State Rep. Kathy LaNatra

On Thursday, Governor Healey announced that kratom, often billed as 'gas station heroine,' would be classified as a schedule I drug and banned from sale across the Commonwealth. Throughout the past session, taking action against this harmful, unregulated and dangerous substance has been a top priority of mine and I am thrilled to see the Governor and DPH take strong, decisive action.

After hearing personal stories from friends and constituents, I decided that something had to be done. Given its easy access at gas stations and convenience stores, far too many people don't understand the dangers kratom and kratom products, especially 7OH, pose, and its potentially fatal consequences.

I have been proud of the work done so far. I have hosted briefings, bringing together parents, safety advocates, pediatricians and more to help educate my legislative colleagues on this issue.I have also worked to bring this issue locally, presenting to local boards of health and I am proud that 4 out of 6 of the towns I represent banned kratom sales, prior to yesterday's order.

To learn more, visit: https://www.mass.gov/news/governor-healey-takes-action-to-protect-young-people-and-residents-from-dangerous-kratom-products. Thank you to Governor Healey and DPH Commissioner Goldstein for their strong, decisive leadership in the face of this threat to public health.

I am happy to announce that two projects within the 12th Plymouth District were the recipients of grants through the ECO One Stop, a simplified way for cities, towns and organizations to access environmental and climate resiliency grants. For the round of FY27 grants, the 12th Plymouth received over $3 million dollars for two climate resiliency and coastal infrastructure projects, one in Kingston and one in Plymouth.

The Town of Plymouth, MA received $3 million through the Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness grant for phase 1 of the Plymouth Downtown Resiliency Project, which is designed to tackle the impact of heat islands and stormwater runoff mitigation in Plymouth's historic downtown. To confront these climate-related challenges, Plymouth has designed a project that will expand pervious surfaces, increase native vegetation, implement green infrastructure, and enhance public spaces and pedestrian connectivity along a densely populated area of Route 3A.

The Town of Kingston, Massachusetts received $171,028 through the Coastal Resilience grant to assist with the permitting and design portion of a resiliency improvement project at the public landing at Ah-De-Nah which provides residents and visitors with access to Kingston, Plymouth and Cape Cod Bays. The wharf, Harbormaster’s Office and parking lot at the project site provide emergency services and have a history of flooding during king tides and coastal storms. This project will develop 60% design plans and permit applications to support future final design and construction.

Both of these grants will go a long way toward improving the resiliency of Kingston and Plymouth's downtown and prepare them for future storms and sea level rise, while ensuring that our waterfront's and coastal areas continue to drive our town's and our region's economy. Thank you to the Healey-Driscoll Administration and EEA Secretary Tepper for their investments into our region's most important, yet vulnerable, areas.

Last week, DESE announced nearly $25 million in grants to improve literacy outcomes across the Commonwealth and I am thrilled to announce that schools in the 12th Plymouth received over $500,000 from these grants. The grants, titled Partnership for Reading Success - Massachusetts (PRISM) grants, will help districts implement high-quality instructional materials, expand professional learning for educators and strengthen evidence-based literacy instruction from pre-kindergarten through grade 12.

These grants build upon the work of the Legislature's recent literacy legislation which establishes evidence-based statewide standards and creates enhanced professional development to ensure that our educators are prepared.

In the 12th Plymouth, Plympton, Kingston and Silver Lake each received a PRISM II grant, which will strengthen early literacy through the implementation of high-quality instructional materials in pre-K through third grade.

I am grateful for the Healey-Driscoll Administration and DESE's investment into the students of the 12th Plymouth and I am confident that these districts will utilize this funding to improve reading outcomes in our local schools. It's through State and local partnerships like this that we will deliver the results our students deserve.

This weekend, August 8 and 9, is the sales tax-free weekend here in the Commonwealth! During these two days, the state’s 6.25% sales tax is waived on individual retail items priced at $2,500 or less for personal use.

This is a great chance to shop small, buy local, and support the businesses that make the 12th Plymouth district and our state so special. For more info, visit https://www.mass.gov/info-details/massachusetts-sales-tax-holiday-frequently-asked-questions.

On Sunday, I joined the officials from the Town of Plymouth, MA along with my colleague State Rep. Michelle Badger to help dedicate the Peace Pole, along with the delegation from Plymouth's Sister City, Shichigahama, Japan. This was an amazing celebration of the friendship, collaboration and peace that stems from this exchange program. The Peace Pole stands at the Plymouth Town Hall and was donated by the Sunrise Rotary Club of Plymouth. Congratulations and thank you to all involved in this great endeavor.

During the busy end of session last week, the House voted to pass legislation expanding access to primary care. This bill sets primary care spending targets to ensure that more of our health care dollars are spent on high-value primary care, invests in the primary care workforce, enhances community-based care, protects access to pharmacies and lowers prescription costs and creates access to biomarker testing.

The legislation sets statewide primary care targets to increase the share of spending on primary care to 15% by the year 2036 and puts in safeguards to ensure that this happens without raising overall health care costs and that all health care entities are responsible. The bill creates a fund for scholarships, loan repayments, career pathways to push more health care professionals toward primary care, especially in rural and underserved areas. The legislation also strengthens the Health Safety Net, to help protect health care facilities serving vulnerable, uninsured and underinsured patients.

When primary care leads the way on patient care and wellness, our entire system benefits. It is time we invest more dollars into what we know works: primary care. From preventative medicine, like vaccines and screenings, to care coordination, and so much more, primary care is how we get better results out of our health care system. Thank you to Speaker Mariano and Chairman Lawn for their leadership on this critical legislation.

Team LaNatra has big news to share! 🎉

As of last week, we have knocked 753 doors and made 889 phone calls! Our grassroots, people-powered campaign continues to show up across the 12th Plymouth District and engage voters on what matters most: supporting our families, strengthening public safety, investing in education, protecting the environment, and standing up for seniors.

I am proud of the work we have accomplished together and every volunteer that has showed up - because my constituents deserve a State Representative that is present in our communities, listens to your concerns, and advocates for you. Thank you for doing this critical work with me! ❤🤍💙

Last month, I hosted my annual golf tournament at Squirrel Run Golf Course in Plymouth with family, friends, colleagues, supporters, and voters from across Massachusetts and the 12th Plymouth District! It was a strong showing of my people-powered reelection campaign and the heartwarming community that supports me as I continue to focus on affordability, seniors, and local investments in our communities.

Thank you to all who joined, grabbed their clubs, and had a great time on the course during the perfect weather! And thank you again to Squirrel Run Golf Course for the hospitality and opportunity to host this annual tournament at your facility. ⛳🏌️‍♂️

Last Saturday, I had the privilege of marching in the Kingston 300th Anniversary Parade! What a special way to be a part of this town's great history and participate in this tricentennial celebration with my family, friends, and supporters! 🇺🇸

It is always amazing to see the community come together at this scale and proudly share our love for this town and the people, organizations, small businesses, and volunteer groups that tirelessly dedicate themselves to making Kingston a phenomenal place to plant roots and raise a family!

I'm grateful for the event organizers, public safety officers, and smiling faces that made the parade such a success. Happy Birthday, Kingston, and here's to another 300 years! ❤️🤍💙