On July 16th, 2025, members of the MA Warheads to Windmills Coalition joined a hearing at the statehouse to testify for our priority bill H.2811, An Act Mandating the Review of Climate Risk Investments in Order to Protect Public Pension Beneficiaries and Taxpayers. We joined Mass Peace Action, JVP Boston, and others in front of the State House for a rally on the Divestment from Israel bill before heading in to testify.
The hearing was held in the Joint Committee on Public Service with other bills focused on Pensions and Investments. The hearing had so many advocates present that testimony was limited to 2 minutes per person, and 10 minutes per panel.
Testimony for H.2811 came from individuals and organizations around the state explained the reasoning and importance of this bill, reviewing and removing climate risk investments from the pension fund. This protects the benefits and security of our public employees, and the taxpayers, who are the backstop for the pension fund if a financial crisis were to occur. As the climate crisis worsens, continued investment in the companies driving that crisis is becoming more and more of a bad idea. On the face of it, because we do not want our funds contributing to making this climate worse, but also financially, as these companies will be affected by the energy transition. Testifiers highlighted the climate and sustainability goals of Massachusetts. Already, climate resiliency programs are costing the state of Massachusetts massive amounts of money, so there is an urgent need to stop investing in the industries causing that damage.
You can watch the video of testimony on H.2811:
Testifiers for H.2811:
- Jess Nahigian, Mass Sierra Club
- Anduin DeVos, Vicki Elson, Tom Rawson, Sue Stafford, Sia Stewart, in a Panel representing MA Warheads to Windmills Coalition, Elders Climate Action MA, Mothers out Front MA, and Third Act MA.
- Alissa Jean Schafer, Private Equity Stakeholder Project
- Nick Cantrell, Green Future Wealth Management
- Timmon Wallis, Massachusetts Warheads to Windmills Coalition
- Melissa Lutdke, Cambridge resident
Following this testimony, another important bill was heard: H.2984, calling for divestment from companies sending military aid to Israel. Many testified in favor of this bill, including its Sponsor, Rep. Erika Uyterhoeven, who spoke of the ongoing genocide in Palestine, and the role the state of Massachusetts is playing in that genocide by its pension fund investments. The representative spoke of United States’ legacy of justifying horrific violence in the supposed name of “National Security”, remembering the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. She highlighted the common threads of dehumanization and nationalism in justifying this kind of violence throughout American history, and now in Palestine. And along with the other testifiers, she called on the Massachusetts Public fund to divest from companies involved in the genocide. You can watch her testimony and a compilation of advocates from Mass Peace Action below.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DMQxG3MOmkH/
You still have time to submit written testimony for any of the bills heard at this hearing. You can email  Seda.Korroch@mahouse.gov and Donna.LoConte@masenate.gov by Wednesday July 30, 2025 at 5:00pm to submit written testimony.