2024 State Legislative Champions of Dignity and Care Awards

In recognition and appreciation of the responsibilities and challenges of public service, Dignity Alliance has established annual awards to recognize outstanding service and contributions by state legislators and their staff members. Special consideration is given to those who have taken a leadership role on legislation or budget issues that advance the goals of the Alliance.

The legislative Champions of Dignity and Care for 2024 were honored at a ceremony on Tuesday, October 1, 2024 in the State House.

Download the Awards Media Release (pdf)
Download the Awards Program (pdf)

Table Of Contents

Opening Remarks
Legislator Champions of Dignity and Care
Legislative Staff Champions of Dignity and Care
Video
Random photos of the event

Opening Remarks

The program began with opening comments from Paul Lanzikos, Dignity Alliance MA Coordinator. He gave a brief description of DignityMA, and introduced speakers for three of DignityMA’s highest priorities for 2025

Jeni Kaplan of Mass Law Reform Institute spoke about the implementation of “Bringing People Home”, settlement agreement to the Marsters v. Healey class action lawsuit
Resident Rights in Nursing Homes and Assisted Living Residences
Raise the Personal Needs Allowance for Nursing Home Residents

Legislator Champions of Dignity and Care

Introduced by Richard Moore, Legislative Chair

Closing statements were by Barbara L’Italien

Each awardee spoke to the audience. The common theme among all of the speakers was that creating and enacting important legislation requires diverse participation from as many individuals and groups as possible.

Legislator awardees

Senator Joan Lovely, presented by Senator Patricia Jehlen

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.

Senator Lovely has sponsored many bills of interest to older adults and persons with disabilities including supportive decision making, increase in the personal needs allowance for nursing home residents, the treatment of intellectually and developmentally disabled offenders in the criminal justice system, expanding the availability of personal care homes for older adults, disclosing continuing care retirement community entrance fees, ensuring dependent health coverage for adults with disabilities, mental health parity for disability policies, and more.

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.

Currently in her fifth term, Senator Lovely serves in Leadership as Assistant Majority Leader and the Chair on the Senate Committee on Rules. In addition, Senator Lovely serves as the Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Rules; and Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Bills in the Third Reading. Senator Lovely also serves as a member on the Joint Committee on Housing, and Senate Committees on Steering and
Policy, Global Warming and Climate Change, and Reimagining Massachusetts Post-Pandemic Resiliency.

Senator Lovely is the proud parent of three children and 1 granddaughter, and currently resides in Salem with her husband, Stephen. She also enjoys her 4 labs, 1 cat, 2 chickens, and 5 ducks, perennial blue- ribbon winners at the Topsfield Fair.

Representative Thomas Stanley, presented by Representative Ruth Balser

Representative Thomas Stanley has represented residents of the City of Waltham since 2001.

Representative Stanley was a principal sponsor of the legislation that was enacted into the milestone law known as Chapter 197 of the General Acts of 2024, An Act relative to Quality and Oversight of Long-Term Care and Assisted Living. He has sponsored many bills of interest to older adults including the development of a curriculum to support seniors’ financial literacy, the creation of safe environments for home care workers and
consumers, research about a statewide long-term care insurance program, and the promotion of innovations in elder care nursing facilities and services.

He has been active in civic life in Waltham. Since 1997, he has served as a member of the Waltham City Council. He is also a member of the Warrendale Little League Board of Directors, the Waltham Partnership for Youth Board of Directors, the Waltham Family School Advisory Board, and the Waltham Community Day Center (for Homeless) to name a few. Tom is also a member of the Lions Club, the Friends of the Waltham Family School, and the Safe & Healthy Schools YRBS Steering Committee.

He earned a Master’s in Public Administration from Suffolk University’s Graduate School of Management. He also has a BS in Management from Bentley University and an Associate’s Degree in Business Administration from Mass Bay Community College.

He has received awards from a number of organizations including Minuteman Senior Services and the Boston Bar Association. Representative Stanley is a lifelong resident of Waltham. He and his wife, Kim Bayliss, have two sons and their rescue puppy Regan, a Catahoula Leopard Dog.