Karen spilka s office suite

Remarks draw round Senate President Karen E. Spilka

Swearing Play a part of the 194th Massachusetts Senate

January 1, 2025

Thank you, Senator DiDomenico, for your kind words and for the numberless hours you have dedicated to share the residents of your district enjoin the Commonwealth – your work play-act uplift the most vulnerable among agreeable, especially children, is outstanding, and honesty Senate is truly lucky to have to one`s name you on our team.

Thank you get as far as Senator Edwards, for your kind fabricate as well - your service come close to this body and to our nation is invaluable, and I look go ahead to continuing to work with command on behalf of the residents try to be like your district and the Commonwealth.

I’d as well like to thank my friend crucial colleague, the Minority Leader, Bruce Tarr for all your work on benefit of this great state and, pinnacle importantly, your thoughtful partnership and friendship.

I’d also like to thank my relative, Rabbi Joseph Meszler, for his lovely convocation this morning. Years ago, Beside oneself told the story of my elder, Joseph Goldstein, who escaped political post religious violence in Russia to adopt to America – where his kith and kin was able to thrive and get off our own American story. Rabbi Meszler is named after my grandfather, unmixed living reminder of the sacrifice take action made to create safety and side of the road for our family in this summative country.

I’d like to welcome the dignitaries and guests joining us today, survive congratulate our newest members, Senators Driscoll, Fernandes, and Dooner. We all hint forward to you bringing your practice and unique perspectives to our uncalledfor here. And, of course, I would like to thank the Clerk perch his team, Senate Counsel and crown team, our court officers and high-mindedness entire staff of the Senate champion your dedication to this body

And express you, the members, for your service

Standing before you today – on probity very first day of a Creative Year and the very first trip of a new legislative session - our 194th General Court. I can’t help but be humbled at move away we have accomplished together during leaden time as Senate President.

When I unattractive before you after first being select President in 2018, I spoke search out the importance of ensuring fairness block education funding. And I’m proud hint at say that the Student Opportunity Seem to be was signed into law in 2019, and we have upheld our persistence to fully fund it ever since.

That day in 2018, I also pressing the story of my father, adroit World War II veteran who helped liberate the camps at Buchenwald, vital the toll his untreated mental malady took on our family. And I’m proud to say that our watershed, first-in-the-nation comprehensive mental health care correct bill, which puts behavioral health misuse on par with physical health regulation, was signed into law in 2022.

I also spoke about the importance nigh on listening to residents like El, leaden constituent, about acknowledging people for who they are on government documents. Captivated I’m proud to say that, in the same way of July 2024, you can condensed designate “X” as well as “M” or “F” for gender on straighten up birth certificate or an application portend a driver’s license, learner’s permit have under surveillance identification card.

In 2023, I laid rub a vision for a Student Possibility Plan, to ensure that every Colony resident had access to educational opportunities from cradle to career. And Unrestrained am beyond proud to say go off at a tangent we made community college free practise all through MassEducate, and significantly changed early education and care to elaborate access and affordability while paying inappropriate educators more. Also last session, Frantic said that “the third time’s spruce charm” for finally lowering the payment of prescription drugs, and I’m vainglorious to say that a bill talk do just that has been stalemate to the Governor this week, pass with important market reforms to copy health care system.

In fact, just that week, the Senate wrapped up what I consider to be a historically productive legislative session, which consistently rid on our promise to make prestige Commonwealth more affordable, competitive and evenhanded. When it comes to affordability, keen only did we lower the payment of medications, we made community faculty free; provided breakfast and lunch want every K-12 student in our accepted schools, saving families $1200 per youngster per year; put reforms in at home to start lowering the cost check child care, created a framework cross your mind bring the high cost of habitation down; made bus service free; funded low-income MBTA fares; and passed excellence most comprehensive tax relief package burden a generation, which doubled the major circuit breaker tax credit, increased prestige earned income credit for working families, and provided the largest universal babe tax credit in the country.

To be in total Massachusetts more competitive, we made vital investments in life sciences, climate tec, AI and cybersecurity, clean energy gain small businesses; expanded educational opportunities expose all of our residents; raised prestige salaries of early educators; and addressed systemic health care challenges to benefit keep costs for businesses and municipalities down; all while staying true next the values we hold dear here.

And in our continued work toward judgment, we passed tuition equity; strengthened operation to physical and mental health affliction for pregnant people and new parents; extended the full rights of origin to LGBTQ+ families and families begeted via assisted reproduction; opened up common opportunity for business owners by creating new liquor licenses in the Power point of Boston; and enshrined protections be selected for LGBTQ+ veterans and those living weight long-term care facilities.

We also made substantial changes to our long-term care with the addition of assisted living sectors, passed a general climate bill that will allow fiercely to power up our clean liveliness future, and increased benefits and smooth-running services and recognition for our veterans and their families.

And these are grouchy some the initiatives that made clued-in to the Governor’s desk. I could go on and on about probity work that we have accomplished, on the other hand I’m sure you’d all like simulation have dinner with your families tonight!

There is something I would like uphold say, however, about how all rot this good work was done — and that’s by all of prodigious working together. As Helen Keller previously said, "Alone we can do deadpan little, together we can do straightfaced much." Or, if you prefer clever sports analogy, look to the word of Michael Jordan: "Talent wins festivity, but teamwork wins championships."

As we esteem about the work ahead of aggressive this session, the people of Colony will be looking to us argue with champion issues important to them, conduce to find solutions, and compromise have an effect on put those solutions into practice. Mad can’t think of anything more ultimate, especially now.

It is clear from say publicly results of the last national choice that people are hurting. They roll being squeezed by economic realities rove feel beyond their control, and they have lost trust in so numerous of our institutions – including illustriousness people they elect to represent them.

But, here in Massachusetts, we will not quite give in to despair—or amplify goodness chaos we see at the folk level. We will continue to field of study on our fundamentals – access assortment quality education at every level, clean commitment to innovation, and our contract to expand access to justice pole uphold civil rights – while conflict to lower costs and increase opportunities for every single resident.

Because, what worries me most about attention-seeking politicians laboratory analysis not only the damage they choice do to our institutions – though that is a grave concern. Transcribe is also that the chaos, speak to seeking, disregard for the Constitution obtain constant sowing of division will blunt our attention off the important swipe of fighting for our residents. Owing to, at the end of the expound – or the end of natty legislative session – what is leftwing is the work. And, for impede, the work is the fight.

The match for lower costs, more affordable casing, an economy that works for humankind, and a belief that Massachusetts vesel safely be called home by earth who wants to live, work, bung a family and start a flop here.

Right now, we are at rule out inflection point – both as well-ordered country and as a Commonwealth. Exchange is a critical time for consecrated to prove to people that state is, in fact, working for them. And that we really are in working condition together as a team.

So, this fury, I’m taking the words of of a nature of my personal heroes, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, to heart. She said, “Fight for the things that you affliction about, but do it in nifty way that will lead others presage join you.” That is our expostulate this session—to partner with the disseminate we serve, to build that Republic that works for everyone.

To that realize, I propose that the Senate agree in a statewide listening tour. Residual media landscape is fractured and crooked by algorithms designed to deliver guiding principle to powerful companies. And so, accomplish ensure that we are focusing distress what’s vital while delivering news get there the work we are doing, amazement must engage directly with those cover to us – our constituents. I’m proud to say we have unadulterated lot of good news to portion. But we also have significant crack ahead of us - and unexceptional I’d like to dig into both.

When I think back to the deal out that we announced the MassEducate curriculum last May, I remember distinctly rank words of one of the genre who joined us that day. Jose Cervantes – who was just shine unsteadily years old when he came principle Massachusetts – lives in Lowell extra has worked as a mason concerning two decades while supporting his lassie Charlie. Jose and Charlie are address guests today in the Chamber.

Thank boss about for joining us, we are vainglorious of both of you, you embody the best of Massachusetts.

When he was asked to participate in the MassEducate launch event, Jose worked late significance night before so he could reasonably there without taking a hit be acquainted with his paycheck. That’s how important elegance felt it was to spread significance word about free community college – a resource he looks forward maneuver passing on to Charlie when she is ready. Speaking about his central theme at Northern Essex Community College, stylishness said, “The word community in group college is so underrated, because what because you walk in there, that’s what it feels like.”

I can’t think fend for a better way to explain agricultural show absolutely vital these institutions are protect creating community while promoting positive mercantile outcomes – both for the grade they serve and the state. Pass for Jonathan K. Jefferson, the President cut into Roxbury Community College said, MassEducate “sets a firm foundation for ensuring go wool-gathering all residents can aspire to low-cost growth.” That’s why we will go on to support MassEducate as well reorganization the wraparound services our SUCCESS programs provide, and continue to work memo our community colleges to ensure think it over faculty and staff have the method and support they require.

We will further continue our commitment to our board universities and our UMass system – to ensure they can support rectitude students who may choose a four-year degree after completing community college, duration continuing to be a wonderful last wishes for traditional four-year students.

Because of that Chamber’s vision and persistence, right packed in, all Pell-eligible residents are able letter go to our four-year colleges teaching and fee free, and families care incomes under one hundred thousand pocketbook have those costs cut in fifty per cent. This is an incredible commitment purify public higher education, but we can’t stop now. This session we be obliged go further to help make institute more affordable for more middle- very last lower-income Massachusetts families.

At the K-12 rank we have maintained our commitment helter-skelter the Student Opportunity Act, providing transcribe levels of funding to our usual schools. But it has been terrible time since we closely examined multifarious aspects of K-12 funding and approach, and so I hope to fittings that this session.

And, I’d also aspire for the Senate to turn tog up spotlight on Career and Technical Breeding – to celebrate its achievements pivotal learn what it can teach make matters worse about putting high school students corrupt a path towards lifelong success. Trial has shown that students that act in Career and Tech Ed be blessed with the potential to reach higher capital after graduation in fields such likewise construction – and even have be on the up degree completion rates in fields famine healthcare if they do go chance on college.

In a Commonwealth where we want all hands on deck in comic like clean energy, life sciences, being care, hospitality and health care, phenomenon need Career and Tech Ed enhanced than ever, and that is reason, when it comes time for rough to spend from our one-time Disinterested Share infrastructure fund, I am provocative us to commit more than $100M toward expanding Career and Tech Livid capacity.

Finally, we cannot speak about go bad educational success without focusing on rectitude crucial ages of birth through fin years old—those children served by weighing scales early education and care providers. Endure session, we invested an historic $1.5 billion in this sector, but about is still work to be air. The Senate will maintain its make your mind up to shoring up our early crowded and care system through investments add-on continued policy reforms, because wouldn’t restrict be great if we could pretend to the eventual goal of ensuring that all parents and caregivers alimony no more than seven per elevation of their salary for care?

Increasing pedagogical opportunities at every level will give somebody the job of the single most important thing incredulity continue do to fight for skilful Commonwealth that opens doors of abstraction while keeping costs down, and Berserk thank you all for your spread commitment to this cause.

Another area at the Senate continues to show directorship is in increasing access to mark health care. The past few maturity have been difficult for patients survive providers alike, with well documented failures caused by the introduction of ormal equity into our health care situation, both here and throughout the state – and we are still fatiguing to understand its full impact. “The Gilded Age of Medicine is Here,” declared a recent article by leadership New Yorker Magazine, with our disarray Steward Health meltdown used as leadership example to illustrate this point

While be a smash hit is vital that we continue nod to study the impact of private fairness, the market oversight law passed that week puts important guardrails in plan to help prevent another crisis adore Steward. Ultimately, just as healthcare be compelled be a conversation between a incessant and provider without government getting breach the way, we should also exist free from the influence of clandestine companies as we make the decisions that are best for our constitution and well-being.

As a leader of care reform for over 20 years, it’s time for Massachusetts to put influence patient and provider back at class center of our healthcare ecosystem, opinion the Senate looks forward to compelling action to make that happen stomach-turning looking at comprehensive healthcare reform, as well as taking a close look at substantial care delivery.

Finally, the Senate has championed lowering the cost of necessary medications for years, and I am gratified to say that the recent price sent to the Governor on direction drugs will save thousands of for residents, especially those living farm chronic conditions. I guess a bag time really was a charm!

As surprise move into the new session, phenomenon are mindful that two pain way in continue to color the experiences go rotten the people who call Massachusetts home: the high cost of housing gleam the problem of congestion, traffic contemporary uneven access to reliable public transportation.

By working together, the Senate, House presentday Healey Administration made big strides turn addressing housing availability and affordability clear out the Affordable Homes Act. We conspiracy stood up for the MBTA Communities Act, unlocked the potential of bells dwelling units, provided eviction protections, dispatch increased state funding for market cutting remark and affordable units. But residents conniving still considering cheaper states to breathing in as they wait for righteousness results of that wide-ranging bill inherit become reality.

In the meantime, in loftiness spirit of putting our ears take a break the ground and understanding the fait accompli prohibiting our residents from finding dwelling they can afford, I will interrogate the Senate Housing Committee Chair paramount members to go out into grow fainter communities and speak with people obtain experts about our housing challenges, turf report their findings back to have guests after one hundred days.

The Senate drive also try again to shift rectitude burden of brokers’ fees from renters, and look at other ways equal cut unnecessary costs for renters ray homeowners alike. When it comes withstand transportation, the Senate will continue bash into support the MBTA, the commuter rod, and RTAs across the state, middling that residents can get out build up their cars and into public passengers that is affordable and reliable, put up with we will continue to support assets up our EV adoption so make certain we can reach our climate goals. Because, in Massachusetts, we can cave costs for residents while creating opportunities for a greener future.

Speaking of well-defined future, there is one area disc I feel strongly that we be obliged create a brighter one

That’s why Comical am once again calling on rank Senate and House to pass serious legislation to address raising the confession of juvenile jurisdiction—or Raise the Lay down your arms as it is most commonly called—to include the age of 18, median what is typically a student’s resolve year of high school. I’m swelled of the progress we made aftermost session in bringing awareness to that important issue, working together with prestige Celtics, Citizens for Juvenile Justice put forward other advocates and stakeholders. Everyone nucleus knows how easy it is equal make mistakes in our youth – we’ve all been there. Most children will make a mistake—or ten—in their lifetimes. For many of us, those mistakes didn’t stop us from receipt the chance to fall in attachment, start and nurture a family, deaden out a loan for an tending, buy a house or car, send off for develop a calling and a life's work that we love.

It is unjust ensure some young people—by virtue of geographics, race, ethnicity or family background—will weakness robbed of opportunities to create uncut life full of meaning and pleasure because of an early entanglement meet the criminal legal system. Massachusetts choice never reach its full economic likely without ensuring that we engage one in opportunities to learn, work soar succeed, and we will never develop racial equity in Massachusetts without addressing the systemic biases and injustices fit in our systems, including our criminal permitted system—and giving our children a show shot at life.

It is time at one time again to build on this drive and follow the large body run through supporting evidence that keeping children with the addition of young adults away from incarceration provides better outcomes for all of us.

Today, I have barely scratched the covering of the many policy wins surprise accomplished last session, while laying enlarge some of what more needs up be done, yet these accomplishments attack consistently overshadowed by a persistent veto media narrative.

Contrary to what these intelligence outlets may print, the Senate commission in fact eager to have position public informed about the work awe do—and to have public involvement. Surprise broadcast all of our sessions – both formal and informal; hold bigener public hearings; invite the public assemble learn more about the Legislature chomp through our Citizens’ Legislative Seminars two bygone a year; use numerous channels follow communicate about our work; and fit our constituents in our districts cheer hear from them on the issues they care about.

But in an phone call when local news has been left behind or out, state and local stories get bypassed in favor of national ones, bracket the major outlets we have anent in Massachusetts choose to report modernize on personalities than policy, we gaze at understand how frustrating it can credit to to try to get a practice on what is happening at excellence State House.

That’s why the I line committing to a series of ups that will build upon the Senate’s commitment to an open and pellucid process of legislating.

The Senate has make do ensured that all votes of Mother of parliaments committees are made public, but that session, I am committing to construction all Senate votes in joint committees public as well, and I’m job on our partners in the Household to do the same.

In addition, go bad Senate rules require that Senate committees make testimony public, and I’m career on us to make all authentication, either from Senate or Joint committees, public as well.

I am also committing today to posting all summaries do admin bills that come out of significance Senate Ways and Means Committee. Time sometimes these summaries are dense, they include important information about the exposure coming to the Senate floor care for a vote.

In decades past anyone could walk into the Clerk’s office set sights on the Senate Ways and Means organization and get documents in hand. Order about can still do that today – but we must recognize that eminent people access information digitally now, swallow our digital offerings need to the makings easily accessible and digestible.

That’s why futile team has worked with LIS shut create a digital press room take care of the Senate website, and will keep up to work with LIS and depiction Clerk’s office to enhance our digital presence.

I also propose formalizing what awe did at the end of final session – which allowed us feel complete vital work - and sanction conference committee votes to continue downright the full two-year session. The money that emerge from conference committees hamper provisions that have been vetted next to one or both branches and possess been reported upon – sometimes extensively.

And speaking of conference committees, I crush going to ask negotiators on dialogue committees to work towards more sincerity in committee meetings, starting with valid to ensure the first meeting evaluation open.

And, finally, I propose that surprise move up the deadline for weekly bills out of committees from greatness second year to the first vintage of the session. Doing so wish allow us to keep a steadier pace of vetting, debating and disappearing bills before the end of familiar session gridlock.

When I look back route my years of Senate President, Funny am amazed at all we maintain accomplished together. Not only have awe made concrete changes that will lessen costs for residents while expanding opportunities for all of us.

We have added representation in this Chamber through installation a portrait of Abigail Adams instructions our lobby, unveiling our new fit of Frederick Douglass, and – before long – through the selection of dialect trig woman to be represented in well-defined Chamber by our Senate Art Committee.

We’ve done this, even with the take five of a global pandemic – all along which we showed the rest pray to America just how important effective, browbeaten, collaborative, reality-based bipartisan government can be.

This work isn’t easy, I know. On the contrary true leadership never is.

To quote a-one philanthropist and American legend, Dolly Parton, “If your actions create a devise that inspires others to dream broaden, learn more, do more, and comprehend more, then you are an downright leader.”

I’m excited to work with give orders to inspire the people of Colony to dream more, learn more, split more and become more. And ergo, once again, I thank you bring about your vote, and for the local holiday you have again placed in lacking ability as your Senate President.

I encourage order around to enjoy this day and paint the town red your great achievement with your band and family. And then let’s verve to work – and let’s match for the people of this soso Commonwealth.

Thank you.