10:00am Government Affairs Forum: Speaker Ron Mariano hosted by the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, Westin Waterfront, 425 Summer Street

10:00am Senate Session, Full Formal Session

11:00am House Session, Full Formal Session

1:00pm "Ask the Governor" with Governor Charlie Baker on GBH's Boston Public Radio, 89.7 FM or gbhnews.org

Birthdays: Rep. David LeBoeuf

Tax relief finds support from Massachusetts Democrats, but not enough » Fall River Reporter Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr cautioned that the forecast on tax relief “doesn’t look very good for the taxpayer” as Senate Democrats on Tuesday rejected his proposed package of tax breaks i...

Healey sues 13 makers of toxic PFAS chemicals for contaminating Mass. water » WBUR Attorney General Maura Healey announced Wednesday the state is suing 13 manufacturers of toxic PFAS compounds, including chemical giants 3M and DuPont, for producing and selling firefighting foam that...

Debate around rent control heating up at Boston City Hall » Boston Globe Nearly 300 people tuned into a virtual listening session Tuesday night for the city of Boston’s new rent stabilization committee, launching public debate on a controversial policy that has been bann...

‘An egregious and direct attack’: Massachusetts Senate votes to strengthen protections for abortion care providers » MassLive With the Supreme Court soon poised to strike down Roe v. Wade, the Massachusetts Senate on Wednesday swiftly approved a budget amendment that would protect reproductive care providers in the commonwea...

The debate over an outdated rule that's harming renewable energy in New England » WBUR There's a rule in the New England energy system that nobody likes. And not just because it uses a lot of complex math....

Massachusetts House poised to outlaw ‘revenge porn,’ following 48 other states » Boston Globe The Massachusetts House is set to vote Thursday on legislation that would criminalize so-called “revenge porn,” targeting a form of abuse that is already outlawed in 48 other states....

Opinion: We live with the carnage of gun violence because that’s what America wants » Boston Globe Not all Americans believe in the right to massacre our fellow citizens — just enough to elect and reelect representatives who reflect that value system in Washington, and will stop any federal measu...

‘It’s opening up the doors’: Advocates push to make remote participation in public meetings permanent » Boston Globe When a gun shop was proposed in Newton a year ago, more than 500 people flocked to a City Council hearing to have their say — some expressing outrage, others support....

NY: Antonio Delgado sworn in as New York lieutenant governor: 'What we need is public servants' » Democrat & Chronicle New York welcomed its third lieutenant governor in the span of a year Wednesday as former Rep. Antonio Delgado was sworn in to serve in Gov. Kathy Hochul’s administration....

FL: By the numbers: Fast facts about Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ billionaire donors » Herald-Tribune Gov. Ron DeSantis is drawing “extraordinary” support from billionaire donors. Here’s a glance – by the numbers – at the governor’s billionaire backers....

TX: Beto O’Rourke confronts Texas Gov. Greg Abbott at Uvalde press conference: “This is on you” » The Texas Tribune O’Rourke’s disruption drew angry responses from the elected officials onstage, with Uvalde Mayor Don McLaughlin calling him a “sick son of a bitch.”...

TX: Progressives voice anger at Democratic leaders over close Texas runoff » The Hill Progressives are voicing anger at the Democratic establishment following the closely fought runoff between Jessica Cisneros and incumbent Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas), leading to what could be deep di...

Earmark fans grow among House GOP as total requests swell » Roll Call ​House lawmakers’ appetite for earmarking has grown a year after Democrats resurrected the practice, particularly among Republicans who will face a sensitive decision on whether to maintain “com...

Redistricting: The Overall Picture, Plus a Look at NY and MO » Sabato's Crystal Ball The book is nearly closed on the decennial redistricting process. And by at least one metric, the new House landscape is very much like the old landscape: It tilts toward Republicans....

Texas school shooting pushes NRA meeting into spotlight » The Hill Tuesday’s devastating mass shooting is thrusting the National Rifle Association’s (NRA) annual meeting in Houston, Texas, this weekend into the spotlight....

Donald Trump and Fellow GOP Monsters Will Still Attend NRA Event in Texas on Friday » Vanity Fair Within hours of Tuesday’s mass shooting, which took the lives of 19 Texas elementary school students and two teachers, prominent Republicans were out in full force with thoughts and prayers. “Heid...

Guns have become the leading cause of death for American kids » Axios Firearms were the leading cause of death for kids one and older for the first time in 2020, the most recent year for which CDC data is available....

Republicans pledge allegiance to a hobbled NRA » Politico Nothing laid bare the disjointed state of gun politics in America as starkly as the call and response in Texas this week. On Tuesday, it was a school shooting. Days later, Donald Trump and other promi...

Mar-a-Lago abuzz with talk of Elise Stefanik as potential Trump 2024 running mate: CNN » Raw Story Donald Trump has been discussing Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York as a potential running mate in 2024, CNN reported Wednesday, citing "multiple GOP sources with direct knowledge of the matter."...

Why this time could be different » Axios Nihilism about the Senate's ability to do anything after yet another horrific mass shooting — this one taking the lives of 19 children and two teachers in Uvalde, Texas — permeated social media an...

America’s Elected Officials Don't Have an Answer For Gun Violence » Vanity Fair Even after the mass school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, Republicans are still obstructing any gun reform. And Democrats seem resigned to waiting for Republicans to come around....

Carolyn Bourdeaux’s Primary Loss Breaks Off a Third Member of the Gottheimer Gang » The Intercept LAST SUMMER, a group of Democrats organized by New Jersey Rep. Josh Gottheimer derailed President Joe Biden’s domestic agenda by successfully decoupling it from a bipartisan infrastructure bill....

Bipartisan ‘red flag’ gun laws plan has support in Congress » AP News Despite frequent mass shootings, Congress has proved to be unable to pass substantial gun violence legislation, largely because of resistance from Republicans....

‘The most perverse version of Groundhog Day’: After another mass shooting, Senate remains stalled on gun safety legislation » Boston Globe In the wake of yet another mass shooting, this time one that killed at least 19 children at a Texas elementary school, the Senate on Wednesday appeared poised to do what it has reliably done for years...

Politicians call for change after shooting, history shows little impact after tragedy » Boston Herald If history is any guide there is little chance, even given the scope of the tragedy and the apparent anger of some politicians, that the shooting in Texas which left 21 dead, most children, will have ...

Intensifying inquiry into alternate electors focuses on Trump lawyers » Boston Globe The Justice Department has stepped up its criminal investigation into the creation of alternate slates of pro-Trump electors seeking to overturn President Biden’s victory in the 2020 election, with ...

‘Trump is in the past’: Mounting losses show limits of power » Boston Globe Donald Trump opened May by lifting a trailing Senate candidate in Ohio to the Republican nomination, seemingly cementing the former president’s kingmaker status before another possible White House r...

First life sciences, now clean energy: Baker eyes next big industry for Mass. » Boston Globe Massachusetts is the country’s undisputed life sciences champion. Can we claim the crown for clean energy as well?...

Google keeps growing its presence in Kendall Square » Boston Globe More than 15 years after Google opened its first office in Cambridge, the tech giant has developed a sprawling campus in Kendall Square that got bigger during the pandemic and is still growing....

Biotech incubator Massachusetts Biomedical Initiatives breaks ground on 10 new labs in Worcester, continuing growth of city’s life sciences industry » MassLive Massachusetts Biomedical Initiatives is beginning an expansion of its facilities that will bring 10 new labs to Worcester, further adding to the city’s growing life sciences industry....

Broadcom announces $61B acquisition of Boston-area cybersecurity employer » Boston Business Journal Chipmaker Broadcom Inc. put its signature on one of the year's largest takeovers by acquiring enterprise software maker VMware Inc. for $61 billion in cash and stock....

Senate Passes Budget Rider To Protect Abortion Providers » State House News Service Reproductive and gender-affirming health care providers in Massachusetts would gain new protections against legal action brought by other states, as would out-of-state residents who travel here to see...

Somerville City Council to consider legal protections for trans people » Boston Herald The Somerville City Council will be presented a draft resolution and ordinance which one councilor-at-large told the Herald may be the first of its kind in the commonwealth....

Two years after George Floyd's murder, Worcester NAACP president takes a look at city's progress » Spectrum News It’s been two years since the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis. The local NAACP Worcester branch said it feels like some things still haven’t changed...

Gov. Charlie Baker wants to outlaw revenge porn. A House bill takes a different approach » Berkshire Eagle The House is set to vote Thursday on legislation aimed at preventing the dissemination of explicit images and video without a subject's consent, one of Gov. Charlie Baker's top priorities in his final...

House will vote on sexting, revenge porn bill » Commonwealth Magazine FIVE YEARS AFTER Gov. Charlie Baker first proposed new laws addressing sexting and revenge porn, the Legislature is prepared to consider the legislation....

Easthampton School Committee, mayor at odds over budget » Gazette Net School Committee members have estimated that as many as eight staff positions could be cut from the city's public schools if Mayor Nicole LaChapelle's proposed budget for fiscal year 2023 is approved ...

Riley looking for pact with Boston, not receivership » Commonwealth Magazine STATE EDUCATION COMMISSIONER Jeff Riley said the Boston Public Schools face a “myriad of problems,” from special education and English language learner services in disarray to data systems reporti...

Battenfeld: Texas school massacre reignites debate in Boston over police in schools » Boston Herald The horrific Texas school massacre could renew a push for putting police in schools in Boston and other communities in Massachusetts....

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu tells graduating Harvard seniors: ‘Tell the truth when it’s hard’ » Boston Globe Boston Mayor Michelle Wu returned to her alma mater Wednesday afternoon to urge Harvard’s graduating seniors to live by the university’s Latin motto, “veritas” — truth....

Healey sues PFAS manufacturers » Commonwealth Magazine ATTORNEY GENERAL Maura Healey has filed a lawsuit against 13 manufacturers of PFAS chemicals, arguing that they deceptively marketed and sold chemicals that were dangerous to the environment and to in...

Massachusetts sues companies over use of ‘forever chemicals’ » MassLive Massachusetts has sued more than a dozen companies involved in the manufacture or marketing of so-called forever chemicals, alleging they knowingly polluted the environment and endangered public healt...

Mass. life sciences leaders urge action on 'epidemic' of gun violence » Boston Business Journal Octagon Therapeutics CEO Isaac Stoner was still in high school when the Columbine High School shooting occurred. He remembers that in the wake of that massacre, people were "grasping at explanations" ...

Boston secures measures to crack down on school bus driver absences in new union contract deal » Boston Globe As part of an effort to ensure all of Boston’s school buses are on the road daily, drivers will no longer be able to take off time — without advanced warning or permission — under a new contract...

America’s Test Kitchen thrived during pandemic. Now, workers there want a union, to share the wealth. » Boston Globe Add America’s Test Kitchen employees to the wave of fed-up workers forming a union....

Velis visits West Springfield to learn about new town in Senate district » The Reminder State Sen. John Velis used a campaign event to dig into the needs of a city new to the redistricted senatorial district: West Springfield....

The North Adams City Council moved to give the mayor a raise of nearly $10,000 » Berkshire Eagle The City Council on Tuesday took an initial vote, without debate, to pass a compensation plan that would include a nearly $10,000 raise to the mayor’s salary....

Lucas: Race for governor must be about gas, crime and no baby formula » Boston Herald A big winner in last weekend’s Republican convention was a Democrat. That would be Attorney General Maura Healey, the two-term progressive who is running for governor....

Black Republicans in party’s spotlight » The Bay State Banner In recent years, Black Republicans have had little visibility in Massachusetts politics, with few holding positions of prominence in state government. In contrast to the administration of former Gov. ...

Mass shootings are taking a toll on our mental health » Boston Globe More than two years of pandemic. A war in Ukraine that has led to fears of a global escalation. Deep political division, open racism, and economic worries at home. Mass shooting after mass shooting, m...

Federally-backed ‘test-to-treat’ COVID testing sites setting up in Massachusetts in coming weeks in bid to get Paxlovid to more Americans » MassLive Federally-operated sites allowing Americans who test positive for COVID-19 to immediately receive a medical assessment and be prescribed the antiviral drug Paxlovid if needed will set up in Massachuse...

Boston health officials urge COVID precautions during Memorial Day weekend, Massachusetts virus cases drop 22% » Boston Herald Boston health officials are urging people to take COVID precautions during Memorial Day weekend, as virus transmission rates remain high in the city and across the Bay State....

In wake of Texas school shooting, Massachusetts leaders decry violence and call for gun control » WBUR State and local leaders are decrying the shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas that killed at least 21 people on Tuesday....

Biden nominates Chelsea police chief for U.S. Marshal » Boston Herald President Biden has nominated Brian Kyes, the chief of the Chelsea Police Department, to fill the vacant position of U.S. Marshal for the District of Massachusetts....

Opinion: Time to elect a law-abiding sheriff » Dartmouth Week First and foremost the Department of Homeland Security cancelled both contracts with Sheriff Thomas Hodgson regarding his detention and processing of undocumented immigrants....

Editorial: There is nothing left to say » Boston Globe You’ve heard it all before. We’ve said it all before. After the latest school shooting tragedy in Texas, this editorial is composed entirely of past editorials calling for gun control....

Uvalde shooting triggers closer look at gun laws; Massachusetts lawmakers ‘extremely proud’ but say they will review additional reforms » MassLive House Speaker Ronald Mariano said he is “extremely proud” of Massachusetts’ gun laws Wednesday — considered some of the tightest in the nation — while Senate President Karen Spilka said her ...

National Missing Children's Day: Nearly 100 children have gone missing in Massachusetts in 2022 » Spectrum News Since the start of 2022, 94 children have already gone missing in Massachusetts, adding to the volumes of missing and unidentified children lost throughout the decades....

School shooting adds urgency as Wu seeks to curb summer violence » Boston Globe Appearing somber but determined, over a dozen city employees, public safety officials, clergy, and community workers gathered Wednesday to present Mayor Michelle Wu’s plan to prevent violence this s...

Boston Logan International Airport gun detections up this year, 5 firearms found in the last week » Boston Herald TSA officers have been finding more guns with passengers at Boston Logan International Airport so far this year, including five firearms in just the last week....

Local leaders promised change after George Floyd's death. 2 years later, the work is unfinished » WBUR George Floyd's death two years ago sparked calls for change at police departments across the country, including in Massachusetts....

Money for Royalston FD vehicle likely to be in state budget » Athol Daily News Fire Chief Eric Jack told Royalston’s Selectboard at its meeting on Tuesday, May 17, that it appears money for a new pickup truck for the fire department will be included in the state budget for FY2...

Health and Human Services Secretary Marylou Sudders skips Holyoke Soldiers’ Home during Western Massachusetts tour » MassLive During a rare visit to Western Massachusetts on Wednesday, the state’s health and human services secretary, Marylou Sudders, did not stop at the Soldiers’ Home in Holyoke, where 84 veterans died i...

Editorial: Mass. is losing a credible voice for fiscal restraint » Boston Business Journal BBJ Editorial: Let's hope the Mass. Taxpayers Foundation finds a successor who will carry on Eileen McAnneny’s tradition of advocating strict oversight of government spending and smart use of taxpay...

Letter: Fair Share Amendment would equitably bolster critical public investments » Berkshire Eagle To the editor: Town meetings in Otis, Lee, Becket, Dalton and Windsor as well as city councils in Pittsfield and North Adams have endorsed the Fair Share Amendment, a common-sense measure to make our ...

Sumner Tunnel shutdown will have ‘massive’ impact » Boston Herald The commute into Boston is about to become more of a headache when a multi-year, $156.67 million Sumner Tunnel restoration project begins next month....

MBTA rejects bids for Quincy bus garage » Commonwealth Magazine THE MBTA rejected the bids for construction of a new Quincy garage and maintenance facility for electric buses after the initial two submissions came in at amounts that far exceeded projections....

Wind Contracts Below Price Cap, But Maybe Not Cheaper » State House News Service Contracts for the state's next two offshore wind projects were filed Wednesday and while both projects legally comply with the state's offshore wind price cap, officials said the price of power might ...

Social Media Spotlight

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Podcast Spotlight

Five Thirty Eight Politics Podcast: Politics Podcast: Trump’s Revenge Primary In Georgia Fails NPR The NPR Politics Podcast: Federal Gun Restrictions Are Likely Doomed in the Senate The MassINC Polling Group The Horse Race: Episode 214: Survey says...

Statement of Middlesex Sheriff Peter Koutoujian Regarding President Biden’s Executive Order on Policing » Middlesex Sheriff's Office

We can't go on like this. » The Boston Foundation

MassDOT Encourages Memorial Day Travelers to Plan Ahead for Busy Weekend » MassDOT

Senate adopts several major components of Massachusetts Beyond Roe Agenda » ACLU Massachusetts

Readout of Senator Markey's Meeting with New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern » Office of U.S. Senator Ed Markey

Book Reveals How Tax Hike Amendment Would Damage Commonwealth’s Economic Competitiveness » Pioneer Institute for Public Policy Research

Summer Lu & Daisy Ma on How QCAP is Serving Their Community » Project Bread - The Walk for Hunger

Rhode Island Becomes 19th State to Legalize Cannabis for Adults » Marijuana Policy Project

AFSCME’s Saunders: It’s time to turn ‘anguish into action’ on gun violence » AFSCME (American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees)

Project RED Reduces Hospital Readmissions for Patients with Depressive Symptoms » Boston Medical Center

United Way, MHSA, CHAPA, Housing Advocates Support Baker-Polito Administration’s New Targeted, Flexible Funding Pilot to Support Individuals and Families Experiencing Homelessness » United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley

MLRI Thanks Congressional Leaders for Support of Ukrainian Refugees » Massachusetts Law Reform Institute

Massachusetts Medical Society adopts new policies addressing vaccine exemptions, health care needs of gender-diverse patients » Massachusetts Medical Society

MTA expresses anguish and outrage after Texas school massacre » Massachusetts Teachers Association

Mayor Wu Announces City Initiatives for a Safe, Healthy Summer » City of Boston

Sen. Lesser Speaks Out Against Targeted Acts of Hate and Violence On Floor Of Senate » Office of MA State Senator Eric Lesser

AG Healey Sues Manufacturers of Toxic ‘Forever’ Chemicals for Contaminating Massachusetts Drinking Water and Damaging Natural Resources » Office of MA Attorney General Maura Healey

Founder and Former Accountant of Asphalt Company Charged With Scheme to Hide Taxable Sales From the State » Office of MA Attorney General Maura Healey

Baker-Polito Administration Announces Grants to Support Waterway Pollution Control Projects » MA Department of Environmental Protection

MassDEP Fines Waste Management of Massachusetts, Inc. for Violations at its Marlborough Solid Waste Transfer Station » MA Department of Environmental Protection