Appointed Chair of Post Audit and Oversight, Reappointed Vice-chair of Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery

BOSTON, MA – Committee assignments have been announced for the next session of the Massachusetts State Legislature, and Senator John F. Keenan (D-Quincy) says he looks forward to working with new committee members in both the House and Senate.

Keenan, who last session chaired the Senate Committee on Bonding and Capital Expenditures, will now serve as chair of the Senate Committee on Post Audit and Oversight. The Committee on Post Audit and Oversight serves the taxpayers of the Commonwealth by examining the performance of state agencies and conducting special studies or investigations as necessary. In the past, the Committee has worked to investigate the role of fines in the criminal justice system and excessive increases in homeowner’s insurance rates. “I look forward to working with my Committee members to ensure that our state agencies are always working for the people of the Commonwealth,” Keenan said. 

Keenan, a lead sponsor on many substance abuse treatment and prevention laws passed since first elected in 2011, has also been reappointed vice-chair of the Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use, and Recovery. The Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery deals with all matters concerning behavioral health, mental illness and substance use disorder, including prevention, treatment, recovery services and homelessness. “We are in the midst of a heartbreaking opioid epidemic and we must be dedicated to finding better solutions to this very complex issue every day,” Keenan said. “I will continue to find smarter ways to prevent addiction, help provide treatment to those already suffering, and work to change the way we talk about addiction.”

Keenan was also reassigned to the Senate Committee on Bonding, Capital Expenditures and State Assets, and assigned to the Joint Committee on Public Service, the Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development, and the Joint Committee on Housing. 

“With over 6,000 bills already filed this session, we have lots of work to do,” Keenan said. “I’m pleased with this session’s assignments and look forward to working with my committee colleagues in the coming months.”   

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