Record as State Senator

I know that I was elected to carry out the will of the people who reside in the Bristol and Norfolk District. I have worked hard to be accessible to everyone, and am in the district working tirelessly gathering ideas and messages from my constituents to carry back with me to Beacon Hill.

WORKING FOR OUR COMMUNITY

• Successfully increased local aid and education funding to the highest level since 2002
• Supported “Smart Growth” development laws that encourages affordable housing and protect local control and open space
• Ensured state funding for local road and bridge repairs
• Voted for state funding for local senior centers, libraries, and other valuable community resources

WORKING FOR TAX RELIEF

• Voted to lower the income tax rate to 5%, as the people directed the Legislature to do in 2000
• Sponsored legislation to suspend the state gas tax
• Supported the “Senior Tax Relief” bill that increased the value of the “Circuit Breaker” tax credit, the volunteer tax credit, and locally approved property tax deferral programs
• Addressed rising energy costs by voting for the “H.E.A.T Bill”, which included tax breaks for home heating fuel costs, energy efficient appliances tax credits, and financial assistance for low income families, seniors, and the disabled

WORKING FOR OUR HEALTH

• Approved Massachusetts’ landmark Health Care Reform law that will provide every Massachusetts resident with access to quality affordable health care
• Passed the Mercury Products Ban and Toxic Reduction laws that eliminate or reduce exposure to serious environmental health hazards
• Voted in favor of supporting  stem cell research and support the state ban on human cloning
• Leads the effort to combat the growing incidents of skin cancers, including sponsoring the ban on youth indoor tanning

WORKING FOR OUR SAFETY

• Funded the expansion of the GPS tracking of sexual offenders program and helped pass the law bringing Massachusetts into the national Sex Offender Registry tracking system
• Sponsored “Jessica's Law” to require mandatory minimum sentences for child predators and sex offenders, and to require and enforce the registration and tracking of Level 2 and Level 3 offenders in our state
• Successfully achieved passage of Melanie’s Bill instituting stronger penalties to keep repeat drunk drivers off our streets
• Passed new law to crack down on gangs and youth violence, support victims of domestic assault, and protect witnesses of violent crimes