Melissa Reilly has been a powerful voice for inclusion and a force for change inside the Massachusetts State House. A Special Olympics Massachusetts athlete since age 8, she has competed in swimming, cycling, and skiing with the same determination she brought to her work in public policy.

For more than a decade, Melissa served as an Office Aide and Disability Policy Adviser to Senator Jamie Eldridge. She worked to advance the rights of people with disabilities, especially those with Down syndrome like herself. One of her greatest goals was removing outdated and offensive language from state law, including the “R-word.”

On July 24, 2025, Melissa’s advocacy helped make history when the Massachusetts Senate unanimously passed Bill S.137, an Act dignifying intellectuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities, to replace harmful language in 362 state statutes in the Mass General Laws (MGL).

Although she had recently moved to Connecticut with her family, she returned to the State House to witness the vote she had spent years fighting for. Lawmakers across the chamber thanked her for her persistence, passion, and leadership. Melissa made sure they understood that real progress means seeing change written into law.

Special Olympics Massachusetts couldn’t be prouder of Melissa, who brought the Commonwealth one step closer to true inclusion!

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