decades. We thank Mike for his commitment to Chatham and wish him a happy retirement.

We were honored to recognize Judith Giorgio on her retirement after 22 years as Chatham's Health Agent and 40 years of public service to communities across the Commonwealth. Judith's dedication to protecting public health and serving residents has left a lasting impact, and we wish her all the best in retirement.

Legislative Updates

As the 194th Regular Session concluded on July 31st, the Legislature worked diligently to advance and pass a wide range of important legislation. This month, the House passed many bills addressing key issues across the Commonwealth, including:

H.5576 - An Act relative to Economic Development in the Commonwealth (MassWINS Act)

• Authorizes $561 million in capital investments to support housing, artificial intelligence, robotics, defense, workforce development, small businesses, and downtown revitalization.
• Expands housing opportunities through commercial-to-residential conversions, multifamily housing on qualifying religious properties, and improved local planning and permitting.
• Strengthens economic competitiveness by lowering LLC filing fees, creating new tax incentives, establishing statewide micromobility regulations, and supporting business innovation and investment.

As part of this legislation, I was pleased to secure $500,000 for Barnstable County's Massachusetts Alternative Septic System Testing Center (MASSTC) to study the feasibility of urine-diverting eco-toilet systems in nitrogen-sensitive areas of the Lower and Outer Cape. Because this is a bond authorization bill, these funds will be made available over time rather than immediately.

H.5627 - An Act to improve Massachusetts Home Care

• Creates a statewide licensure system for home care agencies and workers, including background checks and standardized training, to improve the quality and safety of home care services.
• Strengthens oversight and accountability by establishing licensing standards, quality requirements, and a public directory of licensed home care providers.
• Supports home care workers and families through workplace protections, caregiver support initiatives, and long-term care planning to help residents age safely at home.

H.5629 - An Act enhancing child welfare protections

• Improves educational stability and protections for children in foster care by creating a dedicated DCF Education Unit, streamlining school transitions, and establishing a Foster Child Bill of Rights
• Strengthens the child welfare system by expanding family support services, enhancing oversight through the Office of the Child Advocate, and increasing transparency and accountability. 

S.2696 - An Act regarding free expression

• Establishes statewide standards and transparent policies for selecting and reviewing school library materials based on educational value, age appropriateness, and professional judgment.
• Creates a standardized process for challenging library materials while protecting librarians and educators who act in good faith.

H.5613 - An Act to improve care and prepare for the new era of Alzheimer's and Dementia

• Requires dementia training for first responders and hospitals to improve care for individuals living with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.
• Expands support for individuals with dementia and their caregivers through new care coordination benefits and stronger family notification requirements.
• Strengthens the Commonwealth’s dementia care system by improving hospital standards, expanding workforce incentives, and increasing public education and statewide coordination.

H.5631 - An Act mandating access to cancer screenings for firefighters through health care benefits plans or programs provided by the public employer

• Guarantees free cancer screenings for eligible firefighters by eliminating copays, deductibles, and other out-of-pocket costs.
• Expands access to screenings for cancers commonly linked to firefighting, supporting earlier detection and improved firefighter health.

S.2903 - An Act honoring Blue Star Families

• Creates a new Blue Star Family license plate and motorcycle emblem to honor the families of police officers killed in the line of duty.
• Provides the plates at no cost to surviving spouses, parents, and children, while expanding the Commonwealth's special recognition license plate program to honor the sacrifices of fallen officers and their families.

The Legislature also reported several bills out of Conference Committee that were enacted by the Governor, including:

H.5620 - An Act promoting rule of law, oversight, trust and equal constitutional treatment (PROTECT Act)

• Fosters trust between residents and their communities by: prohibiting new 287(g) agreements; enhancing protections at sensitive locations such as schools, medical facilities, and courthouses; permitting pre-arrangement of guardianship in the case of family separation.

• Ensures equal treatment under the constitution by: creating a pathway for justice for civil rights violations; barring police from asking about a person's immigration status or stopping them because of it (absent a connection to a criminal matter).

• Oversees a focused law enforcement system by: prohibiting State and Municipal participation in Immigration enforcement; preserving officers' authority to investigate and prosecute crime unrelated to civil immigration enforcement; providing oversight authority to the State Auditor to review sheriff's agreements with federal immigration agencies.

• Upholds the rule of law by supporting victims of crime and establishing local custody protections.

• Requires employers to inform employees of receiving a notice of inspection by ICE.

H.5555 - An Act making appropriations for the Fiscal Year 2027

• Education: Fully funds the Student Opportunity Act with a record $7.66 billion in Chapter 70 aid, increases support for special education, early education, free community college, and universal free school meals, and reestablishes the Foundation Budget Review Commission.
• Transportation: Invests more than $1 billion in the MBTA, increases funding for Regional Transit Authorities, supports fare-free transit, and funds new roadway safety improvements to prevent wrong-way crashes.
• Municipalities and Housing: Provides a record $1.363 billion in unrestricted local aid to cities and towns while advancing housing production through permitting and zoning reforms.
• Health Care: Extends the ConnectorCare expansion through 2027, strengthens access to preventive health care, and supports a statewide study on the future of emergency medical services.
• Retiree COLA Reform: Implements long-term reforms to strengthen cost-of-living adjustments for retired public employees while creating a dedicated reserve fund for future increases.
• Food and Economic Security: Expands support for families by protecting public assistance benefits, repealing the Learnfare law, increasing emergency food assistance, and investing in healthy food access through the Healthy Incentives Program.
• Protecting Vulnerable Residents: Strengthens protections for children and older adults, improves assisted living safety standards, and establishes a commission to study services for young adults with disabilities transitioning out of special education.

Important Changes to MassHealth

MassHealth is preparing to implement the Medicaid changes required under the One Beautiful Bill Act and has created a helpful resource page that will be updated regularly with the most current information available. If you have any questions or need assistance navigating these changes, please don't hesitate to reach out to my office.

Recent News

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• After 14 Months of Construction, Motta Field Reopens - The Provincetown Independent

• Healey-Driscoll Administration Awards $50,000 for Saltwater Recreational Fishing Access Projects | Mass.gov

Thank you for taking the time to read this newsletter.

Please continue to reach out to me at hadley@hadleyluddy.com or contact my office.

I appreciate hearing from you!

Best,

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