Senator Patricia Jehlen was elected to the Massachusetts Senate in 2005. She represents Medford, Somerville, and parts of Winchester and Cambridge.Senator Jehlen serves as Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development, Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Elder Affairs, and as Vice Chair of the Joint Committee on Marijuana Policy. Senator Jehlen also serves on the Committees on Ways and Means, Revenue, and Community Development and Small Businesses.
Currently, candidates for state and local office cannot use their campaign funds for childcare. This issue came to Sen. Jehlen’s attention when a single mother in Somerville ran for School Committee, a seat the Senator one held, and faced the same challenges as a parent and a candidate. The Commission on the Status of Women made this a bill a priority, as it has the potential to help more women run for office.