State Senate President Karen E. Spilka (D-Ashland) announced committee assignments and appointments to her leadership team today and, in great news for the residents of Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket, state Senator Julian Cyr (D-Truro) was named Assistant Majority Whip. Cyr is the only sophomore legislator in Senate leadership and is currently the youngest member of the Senate.
“I am profoundly grateful to be a member of Senate President Spilka’s leadership team,” said Cyr. “Senate President Spilka is a skilled, experienced and thoughtful leader whose priorities, including mental health parity, education reform, climate resiliency, affordable housing, and health care reform, demand action to improve the quality of life for everyone living in our Commonwealth. I am honored to be part of her leadership team and look forward to rolling up my sleeves to solve the problems facing my district and our state.”
Cyr joins state Representative Sarah Peake (D-Provincetown) in legislative leadership on Beacon Hill; Peake was reappointed today to the House Leadership team for another term. With Peake and Cyr in leadership positions, working side-by-side with the members of the Cape and Islands delegation - Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket will be well represented at the State House.
Cyr was also tasked with chairing the Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery, in a role where he can make further progress in the fight against opioid addiction and help shepard through substantial improvements in mental health access and parity, which should benefit geographically isolated communities like the Cape and Islands.
In addition, Cyr was named Vice Chair of the Joint Committee on Housing, and has a seat on the following four committees: Health Care Financing, Public Health, Education, and Municipalities and Regional Government. These committee roles will allow him to be directly involved in all health care issues, education reform, and making sure local issues are given priorities on Beacon Hill.