About Paul Donato

Representative Paul J. Donato (D-Medford) has been in the Massachusetts House of Representatives for twelve terms. Prior to entering the Legislature in 2001, he served on the Medford School Committee and the Medford City Council (serving as Mayor and Council President).

Representative Donato represents the 35th Middlesex District which consists of Wards 1 and 2, Ward 3, Precinct 1, Ward 6, Precinct 2A, Ward 7, Precinct 2 and Ward 8, Precinct 1 in the City of Medford as well as Ward 1, Ward 3, Precinct 1A and Ward 7, Precinct 1, 3, and 3A in the City of Malden.

Representative Donato currently serves as Second Assistant Majority Leader. He's also a member of the both the House and Joint Committee on Rules as well as the Joint Committee on Revenue.

Prior to these appointments, he served as Second Division Chair and Floor Leader and was a member of the House Ethics Committee and the House Ways and Means Committee, Third Division Leader, Chairman of the Joint Committee on Municipalities and Regional Government, Chairman of the House Committee on Steering, Policy and Scheduling, and as Vice-Chairman of the House Committee on Personnel and Administration. His previous committee assignments include the Transportation, Energy and Local Affairs Committees. Representative Donato is also President of his freshman class of 2001-2002.

In addition, Representative Donato has been appointed to the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Grandparents Raising Grandchildren, is a member of the Massachusetts Network of Foster Care Alumni Board and an ex-officio member of the Children, Youth and Families Advisory Committee. He has served as the House Co-Chairman of the Special Commission on Municipal Relief, the House Appointee on the Governor's Municipal Task Force for Federal Economic Stimulus Funds, Regionalization Advisory Commission (Chair of the Municipal Finance Regionalization Subcommittee), the Special Committee on Child Care and Neglect and the Special Committee on Foster Care.

Representative Donato is active throughout the community and is a member of many organizations including the Medford Knights of Columbus, Sons of Italy, Medford Kiwanis (former Lt. Governor), Medford Elks, Malden Irish American Club, Medford Chamber of Commerce (Board of Directors), Malden Chamber of Commerce, Friends of Chevalier and Gene Mack Gym (Board of Directors), Medford Democratic City Committee, and Triangle, Inc. (Board of Directors).

Representative Donato has been recognized by many organizations for his work. Recently, the Representative was honored with the 2026 Housing Hero Award for his work with Housing Families in Malden. He has previously been awarded Legislator of The Year by the Massachusetts Providers Council for his work with the Foster Care System in Massachusetts, and has also been recognized by the Disabled American Veterans of Massachusetts as well as the Children's League for his advocacy on their behalf.