10:00am Joint Committee on Education, Public Hearing

10:30am Joint Committee on Financial Services, Public Hearing

10:30am Joint Committee on Economic Development & Emerging Technologies, Public Hearing

11:00am ERPO Legislation Lobby Day, Nurses Hall, State House

11:00am Joint Committee on Revenue, Public Hearing

11:00am Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use, & Recovery, Public Hearing

11:00am Joint Committee on State Administration & Regulatory Oversight, Public Hearing

12:30pm Sen. Sal DiDomenico Luncheon, Grand Staircase, State House

1:00pm Joint Committee on Labor & Workforce Development, Public Hearing

1:00pm Joint Committee on Consumer Protection & Professional Licensure, Public Hearing

1:00pm Joint Committee on Judiciary, Public Hearing

2:00pm Mandela Day Celebration, Great Hall, State House

Birthdays: Rep. Paul Schmid

Baker vetoes $320 mil, returns assessments with MassHealth reforms » State House News Service Ten days ago, the Democrat-controlled Legislature approved what would be the state's first budget in excess of forty billion dollars - $40.2 billion to be exact.…

Quincy rep is House's first Asian-American chairman » State House News Service Rep. Tackey Chan, a union-friendly Quincy Democrat, was named Monday to co-chair the Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure where his purview will include laws and bills regulatin…

Rosenberg plans to seek reelection in 2018 » State House News Service Gov. Charlie Baker has not yet officially thrown his hat into the ring for the 2018 election, but his two counterparts in Beacon Hill's "big three" plan to seek reelection to the Legislature. …

DeLeo: Holmes move "not at all" related to his comments » State House News Service House Speaker Robert DeLeo on Monday afternoon denied that he had stripped Rep. Russell Holmes of a vice chairmanship post because of comments the Boston Democrat had made about the speakership. …

Lobbyist or legislator? Brian Dempsey can't be both » Boston Globe A worn-out adage, for sure — but it's also a truism that takes an outsized meaning in the State House every time a legislator announces plans to resign from elected office. In a major Beacon Hi…

America's Most and Least Popular Governors — July 2017 » Morning Consult Chris Christie (R-N.J.) and Sam Brownback (R-Kan.) anchor the list of 50 governors, while their GOP colleagues in two blue states, Charlie Baker of Massachusetts and Larry Hogan of Maryland, lead the …

Tufts Medical Center nurses return to work after lockout » Boston Globe Nurses returned to work at Tufts Medical Center Monday, apparently no closer to reaching a compromise with hospital management than before their strike and four-day lockout. …

In Massachusetts, Proposed Medicaid Cuts Put Kids' Health Care At Risk » npr The U.S Senate's plan to replace Obamacare would cut funding for Medicaid and other health insurance subsidies by more than $1 billion a year within five years. That has many lawmakers, doctors, hospi…

Opinion: History Lessons — Ted Kennedy, Watergate and the Bravest Senate Vote » Roll Call Had Ted Kennedy lived long enough to see the victory of what he called “the cause of my life,” congressional Democrats would have been able to refine the Affordable Care Act. Instead, the …

Legislature seeks to double tax on recreational marijuana » Boston Business Journal The State's Marijuana Conference Committee wants to nearly double the taxes on recreational marijuana to 20 percent, a compromise between lawmakers who want to honor the rate specified in the ballot q…

The Interview: Marty Walsh » Boston Magazine He's seen the Olympics crash, the economy rise, the middle class fade, and GE arrive. Now, Mayor Marty Walsh sits down to talk about why he wants four more years in office. Will you give it to him?…

Baker announces shakeup as his chief of staff steps down » Boston Globe

Trump blames Democrats, 'a few Republicans' for health bill failure » Boston Globe President Trump on Monday said Republicans should just repeal the nation's current health care law and work on a new plan that starts from a “clean slate.”…

Health care bill collapses amid GOP defections » Boston Globe Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Monday abandoned efforts to pass a broad Republican-only replacement of Obamacare, saying late Monday he will instead seek a vote on a simple repeal — …

Tim Kaine back in Boston for fundraiser » Boston Globe Hours before he was named Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton's running mate last year, US Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia was on Beacon Street, telling donors he did not know if he would be…

Kennedy for Prez? Joe K says it's "furthest thing from my mind" » State House News Service The Kennedy surname conjures up images of the White House and is synonymous with the American presidency for many people, especially in Massachusetts.…

Trump says he, GOP are 'not going to own' Obamacare » Boston Globe

Deval Patrick revels in role developing Bain's social impact fund » Boston Globe Deval Patrick now has $390 million to spend on his next act, investing in companies that provide a social benefit in addition to financial returns.…

Uber app now allows tipping in Massachusetts and nationwide » The Republican Riders can now tip Uber drivers from within the company's ride sharing app, in a shift for a company that had long sought to distance itself from tipping culture.…

Here Are the Local Companies Featured at Trump's “Made in America” Thing » Boston Magazine Set aside your concerns about our new president for a minute—and ignore the obvious hypocrisy of Trump the businessman, who has never shied away from making his luxury goods in Asian factories,…

Lease for $590M Fenway Center project approved » Boston Herald Developer John Rosenthal's long-stalled Fenway Center project over the Massachusetts Turnpike is closer to a start date under a two-phase construction plan that will now begin with two mixed-use build…

Long-delayed Fenway Center project moves ahead » Boston Globe The long-delayed Fenway Center development over the Massachusetts Turnpike is now closer than ever to launching construction, thanks to a plan to do the easy part first.…

Boston Globe CEO steps down after less than seven months » Boston Business Journal

Boston will put up 50 posters on how to address Islamophobia » Boston Globe Seeking to bolster its reputation of being inclusive, the city of Boston will post 50 signs aimed at diffusing Islamophobia.…

Small private schools are struggling, but Merrimack has found its footing » Boston Globe Across the country, from New Hampshire to Kentucky to California, small private colleges are struggling. They're merging with neighbors, cutting programs and staff, and offering steep tuition discount…

University of Massachusetts raises tuition and fees 3% » Milford Daily News The University of Massachusetts Board of Trustees voted to increase tuition and fees by an average of 3 percent for in-state undergraduates on Monday -- a move that will cost the average Massachusetts…

'Huge' milestone: New Bedford school district released from state monitoring » South Coast Today The New Bedford school district has been released from state monitoring.…

Governor orders review of compressor plan in Weymouth » Wicked Local Braintree Enbridge's plan to construct a natural gas compressor station in the Fore River basin will have to undergo a public safety review, an air quality elevation and a flood risk assessment by state agencie…

Remembering Dana, the town that gave way to the Quabbin » Telegram News To call Dana a ghost town would be a bit of an exaggeration. Ghost towns have buildings and graveyards, and Dana has neither, though grown-in cellar holes and a few remnants of walkways and monuments …

Massachusetts casinos will be able to serve alcohol until 4 am » The Republican Casinos in Massachusetts will be able to serve alcohol until 4 a.m., giving gambling facilities an extra two hours to offer up booze.…

Baker gives Legislature summer assignment: MassHealth reform » The Recorder Gov. Charlie Baker gave the Legislature a new deadline on Monday, calling on them to approve by mid-September a $350 million package of new employer health care assessments and MassHealth reforms requ…

More States Considering Single-Payer » Insurancenewsnet.com

Suppressor Legalization Legislation to be Heard by Committee » Ron Paul Forums On Tuesday, July 18, the Massachusetts Joint Committee on the Judiciary is scheduled to consider both H.763 and H.789.…

Elizabeth Warren, Ed Markey seek input on Mass. federal judge vacancies » Boston Globe

Governor's Councillor Mary Hurley to hold public hearings for 2 Western Mass. judicial nominees » The Republican

For some, the path of retirement takes a detour to a ferry parking lot » Boston Globe Retirement leads people to many places: foreign countries, the golf course, the couch. For a number of retirees on Cape Cod, the golden years have led to a much more unconventional place: the Hy-Line …

MBTA workers rally against proposed privatization of jobs » The Patriot Ledger About 100 people gathered at the MBTA bus maintenance facility in Quincy Monday morning to rally against the potential privatization of some jobs at the transit agency.…

MBTA workers launch anti-privatization blitz » Lowell Sun Frustrated by what they view as a bid by Gov. Charlie Baker to target the jobs of blue-collar workers, MBTA bus maintenance workers on Monday launched a public awareness campaign and pledged to bring …

Central Mass. groups receive funding for teen jobs » Telegram News

Lawmaker says he was demoted after commenting on speaker's succession » Boston Globe Amid a broader shake-up on Beacon Hill, state Representative Russell E. Holmes was demoted from a leadership position, he says, because of comments he made to the Globe last week about who might be th…

New Ways & Means chairman 'hopes to do more' » Gloucester Times After Gov. Charlie Baker unveiled his fiscal 2018 budget in January, Rep. Jeffrey Sánchez offered a quick assessment.…

McGee helps bring in state aid money » Lynn Daily News Item State Sen. Thomas McGee said he worked with fellow Lynn legislative delegation members to include money in the state budget for projects including algae cleanup on local beaches and anti-addiction sup…

Russell Holmes: 'Not a surprise' to be stripped of leadership post » Boston Herald

Quincy rep, Tackey Chan, is House's first Asian-American chairman » The Patriot Ledger

Weymouth turns page to replace library » Wicked Local Weymouth The effort to replace Tufts Library got a $12 million provisional grant from the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners, Thursday, and the town must have a financial plan in place by Jan. 12 to …

Quincy rep, Tackey Chan, is House's first Asian-American chairman » Wicked Local Quincy Rep. Tackey Chan of Quincy said his appointment on Monday as House chairman of the Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure Committee is “an exciting opportunity.”…

Attleboro mayor kicks off campaign for an eighth term » The Sun Chronicle ATTLEBORO — When Mayor Kevin Dumas first took office the city had $7,333 to its name and was on the verge of declaring bankruptcy, he told supporters Monday.…

Marty Walsh has a confession to make » Boston Globe

How Mass. localities voted on marijuana is now important under proposed changes to law » Boston Globe The revised pot law unveiled by state legislators today gives both voters and officials ways to limit marijuana establishments at the local level.…

Pot taxes could hit 20 percent under compromise bill » Boston Herald More than two weeks after blowing their self-imposed deadline to create a marijuana bill, state representatives and senators reached a compromise that would tax pot by as much as 20 percent.…

SJC rules Mass. companies can't fire workers just because they use medical marijuana » Boston Globe Massachusetts companies cannot fire employees who have a prescription for medical marijuana simply because they use the drug, the state's highest court ruled Monday, rejecting employers' arguments tha…

Marijuana in Massachusetts: Lawmakers agree to rewrite of voter-approved pot law, propose taxes up to 20 percent » The Republican Taxes on marijuana could reach up to 20 percent, under a marijuana law rewrite Massachusetts lawmakers announced Monday.…

A 20 percent tax rate on Mass. marijuana would be among lowest in the country, Gov. Charlie Baker says » The Republican A proposed tax rate of 20 percent on recreational marijuana in Massachusetts would be among the lowest in the US, Gov. Charlie Baker said Monday.…

Marijuana deal calls for up to 20 percent tax on pot sales » Boston Herald State House and Senate negotiators reached an agreement Monday on a revamped version of Massachusetts' voter-approved marijuana law that would allow retail pot sales to be taxed at a maximum 20 percen…

Marijuana deal raises tax rate, alters pot shop ban rules » Wicked Local Randolph Almost three weeks later than they had hoped, lawmakers on Monday struck an accord on marijuana policy that would tax retail pot sales at a maximum rate of 20 percent and paves the way for those sales…

Here Are The Details Of The Compromise Marijuana Bill » WBUR More than eight months after adult recreational use marijuana was approved by Massachusetts voters, a group of state lawmakers has reached a compromise bill making changes to the law, setting the stag…

Treasurer has "no idea" if pot shops can open by July 2018 » Lowell Sun

Marijuana bill calls for key appointments to be made quickly » State House News Service

Massachusetts Lawmakers Reveal Changes to Voter-Approved Legalization » The Marijuana Times

Compromise for marijuana bill » Boston Herald

China is eating Trump's lunch » Boston Globe China's global aspirations should be no surprise. …

Elizabeth Warren vs. a 'hateful' president » Boston Globe Holding his daughter Lucy, who can't see or talk, Bill Engler stood up near the end of a town hall meeting hosted by Senator Elizabeth Warren and called out President Trump for once mocking a disabled…

Sanchez Possesses the All-Important Trait of a Ways & Means Chair » JD Supra This past Thursday, July 13, Haverhill's Brian Dempsey surprised most everybody in the Massachusetts legislature -- and everyone who follows the workings of the legislature -- when word got out that h…

Make voting more secure through AVR » Lowell Sun As a longtime voter in Massachusetts, I recognize that our democracy works best when everyone's voice is heard. We should be making it as easy as possible for people to register and vote. That's why …

Boycotts are an essential form of democratic protest – don't ban them » Boston Globe

Editorial: Pols zone out on pot » Boston Herald We won't quibble too much with the new tax rate for marijuana retail sales agreed to in the compromise pot legislation, released yesterday. The bill imposes a 17 percent tax, with another 3 percent lo…

EDITORIAL: More table talk from Senate President » Sentinel & Enterprise How many times have Massachusetts residents heard these words from state legislative leaders: "The governor's proposal represents some creative thinking; however, in order to accomplish meaningful ref…

Columnists Stanley Rosenberg and James Welch: Fixing health care in Massachusetts » Gazette Net Massachusetts has consistently been a national leader in improving health care access and working to address high health care costs. …

Years after charges, Tim Cahill looks to reclaim public image » The Patriot Ledger Six years after a failed gubernatorial campaign and the fallout from a public corruption charge, Tim Cahill is back in a high-profile position in the city where he got his start as a businessman and p…

Ex-Lawrence mayor Lantigua determined to win City Hall comeback bid » Boston Herald Willie Lantigua's campaign headquarters has been shuttered, but the former Lawrence mayor is pounding the pavement in a determined bid to win back his old seat.…

Akamai CEO warns of cybersecurity threat in 2018 midterm elections » Boston Herald

What A Mumps Outbreak In East Boston Says About Public Health In The Age Of Trump » WGBH News In the great illegal-immigration debate, one argument for lenience comes from law-enforcement officials who say undocumented immigrants are more likely to work with police if they're not afraid of dep…

Trio of overdoses trigger Lawrence hazmat probe » Eagle Tribune The discovery of three men who had allegedly overdosed on illicit drugs — two of them fatally — touched off an intense hazardous materials investigation in a Garden Street two-family hom…

Incident prompts tighter school gun proposal » The Salem News When school officials found a loaded rifle in the trunk of a student's car in the Masconomet Regional High School parking lot last December, police thought for sure they had an arrestable offense on t…

Massachusetts budget: Did $3 million Baystate Health appropriation survive Gov. Charlie Baker's veto pen? » The Republican Gov. Charlie Baker on Monday vetoed $3 million local lawmakers earmarked for Baystate Health. The $3 million included $2 million toward a new Springfield medical school that is a partnership between B…

Baker signs 2018 budget, but vetoes $320m in spending » Boston Globe Governor Charlie Baker on Monday signed a $39.43 billion budget but urged lawmakers to revisit his proposals to rein in the growth of state health care spending as part of a new fee on businesses.…

Here is what's in the $39.4 billion Massachusetts state budget Gov. Charlie Baker signed » The Republican Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker on Monday signed a $39.4 billion budget, trimming $320 million from what State House lawmakers sent to him.…

Baker Signs $39.4B State Budget » WAMC Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker has signed a $39.4 billion state budget. It comes more than two weeks after the start of the fiscal year.…

Baker signs $40B budget without health fee, vetoes $320M » Capital Gazette More than two weeks into the state's new fiscal year, Baker signed into law the remainder of the roughly $40 billion spending package. Massachusetts was one of the last U.S. states to have a budget in…

Gov. Baker Cuts Haverhill Projects When Signing $39.4 B Budget » WHAV Gov. Charlie Baker signed the state's $39.4 billion budget into law Monday, but not before cutting $320 million from it, including a number of local projects.…

Governor Baker signs $39.4 billion state budget » WWLP 22 The state is now running on a nearly $40 billion budget for this fiscal year after a couple weeks of delays. Although the budget doesn't raise taxes, it cuts spending in several areas, including healt…

Charlie Baker defends state fraud-spotting efforts » Boston Herald Gov. Charlie Baker is defending the state's ability to detect identity fraud after he was slammed by a police officer for blowing off a training system that some 700 cops and government officials …

Lepore stepping into new role under Baker shakeup » State House News Service

Baker's 71% approval rating tops all governors in new poll » The Patriot Ledger

Citizen meetings and protests pay off: MassDOT commits to repairing Gerena School in Springfield's North End » The Republican After years of community meetings, protests outside Gerena School and promises about repairs to the school in Springfield's North End, the project is finally getting funding.…

PVTA bus service loses out in state budget » The Republican The Pioneer Valley Transit Authority bus service, which already plans to vote Tuesday on service cuts, got more bad news in the state budget Monday afternoon.…

Brockton RMV gets a makeover, and nearly doubles in size » The Enterprise

Can you hear me now? In downtown Stockbridge, answer is finally 'yes' » Berkshire Eagle It's on and strong. After three years of stop and start struggle, the eagerly awaited new cell tower to plug Verizon Wireless signal gaps in the downtown area and along Route 7 south to Monument Mount…

New ad against compressor station puts Baker in hot seat » Wicked Local Hingham Compressor station opponents are demanding Gov Charlie Baker speak out against Enbridge Inc's proposed North Weymouth facility in a 30-second TV infomercial that is airing on New England Cable News, M…

Social Media Spotlight

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CBS Boston Mass. Lawmakers Reach Deal On Recreational Marijuana Law MassLive 20 percent pot tax rate among lowest in US, Gov. Charlie Baker says

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Podcast Spotlight

Washington Post The Daily 202's Big Idea: Republicans don’t have the votes to repeal Obamacare after Senate bill falls apart WPKZ 105.3FM/AM1280 The K-Zone : Senator Flanagan WBUR WBUR News: Breaking Down The Changes To Mass. Recreational Marijuana Bill Mass Climate Action Network The Climate Minute: Twenty five corporate scoundrels WBUR WBUR News: Sen. Warren Decries Latest GOP Health Care Bill At Town Halls On Martha's Vineyard And Cape Cod WBUR WBUR News: How Marijuana Advocates View The Compromise Bill

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