November 2013
In This Issue
 Rebuilding
Together
 Recent Legislation
 Common Talk
About the
Commonwealth
 “On the Go”
Office Hours
Greetings,
Welcome to my e-newsletter. I hope that this will serve as an effective way to keep
the residents and stakeholders of the Hampden District informed of the work being
done in the Massachusetts Senate and across the Commonwealth.
I welcome your feedback and look forward to making this newsletter an important
source of information for you and your families. Below you will find information on
recent events in the district as well as updates on new legislation. You can also
check out the latest news at www.jimwelch.com
If I can ever be of assistance to you or your family, please contact me at my district
office.
Sincerely,
REBUILDING TOGETHER SPRINGFIELD
Rebuilding Together is a national program that has had a chapter in Springfield
since 1992. With the help of donors, grants, and volunteers, Rebuilding Together
repairs and renovates the homes of elderly and low-income Springfield residents.
Contact Me
District Office:
32-34 Hampden St
Springfield
(413) 737-7756
Boston Office:
State House
Room 416A
Boston
On October 18th, Senator Welch
and his staff volunteered for
Rebuilding Together at the home
of a retired Springfield resident.
The team assisted Sophia Jeffrey,
who has been an active
community member for much of
her life, by clearing tree branches
and landscaping her yard.
Rebuilding Together is responsible
for many other projects
throughout Springfield including
the renovation of three homes on Chester Street, painting houses for elderly home
owners, and rebuilding houses on Tyler Street. Volunteers for these projects come
from a wide variety of organizations such as college volunteer groups and
employees of local businesses. To learn more about Rebuilding Together
Springfield, click here.
(617) 722-1660
[email protected]
RECENT LEGISLATION
An Act enhancing protection for victims of domestic violence
October is Domestic Violence Awareness month, so it was an appropriate time for the
Senate to pass legislation that strengthens penalties for strangulation, enhances
protections for victims of domestic violence and establishes new employment rights
that will help victims keep their jobs and increase long-term economic productivity.
To assist victims, the bill allows up to 15 days of leave to obtain medical attention,
counseling, housing, protection orders, and other legal assistance. It includes a
provision to protect victims from pressure to dismiss charges against their abuser
while in court.
The bill upgrades strangulation to a felony and creates penalties of up to 5 years in
state prison, up to 2 1/2 years in a house of correction, by a fine of up to $5,000 or
by both a fine and imprisonment.
The bill enhances penalties for strangulation when it causes serious bodily harm, is
against a pregnant woman, there are subsequent strangulation convictions or if it is
against a person who has a restraining order against the perpetrator to up to 10
years in state prison or 2 1/2 years in a house of correction and by a fine of up to
$10,000.
In addition, the bill increases penalties for
subsequent restraining order violations to up
to 5 years in state prison or up to 2 1/2 in a
house of correction. Under current law,
penalties are limited to a fine of up to $5,000
or up to 2 1/2 years in a house of correction,
or both.
Under this bill, all information about the
employee’s leave must be kept confidential.
The bill now goes to the House of Representatives.
An Act relative to veterans’ allowances, labor, outreach, and recognition
As Veterans Day approaches, the Legislature continued its efforts to support
veterans, military members and their families in Massachusetts, with the passage of
the VALOR Act II. This legislation expands benefits, increases access to services and
strengthens the recognition and honor given to our service men and women.
The term “Gold Star” is widely used in the military community to identify a service
member killed in action while on active duty. This bill establishes a definition of “Gold
Star” that includes active duty military and also expands the definition to include
service members killed during inactive duty training, or training between periods of
active duty.
To assist students who are called to active duty, this bill allows students who are
unable to complete their coursework the option to complete the course at a later date
or withdraw with a full refund of fees and tuition.
This bill also requires the Division of Professional Licensure, the Department of Public
Health and boards of registration to waive license and certification fees for service
members and their spouses in areas where they have received training in the field. In
addition, this bill allows private sector employers to prefer veterans and spouses of
100% disabled veterans in their hiring practices.
Under this bill, all veterans’ benefits and service officers in Massachusetts are
required to be certified and tested on knowledge of employment, education, health
care, retirement and other veterans’ benefits.
To aid disabled veterans and allow them to function more independently in their
homes, this bill requires the Executive Office of Health and Human Services, the
Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission and Department of Veterans’ Services to
establish guidelines for a veterans’ home modification program.
This bill also does the following:
 Makes “Gold Star” families eligible for funds from the Military Family Relief
Fund;
 Updates the design of the license plate for individuals who have been
awarded the Order of the Purple Heart to also read, “Combat Wounded,” to
clearly characterize the nature of this honor;
 Creates a new “Support our Veterans” license plate in honor of the men and
women who have served in the United States Armed Forces;
 Expands the award qualifications for the Commonwealth’s Medal of Liberty to
include service men and women who die in service in a designated combat
area in the line of duty
 Designates the Massachusetts Turnpike as the “Purple Heart Massachusetts
Turnpike;”
 Renames Route 44 as the “Gold Star Highway,” between the Towns of
Plymouth and Middleborough;
 Prohibits a person from claiming to fundraise for a designated veterans’
charitable organization when donations would benefit a different organization;
 Increases the buffer zone of 500 feet to 1,000 feet for demonstrations at any
military funeral; and,
 Creates a two-year veterans’ court pilot program in Norfolk County.
The bill will now go before the Governor.
An Act relative to pharmacy practice in the Commonwealth
In the wake of the devastating
meningitis outbreak, the Senate passed
a bill to increase regulatory oversight of
compounding pharmacies in the
Commonwealth through added
enforcement powers and the creation of
specialty pharmacy licenses.
The bill establishes sterile compounding
and complex non-sterile compounding
specialty licenses to be issued by the
Board of Registration of Pharmacy.
It requires inspectors to be trained in sterile compounding and complex non-sterile
compounding practices as well as conduct both planned and unplanned inspections of
licensed pharmacies.
To expedite the discovery of unsafe drug conditions, this legislation requires stores
and pharmacies to report any improper dispensing of prescription drugs that result in
serious injury or death to the Department of Public Health and to report any serious
adverse drug events that are the result of improper compounding or other pharmacist
error to the Board.
In addition, the bill requires the Board to report any investigatory and disciplinary
actions and a summary of all serious adverse drug events to the Department of Public
Health, the Joint Committee on Public Health and the Joint Committee on Healthcare
Financing.
In an effort to promote transparency between consumers and pharmacies, the bill
creates a free searchable website that provides contact information for licensed
pharmacies, records of enforcement and disciplinary actions and a database of all
reported serious adverse drug events. Compounding pharmacies must also maintain
a phone line 7 days and 56 hours per week.
The bill also does the following:
 Designates a manager of record to maintain records and ensure the
pharmacy’s compliance with the law;
 Places compounding pharmacies under the “Marketing Code of Conduct,” that
is currently required of manufacturers of pharmaceuticals and medical
devices; and,
 Increases labeling requirements for compounded drugs, including a
notification of whether the drug is a sterile or non-sterile compounded drug.
The Senate bill and the House bill, which passed October 2, will go to a conference
committee to produce a compromise bill for final passage and consideration of the
governor.
An Act financing the production and preservation of housing for low and
moderate income families.
The availability of affordable housing continues to be an issue in Massachusetts. The
Legislature passed the Housing Bond bill which authorizes a $1.4B 5-year capital plan
for the production and preservation for housing in the Commonwealth.
The capital plan includes:
 $55 million for a home modification program for blind and severely disabled
homeowners;
 $47 million for a loan program to provide community-based or supportive
housing for individuals with mental illness or intellectual disabilities;
 $38 million for a loan program for community-based or supportive housing for
individuals with disabilities who are institutionalized or at-risk of being
institutionalized;
 $305 million to the Affordable Housing Trust Fund to create and preserve
affordable housing for households at or under 110 percent of the area median
income;
 $135 million to the Housing Stabilization and Investment Trust Fund for
acquisition, preservation and rehabilitation of affordable housing;
 $500 million for repairs and improvements to public housing;
 $50 million for a five-year grant program within the Department of Housing and
Community Development to test cost-effective revitalization methods for family
and elderly-disabled public housing;
 $80 million to the Housing Innovations Trust Fund to support innovative and
alternative forms of housing;
 $100 million to the Capital Improvement and Preservation Trust Fund to
purchase housing whose affordability restrictions have expired or are expiring;
 $45 million to develop residential housing and mixed-use and transit-oriented
developments; and,
 $45 million for the Early Education and Out of School Time Capital Fund.
The bill will now go before the Governor.
Contact Me
District Office:
32-34 Hampden St
COMMON TALK ABOUT THE COMMONWEALTH
Senator Welch’s television series, Common Talk About the
Commonwealth, will air this month on Public Access
Television in Chicopee, Springfield, and West Springfield.
Springfield
(413) 737-7756
A new guest is featured on the show each month. This
month Senator Welch’s show features Carlos Gonzalez,
President of the Massachusetts Latino Chamber of
Commerce.
Boston Office:
Carlos joins Senator Welch to talk about upcoming
activities and events, and to discuss the potential impact of
having a Casino in the City of Springfield.
State House
Room 416A
Boston
(617) 722-1660
[email protected]
The Mission of the Massachusetts Latino Chamber of Commerce (MLCC) is to
develop, promote, and protect Latino businesses and communities in Massachusetts.
It supports the advancement of education and economic growth of Latino businesses
and community.
Senator Welch’s show can be viewed at the following times throughout the district:
Springfield
Thursdays, 6:00pm
West
Everyday, 6:30pm
Springfield
Chicopee
Tuesdays, 10:30am
2nd & 4th Wednesday of each month,
7:00pm
Thursdays, 8:00pm
“ON THE GO” DISTRICT OFFICE HOURS
Each month, a member of the Community Outreach Team holds office hours
at various locations throughout the Hampden District. Upcoming office
hours are as follows:

West Springfield Public Library on Mondays from 1pm – 4pm and
Wednesdays from 9am - 12pm. Office hours will be held in November on
the 4th, 6th, 11th, 13th, 18th and 20th.

West Springfield Senior Center on Thursdays from 1pm – 3pm.
Office hours will be held in November on the 7th, 14th, and 21th

Chicopee Public Library on Tuesdays from 10am - 12pm
Office hours will be held in November on the 12th and 19th.
A member of Senator Welch’s staff can also be reached Monday-Friday,
8:30am-4:30pm at the District Office.
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