Appointed Chair of Housing, Vice-chair of Transportation 

For Immediate Release: 2/17/21

BOSTON – Committee assignments have been announced for the current 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 on issues important to his district, from housing and transportation to creating a resilient post-pandemic Commonwealth.  

Keenan, who last session chaired the Senate Committee on Post Audit and Oversight, will now serve as chair of the Joint Committee on Housing. The Joint Committee on Housing considers all matters concerning housing, zoning, condominium laws, and other related issues. Most recently, the Committee has worked on housing protections to limit evictions during COVID-19 as well as partnering with the Baker Administration on the Housing Choice Initiative, which will help increase the state’s housing stock. “Over the past few years, the cost of rent and the price of homes have continued to rise, threatening the ability of many to live in Massachusetts. I look forward to working with my fellow committee members and the Governor’s team to ensure that housing becomes more available and affordable for families across the Commonwealth,” Keenan said.   

Now serving as vice-chair of the Joint Committee on Transportation, Keenan says there is a lot of potential for working on legislation that serves people of the Commonwealth in a post-pandemic environment. “As our state continues to recover from the fallout of the pandemic, I believe this is a critical moment for the state to reimagine how means of transportation serve our communities and can help to rebuild our economy,” Keenan said. “It is also a topic of great relevance to my district, which is home to the MBTA Red Line and commuter rail stations, as well as commuters in and around the greater Boston area. I will continue to work with my district and its residents in mind.” 

Keenan was also assigned to the Senate Committee on Ways and Means, and to the Senate Committee on Post Audit and Oversight, both of which he has served on in the past, as well as a recently created committee, the Senate Committee on Reimagining Massachusetts: Post-Pandemic Resiliency. A lead sponsor on many substance use treatment and prevention laws passed since first elected in 2011, Keenan will also serve as member of the Joint Committee on Health Care Financing and Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery.  

“The Legislature has a lot of meaningful work ahead, and I look forward to contributing through my efforts on these committees and on bills my office has filed,” 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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