9:00am SEIU Local 509 Lobby Day, Great Hall, State House, Boston

11:00am House Session, Full Formal Session

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

6:00pm Campaign Kickoff for Worcester City Council Candidate Paul DePalo

Bills banning handheld cellphone use by drivers start moving » Commonwealth Magazine In a poll set to end Wednesday afternoon, members of the Transportation Committee have been asked to weigh in on two similar proposals filed by members of the House and Senate that would basically bar…

DA Rachael Rollins Versus Governor Charlie Baker: Why It Matters » WGBH Race, gender, class, crime: a host of hot-button issues are at play in the simmering dispute between Rachael Rollins, the new, reform-minded Suffolk County District Attorney, and Republican Governor C…

State Police Are Tracking The Licence Plates Of All Cars That Pass Through Cape Cod — Have They Gone Too Far? » WBUR 100 million trips have been recorded and stored in a growing--if opaque--database.…

Elizabeth Warren Had Charisma, and Then She Ran for President » The Atlantic What happened to Clinton is now happening to Warren. FiveThirtyEight has called her “the wonkiest person in the field.” In February, however, when the University of New Hampshire asked Granite Sta…

In Boston visits, Trump health officials ridicule ‘Medicare for All’ plans » Boston Globe Two top Trump administration officials visiting Massachusetts slammed the Affordable Care Act as a failure – even though the law has broad bipartisan support in this state and key measures suggest i…

Senate budget chief agrees Dems should wait on taxes » State House News Service Democratic leaders in both branches are now saying its unlikely the Legislature will pursue substantial new revenue proposals as part of next year's state budget, with Senate Ways and Means Committee …

Rep: Campus assault 'going on for way too long' » State House News Service Dozens of college students and recent alumni shared their personal stories with lawmakers Tuesday as they urged quick action on bills aimed at providing more information on the prevalence of sexual vi…

What if Trump-Haley deadlocks with Buttigieg-Biden in 2020? Anything’s possible » Roll Call Enough strange things have happened politically that it‘s wise to prepare for them …

‘Are you serious?’: John Kerry’s climate change credentials challenged by GOP lawmaker » Washington Post “Are you serious?” Kerry said. “Is this really serious, this is really happening here?” …

Inside the (semi-)secret society for young Trump staffers » Politico Members wear a lapel pin fashioned after the butt end of a .45 caliber bullet casing and attend semi-regular gatherings that often feature remarks by better-known Trump-world figures such as Brad Pars…

Nancy Pelosi talks sense to the left » Boston Globe Never mind the Profile in Courage award the Kennedy-Industrial Complex will bestow on Nancy Pelosi next month. What the House speaker truly deserves is a Profile in Progressive Pragmatism Award for he…

Elizabeth Warren is at odds with Richard Neal over a bill banning the government from offering free tax filing » Boston.com Sen. Elizabeth Warren has repeatedly introduced legislation to give taxpayers the option of letting the government file their taxes for them free of charge, collectively saving the country millions of…

Mass. U.S. Reps. Clark And Pressley Introduce Sweeping Sexual Harassment Bill » WBUR U.S. Reps. Katherine Clark and Ayanna Pressley on Tuesday introduced a sweeping sexual harassment bill they said will add needed federal enforcement power to stop the kinds of workplace inequalities, …

Warrens earned $906,000 in 2018, paid $231,000 in fed taxes » State House News Service U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren released her federal tax returns for 2018 on Wednesday, building on 10 years of tax documents she made public last year as Democrats, including those running for president, …

Should Boston be worried about the effects of automation? Andrew Yang thinks so. » Boston.com Andrew Yang says Boston may be a winner of what’s been dubbed the “fourth industrial revolution” — but only relatively.…

In Boston’s stodgiest industries, jeans — jeans! — start to flourish » Boston Business Journal At one time, it was considered improper for a Big Four accountant to be seen outside the office without a suit coat on.…

State Street CEO to face Ocasio-Cortez, other banking critics » Boston Business Journal State Street Corp. CEO Ron O’Hanley is set to testify Wednesday to members of Congress — including freshman Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and other critics of the banking industry — about what l…

Bill Hopes to Save Massachusetts Research Animals From Euthanasia » NBC Boston In our Talk to Ten series, NBC10 Boston got a call from a viewer about the Animal Freedom Bill. Its goal is to make sure healthy dogs, who have finished their jobs as research animals, are adopted out…

Bay State lawmakers look to combat black market pot » Boston Herald Two Massachusetts legislators are looking to thwart the state’s booming illicit marijuana market, which continues to thrive more than four months after legal pot sales started here.…

Zoning discussion over East Boston pot shop postponed to July » Boston Globe Questions over Boston’s marijuana zoning rules remain unanswered this week after a discussion over an East Boston marijuana shop applicant, scheduled for Tuesday, was postponed to July.…

Bill aims to crack down on black market marijuana » Boston Globe Two state lawmakers from Worcester want to create a task force of law enforcement, public health leaders, and regulators to crack down on unlicensed marijuana sellers. …

Investigate-and-tax approach outlined to address illicit pot market » State House News Service Five months after the first retail marijuana store opened in Massachusetts, two Worcester-area lawmakers are looking to crack down on the continuing illicit sale of pot by creating an alternative to p…

Bristol County DA will not prosecute panhandlers pending lawsuit » The Herald News Until a court decides whether or not a state law that the American Civil Liberties Union contends criminalizes panhandling is constitutional, the Bristol County District Attorney’s Office will not p…

Conversion therapy law will face legal challenge » Lowell Sun Opponents of a law Gov. Charlie Baker signed Monday banning the use of conversion therapy on minors are planning a legal challenge, arguing the legislation violates the First Amendment.…

Mass. ACLU Exec. Director: 'Abortion Is Healthcare, And Healthcare Is A Human Right' » WGBH The established state law around late-term abortion has received renewed consideration and criticism after a Massachusetts woman was forced to travel cross-country to terminate a fetus at 28 weeks.…

Representative Katherine Clark takes on Betsy DeVos over ‘racist’ policy change » Boston Globe The decision out of Washington last week to end a policy that protected black and brown students from unfair and often racist disciplinary practices could have easily passed with little notice.…

Bill would raise school choice fee » The Salem News Thousands of students in Massachusetts move between public school districts every year, taking millions of dollars in state education funding with them.…

Former Sun editor appointed to MCC board of trustees » Lowell Sun Former Sun Editor Jim Campanini has been selected to replace a woman who had been the longest active-serving member of the Middlesex Community College board of trustees.…

Many unknowns in Braintree school budget proposal » Patriot Ledger School Superintendent Frank Hackett says the department will likely need a budget increase of between 4 and 4.5 percent for the upcoming school year, though much about the school department’s spendi…

Clark sued again for its handling of sexual misconduct allegations » Commonwealth Magazine Freshman says school unfairly found him guilty of sexual exploitation …

Federal Judge Must Decide Whether Mount Ida College Owes Anything To Its Former Students » WBUR A federal judge must decide whether former students at Mount Ida College can proceed with their lawsuit against the college, which abruptly closed its doors last year, leaving students scrambling to c…

Behind the scenes of the sex ed tussle in Worcester » Worcester Mag The debate over sex education in Worcester came to a head in February, at a meeting that saw nearly two hours of public comment. On one side, advocates pushed for the committee to adopt a sex educatio…

School district applying for safety grant » South Coast Today School Superintendent Jeffrey Schoonover said that he has submitted an application to the Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety for a school safety grant.…

Lawmakers try again after Monaco-led lobbyists help sink Somerville transparency bill » The Tufts Daily State Representative Christine Barber has refiled legislation in the current session of the Massachusetts House of Representatives that would allow the City of Somerville to compel Tufts University to…

House education approach: funding first, formula later » State House News Service House leaders on Wednesday proposed bigger increases in K-12 education aid than Gov. Charlie Baker, but signaled they're not likely to adopt changes to how the state funds public schools by the time t…

Group seeks boat to skim plastic from river » Newburyport News Untreated sewage isn’t the only thing pouring out of overflow pipes along the Merrimack River during times of uncontrolled discharges.…

Millennials bond over environmental bills » Lowell Sun With seawall breaches, beach erosion and other weather-driven emergencies, Scituate "has become the poster child of climate change" over the last few years, according to Sen. Patrick O'Connor, who rep…

Lynn votes to ban single-use plastic bags » Lynn Daily News Item The Board of Health voted, 2-0, to ban single-use plastic bags in the city on Tuesday night, with health officials saying the decision was made to be more environmentally friendly.…

Millennial legislators bond around push for renewables » Worcester Business Journal With seawall breaches, beach erosion and other weather-driven emergencies, Scituate "has become the poster child of climate change" over the last few years, according to Sen. Patrick O'Connor, who rep…

Over $1 Million awarded to protect drinking water resources » News 22 WWLP.com The Baker-Polito Administration today awarded $1,119,362 to six Massachusetts public water suppliers through the Drinking Water Supply Protection Grant Program (DWSP). The grant awards, administered …

State grant to help Fall River protect Copicut Reservoir » The Herald News The Copicut Reservoir was one of several public water suppliers to receive state grants announced Tuesday.…

Green efforts worth $205K for Dracut » Lowell Sun Dracut officials on Friday received a $205,137 grant from the state's Department of Energy Resources as part of a commitment to clean-energy projects.…

Clean River Project asks Lowell to pony up » Lowell Sun For years, volunteers led by the Clean River Project have scooped up trash along the banks of the Merrimack River.…

Wynn Resorts launches defense of CEO as Mass. regulators weigh license » Boston Business Journal In a regulatory filing Tuesday, Wynn Resorts argued that the Massachusetts Gaming Commission doesn't have the evidence or the authority to question CEO Matt Maddox's suitability as part of a decision …

In Boston visits, Trump health officials ridicule ‘Medicare for All’ plans » Boston Globe Two top Trump administration officials visiting Massachusetts slammed the Affordable Care Act as a failure – even though the law has broad bipartisan support in this state and key measures suggest i…

Measure to improve prescription drug price transparency passes House Ways and Means Committee » The Republican A bipartisan bill to increase transparency of prescription drug pricing is advancing after unanimous passage Tuesday by the House Committee on Ways and Means.…

Nursing home industry would get $30 mil jolt in House budget » State House News Service Responding to what industry officials have called a crisis, House leaders are proposing an "emergency task force" to examine the financial stability of nursing homes in Massachusetts, along with a $30…

Mass Attorney General Secures $2 Million From National Mortgage Servicer » Framingham Source A national mortgage servicing company will pay $2 million and undertake affordable loan modifications for affected Massachusetts homeowners, Attorney General Maura Healey announced today, April 9.…

As mayors, we need Warren’s housing bill » Commonwealth Magazine Legislation sets aside $10b for grants to municipalities …

Seaport condo hits Boston price record » Boston Business Journal Tishman Speyer’s ultra-luxury Pier 4 condominium complex has hit a price record never before seen in Boston, with two penthouse units selling at $4,180 per square foot. …

A fix for the state’s broken foster care system? Lawmakers pledge action » Boston Globe One lawmaker immediately called the state’s child advocate. Another may refile legislation requiring an independent review any time a child is bounced around in foster care.…

Baker plan for heating aid draws criticism » The Salem News The Baker administration served notice Friday that $11 million of the $30 million in newly allocated state home heating aid will be delivered, and the news is not going over well.…

Boston Trust Act to be reviewed after city police informed ICE of immigrants’ whereabouts » Boston Globe City councilors said Tuesday that they will reexamine the Boston Trust Act, which is meant to keep local police from working with federal immigration on deportations, amid the Trump administration’s…

Spat between Baker and Rollins must lead to real debate on criminal justice reform » Boston Globe The high-profile spat between Governor Charlie Baker and Suffolk District Attorney Rachael Rollins has been ugly. And they both get a share of the blame.…

Justice system programs offer life to young adults » South Coast Today A legislative task force studying how young adults are treated by the criminal justice system and the possibility of expanding juvenile court jurisdiction to include offenders younger than 21, heard M…

Bill seeks to hold judges accountable » Lowell Sun Judges in Massachusetts might soon be in for a surprise, as a local legislator is pushing the state to start checking in with them every seven years.…

Rollins brings welcome change » Commonwealth Magazine DA unfairly hit for following through on reform agenda …

Clark, Pressley introduce bill to expand workplace protections for #MeToo cases » Boston Globe Massachusetts congresswomen on Tuesday introduced a bill that represents the first sweeping federal effort to address the systemic legal and workplace inequities exposed by the viral #MeToo movement …

Boston Beer CEO pay balloons to 264 times that of its median employee » Boston Business Journal Signing bonuses and recruitment stock awards boosted the total compensation of Boston Beer’s new CEO in 2018, coming in 264 times higher than the median employee.…

Retail, food industry workers push fairness bill » State House News Service To protect workers against physical and mental strain of working in the food, hospitality and retail industries, lawmakers must take additional steps to protect the rights of workers to a fair work we…

Dailey, Opara join Kennedy at statehouse event » Lowell Sun Lynne Dailey, left, and Ben Opara, right, both of Lowell, were among 60 people who participated in the recent 82nd annual Citizens' Legislative Seminar at the Statehouse, as guests of state Sen. Ed Ke…

Sen. Jamie Eldridge to hold 39th annual Senior Conference » Wicked Local State Sen. Jamie Eldridge, D-Acton, has announced details for the 39th annual Senior Conference that will take place from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. April 19 at Assabet Valley Regional Technical High School,…

Democrats smoking hot over Martha Coakley’s Juul move » Boston Herald Martha Coakley did not exactly join ISIS — but she just might as well have, given the almost universal condemnation of the former Massachusetts attorney general from Democrats and progressives over …

Seniors lambaste Framingham mayor over Callahan Center plan » The Metro West Daily News A packed crowd of seniors urged city officials to scrap their plan to move the Health Department to the Callahan Senior Center, saying they fear it will take away parking, limit space for activities a…

Falmouth rejects zoning revisions for treatment centers » Cape Cod Times After postponing the vote a day, Falmouth town meeting rejected a measure Tuesday night that would have restricted the ability of substance abuse clinics to operate.…

For Rail Trail Supporters, Another Hurdle Is Cleared » Lynnfield Patch That sigh of relief Tuesday night coming from Town Hall probably sounded well rehearsed. It was. Once again the supporters of the Wakefield-Lynnfield Rail Trail project saw a town-wide vote go their w…

The mum fund: Tough questions following an audit of a charity meant to help Bostonians in need » Dig Boston For decades, Boston residents have been able to go to a small room on the second floor of City Hall and get assistance. Need a few hundred bucks to get out of a jam, like paying your heating bill? The…

City Council seeks opinions on lowering municipal voting age » Wicked Local Somerville The Somerville Legislative Matters Committee heard testimonies recently about a home-rule petition to provide legal voting rights in municipal elections for 16- and 17-year-olds. Should the City Counc…

City Council authorizes Mayor's request for Memorandum of Agreement with UMass » Wicked Local Waltham Fifty-eight acres of land once owned by Waltham benefactor Cornelia Warren, were voted into a 90-day Standstill Period last night.…

Hine, Geraghty win contested posts in South Hadley » Gazette Net The town has a new town moderator and Select Board member after Tuesday's annual election, but the race for an open Planning Board seat was not immediately determined.…

It just got a lot harder to get an Airbnb in Saugus » Lynn Daily News Item Residents can no longer offer short-term rentals on their property after Town Meeting banned the practice. The move all but eliminates Airbnb rentals in town, restricting the practice to commercial ar…

Mieczkowski loses 9th bid for Hadley Select Board, is trounced by write-in candidate for Planning Board seat » Gazette Net Voters rejected John Mieczkowski Sr. twice at Tuesday's town election, removing him from the Planning Board and preventing his return to the Select Board after an absence of 17 years.…

WRA set to begin property acquisitions for Worcester ballpark » Worcester Telegram The Worcester Redevelopment Authority is ready to move on acquiring its first three properties for the city’s ballpark project.…

Provincetown town manager takes state job » Cape Cod Times Town Manager David Panagore has announced he has taken a job with the state and will be leaving his post next month.…

Lt. Gov. Polito Raising More in Donations than Gov. Baker » Cape Cod Online Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito has raised more than twice as much in campaign donations during the first three months of the year compared to Gov. Charlie Baker.…

The Democratic electorate on Twitter is not the actual democratic electorate » Boston Globe Perhaps the most telling poll of the Democratic primary season hasn’t been about the Democratic primary at all but about the fallout from a 35-year-old racist photo on a yearbook page. Governor Ralp…

Derenoncourt enters race for mayor of Brockton » The Enterprise In a statement first released to The Enterprise, City Councilor at-large Jean Bradley Derenoncourt announced his candidacy for the mayor of Brockton. Derenoncourt, a 28-year-old native of Haiti, who b…

Changing tables should be the rule in Boston » Boston Herald It’s about time husbands stop skirting the diaper-changing responsibilities because the majority of public restrooms don’t have a changing table in Boston.…

Massachusetts to add 398 treatment beds for substance use, mental health disorders » The Republican The Massachusetts Department of Public Health will contract with 26 community-based treatment providers including several in the Greater Springfield Area as well across the Commonwealth to open new sp…

Rachael Rollins focusing on change for the better » Boston Herald When Rachael Rollins ran for Suffolk County DA, she expected that it would be tough for a woman of color to win. Rollins ran, first and foremost, because she respected the office. …

Maura Healey says she hasn’t read Rachael Rollins’ memo » Boston Herald Attorney General Maura Healey admitted she hasn’t read Suffolk District Attorney Rachael Rollins’ policy memo that has become the source of a rift between the DA and Gov. Charlie Baker.…

Berkshire DA launches 'transformative' effort to combat domestic violence » Berkshire Eagle Declaring that domestic and sexual violence have reached a "crisis point" in Berkshire County, the Berkshire District Attorney's Office on Tuesday announced an aggressive new strategy to combat crimes…

AG Healey: Rollins Is 'Doing What She Promised To Do' » WGBH After being dragged into the days-long spat between Gov. Charlie Baker and Suffolk District Attorney Rachael Rollins, Attorney General Maura Healey said Tuesday that it's up to Rollins who to prosecut…

Despite Suffolk DA's Agenda, Boston Police Chief Gross Says He'll Decide For Himself On Arrests » WGBH During a week in which Suffolk District Attorney Rachael Rollins exchanged harsh words with state public safety officials over a backlash to her plan to stop prosecuting low-level non-violent crimes, …

Harrington Launches Plan to Address Domestic, Sexual Violence » iBerkshires Domestic and sexual violence has hit a "crisis level" according to District Attorney Andrea Harrington.…

Rachael Rollins needs to leave family out of beef with Charlie Baker » Boston Herald If Suffolk DA Rachael Rollins had limited her sharp retort to Gov. Charlie Baker regarding the upbraiding she received from his public safety secretary, Thomas Turco, she’d at least have been on sol…

Arlington Officer Will Return To Work After Writing Inflammatory Column » WBUR An Arlington police lieutenant who was placed on paid administrative leave last year for calling for officers to “meet violence with violence” will return to work on April 15 after he participated…

Former member of Suffolk DA’s transition team is arrested on domestic violence charges » Boston Globe A former member of Suffolk District Attorney Rachael Rollins’s transition team was arrested by MBTA Transit Police on domestic violence charges, and Rollins said Wednesday the prosecution of Jeremy …

Massachusetts House Budget Chops Baker's Taxes, Boosts Local Aid » New England Public Radio Massachusetts House leadership is rolling out a $42.7 billion budget for fiscal year 2020 on Wednesday. The spending plan largely mirrors Governor Charlie Baker's proposal, but it eschews his revenue-…

On budget planning, be cautious » Commonwealth Magazine THE MASSACHUSETTS LEGISLATURE’S House Ways and Means Committee will unveil on Wednesday its budget proposal for state fiscal year 2020, which begins on July 1. Their budget document will describe pr…

House lawmakers disagree with Gov. Baker on drug pricing, taxing opioid manufacturers » Boston Business Journal Massachusetts House lawmakers turned away from Gov. Charlie Baker's proposals targeting the health care industry in their version of the fiscal 2020 budget, changing a plan to restrict drug prices and…

Who the hack thinks there’s no pipeline to Massport? » Boston Herald Once you go hack, you never go back. That’s the lesson of the new Massport payroll — aren’t you sorry now you didn’t start sucking up to some shady politician way back when, because now you to…

Lawmakers ask T to shelve fare hikes during Tobin project » Newburyport News A bipartisan group of lawmakers want the MBTA to shelve planned fare hikes until the Tobin Bridge project is completed, arguing that the higher fares will add to traffic woes by deterring commuters fr…

Lawmakers call for MBTA to freeze fares, citing bridge work » Boston Globe Nearly a month after the MBTA finalized its latest fare hike, 30 state lawmakers are still protesting it, arguing transit prices should remain at their current rate until the state finishes major cons…

Cambridge passes ‘first-of-its-kind’ law to add protected bike lanes when reconstructing roads » Boston Globe The Cambridge City Council on Monday night passed an ordinance to help expand the network of bicycle infrastructure across the city, a move that bike advocates and city officials called a “first-of-…

Great Barrington public transit advisory committee releases proposal calling for added service » the Berkshire edge The town’s newly formed Public Transportation Advisory Committee conducted the South County Public Bus Service Survey in February and March, and received more than 400 responses.…

First phase of South Coast Rail to be completed in 2022 » WPRI.com The South Coast Rail project has been in the works for decades, but on Monday Massachusetts Department of Transportation officials said the first phase should be completed by 2022.…

PVTA Will Offer Free Bus Fare To Seniors On Tuesdays Starting In July » New England Public Radio The Pioneer Valley Transit Authority will start offering free bus travel to seniors on Tuesdays starting in July. …

N.J. company trying to buy Pilgrim plant faces questions over nuclear waste » Boston Globe With only a few weeks left before Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station shuts down, members of the citizens advisory panel overseeing the plant’s decommissioning had questions last month about a New Jersey …

More internet connected services become available in Princeton » The Landmark harter Communications, the company providing high speed broadband internet, has said that its full suite of Spectrum services is now widely available for residential customers in Princeton, following …

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Podcast Spotlight

WAMC Northeast Report: Housing Developers Face Tougher Rules For City Tax Breaks

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Massachusetts Weekly Unemployment Claimant Data 06-10-21 » MA Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development

Senate Passes Post-Retirement Work Waiver Extension » Massachusetts Retirees

Tremont Strategies Group Welcomes New Additions To Government Affairs Team » Tremont Strategies Group

$4.6 Million Rapid Reemployment Grant Program Launches in Massachusetts » MA Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development

MassDOT, MAPFRE Insurance Reminder: Summer Road Safety » MassDOT

Upcoming Wellington Circle Study Virtual Public Meeting » MassDOT

MassDEP Assesses Penalty to Sira Naturals for Environmental Violations at its Milford Manufacturing Facility » MA Department of Environmental Protection

What a Week It’s Been » Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance

Led by Sen. Lewis, Fair Share Amendment Advances to the Ballot » Office of MA State Senator Jason Lewis

MMA urges House to protect local control of municipal reprecincting process » Massachusetts Municipal Association

New Measures to Boost Home Ownership, Wages, and Economic Equity in Boston » City of Boston

Boston Police Department Police Reform Policy Update » City of Boston

On the Anniversary of 1982 Nuclear Weapons Freeze Rally in Central Park, Senator Markey and Rep. McGovern Reintroduce Expansive Legislation to Halt Dangerous 21ST Century Global Nuclear Arms Race » Office of U.S. Senator Ed Markey

Senator Markey Reintroduces Legislation to Protect Dr. Anthony Fauci, Research Institute Heads From Politically Motivated Termination » Office of U.S. Senator Ed Markey

AG Healey Sues Orthodontist for Illegally Charging MassHealth Patients for Missed or Cancelled Appointments » Office of MA Attorney General Maura Healey

Drawing Democracy Coalition Urges MA Senate to Pass Reprecincting Bill to Ensure Equitable Redistricting Process: » Massachusetts Immigration and Refugee Advocacy Coalition

Drought Conditions Improve in Some Commonwealth Regions, Worsen in Others » Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency