News
Click HERE to view the Senate Press room for updates on legislation currently before the Senate.
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A New Look for Lynn’s Veterans Memorial Park
Veterans Memorial Park is set for a significant transformation as state and local officials move forward with an 18-month rehabilitation project to overhaul the long-used waterfront space and improve access along Lynn’s shoreline. According to a Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) spokesperson, the project will include a full reconstruction of the park’s boardwalk and
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Epstein Hillel School Receives $30,000 Grant
Through the Commonwealth Nonprofit Security Personnel Grant Program, The Arthur J. Epstein Hillel School in Marblehead has been awarded $31,200 to assist with the cost of contracted security personnel. These grants are allocated to support improvements to security and protective measures for nonprofit organizations and are administered through the Office of Grants and Research. “At
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Housing Could Land in ‘God’s Backyard’
A bill moving through the Massachusetts Legislature could unlock thousands of new housing units statewide by allowing religious institutions to build housing on land they already own. The proposal, known as “Yes in God’s Backyard” (YIGBY) legislation, aims to remove zoning barriers that often prevent churches, synagogues, mosques, and other faith-based organizations from developing multi-family
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Healey-Driscoll Administration Advances North Station Draw One Bridge Replacement Project, Job Creation
Governor Maura Healey today announced the next major step in delivering the North Station Draw One Bridge Replacement Project, a transformative infrastructure investment that will modernize a critical rail connection between Boston and Cambridge that serves the MBTA Commuter Rail and Amtrak’s Downeaster Service. The project is supported by a $472.3 million federal grant, the largest federal infrastructure award in MBTA history, and is expected to create
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North Shore State Senator Honored For Municipal Advocacy
State Sen. Brendan Crighton (D-Lynn) was among four state legislators who received awards from the Massachusetts Municipal Association for their advocacy on municipal issues. Adam Chapdelaine, Executive Director and CEO of the MMA, said Crighton was key in securing a historic increase in Chapter 90 funding. This funding is intended to benefit cities and towns
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Healey-Driscoll Administration Announces Participants for Groundbreaking Vehicle-to-Everything Program
The Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) today announced the participants in a first-of-its-kind Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) Demonstration program. Selected participants, including school districts, residents, and municipal projects, will receive bi-directional electric vehicle (EV) chargers at no cost. The program will help to accelerate the adoption of V2X technologies, which, at scale, can lower energy bills by reducing energy demand
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Church Land Seen As Fertile Ground For Affordable Housing In Massachusetts
On the corner of North Harvard Avenue in Allston lies a humble Baptist church. It was built in 1903 on land donated by a pair of siblings, George and Georgina Hill, on the condition that a future chapel be named after their father. Hill Memorial Baptist Church subsequently provided a home for worship for generations of
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$1.2 Million Development in Lynn
The City has received a $1.2 million state grant to support infrastructure improvements related to the upcoming Samuels development at 830 Lynnway. The Samuels development will include 850 units of mixed-income housing, 26,000 square feet of retail space, and an 8-acre public park. At a projected $450 million, it represents the biggest private development project
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Should Green Transit Projects Be Exempt From Some Environmental Rules?
On the surface, the means and ends seem at odds: to expedite the expansion of more planet-friendly transportation options, some state legislators want to loosen state environmental rules. Two bills winding their way through the state legislature aim to exempt some transit projects from reviews created to examine the potential environmental harms of new undertakings, solicit public feedback,
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Meet Your Elected Official: Brendan Crighton
State Sen. Brendan Crighton said much of the State Senate’s recent work has been “reactionary” to events unfolding in Washington, D.C. “We’re really trying to help people make ends meet and try to ultimately thrive and have the best life they can here in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts,” Crighton said. “Cutting crucial services right now