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Western Mass. State Senators To Advocate For Rosenberg's District

The Massachusetts Statehouse in Boston.
William Zhang
/
Creative Commons
The Massachusetts Statehouse in April 2017.

With Massachusetts state Sen. Stanley Rosenberg's resignation taking effect last Friday, four of his colleagues from western Massachusetts announced plans to "collectively advocate" for the needs and policy priorities of the 24 communities in his district. 

Rosenberg's Hampshire, Franklin, and Worcester District will be without representation until the new legislative session begins in January. Northampton and Hatfield, both part of the late Rep. Peter Kocot's district, will not have a lawmaker representing them in either chamber.

"We wish to assure the residents, local and regional officials in the Hampshire, Franklin and Worcester Senate District that we will work together to represent your needs and priorities on Beacon Hill," Sens. Adam Hinds, Eric Lesser, Anne Gobi and Donald Humason said in a joint statement. "We will work collectively to advance your agenda and protect your interests for the remainder of this legislative session. It is the right thing to do for western Massachusetts and to keep our region strong."

Hinds, Lesser, and Gobi -- like Rosenberg -- are Democrats, and Humason is a Republican.

Rosenberg resigned after an Ethics Committee report called his leadership and judgment into question and faulted him allowing his husband, Bryon Hefner, to access Senate information despite promising a firewall between his personal and professional lives.

The former Senate president's staff will continue to be available both in the Statehouse and in the district for constituent inquiries and to guide other senators on pending policy matters, according to the statement released by Lesser's office.

This report was originally published by State House News Service.

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