Joan Lovely: State Senate Candidate Profile

SALEM, MA — Joan Lovely is one of two candidates on the ballot seeking the Democratic nomination to represent the 2nd Essex District, including Beverly, Danvers, Peabody and Salem, in the State Senate.

The 64-year-old mother of three and grandmother of one has served as a state senator since 2013. Prior to that, she was a member of the Salem City Council from 1998 to 2012.

Lovely is an Essex Tech alumna who earned her undergraduate degree at Salem State University and her law degree at the Massachusetts School of Law.

She told Patch she is seeking re-election so she can continue to focus on housing assistance, reproductive and civil rights, substance-use assistance, voting rights, and child sexual abuse, at the State House.

Campaign website

www.joanlovely.com

Why are you seeking elective office?

I am seeking re-election to continue my hard work and commitment to the Second Essex District. I have a long record of advocacy and activism on behalf of my constituents. I believe when we work together in a collaborative rather than adversarial position, we get more done and our residents are better served.

The single most pressing issue facing our district is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

Assistance with housing is by far the most frequent request made to my office. Constituents are seeking help with housing that is clean, safe and affordable. In the recent legislative session, I co-sponsored legislation creating the Housing Choice Initiative that has created multi-family zoning for MBTA communities and zoning voting reform from a 2/3 supermajority to a simple majority, creating more opportunities for housing options in our cities and towns.

As a working member of the Joint Committee on Housing this session, I have worked on housing bills that will positively impact the quality and supply of our housing stock. I work closely with our housing partners including Harborlight Community Partners, building 100 percent affordable family and senior housing, and I will continue to provide legislative support for these initiatives.

I will also propose that the legislature re-examine the Community Preservation Act to ensure that all communities are required to spend funds reserved for housing as the legislation intended, especially communities that fall far below the 10 percent affordable housing threshold.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

I pride myself on being bipartisan. I will continue to work across the aisle to utilize the best ideas that come before the legislature. It is vitally important that elected officials work together so the government is more efficient. When we work together, we accomplish more for our constituents.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

• Protect and defend Reproductive Rights.
• Protect and defend LGBTQ+ Rights.
• Further expand access to voting with same-day registration.
• Increase support and programming for substance use disorder including our recovery high schools.
• Support and increase programs for persons with disabilities. I was proud that my bill to allow persons with intellectual disabilities to attend college without having to pass MCAS was signed into law this session.
• Support efforts to improve our transportation system including working as a North Shore Delegation to electrify the commuter rail, and create a Peabody Trolley and South Salem Commuter Rail Station.
• Improve access through tax credits and other incentives to make child-care affordable to all working parents.
• Ensuring that all Massachusetts have access to affordable healthcare.
• Co-sponsored the ABC Act (Addressing Barriers to Care) to reform the way we deliver mental health and behavioral healthcare.
• As a member of the Global Warming and Climate Change Committee, I work tirelessly to combat climate change and bring Off Shore Wind energy and jobs to our region and increased subsidies for electric vehicles and solar installations.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

Working at the local level as a neighborhood activist, volunteer and city councilor, my experience has given me a solid foundation on how municipal and state government work and how decisions made at the state level support our local priorities. I am proud to have achieved a leadership position as Assistant Majority Leader and Chair of the Rules Committee where I work closely with the Senate President and Leadership team to advance policy and budget priorities.

I am also proud of my work as the Chair of the Special Senate Committee to Review the Sexual Harassment Polices & Procedures. The Committee worked tirelessly with senate staff and members, collaborating with UMass-Lowell, to develop enhanced mandatory guidelines and training and update our policies and procedures that are currently in effect.

As a survivor of child sexual abuse and a staunch advocate for prevention, I know firsthand how important it is to protect both children and adults from sexual assault and harassment in the workplace, our schools, and beyond.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

To listen and learn from my constituents. I have a positive reputation as someone who shows up in the district. I make myself readily accessible to listen and learn from the people I represent. I then find myself well informed on the views of the district and vote accordingly.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I have filed legislation and passed legislation to:
• Guarantee reproductive rights and access to contraceptive and abortion care.
• Keep pregnant workers from being fired from their jobs due to pregnancy.
• Prevent sexual abuse of children and youth by adults in positions of authority or trust.
• Ensure safe drinking water in our schools from lead exposure.
• Expand insurance coverage for 3-D mammograms and breast cancer screening.
• Expand equitable access to maternal postpartum care.
• Create higher education opportunities for students with developmental disabilities.
• Prevent bullying of elderly, disabled residents, and veterans in public housing.
• Establish a model school policy on suicide prevention.
• Create a women's rights history trail.
• Establish a program to address maternal mental health conditions and substance use disorders of pregnant and postpartum individuals.
• Expand access to adoption.
• Remove mandatory minimums for non-violent offenders.
• Remove surprise medical billing
• Public Records Reform

These are just a few of the many, many issues I have worked on in the State Senate. It is an honor and a privilege to be your state senator for the Second Essex District. I believe my strong record of hard work and commitment makes me the right choice as your next State Senator and I humbly ask for your support in the Democratic Primary on Sept. 6th.