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 wake of the tragic deaths of 77 veterans at the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home during the COVID-19 pandemic, the legislature passed a $600 million bond bill to support the construction of a new Soldiers’ Home and to increase geographic equity and accessibility related to the continuum of long-term care services in small home concept housing for veterans across the state. Additionally, the Legislature enacted changes to the oversight of both Soldiers’ Homes to ensure better outcomes for our veterans going forward. Finally, for our active duty military, the SPEED Act will help to facilitate a smooth transition for military members and their families who move to Massachusetts.