Talking with Tarsky
- Administrator
- Sep 2
- 3 min read
Updated: Sep 8
July/August 2025
Welcome back to Talking with Tarsky! July and August flew by, but we were able to get a lot done in the short stretch of time. We handled numerous constituent cases and concerns, passed legislation that betters our commonwealth, held office hours and meetings with constituents across the district, and laid the groundwork for our office’s messaging and outreach.
What We’ve Been Up To
July and August were busy times, with our summer intern program in full swing. The interns were a crucial part of our office, creating policy briefs on bills, helping to draft speeches and testimony, and attending hearings to ensure we didn’t miss a thing. We’re sad to see this summer cohort go, and their contributions will be sorely missed!
As always, the Needham Fourth of July festivities were brilliant - it was an honor to be featured in this year’s parade, and Will loved the fireworks!
We held our first “Take the T with Tarsky!” Catch us the morning of September 10th at Needham Heights for the next one!
I stopped by Camp DiCarlo, home of the Massachusetts National Lancer squadron, the Commonwealth’s ceremonial cavalry squadron. Thank you to Brigadier General Reale for the invitation and opportunity to learn more about the unit!
I toured Commonwealth Fusion Systems alongside my colleagues on the House Committee on Climate Action and Sustainability. CFS pursues clean fusion energy to meet growing global energy demand as the climate crisis worsens. A special thank you to Chair Nguyen and Rep. Ciccolo for organizing the visit!
The Charles River Chamber of Commerce's annual Needham Night was a hit!
On August 27th, I attended Needham’s Overdose Awareness Day vigil - an opportunity to remember, without stigma, those who have died from an overdose, to recognize that addiction and overdose do not discriminate, and to renew our sense of hope.
Legislative Happenings
The House passed five key bills in the month of July, targeting a wide array of issues, from supplemental funding for FY25, transportation funding, and teachers’ retirement benefits to human trafficking awareness and the protection of health care data privacy. Though they differ in their focuses, I believe it highlights the nature of our work well: there are many potent and pressing issues that need to be faced in our Commonwealth, but with organization and effort, this legislature will work to address what lies ahead. Delivering much-needed funding for our current budget and enabling future transportation projects will provide for our constituencies and bring us closer together.
H.4361, which gives our teachers flexibility with their retirement plans, allows them to focus on our common goal: providing our students with the best educational environment possible.
H.4360 provides new training for lodging facilities, and we further protect vulnerable people from the horrific effects of human trafficking.
Finally, the Shield Act protects Massachusetts residents’ health care data, ensuring that information regarding gender-affirming care and reproductive health is safe from the prying eyes of the federal government. I’m proud of our work this month.
In the Senate, a bill was passed regarding students’ phone usage in schools. My bill, H.715, also focuses on this issue. I'm looking forward to seeing what action we’ll see as the fall session begins in September. I believe my experiences in schools can inform the debate and provide a unique perspective; as many of you may remember, the day following my election as State Representative, we implemented a bell-to-bell phone ban at the school, which I served as principal, and that implementation served as the basis of H.715.
What’s Next?
As August fades into September, we move from the summer recess into the beginning of the fall session. My aide Kyle and I have begun to get a strong footing in the State House, learning how to work within and outside the building, as well as which local spots have the best food. Being a state representative in the tumultuous times that we live in requires time and effort to do it well, but I believe Kyle and I both are putting in the work necessary to best serve the 13th Norfolk District. We’ll continue to stay up-to-date on the legislation that’s moving through the State House and in Congress, and we hope to see you all in the district soon!
Yours in Community,
Josh
As always, if you need anything from my office, please reach out to me or Kyle via our emails (joshua.tarsky@mahouse.gov | kyle.mcgrath@mahouse.gov) or call our office at (617) 722-2582
(Registration is not required to attend office hours)
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