+ − Contact Information
Email Address: john.keenan@mahouse.gov
Phone: (617) 722-2263
Fax: (617) 722-2160
Office Address:
Room 473B
24 Beacon St
Boston, MA 02108
+ − Biography
John Keenan has been Salem’s state representative since 2005. He is Co-Chair of the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy.
A lifelong resident of Salem, John and his wife Kara have two children, Aidan and Erin. John’s father, like his father before him, worked at the Flynn Tan leather factory near Blubber Hollow in Salem. His mother was a nurse at Salem Hospital. John is a proud product of Salem Public Schools and went on to graduate from Harvard College with honors (B.A. Economics) and Suffolk Law.
Following Suffolk, John began his legal career as a criminal prosecutor in Essex County. He prosecuted cases in the district courts, primarily in Lynn District Court – one of the busiest courts in the Commonwealth. He was one of the first assistant district attorneys to serve as a prosecutor in the Domestic Violence Unit in Lynn.
From 1996 until 2004, John served in the Salem Legal Department where as City Solicitor he negotiated a new lease for the Salem Transfer Station saving city taxpayers half a million dollars for a mandatory clean-up at the site, saved both the Old Salem Jail Keeper’s House and 18 Crombie Street from demolition, facilitated the redevelopment of the old police station, prosecuted negligent property owners forcing them to clean up their properties, preserved affordable housing at Salem Heights, and fought to stabilize Salem’s property tax base.
In 2004, John was elected State Representative. He has served on the following committees: Judiciary, Post Audit & Oversight, Telecommunications, Utilities & Energy, and Tourism, Arts & Cultural Development. He was appointed to a Special Commission to study the impact of drowsy driving on highway safety, and served on several Legislative Caucuses including the Northeast Caucus, Progressive Caucus, Children’s Caucus, Boating Caucus, Coastal Caucus, Elder Affairs Caucus, Cultural Caucus, Bicycle & Pedestrians Caucus and subcommittee on shared parenting. Currently, he serves on the Special Joint Committee on Redistricting and is Co-chair of the Boating Caucus. John also served on the panel reviewing expansion of the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center. In 2009, John served as House Chair of the Joint Committee on Tourism, Arts, & Cultural Development - a perfect fit for a native of such a historically rich community. He was a staunch advocate for the state’s tourism industry and provided significant leadership in support of arts education.
In 2011, Speaker DeLeo appointed John to House Chair of Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy. John enjoys the Committee’s challenge of ensuring long-term, affordable and stable energy supplies while also striving to achieve the state’s laudable renewable energy goals.