Senator Joan Lovely is in her fifth term as State Senator for the Second Essex District, comprised of Beverly, Danvers, Peabody, Salem and Topsfield. Senator Lovely has been serving in the Massachusetts Senate since January 2013. After raising a family in Salem with her husband, Senator Lovely went back to school to earn degrees from Salem State University and the Massachusetts School of Law. She began her activism at the local level when she collaborated with neighbors and volunteers to rebuild a local playground for children and families in Salem.
In the current 192nd Legislative Session, the Senate has worked diligently to provide for COVID-19 recovery and to support all residents of our Commonwealth. In addition to passing a $48.07 billion budget for Fiscal Year 2022 and a $52.7 billion budget for Fiscal Year 2023, the Legislature passed a $4 billion omnibus spending package utilizing federal funds from the American Rescue Plan Act and surplus funds from Fiscal Year 2021. This spending package delivered targeted support to workers and businesses, as well as housing, health care, mental and behavioral health, climate preparedness, education, and workforce development, with a focus on making equitable investments and prioritizing communities disproportionately impacted by the pandemic. In addition, the Legislature passed several supplemental budgets to provide for the continued operation of the Commonwealth and focused support for programs in need of additional funding.