Gomez is sworn in for third term, reflects on the year and the work ahead
Senator Adam Gomez (D-Springfield) was sworn into office for his third term in the Massachusetts State Senate on Wednesday, representing the Hampden district. Gomez took the official oath of office at the Massachusetts State House in Boston where he first was elected for the position in 2020 with family members and colleagues in attendance.
“Despite a tumultuous political landscape at a national level, I enter my third term as State Senator for the Hampden district with the upmost confidence the 194th General Court will ensure the state of Massachusetts continues the people’s work. I’m honored to take the oath of office and once again entrust Senate President Karen E. Spilka as the leader of our legislative body.,” said Senator Adam Gomez. “I am profoundly grateful for the overwhelming support and vote of confidence from the residents of the Hampden district to continue serving as their State Senator.”
Gomez said he is invigorated by the accomplishments of the 193rd General Court to continue his work on behalf of the cities of Springfield and Chicopee and communities across the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
“This past legislative session the legislature took significant action to make education more accessible, build affordable housing amidst a dire housing shortage, and made progress towards our commitment to making Massachusetts net-zero by 2050,” said Senator Adam Gomez. “With the new year comes a new legislative session and another opportunity to continue collaborating with colleagues in government and community members alike for a stronger Hampden district and Commonwealth.”
Below are some highlights from the 193rd General Court:
Education
The new MassEducate program covers tuition and fees for all eligible students and provides up to $1,200 for books and supplies for low or middle income students.
Expanded eligibility for in-state college tuition to students who have attended Massachusetts high schools for at least three years and earned a Massachusetts diploma, regardless of immigration status.
Make permanent C3 grants to early ed providers, allowing them to invest in educator compensation and increase their capacity to serve more children, while avoiding major cost increases for families.
Tax Relief
An increase of the EITC from 30 per cent to 40 per cent of the federal credit. Nearly 400,000 working families with lower incomes will see an increase, with some families receiving a roughly $700 increase.
The country’s most generous universal tax credit, providing $440 per child, dependent senior or disabled adult, helping over 565,000 families.
A $4 billion investment in large and small industries that create jobs for residents and drive our economy.
Pushes hundreds of millions of dollars towards statewide infrastructure, including specific funds for rural communities and libraries.
Mass Leads Act
Spurs new climatetech industry through a combination of bond authorization and tax credits to support research, development, innovation, manufacturing, and commercialization of the next generation of technology.
Maintain leadership in life sciences by authorizing new capital funding and increasing the annual tax credit cap for the life sciences industry.
Expanding educator diversity by allowing for an alternative certification process for teachers who may face challenges passing the educator certification.
Pay Equity & Transparency
Mandated salary transparency to close racial and gender wage gaps by requiring larger employers to disclose salary ranges and by protecting an employee’s right to ask for salary ranges.
Removed tax barriers to in-state job growth and capital investments, and more fairly divides the tax burden between in-state and out-of-state companies, encouraging in-state growth and promoting competitiveness.
Housing
To build new affordable and middle income housing, the $20 million annual cap increase to the LIHTC will build up to 900 new homes a year, while the HDIP increase to $57 million one-time, and then to $30 million annually, will create an estimated 12,500 new homes in Gateway Cities.
Required proper notice, rent increase protections, a right of first refusal to buy, and the right to moving expenses if a non-owner-occupied building converts its units to condos. Previously applied to four or more unit buildings.
Put a hold on non-payment eviction court proceedings if the tenant has applied for rental assistance until the assistance application is approved or denied and allows tenants to seal eviction records in certain circumstances.
Healthcare
Lowered prescription drug costs while increasing access for individuals at the pharmacy counter and making broad, necessary changes to the state’s health care system to add oversight and transparency.
Strengthened the licensure process for long-term care facilities, requiring each nursing home to undergo ongoing inspections, and increasing financial penalties for noncompliance.
Expanded access to opioid reversal drugs, and strengthens treatment for residents going through recovery.
Improved the state’s ability to constrain health care cost growth by strengthening oversight of healthcare industry players including providers, insurers, pharmaceutical companies, pharmacy benefit managers, for-profit entities, private equity firms, real estate investment trusts, and management services organizations.
Expanded coverage for midwifery, birth centers, doulas and screening and treatment for postpartum depression.
Public Safety
Prohibited the carrying of a firearm in polling locations during voting, as well as government administrative buildings and courts.
Closed legal loopholes to ensure a ban on the creation, sale or transfer of an untraceable firearm.
Raised the minimum age from 18 to 21 to own a semi-automatic rifle or shotgun.
Transportation
For the first time, provided the funding to ensure a universal low-income MBTA fare program providing half-cost rides on all MBTA modes.
After two years of pilot programs, all 13 RTAs will now operate fare-free year-round service.
Veterans
Increased the tax credit for employers who hire disabled veterans from $2,000 to $2,500 and allows veterans to be reimbursed for visits to outpatient behavioral health providers.
Animal Protection
Banned the use of elephants, lions, giraffes and primates in traveling acts like circuses.
Improved animal safety by updating the licensing for kennels. Required all kennels to be licensed and municipalities to establish a limit to the number of animals that can be housed by a kennel.
Clean energy
Expedited siting and permitting to speed up the pace of planning, constructing, and bringing online clean energy infrastructure to support solar, wind, storage, and other technologies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Extends consumer rebates on electric vehicles through 2027, giving residents an opportunity to qualify for a $3,500 rebate on a purchase of a qualifying EV.
Build out EV charger infrastructure by increasing opportunities for pole-mounted charging in more communities and removing barriers to EV charger installations in condo complexes and historic districts