Last week, the Senate passed its budget for the rest of FY21, several months late because of so much uncertainty about revenue and federal aid.

The moratorium on evictions and foreclosures expired October 17, when the governor declined to renew it. This newsletter is about what to do next. The next one will give more information, including about resources for people facing housing instability

A week ago, I filed a bill with Sen. Lesser, and Reps. Hay, Sabadosa, Nguyen and Mark. The bill will make it possible for 17,000 low-income Massachusetts residents to receive 6 weeks of an added $300/week in unemployment benefits. On Monday, the House and Senate acted quickly to pass the bill, and the governor signed it this evening. This is among the fastest legislative actions I've ever seen.

Yesterday the Senate passed the first substantive policy bill taken up since July.
We call the bill Laura's Law to honor Laura Levis, whose tragic death in 2016 has led her husband, Peter DeMarco, to campaign tirelessly for safety for everyone trying to go to an emergency room.

BOSTON – Senators Jehlen and Lesser, Representatives Hay, Sabadosa, Nguyen, and Mark announced legislation today that would enhance unemployment benefits for 17,000 people in Massachusetts by as much as $1800 each. Thousands of people were left out of the Lost Wages Assistance Grant to extend $300 weekly payment boosts to people collecting unemployment benefits by a restrictive Trump Administration rule.

Now we face a totally predictable surge of disease and death as tens of thousands of families lose their homes in 2 weeks when the eviction and foreclosure moratorium expires on October 17.

This week, fifteen of my colleagues and I sent a letter to Secretary Turco regarding the new medical parole regulations. Here is the text of our letter:

On Monday, I wrote a letter to the Joint Committee on Education regarding S.2814, An Act responding to the COVID-19 emergency by instituting a moratorium of the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System. The moratorium would pause use of MCAS as a graduation requirement and a part of school assessments, and respond to both the disruption of schooling due to the pandemic and to the demand for eliminating structures that reflect and promote racial injustice.

This week we received really good news: the Department of Unemployment Assistance (DUA) has finally put out new instructions for claimants certifying their identity. Details below. The good news is that, if you are finally approved, you will get all your back benefits including the $600/week supplement from the federal government that expires this week. Please make sure you act within five days after receiving the notice!

On Tuesday, the Senate passed the Reform, Shift + Build Act to enact reforms to raise police accountability standards, shift resources to communities and build equity, justice and fairness. We started debate on the previous Thursday. It was tabled till the next day three times, and the Monday session lasted until 4:30 Tuesday morning as we debated 145 amendments.

This newsletter is about the evictions moratorium bill Rep. Connolly, Rep. Honan, and I filed last week, as well as a new housing assistance program from Mystic Valley NAACP and Century Bank.

We're all flooded with updates about coronavirus, and the situation changes constantly. But people have sent me many questions about local resources and questions about state policy in the past few days. Here are some responses; please stay in touch with other questions and suggestions. I will keep this updated, so please continue to check back.