Senator John Velis

06/23/2026

Agawam and West Side residents, be sure to add this important MassDOT community meeting to your calendar!

This is an important meeting for West Springfield and Agawam.

MassDOT will be presenting three concepts for eliminating the Front Street and First Street rail crossings, a long-discussed project that has the potential to improve safety, reduce traffic delays, and strengthen connections between our communities.

The public meeting will be held on Thursday, June 25, at 6 PM at West Springfield Town Hall, 26 Central Street.

I encourage residents from both communities to attend, learn more about the proposed concepts, ask questions, and show support for moving this long-overdue project forward.

06/23/2026

Last week, my office had the honor of celebrating Jeff Anderson Burgos during the Legislature’s inaugural Commonwealth Pride Awards. Jeff is an outstanding leader in Holyoke who works tirelessly to help organize many of the incredible Holyoke Pride events and other gatherings that celebrate and uplift the LGBTQ+ community.

Thank you, Jeff, for all that you do to bring people together and make Holyoke a more inclusive and vibrant place!

06/22/2026

Happy Monday! Later today we will be hosting office hours at the Westfield Council on Aging from 12:30p.m. to 1:30 p.m., and again at the Southampton Council on Aging on Wednesday from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

Hello everyone,  I hope you all had a great week! Team Velis started off last week at the State House celebrating a remarkable student from Westfield High School, Ethan David, who was awarded …

06/21/2026

One of my greatest joys in life is being Carson’s dad. Wishing a very Happy Father’s Day to all the dads out there!

06/20/2026

Come on down to Carlos Vega Park in Holyoke, and try out the Bouncehouse Slide!

The Fifth Hampden

06/19/2026

ICYMI: I joined Dave Madsen last weekend for the latest episode of Getting Answers. We had a robust discussion covering everything from the Senate's efforts to assist our local municipalities facing budget constraints, housing affordability challenges, and of course my recent deployment.

Check it out:

This week, we're getting answers with State Senator John Velis

06/18/2026

Many thanks to all my friends at the Westfield COA for the warm welcome home last week!

https://www.masslive.com/westfieldnews/2026/06/westfield-senior-center-hosts-june-celebration.html

06/17/2026

Congratulations to EBs Agawam on 40 years! A fantastic milestone for an amazing local business. Here’s to the next 40!

06/16/2026

Last week, I had the honor of joining the Professional Fire Fighters of Massachusetts for their annual Legislative Convention in Springfield.

It was great to meet so many dedicated firefighters from both our district and across the Commonwealth to discuss several pieces of legislation I’ve been advocating for including initiatives aimed at promoting firefighters’ overall health and wellbeing, as well as expanding access to retirement benefits for our call firefighters.

06/15/2026

As a friend to both the men and women of law enforcement and to so many incredible individuals with autism, I am proud to see this legislation sent to the Governor’s desk.

This is a commonsense initiative that promotes understanding, communication, and safety for everyone involved. 💙

Today the Massachusetts Legislature passed legislation establishing a statewide ‘blue envelope’ program, giving motorists with autism spectrum disorder a simple, recognizable way to alert police officers to their diagnosis and help guide the interaction before it escalates. Having been passed by both branches, this bill will now go to the Governor's desk for her signature. Read more at https://ow.ly/nP7e50ZbXC0