9:00am Walmart State House Day 2017, Great Hall

9:00am Prostate Cancer Awareness Day, Grand Staircase

11:00am Senate Session, Informal Session

11:00am House Session, Informal Session

1:00pm Joint Committee on Election Laws, Public Hearing

5:00pm Campaign Kickoff for Boston City Council Candidate Rufus Faulk

5:30pm Campaign Kickoff for Lynn City Council Candidate Taso Nikolakopoulos

"Sanctuary" interpretation influenced House on immigration enforcement bill » State House News Service A quick fix for legislation that would have restricted the use of state tax dollars for county correctional officers to be trained in immigration enforcement appears out of reach after House Speaker R…

Initial Comments on James Comey's Written Testimony » LawFare James Comey's seven-page written statement, released by the Senate Intelligence Committee this afternoon in connection with Comey's impending testimony tomorrow, draws no conclusions, makes no allegat…

On mental-health front, battle brews over who decides what's medically necessary » Lowell Sun BOSTON -- Groups representing insurance plans and behavioral health service providers scrapped Monday over a bill that would give clinicians a greater say in determining medical necessity for mental-h…

When Christie Stashed His Bridgegate Cell Phone With the FBI Nominee » WNYC Although Christopher Wray, President Trump's choice to lead the FBI, wasn't the most high-profile Bridgegate lawyer, he emerged as a public figure just after the public learned that a key piece of pos…

Economists say a $1b state budget cut may be needed » Boston Globe Top Massachusetts economists are warning that sluggish tax revenue growth means policy makers will have to chop as much as a billion dollars out of next year's budget — cuts that could squeeze …

Campaign refund: Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance forces Brockton pol to return donations » The Enterprise BROCKTON – A Beacon Hill fiscal watchdog group is spiking the football after taking a chunk of change from the campaign coffer of a Democrat from Brockton, after she held a political fundraiser…

Budget reassessment could put income tax cut in play » Boston Business Journal Depending on who you ask, freezing the state's income tax rate would either be an insult to taxpayers who voted for it to be lowered or it would allow the state to protect the services elected officia…

Monorail could link North, South stations, Rosenberg says » The Salem News Senate President Stanley Rosenberg on Tuesday threw a new wrinkle into the long debate over whether Massachusetts should create an underground tunnel to link train traffic between Boston's North Stati…

Jerry Brown in China with a climate message to the world: Don't follow America's lead » Los Angeles Times When Gov. Jerry Brown stepped to the stage in Beijing on Wednesday, he still was recovering from a 15-hour time difference, a cavalcade of business meetings and ceremonial events, a flight and a train…

Trump Administration Names More Former Lobbyists With Ethics Waivers » WBUR The Trump administration has granted ethics waivers or partial releases to about a dozen federal agency officials, freeing them from full compliance with ethics rules.…

Markey, at a town hall session in Boston, challenges Trump agenda » Dorchester Reporter Climate change, health care, and the future of the Democratic Party were on US Sen. Edward J. Markey's mind when he held a town hall meeting at the downtown Paramount Theatre last Thursday. …

Scientists worry about plan to cap individual labs' federal funding » Boston Globe Doug Melton, one of the nation's top stem cell scientists, juggles research and other programs at his Harvard University lab, which is funded by a half-dozen grants from the National Institutes of Hea…

Questions arise about campaign for $1b Union Square overhaul » Boston Globe Dianne Doherty Sullivan doesn't give out her e-mail address. Ever. And she doesn't really follow housing and zoning issues in Somerville, where she has lived all her life.…

Amherst grocery co-op reaches membership milestone » Amherst Bulletin A cooperative grocery store in the planning stages for several years has reached a membership milestone that will allow its board of directors to pursue a market study to identify the best location fo…

Massachusetts lawmakers debate bill that would ban Native American mascots in schools » ABC News During a public hearing on Tuesday, Massachusetts lawmakers debated a bill that would ban the use of Native American mascots in public schools.…

Court upholds Brewster man's 'upskirt' conviction » Cape Cod Times The state Appeals Court has upheld the conviction of a Brewster man charged with using a cellphone to take videos under the sundresses of two teenage girls on a ferry to Nantucket in July 2015.…

Bill Seeks New Approaches for Students Learning Language » US News and World Report The Massachusetts House has approved a measure that would offer school districts greater flexibility to design programs for students who are learning to speak the English language. Supporters of the …

NIBS for Thursday » Boston Globe The House on Wednesday passed a bill by a vote of 151-2 that would give school districts more flexibility in teaching students who are not proficient in English. Supporters said current state law requ…

DeLeo honors Meservey as 'an invaluable partner' » The Salem News Retiring Salem State University President Patricia Meservey received the chamber's North Shore Distinguished Leader Award at Wednesday's North Shore Chamber of Commerce breakfast. …

State AG Healey pushes for tuition recovery fund » The Recorder

Third-graders float state ban on helium balloons » Cape Cod Times Eric Shannon's third-grade class from Provincetown Elementary School attended the Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture's hearing on a bill that would ban the sale, use and…

EPA wants to reopen talks on GE cleanup » Boston Globe In 2015, after years of protests, lobbying, and drawn-out government studies, General Electric Co. was ordered to spend hundreds of millions of dollars to clean up the Housatonic River, which the comp…

WMass communities to receive funding for climate vulnerability preparedness » WWLP 22

Whistle-blower files suit over alleged double-booked surgeries » Boston Globe Orthopedic surgeons at Massachusetts General Hospital repeatedly kept patients waiting under anesthesia longer — sometimes more than an hour longer — than was medically necessary or safe…

Concurrent surgeries at Mass General caught in crosshairs of new lawsuit » Becker's Hospital Review

How to regulate rooms for rent in Massachusetts? » Berkshire Eagle Airbnb, VRBO, HomeAway and other online brokers used by homeowners seeking short-term renters as part of the "sharing economy" offer a lifeline for income-challenged residents, especially seniors, try…

Forum to detail hearing health services for vets » Gloucester Times Hearing loss and tinnitus — ringing in the ear — are among the most common claims fielded by VA facilities nationwide, Bergeron's announcement of the meeting indicated, and while veteran…

Fatherhood award established in Paul Cellucci's name » The Metro West Daily News

Controversial House immigration bill could be dead » Boston Herald House lawmakers have tabled for the “foreseeable future” a controversial immigration bill that would bar state money from funding federal immigration programs after some feared it could be…

Immigration activist Jose Antonio Vargas to speak in Needham » Wicked Local Needham As the topic of immigration remains at the forefront of the news, Progressive Massachusetts and the Progressive Needham Chapter are sponsoring a forum on June 10, featuring internationally known activ…

DeLeo: Don't expect 'sanctuary' bill to resurface soon » The Salem News BOSTON – A quick fix for legislation that would have restricted the use of state tax dollars for county correctional officers to be trained in immigration enforcement appears out of reach after…

Gov. nominates Wellesley resident for Superior Court » Wicked Local Wellesley Governor Charlie Baker has nominated Diane C. Freniere, of Wellesley, and Sharon E. Donatelle, of Sharon, to serve as Associate Justices of the Massachusetts Superior Court. Freniere has 26 years of e…

Attorney, former DA candidate poised for Natick judgeship » State House News Service Defeated seven years ago in his bid to head up the Norfolk County prosecutor's office, John Coffey is now on the cusp of becoming a judge in Natick District Court.…

Plymouth Co. First Assistant DA Nominated for Bench Position » Capecod.com

High court dismisses defamation case against Deval Patrick » Boston Globe

Rosenberg: State will 'absolutely' see $15 minimum wage » The Recorder The minimum wage in Massachusetts stands at $11 and no further increases are scheduled, but Senate President Stanley Rosenberg says the Bay State will “absolutely” see a $15 minimum wage l…

A pregnant workers protection bill was set to pass -- until this one word was added to it » Boston Globe

Rosenberg says he is against state mascot ban » The Recorder Senate President Stanley Rosenberg on Tuesday staked out a position against a statewide ban on Native American mascots, saying the issue should be decided at the local level.…

Ehrlich, committee meets with former UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on international trade » The Salem News Former United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon visited the statehouse today to discuss international trade and engagement with the new Joint Committee on Export Development.…

Legislators weigh in on proposed Native American mascot bill » Western Mass News A story that was first brought to you by Western Mass News spoke about a bill that would ban the use of Native American mascots in Massachusetts. …

Cape chambers defend visitor centers » Cape Cod Times “I think visitor centers were very important to the commonwealth 20 or 30 years ago. Today I carry two of them in my pocket,” Ash told the State House News Service, holding up two cellphon…

Framingham School Committee: Teacher evaluations an unfunded mandate » The Metro West Daily News After spending more than $1 million to comply with a new teacher evaluation system created by the state, school officials will press the State Auditor's Office to rule that Framingham and other commun…

Activists rally against marijuana law changes at State House » Boston Globe From a podium behind a potted cannabis plant on the steps of the State House, marijuana legalization activists demanded Wednesday that lawmakers abstain from changing the state's voter-approved mariju…

Pot activists say leave ballot law alone » The Recorder With a bill altering the voter-approved legal marijuana law expected by the end of the month, marijuana activists held a rally on the State House steps Wednesday to tell lawmakers to leave the law as …

Norwell awaits feedback on its efforts to restrict pot sales » Patriot Ledger Since Massachusetts voters passed a referendum to legalize recreational use of marijuana in November, Norwell officials and residents have taken steps to try to prevent the commercial sale of the drug…

Marijuana activists say leave ballot law alone » Metro With a bill altering the voter-approved legal marijuana law expected by the end of the month, marijuana activists held a rally on the State House steps Wednesday to tell lawmakers to leave the law as …

Trump passes the travel ban buck to the Supreme Court » Boston Globe Judges are people too — and President Trump is betting that justices of the Supreme Court are probably people who don't want to be blamed for any future terrorist attack on American soil.…

Candidate Trump got one thing right: Infrastructure. Whatever happened to that? » Boston Globe As Washington buzzed in anticipation of fired FBI chief James Comey's testimony Thursday, I was waiting instead to hear how President Trump plans to fix our airports, roads, bridges, and subways.…

If it's all about the Trump brand, let's jam it up » Boston Globe Well, that didn't take long. On Monday, the Trump Organization announced plans to launch a chain of three-star hotels to target the millions of Americans who voted for Donald Trump but could never aff…

Letter to the Editor: Fall River's state delegation came through for The Narrows » The Herald News On behalf of the Board of Directors of the Narrows Center for the Arts, I would like to personally thank our state delegation — Sen. Michael Rodrigues, Rep. Carole Fiola, Rep. Paul Schmid and R…

Editorial: Immigration bill on ice » Boston Herald Some folks on Beacon Hill are willing to go to extremes to make it more difficult to deport illegal immigrants. Yesterday we caught a glimpse at some of the fine folks who might benefit if they were t…

Letter to the Editor: Fall River's state delegation came through for The Narrows » The Herald News On behalf of the Board of Directors of the Narrows Center for the Arts, I would like to personally thank our state delegation — Sen. Michael Rodrigues, Rep. Carole Fiola, Rep. Paul Schmid and R…

[ Blog ] Union of Concerned Scientists » Union of Concerned Scientists Yesterday President Trump suggested putting solar panels on his infamous border wall to help pay for it (since Mexico certainly won't). While there are more things wrong with that proposal than I can …

Commentary: Joining the call for pipeline moratorium » Wicked Local Newton

Convention update: Dot delegates riding a wave of energy in state's political pond » Dorchester Reporter To catch a wave you have to be looking for it. The Massachusetts Democratic Party's annual convention last weekend was one place to find some forward motion in our state's political pond. The question…

Campaign refund: Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance forces Brockton pol to return donations » Wicked Local Brockton A Beacon Hill fiscal watchdog group is spiking the football after taking a chunk of change from the campaign coffer of a Democrat from Brockton, after she held a political fundraiser in the wake of an…

Addiction prevention program starting this fall » The Recorder A new public-private initiative could see drug education programs instituted at many of the state's middle schools by next academic year.…

Bill would criminalize 'biggest, baddest' opioid, carfentanil » Boston Herald The frightening emergence of the elephant tranquilizer carfentanil in Massachusetts, confirmed this week by state police, is adding urgency to a bill that would officially criminalize the powerful dru…

Cape Cod's blue collar workers hit hard by overdoses » Cape Cod Times While only half of Cape Cod's population works in the trades, a review of death records shows that 64 percent of people who died of opioid overdoses between 2004 and 2014 held blue collar jobs.…

Lawmakers want more money for local hospitals » Newburyport News Dozens of acute care hospitals will receive payouts from a fund created to keep them competitive with larger, academic hospitals but advocates say the money doesn't go far enough to buoy community hos…

A Deadly First: Carfentanil, An Opioid 100 Times More Potent Than Fentanyl, Traced In Mass » WBUR

You got a warrant? For cops tracking cellphones, the answer should be yes » Boston Globe Imagine owning a rewind button that lets you review every significant event of your life. Now imagine that rewind button in the hands of the FBI or the IRS or the Boston police.…

More use of anti-drunk driving ignition locks is urged » Worcester Telegram BOSTON — Over the last decade, in-vehicle breathalyzer devices have stopped more than 31,000 people from driving drunk in Massachusetts, according to Mothers Against Drunk Driving. Nationwide, …

Former Worcester cop Motyka guilty of assaulting prisoner » Worcester Telegram

Will taxpayers pay for the state's budget deficit? » WWLP 22 A $460 million dollar budget deficit is looming, with just 3-weeks left in this fiscal year.…

Correction payroll funds run out Sunday » State House News Service Two weeks ago, House budget chief Brian Dempsey urged the Massachusetts House to support a midyear spending bill because it included funding needed to ensure the Department of Correction, which runs t…

Guv says hundreds of millions goes unspent, Rosenberg awaits details » State House News Service

Nangle bill seeking payments from some nonprofits to get hearing next week » Lowell Sun Large nonprofit organizations with top-earning employees could be required to pay their share of property taxes under terms of Nangle's legislation. The tax would kick in if the combined compensation …

Some states reviewing election systems after Russians' reported efforts to target software » The Republican Officials in some states are trying to figure out whether local election offices were targeted in an apparent effort by Russian military intelligence to hack into election software last fall.…

Methuen zoning change heads to state » Eagle Tribune A proposed zoning change that would aid development in the city's downtown is moving on to the state, though without the inclusion of the Quinn Public Safety Building. The 90 Hampshire St. building, w…

DeLeo speaks out on taxes » Lynn Daily News Item House Speaker Robert DeLeo signaled his support for the millionaire's tax and perhaps one on short-term rental housing, but would not commit to raising the minimum wage to $15.…

Public Hearing Planned on Proposed Short-Term Rental Legislation » Capecod.com A public hearing is planned for Monday as state officials weigh the so-called “Airbnb tax.”…

Businessman tells DeLeo he's 'mad as hell' about taxes » The Salem News The owner of a Danvers car and limo service was not afraid to pipe up about taxes Wednesday in front of a tent full of business leaders and state officials, including House Speaker Robert DeLeo.…

MassDOT picks contractor for first phase of Route 79/Davol Street project » The Herald News A contractor for the 25 percent preliminary design of the Route 79/Davol Street Phase II corridor improvements project was selected Wednesday by the state transportation architectural and engineering …

North Shore commuter rail service disruption plans 'not perfect' » Wicked Local Georgetown When the 28-day service shutdown goes into effect next month, the MBTA plans to make shuttle buses available to commuters who need to get into Boston and back. However, with the current plan, there wi…

Social Media Spotlight

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CBS Boston Keller @ Large: James Comey’s Testimony – Why You Should Watch CBS Boston ‘Extremely Dangerous’ Opioid Carfentanil Is Now In Massachusetts, Police Say Jason Lewis Senator Jason Lewis Advocates for E-ZPass Toll Budget Amendment

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Paul J Donato @repdonato Cynthia Creem @cindycreem Speaker Bob DeLeo @SpeakerDeLeo

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Podcast Spotlight

NCSL Our American States: CONVERSATIONS, BUSINESS CARDS AND HANDSHAKES: PREPARING TO ENGAGE AT SUMMIT Five Thirty Eight Politics Podcast: Comey’s Prepared Testimony WBUR WBUR News: Former U.S. Attorney For Mass. Weighs In Ahead Of Comey Hearing WGBH News Boston Public Radio: Sick And Unequal: The United States Ranks High In Health Inequality

Senators Markey and Warren Reintroduce Legislation to Reauthorize the Cape Cod National Seashore Advisory Commission » Office of Senator Ed Markey

Baker-Polito Administration Awards Employment Grants for Young Adults with Disabilities » Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development

The Future of Offshore Wind - Racing Towards the Horizon » Environmental League of Massachusetts

An Open Letter to Single Payer Advocates and Our Allies » MassCare

Youth Rally with Area Legislators » I Have A Future Youth Organization

There Are Much Better Options than a Space Force » The Union of Concerned Scientists

Governors across the country are taking action on early education » Strategies for Children