“As Trump and his Administration accelerate and intensify their attacks on journalism and sources are increasingly afraid to speak up, the Massachusetts Senate takes an historic stand to strengthen our free press and fortify our democracy,” said Senator Becca Rausch (D-Needham). “The need for a statutory press shield law in our Commonwealth has never been more urgent."

As of last year, Massachusetts was one of only nine states in the country without a reporters shield law, according to the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press. “We need to fix this problem,” Senator Rausch said from the Senate floor Thursday. “As we see repeated attacks on the press, we need to fix it now.”

"Elections are central to our representative democracy. They require candidates willing to dedicate themselves to both public service and to running for office. But the safety and security of your home should never have to be one of the sacrifices of the campaign trail."

“Building resilience in the face of climate change requires ecosystem-wide collaboration... These grants will help restore entire watersheds, making our rivers and wetlands cleaner, more vibrant, and better equipped to handle future floods and droughts."

The plan also would include … a policy — originally proposed by state Senator Becca Rausch — that would scrub candidates’ addresses from the ballot and instead only list what town or city they live in. The proposal emerged after a gunman shot two Minnesota lawmakers at their homes last year, prompting lawmakers to reconsider how readily available some of their personal information should be.

Supporting LGBTQ+ people is simple, Rausch said: “Treat everyone with love and respect. Pride is a time for celebration and reflection. For our queer and trans community members and allies alike, this month is about saying yes to including and supporting one another, saying yes to embracing authenticity, and this month is about joy."

“I don’t care what your political affiliation is…. The uber-wealthy should not be able to buy their way into elected office. That is not a democracy,” Rausch said.

State Senator Becca Rausch, who co-chairs the Legislature’s Committee on Environment and Natural Resources, said it was important to craft a ban that would be feasible for all retailers. “We’ve built in an exception for small businesses,” she said. “We’re making sure to take care of everybody.”

“We have a significant plastics problem. Massachusetts uses an estimated 2 billion–that’s billion with a “B”– two billion plastic bags every year,” said Senator Becca Rausch, a Democrat from Needham.

“As a Brandeis alumna who is deeply dedicated to both public service and civics education, it’s a great privilege and pleasure to welcome ENACT students to the State House every year for hands-on legislative advocacy and experiential civics education."