Born in Boston’s Hyde Park neighborhood, Walter was raised in Milton, a town he continues to call home. He witnessed first-hand as a small child his family’s civic duty and call to service in the community by watching his dad, Walter Jr., who served as a Town of Milton selectman and became the Norfolk County Superior Court Clerk. He also watched his uncle, Joe, a Boston City Councilor, where he served from 1967 to 1972, become elected to the Massachusetts State Senate in 1972, serving for 13 years.
Walter’s great-grandfather James P. Timilty was also a Massachusetts state senator from 1910 to 1916 and the namesake of the James P. Timilty Middle School in Boston.
What unique qualities and life experiences would you bring as a state senator?
“I have been serving people about 22 years now. I’m very proud of my public service. To me, public service is a vocation. I bring those decades of legislation experience to the table. In this position, one has an ability to help people. In many ways, this job is akin to being a social worker because when people need help, they call you. I’ve never been in this for personal gain. I’m here to serve people in the truest sense of the word,” said Walter.
Hard work, dedication and experience has been the hallmark of Walter’s service to his district.
“It’s extremely important. We can’t afford on-the-job training. You need someone who knows how the legislative process works right off the bat. You need someone who knows elected officials. You need someone who focuses on the constituents, each person in each household. One can’t be focused on popular trends. One must listen to what the district is saying as a whole and do one’s best to vote in the legislature accordingly,” Walter added.
Walter has dedicated his life to public service. Both public service and community engagement have been central values in his family for generations. Senator Timilty is immensely proud of this legacy and remains committed to fulfilling it by serving his constituents each and every day.
Walter graduated from Milton Academy in 1987 and from Boston College in 1991. He then obtained his Juris Doctor in 1995 from Southern New England School of Law. Shortly after law school, Walter was elected as a Representative Town Meeting Member.
Then in 1999, he campaigned for and was elected to the Massachusetts House of Representative for the 7th Norfolk District which includes parts of Milton and Randolph. It was in this capacity where Walter served on the House Committee on Ways and Means, Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities, and Energy, Joint Committee on Veterans and Federal Affairs, and Joint Committee on Ways and Means.
While he was a State Representative, he also was involved with the Children’s Caucus; Elder Caucus; Hospital Caucus; MWRA Legislative Caucus; Mental Health Caucus; State Parks Caucus; Bio-Tech Caucus; and Suburban Caucus.
Walter was elected to the Massachusetts State Senate in 2016. He currently is serving the Norfolk, Plymouth, and Bristol District. Walter represents Precincts 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B1, 4A, 5A, 5B, and 6B in Braintree, Bridgewater, Easton, Milton, Precincts 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 11, 12 in Randolph, Stoughton, and West Bridgewater.
Walter proudly serves as the Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security, Vice Chair of the Joint Committee on Emergency Preparedness and Management, Senate Committee on Intergovernmental Affairs, Joint Committee on Bonding, Capital Expenditures and State Assets, Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure, and the Joint Committee on Transportation.
Following the COVID-19 outbreak, Walter was appointed as the Senate Chair of the Special Joint Oversight Committee on the Soldiers’ Home in Holyoke COVID-19 Outbreak, until his term on that committee ended in January 2021.
He is a full-time Senator working for the people in his district. You will see him at various Select Board or School Committee meetings in the towns he proudly serves, or you’ll see him at various farmer’s markets, charitable events, and fundraisers. He is regularly in the district with his constituents to stay connected to the people he serves. In addition to meeting in the district with constituents, Walter works for the people by moving important legislation forward on Beacon Hill.