Dear Neighbors and Friends, 

Happy Thanksgiving! As my team and I begin to wrap up the 2021 part of the current legislative cycle and reflect on the past year, I want to express my deep gratitude to every one of you. I am proud and thankful to represent such great people as a legislator, and I look forward to what the next year holds with the work we continue to do across the Commonwealth. I hope that you and your families have a happy, healthy, and safe Thanksgiving together. Below are some quick updates about what has been happening in the State House and around the district. As always, please be in touch with any questions or concerns.

Here are some pictures I took at Michelle Wu’s swearing in ceremony that I attended. I was proud to support her campaign and I am excited to see what Mayor Michelle Wu will accomplish for the City of Boston. I look forward to our continued work together in the coming years. 

Ride 55 Bus Campaign & The Better Bus Project

As you may know, I have been advocating for the full restoration of the #55 bus, which was cut during the peak of the pandemic, and then restored to a limited schedule and route. I have also attended several meetings and rallies to spread awareness of its importance. I understand how important the #the 55 bus route is for Fenway residents, and I will continue to work towards getting it back to pre-pandemic levels of service. 

That is why I am writing to let you know that Fenway Civic Association, Fenway CDC, and Operation PEACE are hosting a virtual community meeting on Tuesday, December 7th, from 6-7:30 pm. Your voice is essential for the future of the #55 bus, so please join me, your neighbors, and other legislators to discuss the campaign and to reimagine the #55 bus. You can register for the event here. 

Also, if you have not yet done so, please complete this short survey to help us collect information on how residents use the #55 bus and where they would like to see changes. This information will only be used for planning for the Ride #55 Campaign.

SIGN UP FOR THE VIRTUAL COMMUNITY MEETING: 

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUocOuppjwiH914-G8To0NMFSo69p7SHEB0 

COMPLETE THIS SHORT SURVEY FOR THE #55 BUS: 

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf0e21-ukWRxRIa9YH-v_C0LwRe9KHKeqSojSOU5h-XBG67Fw/viewform?fbclid=IwAR07JIpqMwK-t9hKw2jGJQAiPezQIbPiWqdtRUfSNzHGPBEvV7Ph0Bf8CoE

I have also been involved in the city’s Better Bus Project, which is part of an $8 billion, five year capital investment plan on renovating stations, modernizing fare collection systems, upgrading services, and improving accessibility. You can stay up to date with the project and their upcoming public meetings by signing up for the email list here or by visiting the Better Bus Project’s website https://www.mbta.com/projects/better-bus-project. 

Legislative Update

I am excited to share that one of the bills I filed this session H1290: An Act to streamline access to critical public health and safety net programs through common applications was reported favorably out of the Health Care Finance Committee. The bill now sits in House Ways and Means, a great place to be as we wrap up this year of the legislative session. The bill would require the State to create a common application so that people could apply for multiple social benefits at once.  Right now, almost twice as many people have MassHealth as receive SNAP benefits even though the eligibility standards are largely the same.  We hope to close these gaps with common applications.  If you’re interested in learning more about the bill, you can view the fact sheet or learn more about the campaign by visiting this link: https://www.masslegalservices.org/content/its-time-finally-close-massachusetts-snap-gap-and-expand-common-apps-2021

Looking Ahead

Make sure to mark your calendars for the December 14th Special State Primary Election for the 1st Suffolk and Middlesex Senate District. Voters that I represent in Beacon Hill and Cambridge can vote in the race. Voter Registration deadline is tomorrow, Wednesday, November 24th.  The district includes parts of Boston (Beacon Hill, East Boston, Bay Village, Chinatown, North End, and Downtown Boston), parts of Cambridge (Cambridgeport, Riverside, MIT, and parts of Kendall Square) and all of Revere and Winthrop.  

Wishing you a happy and healthy Thanksgiving. 

Best,

Jay Livingstone