Accomplishments

Representative Joan Meschino works hard for the 3rd Plymouth District. She has achieved many legislative, budgetary, and local accomplishments. Rep. Meschino is a strong voice for clean energy and environmental stewardship, economic development for our Main Street economies, and support services for constituents. 

She consistently advocates for increased local aid for public education and libraries and supports increased funding for the Department of Conservation and Recreation. Joan has filed bills concerning energy and the environment, care and protection of children in foster care, campaign finance, food insecurity among community college students, and consumer protection. In addition to filing her own bills, Joan continues to lead the call for carbon emission reductions and environmental justice, regional transportation initiatives, public health and promoting opiate addiction prevention and other public health measures, and support for seniors, veterans and vulnerable residents.

191st Legislative Session (2019-2020)

During the extended formal session of 2020, a number of Joan’s bills advanced and were enacted. In the fall of 2019, An Act relative to campaign finance (H4223) included a provision by Joan to create a commission to evaluate a candidate’s use of campaign funds for childcare. The commission convened in February 2020, and the final recommendation for legislation was submitted before the year’s end. Joan made her maiden speech on this bill. In the spring of 2020, An Act Relative to Children’s Health and Wellness (H4210) included provisions from Joan’s bill An Act to provide notice to counsel of changes to a child or young adult’s placement or other events.

In July 2020, An Act creating a 2050 Roadmap to a clean and thriving commonwealth was passed by the House. The 2050 Roadmap established a 2050 net-zero carbon emission target, established strong interim goals, and required a back-cast analysis to establish the plan to achieve it. The main vehicle for the session’s climate change legislation, the 2050 Roadmap advanced with provisions for grid modernization, additional wind procurement, an increase in the renewable portfolio standards, appliance efficiency, nature based solutions for carbon capture, and environmental justice, among other things.

192nd Legislative Session (2021-2022)

The 2050 Roadmap bill came out of conference committee in early January 2021 and was immediately passed by both the House and the Senate. After the Governor vetoed it, however, the bill was refiled at the start of the 192nd session as S.9. The Legislature ultimately rejected efforts to slow the rate of progress toward net-zero emissions by 2050, while accepting a number of substantive and technical amendments that improved the bill. The final bill was signed by the Governor on March 26th, 2021.

In the summer of 2021, the legislature’s Supplementary Budget, An Act making appropriations for fiscal year 2021 to provide for supplementing certain existing appropriations and for certain other activities and projects (H3973) included provisions from Joan’s bill An Act relative to transportation governance (H3542). The legislation establishes a new board of directors to oversee Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) operations, codifying in statute many of the benefits and positive work of the Fiscal Management Control Board (FMCB). The legislation expands the governance board’s expertise and experience and is designed to build on the FMCB’s work to change cultural expectations at the MBTA.

Joan has spent a tremendous amount of time and energy addressing issues created by the pandemic. Joan was a vocal advocate for the legislation to enable municipal governments to conduct its business remotely, through its managers and directors, boards and committees, and town meetings.

193rd Legislative Session (2023-2024)

The FY24 budget included major wins for the 3rd Plymouth District. In partnership with Senator O’Connor, Representative Meschino advocated for funding for the UMass Donahue Institute to study the Common Housing Application for Massachusetts Programs (CHAMP). The results of this study will help inform improved housing policies for all residents of the Bay State.

The 193rd session also brought many wins for Home Rule Petitions from the 3rd Plymouth District. From 2023-2024, the Governor signed into law bills to support unique needs in Cohasset, Hingham, and Hull.

Many of Joan’s statewide priorities received positive action, as well. Rep. Meschino’s An Act creating a climate bank in Massachusetts (H3774) helped spark conversations about climate banks in the Commonwealth, a priority for Governor Healey. Representative Meschino’s An Act to modernize funding for community media programming (H4631) received a favorable report. Additionally, the Affordable Homes Act (H4977), signed by Governor Healey in August 2024, included language from An Act to create and implement a Massachusetts flexible housing subsidy pool program to address the medically complex needs of disabled men, women and children experiencing homelessness in Massachusetts (H1354). This language will create a flex pool fund to create more permanent supportive housing, which braids funding to support the needs of medically complex individuals. A sweeping economic development bill passed in December of 2024 included Rep. Meschino’s An Act supporting parents running for public office (H.669).

Further, many of Joan’s bills addressing a variety of needs across Massachusetts received favorable reports, including: An Act relative to maintaining adequate water supplies through effective drought management (H861), An Act to modernize funding for community media programming (H4631), An Act relative to youth voter engagement (H705), An Act relative to condominiums (H2892), and An Act relative to waivers for non-fault overpayments (H1922).