This election year will be a high-stakes one in Brookline, on Beacon Hill, and across America, according to the five lawmakers who represent the town at the Massachusetts State House.
The effective end of the 194th legislative session on July 31 — and with it the deadline for bills proposed over the past two years to advance or die — combined with a November election featuring races for the state’s constitutional offices, every seat in the Legislature, up to a dozen ballot questions and midterm national elections focusing on immigration and federal spending – sets up a year that will be remembered for generations, one local lawmaker said.
“Fifty years from now, American schoolchildren will learn about this time in history and be shocked,” said Rep. Tommy Vitolo, D-Brookline, referring to what he described as the “unquestionably” unconstitutional actions of immigration enforcement under the second Trump administration. “This is not normal, and we’ve got to figure out a way to stop it.”
Vitolo is the only member of Brookline’s state delegation whose district is entirely contained within the town. He, along with Sen. Cindy Creem (D–Newton) and Reps. Greg Schwartz, D-Newton, Kevin Honan and Bill MacGregor, both Boston Democrats, collectively speak for Brookline’s interests on Beacon Hill.
Rep. Tommy Vitolo
Vitolo, first elected in 2018 and now serving his fourth term, said the urgency of the moment is shaping the “day-in, day-out work of governing,” particularly as affordability pressures continue to define life in Brookline and across the state.
“The word you’re going to hear over and over again is affordability, and for good reason,” Vitolo said. “Too many people are working hard and doing the right things and still struggling to have the comfort they rightfully expect.”
Among his priorities, Vitolo highlighted workforce development, particularly the House-passed bill which would require certain large public construction projects to use apprentices
“The only way you become a master plumber or a master carpenter or a master welder is to start by getting your first job learning how to do it,” Vitolo said. “Apprenticeships lead to jobs where someone can own a home, raise a family, and maybe go on vacation once in a while.”
Vitolo also highlighted energy and climate legislation as a key focus, including a measure which aims to transition buildings away from natural gas , and a separate bill which would strengthen energy codes to promote net-zero and solar-ready construction, both of which he filed.
“Brookline is on the cutting edge,” Vitolo said, noting the town’s role as one of 10 municipalities authorized by state law to require fossil-fuel-free new construction. “Communities that have more privilege, more wealth, more capital — those should be the leaders.”
Sen. Cindy Creem
Creem, first elected in 1998 and now serving as Senate majority leader, framed the year ahead from a position of institutional power — and constraint.
She said immigration enforcement is the most urgent issue she hears about from constituents, and that a core focus in the coming months will be advancing a bill filed by Gov. Maura Healey in late January that would restrict civil immigration arrests without a judicial warrant in sensitive locations such as courthouses, schools, health care facilities and places of worship, among other measures.
“We cannot control the federal government,” Creem said. “But we can make sure people are not impersonating ICE, that due process is protected, and that we’re not complicit in actions that violate constitutional rights.”
Besides immigration issues, Creem said her top legislative priority for the final year of the session is a Senate-passed data privacy bill which would ban the sale of sensitive personal information, including precise location data.
“We banned the sale of sensitive data, including location data — in other words, somebody who might come to Massachusetts for services that may not be legal in another state, such as abortion or gender-affirming care,” Creem said.
Rep. Greg Schwartz
Schwartz, a first-term lawmaker elected in 2024 and a practicing primary care physician, said healthcare access is his central concern as lawmakers confront budget pressures and federal uncertainty. As a key priority, he pointed to advancing a bill he is sponsoring, which would increase the share of healthcare spending devoted to primary care.
“Primary care is the foundation of the entire healthcare system,” Schwartz said. He said the state’s low level of spending on primary care is contributing to physician burnout and limiting access to care. “People have insurance, but they can’t find a doctor,” he said.
Schwartz added that budget discussions on healthcare are complicated by uncertainty about federal funding, particularly Medicaid reimbursements, which account for a substantial portion of state spending.
“In a roughly $62 billion budget, we’re talking about on the order of $14 billion in reimbursements from the federal government,” Schwartz said. “That’s practically 25%.”
Rep. Kevin Honan
Honan, first elected in 1987 and the longest-serving member of the Massachusetts Legislature, said his priorities for the final year of the session include legislation aimed at improving housing governance and increasing housing production as affordability pressures continue to grow.
One proposal he highlighted would establish a condominium ombudsman within the Attorney General’s Office to help resolve disputes between condo owners and associations.
“This is an issue that comes up all the time,” Honan said. “People feel like they don’t have anywhere to turn.”
Honan also pointed to a measure often referred to as the “Yes in my back yard” (YIMBY) bill, which he supports, to make it easier to build multifamily housing and allow housing on underused land.
“When you’re trying to create more housing, you need zoning reform,” Honan said. “You need multifamily housing to address the housing shortage that we’re experiencing in Massachusetts.”
Rep. Bill MacGregor
MacGregor, who was elected in 2022 and is currently serving his second term, said the rising cost of living is also shaping his priorities for the final year of the session, particularly child care affordability, in addition to concerns about access to mental health care.
“I’m a father of two toddlers, so early childhood education is something that’s important to me,” MacGregor said. “For two kids in daycare, it’s over $50,000. We’re one of the most expensive states.”
To help offset those costs, MacGregor said he has filed a bill which would create a child care and dependent care tax credit , allowing families to reduce their state tax bill by up to $500.
MacGregor acknowledged the amount was modest, but said, “Every little bit helps nowadays.”
MacGregor also highlighted legislation that would establish a special commission to study interstate telehealth and ways to allow patients to maintain continuity of care when crossing state lines, particularly for mental health treatment.
“If you’re seeing a therapist and you go to college out of state, you wouldn’t be able to see that same therapist,” MacGregor said. “That’s a real problem.”