December 1st and December 4th Informal Sessions 2025

Coming up this week in the Senate Chamber the Senate will be having informal sessions today, Monday, December 1st and Thursday, December 4th at 11 AM.

You can read a copy of TODAY's tentative agenda in advance online at the following location:

https://malegislature.gov/ClerksOffice/Senate/Agenda

To watch TODAY's informal Senate Session LIVE, visit

https://malegislature.gov/Events/Sessions/Detail/7589

TARR IN THE NEWS | 11.24.25

 

TARR IN THE NEWS | 11.24.25

'Cheers, jeers for local newsmakers' | Gloucester Daily Times

Read Full Article

https://www.gloucestertimes.com/.../article_a41d0b05-6f9a...

Gloucester Auto Tech Shop Ribbon Cutting

Wednesday, November 19th's ribbon cutting at the Gloucester High School marks an extraordinary milestone — the completion of a nearly $1 million, two-year transformation of the auto tech shop into a cutting-edge learning center that will prepare students for high-skill, high-demand careers. Ted Costa, my Deputy Director of Community Outreach, attended the ribbon cutting ceremony on my behalf.

I wanted to take a moment to highlight the incredible effort that brought us to this point. This upgrade didn’t happen overnight — it was the result of teachers, administrators, local partners, industry leaders, state agencies, and students all pulling in the same direction to invest in our young people.

From securing state and federal grants, to designing and building the new space, to installing advanced simulators for both traditional and EV technologies, every partner showed true dedication to giving back to our students and opening doors to their futures.

My sincere thanks to everyone involved for believing in the power of Career and Technical Education. A special thank you to generous donors, including Lyon-Waugh Auto Group and to the Gloucester Education Foundation for spearheading this important initiative.

To everyone who played a role in bringing this project to life: your commitment to career and technical education is creating new pathways to success for the next generation.

Learn more about the event by reading the Gloucester Daily Times article: https://www.gloucestertimes.com/.../article_d44afd34-5fba...

Visit to Connecticut Department of Transportation to Examine Wrong-Way Driving Prevention Technology

On Friday, November 14, I was joined by local public safety leaders on a visit to the Connecticut Department of Transportation’s Highway Operations Center in Newington to examine the technology they’ve deployed to prevent wrong-way driving — a danger that has taken far too many lives in our region and across the Commonwealth.

Our Gloucester community continues to grieve the heartbreaking loss of Christopher Dailey, and we remain committed to doing everything possible to stop tragedies like this from ever happening again.
Connecticut’s comprehensive detection system — using sensors, video analytics, and real-time alerts — has already shown remarkable success, with more than 80% of detected wrong-way drivers self-correcting. Their team was extraordinarily informative and collaborative, and their work offers a promising model for our own efforts.

Thank you to our Connecticut counterparts for welcoming us and sharing this vital information: Paul Rizzo (Bureau Chief of Highway Operations), Eric Belanger (Manager Transportation Maintenance), Anthony Colangelo (Advanced Traffic Management Systems Supervising Engineer), Aidan Neely (Transportation Maintenance Planner), and Philip Mainiero (Director of Legislative Affairs, Office of the Commissioner Connecticut Department of Transportation).

 
I’m grateful to Gloucester Police Chief Ed Conley, Essex County DA’s Office Chief Legal Counsel Scott Dullea, Rep. Ann-Margaret Ferrante’s Research and District Director Dru Tarr, Massachusetts State Police Lt. David Cahill, and my Deputy Director of Community Outreach Ted Costa for being a part of this important fact-finding mission.

MassDOT is piloting similar detection systems here in Massachusetts, and together we will continue pushing forward a cultural shift — one that heightens awareness, strengthens prevention, and prioritizes saving lives on our roads.

This work is urgent, and it’s collaborative, and I’m committed to seeing it through for the people we serve.

Gloucester Police Department (Official)
Essex County District Attorney Paul Tucker
Massachusetts State Police

Instilling a Love For Reading in Our Future Leaders

Wally the Green Monster Helps Kids Learn to Love Reading During School Visit in Middleton


Grateful for the Middleton PTO, as well, as all of our PTOs throughout the district and the Commonwealth - incredible experience highlighted on WBZ / CBS News Boston!

 
Thank you for all that you do to create amazing enrichment opportunities for the future leaders of our world!

TARR IN THE NEWS | 11.20.25

Tech curbing wrong-way driving: Tarr, others tour Connecticut system'

By Ethan Forman | Gloucester Daily Times

EXCERPTS BELOW:

"A trek by state Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr, R-Gloucester, and local leaders over the bridge to Connecticut last Friday may make Bay State highways safer from wrong-way drivers.

Tarr’s visit to the Connecticut Department of Transportation’s Highway Operations Center in Newington to see a potential technological solution to the problem comes after a driver is accused of heading north on Route 128 southbound on the A. Piatt Andrew Bridge and colliding with a car carrying four young adult Gloucester residents."

AND

 
"Tarr said Connecticut’s system uses sensors and video analytic technology to detect wrong-way vehicles. When they are detected, illuminated and flashing warning signs are activated to alert wrong-way drivers to self-correct and turn around, according to a fact sheet on the system.

If a vehicle continues in the wrong direction, real time alerts are sent to the CTDOT Highway Operations Center and Connecticut State Police using a web-based platform. The alerts contain live video of the wrong-way driver, allowing for a coordinated and quick response.

Since Connecticut installed the first system in August 2023, there have been 680 wrong-way drivers at off-ramps with a wrong-way driving detection system installed and of those, 82.5% self-corrected, while 17.5% continued on.

Last year, there were six wrong-way crashes resulting in 13 fatalities. This year so far there has been one wrong-way fatal crash with one fatality.

The systems cost about $120,000 per installation with maintenance on each $4,500 a year, and this work is done by a contractor, Tarr said.

“They are learning as they go in terms of evolving the system,” he said."

AND

 
"Connecticut officials were “extraordinary informative and collaborative and helpful,” Tarr said.

“What we are realizing is that we are talking about a cultural shift here to heighten awareness of wrong-way driving and to take proactive steps to deal with it and Connecticut is developing a comprehensive system across every on- and off-ramp in the state,” he said. “They are already well into that program.”"

AND

"Conley said he was grateful for Tarr and Costa for arranging the visit that he said was “super informative.”

“They have such a great operations center and what they doing to address this is a potential model for us,” Conley said. He said Connecticut transportation officials they spoke with were proud of the system they have implemented."

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Read the full article
https://www.gloucestertimes.com/.../article_87953f38-e73c...

Grateful This Thanksgiving for Senior District Director Mary Ann Nay and the Spirit of Giving

Grateful to Mary Ann Nay, our Senior District Director, for partaking in this incredible volunteer effort sharing the spirit of Thanksgiving with the incredible volunteers and partners at the First Church Boxford Food Pantry during their Thanksgiving dinner distribution day.

A heartfelt thank you to the James L. Melvin American Legion Post 379, whose dedicated Legionnaires once again donated their time and resources to prepare 45 complete Thanksgiving dinner boxes — each paired with a turkey — for 45 families in need. Their commitment to service continues to make a powerful difference for neighbors who could use a helping hand.

My thanks as well to the Boxford Village Garden Club, Paisley Farm and Greenhouse, and the many generous members of the community and church family who contributed to this effort.

 
Your kindness brought comfort, hope, and happiness to families across Boxford this holiday season.
This is what Thanksgiving is all about — caring for one another and strengthening the community we share.

Happy Thanksgiving to all!