Supporting K-12 public education, confronting climate change, and protecting health care and reproductive care are among the priorities this year for the legislative delegation representing Franklin County.

With a new legislative session underway and a Jan. 17 deadline to file bills having passed, state Sen. Jo Comerford, D-Northampton, said that housing, increasing education funding to rural communities, and protecting natural and working lands are top priorities, with the state having codified the right of both providers and residents to supply and seek gender-affirming and reproductive health care.

“Donald Trump has told us who he may target. We have to see what his actions are, and whether or not he follows through on those threats,” Comerford said. “We know that we have to be vigilant around reproductive freedom, LGBTQ rights, immigrant rights.”

Comerford is also supporting the Safer Communities Act, which, if passed, would prohibit local police cooperation with the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency.

Comerford also voiced support for reviewing the funding formula that provides state aid to schools, known as Chapter 70.

“The Chapter 70 funding formula is not working for western Massachusetts,” she said. “There’s two sides to the formula, what we get and what we contribute, and I’m heartened that both the Senate president and minority leader talked about this in their speeches on opening day. That’s the result of sustained advocacy.”

Like Comerford, Rep. Aaron Saunders, D-Belchertown, said his goals revolve around regional equity for the western half of the state, whether that’s ensuring his communities receive a fair share of the funds from the economic development and housing bond bills passed in the previous session or protecting the area’s natural resources. Saunders added that he and Comerford will continue to push the Quabbin Reservoir bill filed last session that aims to keep the National Rural Water Association accountable to its responsibility to western Massachusetts residents.

“The hard work of making sure that those funds are distributed equitably is another big lift,” Saunders said, “And we have a great team in the western Massachusetts delegation that will be working every day, myself included, to ensure western Mass. gets a fair share of those resources.”

He also said he expects there will be a new bill aimed at incentivizing rooftop solar installations.

“It’s an exciting time with bill-filing,” he said.

Whether Republicans at the national level controlling the White House, the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives will potentially impact the ability of legislators to maintain their priorities is uncertain, though Comerford said she would defend and protect the rights already established in the state.

“I think our first charge is protecting and defending those most vulnerable in our midst,” she said.

Saunders predicts the state will struggle with funding in the coming session. Not only did Saunders see the state’s revenue growth begin to plateau at a consensus revenue hearing in December, but he doubts that the Trump administration will cooperate with Massachusetts on issues like climate mitigation and health care, especially not to the same extent as the Biden administration.

“We are in that watch and respond mode to see if [the Trump administration attempts] to erode our investments in health care, education and protections of civil rights,” Saunders said. “I’m confident that the House is ready to respond as needed.”

Focusing more on matters controlled entirely by Massachusetts, rather than systems that require federal funds and reform, is one way to respond to the changes at the federal level, Saunders said. He plans to continue development of east-west rail, in part because a huge chunk of federal funds have already been awarded.

Like Comerford, Rep. Natalie Blais, D-Deerfield, is continuing her work with rural schools, saying that she plans to advocate for additional funding and support for rural schools as co-chair of the Special Commission on Rural School Districts.

“We’ve been able to make tremendous progress since I was first elected six years ago, but there’s still much more to do and that will be a top priority for me,” Blais said.

Blais has already filed a bill seeking the development of minimum statewide quality standards for private wells, as well as the expansion of a financial assistance program for residents trying to remediate wells contaminated by so-called “forever chemicals,” or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).

Blais also pointed to looking for extra funding for public transportation and transportation infrastructure, along with supporting local farms, as being legislative priorities.

State Rep. Susannah Whipps, U-Athol, who represents nine Franklin County and North Quabbin towns in the 2nd Franklin District, said she has filed a few bills she hopes will cross the finish line in the next two years.

One of those bills aims to change the political terminology on voter registration forms from “Unenrolled” to “Independent.” Whipps was originally a Republican until she left the party in 2017 to better reflect her district’s political leanings. She is the only member of the state House of Representatives who does not belong to a political party.

“About 65% of voters in my district are unaffiliated with a political party. … The term ‘unenrolled’ sounded to me like uninvolved or not registered to vote,” she wrote in an email. “I prefer to use the term ‘Independent.’ I might be a little biased regarding this issue, as I am the only Independent member of the Massachusetts Legislature and one of only 19 Independent legislators nationwide.”

Whipps also said she filed legislation to created a department under the Cannabis Control Commission that would focus on workplace safety within cannabis growing and processing plants as well as oversight of consumer safety. She said a constituent brought this matter to her attention.

Whipps believes a proper succession plan in the event of a lieutenant governor vacancy is also something the state is sorely missing. Currently, the secretary of state is the acting governor when the governor and lieutenant governor are out of state.

Reporter Erin-Leigh Hoffman contributed to this article.