Home Sick, Spilka Spends Last Day Of Senate Session In Ashland

FRAMINGHAM, MA — Senate President Karen Spilka is taking in 2021's last day of formal sessions from her Ashland home while trying to recover from an illness she came down with earlier this week.

"She continues to be on the mend and is monitoring session remotely," Spilka spokesman Antonio Caban told the News Service in a statement early Wednesday afternoon.

Senate President Pro Tempore Will Brownsberger was presiding Wednesday as the Senate gaveled in to work with the House to see which bills they might be able to get to Gov. Charlie Baker's desk before a seven-week break, with formal sessions resuming in January.

Democrats are trying to determine whether they can reach a quick conference committee accord on a nearly $4 billion spending bill, or whether talks on that will spill into upcoming informal sessions. The branches on Wednesday also appear poised to pass a congressional redistricting bill and could reach agreement on a bill advancing genocide education in middle and high schools.

The Senate on Wednesday is also set to debate a mental health care access bill that Spilka has been promoting.

On Sunday night, Spilka announced plans to go to Washington to attend the ceremony where President Biden signed the $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill. But Spilka became ill while preparing for her trip Monday and decided to stay home. An aide to Spilka said Monday that the Senate president had tested negative for COVID-19. Spilka has also canceled her planned appearance at the Massachusetts Caregiver Coalition Summit in Boston on Thursday, according to her spokesman.