State House Accomplishments
Delivering For Beverly
Throughout Jerry’s time as Beverly’s State Representative, he has secured funds in the House budget for a number of projects to enhance Beverly’s economy, public safety. Jerry understands that local aid is tremendously important to help the City of Beverly thrive. In recent state budgets Jerry has secured money to renovate the Carriage House at Lynch Park and GAR Hall, to construct a Vietnam War Veterans Memorial in Ellis Square, and to improve traffic safety in the Route 1A area. Jerry has also fought for improvements to Beverly’s police and fire departments by filing budget amendments to support the installation of a new Computer Aided Dispatch system and the study and design work for the new Beverly Police Station.
Groundbreaking Veterans Legislation
Jerry sponsored and passed into law the HOME Act. The HOME Act improves veteran’s access to housing and protects them from discrimination. The law gives veterans a preference in public housing throughout the state and excludes certain disability income from the Veterans Administration to ensure they qualify for housing. The bill also increased the accountability and stability of the Commonwealth’s two Soldiers’ Homes. The law also ensured veteran status is a protected class in the state’s anti-discrimination laws. Further, the law created a post-deployment commission to study ways to improve veteran’s services for those returning home from overseas, clarifies the real estate tax exemption for Gold Star families and updated the rules for public employees who take leave for military services.
Jerry Delivers For Beverly
- $40,000 Repairs to the McPherson Youth Center
- $150,000 Upgrade Emergency Dispatch Center
- $100,000 Route 1A Traffic Improvements
- $150,000 Study and design work for the Beverly Police Station
- $20,000 for the Construction of the Vietnam War Veterans Memorial
- $100,000 Lynch Park Carriage House Renovations
- $100,000 infrastructure grants
(Route 1A traffic safety improvements) - $50,000 GAR Hall repairs
- $5 million Brimbal Ave. Traffic Improvements
- $16.1 million in chapter 70 funds that go towards education
- $2.1 million in recent chapter 90 aid for sidewalk and road improvements
Firefighter Cancer Presumption Bill
In his roll of Public Service Committee Chair, Jerry helped pass a law overhauling the Firefighter Cancer Presumption Bill. This bill helps firefighters with 5 or more years of service who fall became ill with cancer that may be from exposure to heat, radiation, or a known or suspected carcinogen receive benefits from the state when their condition is discovered. Prior to this change many female and reproductive cancers were excluded from the presumption.
Supporting First Responders
As Chair of the Public Service Committee, Jerry has been instrumental in passing legislation that provides families of firefighters and police officers killed in the line of duty full retirement benefits as well as legislation that allows injured officers and firefighters to receive retirement benefits that reflect the extent of their injuries and past years of service. These first responders face life-threatening situations every day to ensure the safety and security of the Commonwealth and Jerry recognizes the importance of fairly compensating them for the sacrifices they have made.