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Senator Welch at Springfield City-wide Clean-up

Thu, 05/03/2012 - 3:33pm
 
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On Saturday, April 28th, Senator Welch joined hundreds of volunteers by taking part in Springfield’s City-wide cleanup as part of the National Great American Cleanup.  Senator Welch and a couple other volunteers are cleaning up on the corner of Ralph Street and Manilla Avenue in the Pine Point section of Springfield.  This is the same site in which he is leading the effort to bring a playground for the children of the neighborhood.

Senate Passes Valor Act

Thu, 05/03/2012 - 3:29pm

Today, the Massachusetts Senate unanimously passed “The Valor Act” – new legislation that will expand benefits and increase access to a range of services for veterans, active-duty military and their families, Senator James T. Welch announced.

“I am proud that Massachusetts prioritizes programs that support the men and women who serve our country and their families,” said Senator Welch.  “I think it is important for us to show our appreciation for the sacrifices our service members make.”  

Springfield Central High School Eagles Boys Varsity Basketball team is recognized at the State House

Fri, 04/27/2012 - 4:38pm
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Senator Welch welcomed the Massachusetts Division I Basketball State Championship team from Central High School to the State House yesterday.   The Springfield Central High School Eagles Boys Varsity Basketball Team had a fantastic 2012 season.  They finished with a regular season record of 19 wins and 1 loss.  They won the State Championship game on March 17th against the team from Brockton High School with a final score of 67-46.

Senator Welch presented the team with a Joint Resolution signed by the Springfield Delegation.

Welch on “District School Tour”

Wed, 04/11/2012 - 10:51am

 

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Closing the achievement gap and ensuring that our schools have sufficient resources to prepare our youth to be successful are a top legislative priority of Senator Welch.    

Our public schools are a priority as we work to strengthen our communities and economy. I am pleased to have the opportunity to see firsthand the accomplishments of students, educators, and administrators.  There is still a lot of work to do, and every school in our district is different, which makes this tour essential.

Senator receives award from Boys and Girls Clubs

Tue, 03/13/2012 - 11:05am
Senator Welch is joined by his fellow legislators as he accepts the award.
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Today, Senator James T. Welch was honored with the Champion of Youth Award from the Massachusetts Alliance of Boys and Girls Clubs.  The MA Alliance was on Beacon Hill to recognize the work of the Boys and Girls Clubs across the Commonwealth and to advocate for continued financial support.  The Alliance is a consortium of 41 Boys & Girls Club Corporation that operate throughout Massachusetts.

 

Senator testified before Judiciary Committee

Fri, 03/09/2012 - 5:30pm

Senator Welch testified before the Joint Committee on the Judiciary on Tuesday, March 6th on Senate Bill 910 - An Act establishing the murder victim families assistance fund.

The bill establishes a Murder Victims Families Assistance Fund to provide fiscal aid to immediate families of murder victims.  A publisher, author, movie or television studio or company can voluntarily contribute revenues that were earned from a book, movie or television show based on a murder or murders committed in the Commonwealth.

When a family loses a loved one, especially as a result of a criminal act, the impact is felt well beyond the tragedy itself”.  Establishing a fund creates an opportunity for those profiting from these heinous crimes to give back to families in the Commonwealth who have experienced this type of loss.

The Victim and Witness Assistance Board shall be the custodian of the fund.  The Massachusetts Film Office will notify relevant parties of the existence of the fund.  The Office of District Attorney can request distribution of the fund to the victim’s family. 

Senator files bill to create a Commission on Young Professionals

Fri, 03/09/2012 - 5:25pm

Senator Welch filed a bill that would create a special commission on young professionals whose focus would be to examine how the Commonwealth can better engage, involve and educate young professionals in decisions and policies that affect them and the Commonwealth. The 21 person commission will examine best practices and policies to retain and attract intellectual capital that will make Massachusetts a place where young professionals want to live, work and play.

Massachusetts is home to many of the top schools in the country.  We need to strategize on how to keep those graduates here and to bring young professionals back from schools outside the Commonwealth.  This is especially important for those cities and towns outside I-495.  This commission will explore what attracts talent to a community and how we can build on that to ensure we retain effective leaders in the greater Springfield area.

 

CPR Bill passed in Senate

Wed, 02/22/2012 - 5:06pm

On Tuesday, the Senate passed legislation (S2109) that would require all coaches to have certification in CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation).  My bill (S261) was filed at the beginning of the legislative session, this bill along with similar ones filed by my fellow legislators were the basis for passing this legislation. 

Many coaches maintain this certification voluntarily. However, I am excited to see this legislation move forward to make it a requirement. It is important that individuals who work with our children and youth are prepared to respond to an emergency siltation, especially those working in athletic departments.

The bill requires that all coaches have a current certification from the American Heart Association, American Red Cross or a similarly approved agency.  The bill also stipulates that the school districts in which the coach is hired are not responsible for any costs associated with the certification.

It now moves onto the House of Representatives for further consideration.

 

 

 

Senator Welch Approves Storm Response Legislation

Thu, 02/16/2012 - 5:18pm
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Today, the Senate passed a bill to address emergency service response of public utility companies in Massachusetts as a result of the widespread power outages in communities across the state during Tropical Storm Irene in August and the snowstorm in October, Senator Welch announced. 

 

Senator Welch calls for funding to support homeless students’ transportation costs

Wed, 02/15/2012 - 4:39pm

Senator Welch has requested that Governor Patrick and Legislative Leadership allocate $11.3M in funding t to cover FY12 transportation costs of sending homeless students to school in their community of origin.  The State Auditor’s Office completed a study that confirmed this practice is an unfunded mandate.  The data collected by the Auditor’s office showed that Springfield, Chicopee and West Springfield are among the highest of the 200+ cities and towns that have been supporting these costs.   

Attached is a copy of the letter that was submitted to the Governor and Senate Leadership.

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