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Our commitment to equity, inclusivity, and justice on the South Shore In light of recent events in our nation’s Capitol, we make this unified statement and call to action to residents of the South Shore. As your elected representatives of the Massachusetts House and Senate, we just swore an oath of office to uphold the United States Constitution and the Massachusetts Constitution, both of which are grounded in principles of equity, inclusivity, and justice for all. Not only are these principles our responsibility to uphold as elected officials, but they are the responsibility of all citizens. Our Constitutions are resilient and enduring. The American system of government only survives as long as we uphold our civic duties, protect the truth, and safeguard the principles of liberty, justice, and equality, on which this great nation was founded. Now more than ever, we need to be good neighbors. The abhorrent events . . . Read More

Hull, MA – When she was first elected, State Representative Joan Meschino (D-Hull) knew the job of representing Hingham, Hull, Cohasset, and North Scituate at the State House would be exciting and challenging. What she didn’t know was how sincerely satisfying it would be to serve the district’s residents. “Every day, I have the chance to do something to make life better for residents in our towns. I get to work and interact with people and to be part of good solutions for many local issues, initiatives, and needs,” said Representative Meschino. Representative Meschino has made progress on many of the big issues facing our District during her second term.  Very notably, she has had success working to interrupt the climate crisis.  Her signature bill, An Act to create a 2050 Roadmap to a clean and thriving Massachusetts, was passed by the House in July and now is moving forward . . . Read More

(BOSTON) - Representative Joan Meschino (D-Hull) is resuming her regularly scheduled office hours, which will be conducted virtually now.   Rep. Meschino will host virtual office hours throughout the month of September.  The office hours will be hosted on Zoom or via phone by appointment only.  Please contact Rep. Meschino’s Legislative Aide, Jonathan Hamilton, by email at jonathan.hamilton@mahouse.gov or by phone at 617-722-2320 in order to schedule a time slot.Tuesday, September 8th4:00 - 5:00 pmFor constituents from HullMonday, September 14th4:00 - 5:00 pmFor constituents from CohassetMonday, September 21th4:00 - 5:00 pmFor constituents from North ScituateMonday, September 28th4:00 - 5:00 pmFor constituents from HinghamThese virtual sessions are intended to make it easier for residents of Cohasset, Hingham, Hull, and North Scituate to share concerns and access the services Rep. Meschino can offer her communities on the South Shore.  All local residents are invited to participate.“Whether it’s to straighten out problems with unemployment . . . Read More

(BOSTON, MA) – The office of State Representative Joan Meschino (D-Hull) is continuing to work remotely and remains fully accessible by phone and email. Out of concern for public health, Rep. Meschino will not be holding in-person office hours for the month of August. However, Rep. Meschino and her legislative aide welcome all inquiries and can be reached at the main office number, 617-722-2320, or by email, joan.meschino@mahouse.gov.  Below is a personal message from Rep. Meschino. Greetings!  As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, my legislative aide and I continue to work remotely and our office remains fully operational.  We are updating our Facebook page and website regularly with information and resources available during this public health crisis, and what the state government is doing to assist people during these unprecedented times.  Also visit www.facebook.com/JoanMeschinoStateRep and joanmeschino.com.  I miss visiting with residents during my regularly scheduled office hours.  I look forward to . . . Read More

(BOSTON) - Representative Joan Meschino (D-Hull) and her colleagues in the House passed legislation this week to support vulnerable children and families in the Commonwealth. The bill, H.4841, An Act relative to accountability for vulnerable children and families, reforms the Department of Children and Families’ (DCF) data reporting mechanisms, updates some of their practices, establishes a foster parents bill of rights, and evaluates the impacts of COVID-19 on services.  Specifically included in the final bill were two provisions filed by Representative Meschino. The first, born out of H.148, An Act to provide notice to counsel of changes in a child’s or a young adult’s placement and other events, mandates that DCF notify a child’s attorney in the event of a change in placement, hospitalization, or if a 51A abuse and neglect report is filed that involves the child. These provisions seek to create consistent and meaningful legal advocacy to support . . . Read More

BOSTON – Representative Joan Meschino (D-Hull) joined her colleagues in the House this week to pass legislation to provide more tools to the restaurants of Massachusetts in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The legislation entitled An act addressing challenges faced by food and beverage establishments resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic (H.4767) aims to assist a sector that has been hit hard by COVID-19. The measures passed are intended to help restaurants weather the economic crisis in the wake of the pandemic. The package eases outdoor dining restrictions, expands alcohol delivery options to include mixed drinks, extends takeout options to February 2021, waives interest on late meals tax payments and caps the amount that can be charged by a food delivery service. In 2019, the House created the Restaurant Promotion Commission, which is being repurposed as the Restaurant Recovery Commission. The bill builds on the House’s general focus on . . . Read More

BOSTON – On April 17, Representative Joan Meschino and her colleagues in the Massachusetts House of Representatives and State Senate passed legislation to provide a critical safety net for renters, homeowners, and small businesses grappling with the economic fallout of the coronavirus public health emergency.  The bill, H.4647, prohibits all non-essential evictions and foreclosures and provides mortgage borrowers with forbearance options and protects tenants from late fees as well as other protections.   To address the COVID-19 public health crisis and its adverse impacts on renters, homeowners and small businesses, the bill includes the following components: A moratorium on all stages of the eviction and foreclosure processes for 120 days from the enactment of the legislation or 45 days after the State of Emergency has been lifted, whichever period of time is shorter.  Prohibits all non-essential evictions for residential properties and small businesses. Prohibits residential landlords from terminating tenancy and sending . . . Read More

BOSTON – This week, Representative Joan Meschino (D-Hull) and her colleagues in the House of Representatives unanimously passed legislation to create a registry of care providers who have harmed a person or persons with an intellectual or developmental disability. The bill’s purpose is to prevent those providers from being hired for programs funded or operated by the Department of Developmental Services (DDS). The legislation, An Act to Protect Persons with Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities from Abuse, creates a registry of care providers against whom the Disabled Persons Protection Commission (DCCP) has made a final decision regarding “substantiated findings” of acts resulting in serious physical or emotional injury of a person with an intellectual or developmental disability. “I was proud to vote in support of this bill to promote the safety and wellbeing of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities,” said Representative Meschino. “This legislation was thoughtfully developed to combat abuse, . . . Read More