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Senator Jason Lewis Applauds Unanimous Senate Passage of FY24 State Budget

BOSTON—Following a robust debate over three days, the Massachusetts Senate approved a $55.9 billion state budget for Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24) on Thursday, May 25. As the Commonwealth continues to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic, the Senate’s budget supports the economic health of the state while upholding fiscal discipline and responsibility. The Senate budget delivers historic levels of investment in education, housing, healthcare, workforce development, climate preparedness, and more, as part of a comprehensive strategy to make Massachusetts more affordable, equitable, and inclusive.

 

“I’m proud that this budget, passed with bipartisan support, will deliver significant resources for our public schools and communities, and make our state more affordable for working families by helping to address the high costs of housing, childcare, college, and healthcare,” said State Senator Jason Lewis. “I want to thank all the advocates and constituents who shared their priorities and helpful feedback with me throughout the budget process.”

 

The Senate’s FY24 budget includes $1 billion in revenues expected to be generated from the Fair Share Amendment, approved by voters last November, to strengthen the state’s education and transportation sectors. To safeguard this new source of revenue, the Senate’s budget establishes a dedicated Education and Transportation Fund to account for all Fair Share revenues in an open and transparent manner.

 

Some highlights of the Senate’s FY24 budget include: 

  • $6.59 billion in Chapter 70 funding for K-12 public education, an increase of $604 million over FY23, ensuring that the state remains on schedule to fully implement the landmark Student Opportunity Act by FY27.
  • $1.5 billion for early education and child care programs, including $475 million for Commonwealth Cares for Children (C3) grants, to improve quality, access, and affordability for families.
  • Almost $20 billion to fund MassHealth, providing more than 2.3 million people with continued access to affordable, accessible, and comprehensive healthcare services.
  • $1.3 billion to support a spectrum of mental health services and prevention programs for adults and children, including investments in staffing, inpatient placements, and supportive housing.
  • Over $1 billion for housing development and programs that support housing stability, residential assistance, and homelessness prevention.
  • $100 million to enable the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) to make supplemental grants to school building projects that experienced unprecedented cost increases due to the pandemic. These projects include Stoneham High School and Northeast Metro Tech Regional Vocational High School.
  • Significant new funding for community college and public higher education, as part of a plan to make community college free for all students by the fall of 2024. Undocumented students who graduate from Massachusetts high schools and meet certain other criteria would also become eligible to pay in-state tuition rates at our public colleges and universities.

 

Senator Lewis was also successful in securing $500,000 to fund a variety of local projects and programs in our communities, including funding to help open an inclusive cafe to be operated by the Boys and Girls Clubs of Stoneham and Wakefield that will employ adults and teens with developmental disabilities. 

 

The FY24 Senate Budget will be available on the Massachusetts legislature’s website: https://malegislature.gov/Budget/FY2024/SenateBudget. A conference committee will now be appointed to reconcile differences between the versions of the budget passed by the Senate and House of Representatives, before being sent to Governor Healey for her signature.

Senator Lewis Announces Passage of $388 Million Supplemental State Budget to Address Critical Needs

BOSTON (3/29/2023)—State Senator Jason Lewis joined his colleagues in the Massachusetts State Legislature last week in passing a $388 million supplemental budget for Fiscal Year 2023 (FY23). This legislation funds vital programs and services that address food insecurity, housing instability, continued pandemic recovery and economic development, and more. 

The bill provides $130 million for SNAP food assistance benefits to help families who were receiving enhanced SNAP benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic that were recently ended by the federal government; $68 million for the early education and childcare C3 stabilization grant program; $65 million for the continuation of universal free school meals for all students; $45 million for additional emergency shelter assistance for homeless individuals and families; and $40 million for supports for refugees and migrants. 

The bill also authorizes $740 million in capital investments to support economic development across the Commonwealth. Notably, this includes $400 million for the popular MassWorks Infrastructure Program, which provides grants to cities, towns, and other public entities for infrastructure projects; and $125 million for state matching funds to compete for new federal grant opportunities, including those funded through the CHIPS and Science Act, which encourage innovation in Massachusetts.

Finally, this legislation also extends initiatives first implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic, including authorization for outdoor dining for restaurants and remote public meeting access.

“I’m pleased that the state legislature was able to work closely with our new Governor to quickly pass this critical supplemental budget bill,” said State Senator Jason Lewis. “These investments in food security, housing supports, economic development, and infrastructure are urgently needed by residents and communities in our region and across the Commonwealth.”

Having been passed by the Senate and the House, the supplemental budget now goes to Governor Healey for her signature.

Summer 2023 Internship with Senator Lewis

State Senator Jason Lewis is seeking candidates for a summer internship with his office. Senator Lewis proudly represents the people of the Fifth Middlesex District of Massachusetts, which includes the cities and towns of Malden, Melrose, Reading, Stoneham, Wakefield, and Winchester. Senator Lewis is a member of Senate President Karen Spilka’s leadership team, and serves as the Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Education and the Chair of the Senate Ethics Committee. He also co-founded and co-chairs the legislature’s Zero Waste Caucus and Middlesex Fells Caucus. He has been a leader in shaping public policy on a range of issues important to his district, region, and the state, including education, healthcare, and economic opportunity for all. 

Interns will support the Senator’s staff in a variety of ways, but we are specifically looking for interns with interest in one or more of the following:

  • implementing the Senator’s communications strategy,
  • supporting local projects and our work with organizations in the district, or
  • assisting with constituent services.

Tasks may include: 

  • attending project briefings, 
  • researching information and statistics, 
  • creating pamphlets and charts, 
  • drafting social media posts, and 
  • event planning. 

Interns will have the unique opportunity to engage with policymaking, politics, and government from the inside. Although unpaid, interns will obtain meaningful experience by witnessing and participating in the day-to-day functioning of a State Senate office with a special focus on our work with the Education Committee.

Interns must have strong written and verbal communication skills and attention to detail. Candidates must also be comfortable with Microsoft Office, Google applications, and major social media platforms. Preference will be given to applicants with a high school diploma or equivalent. Applications from the Fifth Middlesex District are strongly encouraged. Hours and duration of internship are flexible, though ideal applicants will be available 8-10 hours per week. This position will be in-person, hybrid, or fully remote. 

Our office does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, gender identity, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, or age. Applicants of color are strongly encouraged to apply.

Candidates should send a resume and a brief letter of interest to Jason.Lewis@masenate.gov by Thursday, May 4, 2023. References should be available upon request. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, so interested parties are encouraged to apply promptly. With questions, please call (617) 722-1206.

Senator Jason Lewis Reappointed as Senate Chair of the Education Committee

BOSTON (2/17/2023)—Earlier this week, Senate President Karen Spilka reappointed State Senator Jason Lewis as the Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Education in the Massachusetts legislature for the 2023-24 legislative session. Senator Lewis will also continue to serve as a member of President Spilka’s leadership team.

Senator Lewis was also appointed to several other leadership and committee roles for the new legislative session:
-Chair of the Senate Ethics Committee
-Vice-Chair of the Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development
-Member of the Senate Ways and Means Committee
-Member of the Senate Rules Committee
-Member of the Joint Committee on Healthcare Financing
-Member of the Joint Committee on Advanced Information Technology, the Internet, and Cybersecurity

“I’m excited to continue my leadership role in advancing state funding and policies to ensure a high-quality public education for all students across the Commonwealth,” said State Senator Jason Lewis. “I also welcome the opportunity to work with my Senate and House colleagues, the Healey administration, municipal officials, advocates, and other stakeholders to pursue an ambitious agenda for Massachusetts in the new legislative session.”

Previously in the role of Senate Chair of the Education Committee, Senator Lewis helped lead the effort to pass the landmark Student Opportunity Act to provide adequate and equitable funding for our public schools. Among the priorities for the Education Committee this legislative session is likely to be the passage of major legislation expanding access to high-quality, affordable early education and childcare.

Senator Lewis Supports Effort to Increase Public Participation in State Legislative Process

BOSTON (2/10/2023)—State Senator Jason Lewis joined his colleagues in the Massachusetts Senate in voting for a rules package on Thursday, February 9 that will require all legislative public hearings to be conducted in a hybrid manner, which means that members of the public can participate either in-person at the State House or remotely. The rules package governs the operations of the state legislature for the duration of the new legislative session (2023-24).

Prior to the pandemic, almost all public hearings held by the state legislature — where members of the public can provide testimony in support or opposition to proposed legislation — took place at the State House in Boston and required in-person attendance. During the pandemic, public hearings were held online and members of the public were able to testify remotely. Hybrid public hearings offer the flexibility and convenience for public participation in the legislative process to be either in-person or remote. This maximizes the opportunity for all members of the public to participate in state government, making the process more inclusive and encouraging civic engagement.

“I strongly support all measures that increase transparency and public participation in our government,” said State Senator Jason Lewis. “This builds greater trust in our public institutions, improves the lawmaking process, and ultimately strengthens our democracy.”

The Massachusetts House of Representatives has also voted to require legislative public hearings to be conducted in a hybrid format during this legislative session.

Senator Lewis Accepting Winter Interns

Office of State Senator Jason Lewis Winter 2023 Intern Posting 

Senator Jason Lewis is seeking candidates interested in a winter internship in his State House office. State Senator Jason Lewis proudly represents the people of the Fifth Middlesex District of Massachusetts, which includes the cities and towns of Malden, Melrose, Reading, Stoneham, Wakefield, and parts of Winchester. Senator Lewis is a member of Senate President Karen Spilka’s leadership team. He serves as the Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Education and the Assistant Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means. He also co-founded and co-chairs the legislature’s Prevention for Health Caucus, Zero Waste Caucus, and Middlesex Fells Caucus.  He has been a leader in shaping public policy on a range of issues important to his district, region, and the state, including education, healthcare, and economic opportunity for all. 

We seek applicants interested in supporting our district-wide projects and/or assisting with the implementation of our communications strategy. 

Tasks may include: 

  • attending project briefings, 
  • researching information and statistics, 
  • creating pamphlets and charts, 
  • drafting social media posts, and 
  • event planning. 

Interns will have the opportunity to engage with all of our staff to learn about topics they find interesting, but will report mainly to our District Director and Communications Director. Although unpaid, interns will obtain meaningful experience by witnessing and participating in the day-to-day functioning of a State Senate office with a special focus on our work with the Education Committee.

Interns must have strong written and verbal communication skills and attention to detail. Candidates must also be comfortable with Microsoft Office, Google applications, and major social media platforms. Preference will be given to applicants with a high school diploma or equivalent. Applications from the Fifth Middlesex District are strongly encouraged. Hours and duration of internship are flexible, though ideal applicants will be available 8-10 hours per week. This position will be hybrid or fully remote. 

Our office does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, or age. Applicants of color are strongly encouraged to apply.

Candidates should send a resume and a brief letter of interest to Jason.Lewis@masenate.gov by Wednesday, January 25, 2023. References should be available upon request. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, so interested parties are encouraged to apply promptly. With questions, please call (617) 722-1206. 

Senator Lewis Wants to Hear Your Feedback: Respond to Our Constituent Survey

I was thrilled to be sworn in for another term as your State Senator earlier this week. I am filled with gratitude and appreciation for the confidence that you have continued to place in me to represent you in the State Senate. I look forward to a productive legislative session working alongside my colleagues and the new Healey Administration. 

As we prepare for this new legislative session, we are setting our priorities and developing our policy agenda. To this end, we are eager to get input and feedback from our constituents on the issues that are most important to you and your families. We have created a brief survey and are trying to hear from as many people and diverse perspectives as possible from across our district (Malden, Melrose, Reading, Stoneham, Wakefield, and parts of Winchester). 

We will use your feedback to help guide our policy priorities and agenda for the new legislative session. The survey is open until Friday, January 20, and should only take about 5-10 minutes to complete. All responses will be anonymous. After it is closed, we will compile the information and host a virtual Town Hall event on Tuesday, February 7, at 6:30 pm to discuss the results.

The survey can be accessed here.

Thank you so much for your participation in our constituent survey. I am proud to serve as your State Senator and will continue to do my best to represent you and listen to your thoughts and concerns.

State Senator Jason Lewis