BOSTON – Representative Susannah Whipps, I-Athol, has been selected by Speaker of the House, Robert A. DeLeo, to sit on the Joint Committees on Mental Health, Substance Use & Recovery, Labor & Workforce Development, Revenue and Judiciary.
“I’m so grateful to the Speaker for these important and relevant assignments, “said Representative Whipps. “When meeting with the Speaker late last year, I specifically requested a seat at the table to discuss how we can better assist those who struggle with substance misuse and mental illness, as well as the importance of strengthening services for those in recovery.”
Whipps has served on the Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use & Recovery for four years. The committee is responsible for all matters concerning behavioral health, mental illness and substance use disorder, including prevention and early intervention, treatment, recovery services, homelessness, and such other matters as may be referred. It is also the Committee’s responsibility to oversee the Department of Mental Health and the Bureau of Substance Addiction Services. “I was very pleased to welcome both of the prior chairwomen to Franklin County/North Quabbin to meet with the Opioid Task Force and local service providers. I have already sent an invitation to the new chairwoman, Marjorie Decker of Cambridge, to come and hear from our Franklin County and North Quabbin team.”
The Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development is charged to consider all matters concerning discrimination with respect to employment, the labor laws, and workers’ compensation.
It is the duty of the Joint Committee on Revenue to consider all matters concerning Federal financial assistance, state fees, the raising of revenue for the Commonwealth by means of taxation, certain matters relating to the local property tax and such other matters as may be referred.
The Joint Committee on Judiciary is charged to consider all matters concerning crimes, penalties and sentencing, criminal offender record information, judiciary, including the recall of judges, the salaries of judges, court clerks and court officers of the various courts, probation officers, juries and jury duty, parole, registers of deeds, correction issues previously sent to Public Safety (but excluding the retirement of judges and all other court personnel) and such other matters as may be referred.
‘I’m looking forward to a productive and educational session and honored to be working on such important matters that affect not only my constituents, but all of the people in the Commonwealth,” said Whipps.