Minute Man Arc, a nonprofit that supports people with disabilities in the Concord area, just unveiled its new fleet of electric vans. I helped lift the giant scissors at the ribbon-cutting.

Following decades of secrecy surrounding former state institutions for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, a new bill poised for the governor’s signature promises to open long-shuttered records, including those from the Walter E. Fernald Developmental Center in Waltham.

Massachusetts lawmakers have reached an agreement on a bill that would make it easier for family members to obtain records of their disabled loved ones who lived in institutional housing. The governor is expected to sign it into law.

Just passed in the State Senate: safeguards against book bans.

A new report sheds light on the troubling history of Massachusetts facilities for people with intellectual or developmental disabilities. Rep. Sean Garballey and I joined a panel hosted by the Harvard Law School Project on Disability to discuss it.

Trump is slowing down offshore wind. Solar can step in and fill a vacuum. A great example: Temple Emunah in Lexington hosts the largest solar installation of any synagogue in Massachusetts. And half of the energy generated goes to a community solar program that others can buy into.

Joined a big crowd in Chelmsford on Saturday to demand No Kings! Lorena Betts, you and your colleagues really know how to organize. So pleased to be a part of this!

A coalition of community groups, legislators, and concerned citizens rallied at the State House on Tuesday against building multiple private jet hangars at Hanscom Field. Photo credit: Marilyn Humphries

Jamie Van Nostrand has put the "public" back into the Department of Public Utilities. We gathered to honor him recently and to express profound thanks. From left to right: Garrett Casey, Elizabeth Van Nostrand, Jamie Van Nostrand, host Marilyn Ray Smith, Ania Camargo, and Nathan Phillips.

Pictures from the Waltham Land Trust’s newest addition: a beautiful plot of land next to Hardy Pond designated for conservation and recreation. I joined Sonja Wadman and other WLT leaders to celebrate the purchase. Photo credit: Sonja Wadman.

My wife Nancy Dolberg does very fine work.

Just passed in the State Senate: new guardrails to limit the collection and sale of your personal data.

Just unveiled in Lexington: a new exhibit featuring three Black Patriots who fought in the American Revolution. The animated videos tell the stories of Prince Estabrook and Eli Burdoo, who each fought in the Battle of Lexington...

Pictures from the Concord Democratic Town Committee's September meeting, for which I was the featured speaker. Topics of discussion included immigration, data privacy, and climate change.

For the third time in four years, Lexington High School has taken gold at the National Conservation Foundation’s annual Envirothon. This year’s competition focused on ways to manage forest ecosystems impacted by climate change.

Given a big job, the Special Commission on State Institutions has re-opened a long-neglected inquiry into Massachusetts facilities for people with mental health issues or intellectual or developmental disabilities.

George Pappas, an experienced immigration lawyer and a PhD in philosophy to boot, accepted an appointment to a judgeship in a federal Immigration Court in Massachusetts. A resident of North Carolina, he and his wife began a long-distance relationship so he could take the post.

A key piece of the state budget signed this summer flew under the radar: a new program to boost legal services for low-income immigrant families.

The Hall of Flags in the State House features the official flags of every city and town in Massachusetts. Well, almost. Turns out, Carlisle’s flag was never put up. Until now. (1/4)

“Demand is up for private aviation, the luxury that separates the 1% from the 0.1%.” Is this disgusting or what? Massport, an arm of our own Massachusetts state government, mustn’t hand over its property at Hanscom to the plutocrats. Thank you WSJ for the good reporting.

In Concord Center, I joined Chelmsford’s Rob Kanzer and other patriots to protest the President’s subversion of the checks and balances that kept America great. Loved the home-made signs. They drew raucous approval from the people driving by. Huzzah!

Rat poison can do serious harm to local wildlife like owls and hawks. @massaudubon.org and @mspca-angell.bsky.social brought advocates -- and even some gorgeous owls -- to the State House. (1/2)

Waltham residents turned out and stirred up some “Good Trouble” as they protested the callous actions of ICE and Trump. ICE’s tactics were meant to scare us. This worked, for a while. But now we’re organizing.

The Barrett Report, July 2025

Thank you, MIT, for driving climate and transportation policy innovation in Massachusetts. Joining me at the State Senate rostrum after testifying on behalf of my “vehicle miles traveled” funding reform they conceived were Gib Metcalf, Visiting Professor of Economics; (1/2)

MA Legislature to gas utilities: Good news. We've ended the anti-competitive tilt towards natural gas in MA law. Your "obligation to serve" only fossil fuel is over.

Senator Mike Barrett here. I'm now on Instagram. Follow me here: www.instagram.com/senatormikeb... See you there!

Walking through the State House today, who should I encounter but Matt Boger of New England Donor Services, on a visit with medical students interested in both the role of New England Donor and the world of the State House. We do set health policy, ya know, and it needs more input from doctors.

Nancy and I had a great time marching in Chelmsford’s 4th of July Parade. Extra credit goes to sharp-eyed viewers who spot irrepressible Rep. Jim Arciero stealing the scene.

Next Tuesday in Lexington: The Embodied Carbon Council, which I serve on, is holding its first public hearing. The group was created by the Legislature in last year’s climate law to find ways to reduce the lifetime carbon emissions of state-owned buildings.

Fun fact: Massachusetts has its own Ice Cream Trail. It’s made up of a group of more than 100 ice cream vendors across the state, including Great Brook Farm in Carlisle. I joined Secretary Tepper at Great Brook, where the Duffy family showed us around the farm.

Today in the State Senate:

Huuuuuuge turnout of some 1200+ for #NoKingsDay in Chelmsford, MA, including @trahan.house.gov, State Rep. Simon Cataldo, @senatormikebarrett.bsky.social, State Auditor Diana DiZoglio, & MA Governor’s Council member @maradolan.bsky.social #NoKings @maddow.msnbc.com

I was pleased to address a large crowd on Sunday, as Concord Indivisible drew residents indignant at the showy, careless, and deliberately callous roundups by ICE.

Shining moment at Waltham Partnership for Youth’s annual celebration: Executive Director Magali Garcia-Pletsch (left) congratulates student speaker Victoria Silveira for a speech eloquently delivered.

Pleased to have offered opening remarks this past weekend at the start of the annual 5K race sponsored by CAAL, the Chinese American Association of Lexington. Participation was high. Sustainability was the theme. I sounded the starting horn. (1/2)

Got good advice this week from former governor Mike Dukakis, who visited the State Senate as we paid tribute to his beloved wife Kitty.

Lawrence MacDonald, Lorena Betts, and Rebecca Gore, all from Chelmsford, lit up Saturday's listening session, co-hosted with 3rd Middlesex Area Democrats (3rd MAD), to chart an optimistic course for Democrats.

Sen. Mike Barrett here. An annual meeting of Democrats in my Senate district is set for next Saturday morning, May 3. People are deeply shaken by what’s happening in the country.

Oh boy. We've lost a great man.

In Lexington, 826 Boston supporter Sonali Shah hosted NYT best-selling author Vaishnavi Patel for a fascinating conversation on the experiences of women in India and in Indian fiction. (1/2)

In entertaining a proposal to build new hangars for super-polluting private jets at Hanscom Airfield, Massport is on the verge of a terrible two-fer: aiding and abetting the warming of the planet and pandering to the concentration of private wealth. (1/2)

Waltham Inclusive Neighborhoods, founded by Tom Benavides, has been pushing to expand access to housing. I was pleased to present Tom with one of this year’s Hero Awards, organized by the Waltham Democratic City Committee, in recognition of the group’s impressive work.

Great to join @senatormikebarrett.bsky.social for the Waltham Dems Heroes Awards! #mapoli

From Recharge, a national publication dedicated to covering electric power and the electric grid: (1/4)

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At the Common Good Coffee and Coworking House on Moody Street, Rep. Tom Stanley and I met with Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll to discuss the upcoming state budget and Waltham’s priorities.

And now for something different: Kudos to my amazing daughters, whose entrepreneurial embrace of happy endings makes me smile on my most challenging days. www.bostonglobe.com/2025/03/25/a...

What a turnout! The Chelmsford Climate Action Team packed the room to talk state and local climate policy. The big question: How can towns make a difference? We covered everything from putting solar panels on condo roofs to making it easier to install heat pumps.

An important read: