11:00am House Session, Informal Session

11:00am Senate Session, Informal Session

Last day of the 1st annual session (2023)

Birthdays: State Senator Bruce Tarr

Transit group: South Coast Rail is 'compromised,' but it can be made better. Here's how. » The Herald News

New Boston Council President Rejects "Zero-Sum Mentality" » State House News Service

Boston pot shop owner played part in City Council vote for president » Boston Herald

Richard Voke, Chelsea native who rose to majority leader in State House, dies at 76 » Boston Globe

An almighty comparison from 1970s Boston still resonates with Biden and in the 2024 campaign » Boston Globe

State investment this year helped, but didn’t solve, long waiting lists at programs for people with complex disabilities » Boston Globe

Mass. ‘Millionaire’s Tax’ is a year old. Where it’s helped, hurt » MassLive

Mass. to expand program that keeps young people out of juvenile justice system » Boston Globe

Housing, migrants, the T: These are the Top 5 Massachusetts political stories of 2023 » MassLive

CT: CT judges faced 1,967 complaints of wrongdoing over 17 years. Only 9 cases were publicly heard. » CT Insider

CT: CT to hire cannabis watchdog whose salary would range from $88.7K to $161.6K » Hartford Chronicle

PA: How Philadelphia has changed since 2016 » Axios

NJ: Buses of migrants boarding trains from NJ to NYC, officials say » Politico

VA: Youngkin wants to increase Virginia's sales tax, but cut the income tax » Axios

NC: Democrats fear electoral bloodbath in North Carolina » The Hill

FL: Florida lawmakers want to end 3-day waiting periods for rifles, shotguns » Orlando Sentinel

FL: Florida lawmakers look to curb student absenteeism » Citrus County Chronicle

IA: Judge Blocks Iowa’s Ban on School Library Books That Depict Sex Acts » New York Times

CO: Colorado politics poised for big moments in 2024 » Axios

CA: ‘State of resistance’ no more: California on sidelines of Trump ballot fight » Politico

CA: ‘A perfect microcosm’: one town’s lawsuit and the rightwing battle for California schools » The Guardian

‘A disservice to the American public’: Democrats rip Biden over weapons sale to Israel » Politico

Trump Goes to War With Nikki Haley » The Daily Beast

Ron DeSantis says he would pardon Trump in clearest comments yet » NBC News

Police Officers Are Charged With Crimes, but Are Juries Convicting? » New York Times

Trouble with tha God » Politico

JN.1 Now Accounts for Nearly Half of U.S. Covid Cases » New York Times

The ultimate 2024 political calendar » Washington Post

The Case Of The Missing Health Care Providers » The Lever

Trump beating Biden among Hispanics and voters under 35, new poll shows » Boston Herald

Retirements could tip control of the House majority. It’s Republicans who have the early edge. » Boston Globe

The Spartan: Why Gretchen Whitmer Has What It Takes for a White House Run » Vanity Fair

Republican loyalty to Trump, rioters climbs in 3 years after Jan. 6 attack » Washington Post

Sununu twists the knife: ‘Chris Christie’s race is at a complete dead end’ » Politico

On New Year’s Eve, DeSantis urges crowd to defy odds and help him ‘win the Iowa caucuses’ » AP News

Robbins: Hamas lobby flips the facts on genocide » Boston Herald

Pawlicki: Who might Trump pick as running mate? » Boston Herald

FL: Florida may ban most businesses from going cashless. Proposal has Democratic and Republican support. » Sun Sentinel

As new president of the Ad Club, Barb Reilly aims to balance old and new » Boston Globe

Slew of farm bills advancing on Beacon Hill » Gazette Net

Holyoke city councilor suggests temporary moratorium on new pot shops » MassLive

ME: Maine state official who removed Trump from ballot was targeted in swatting call » WBUR

Illuzzi: Liberal arts cuts hurt students & country » Boston Herald

UMass Memorial to require masks for employees starting Tuesday, encourage visitor masking » Worcester Telegram

Sturdy Memorial Hospital, facilities in Attleboro return to masking for all with rise in virus cases » The Sun Chronicle

FL: No more anonymous shell companies buying houses: A landmark Rubio law to go into effect » WLRN

Temporary shelters meet overflow requirement » Salem News

Healey nominates local lawyer Bernadette Stark for Probate and Family Court judgeship » Gazette Net

NJ: minimum wage crosses $15 threshold » NJBIZ

NJ: N.J.’s unemployment rate increase ranks highest in nation » NJ.com

Starbucks union fight is grinding down the company — and workers at local cafes » Boston Globe

Beacon Hill Roll Call: Senate support of Gov. Maura Healey » Lowell Sun

Attleboro officials take oaths of office on Tuesday » The Sun Chronicle

“The journey ahead will not be easy:” Macksey sworn in for second term, Sapienza voted council president as North Adams organizes government » WAMC

Open Meeting Law complaints filed against Lowell City Council » Lowell Sun

Boston City Council starts new year with pay hike to $115,000 » Boston Herald

Editorial: Does Boston City Council deserve pay hike? » Boston Herald

Where the Springfield City Council Went While Following the Lederman » Western Mass. Politics and Insight

Improvements coming at War Memorial Pool area in Amherst » Gazette Net

Springfield mayor, city councilors sworn in at New Year’s Day inauguration » MassLive

Ed Flynn reflects on leading Boston City Council during ‘challenging’ time » Boston Herald

NJ: Sen. Sacco’s retirement leaves New Jersey Legislature with just three dual officeholders » New Jersey Monitor

2024 means new laws kick in for Mass. and new leadership for Boston » NBC Boston

Massachusetts politics could have a rollercoaster 2024 as Beacon Hill buckles up for the ride » Boston Herald

Opinion: Xylazine, a new scourge in the drug addiction crisis » Boston Globe

‘These are human beings’: Douglass Project comes to Mass., bringing community leaders and inmates together » Boston Globe

Every police ‘bad shoot’ should be treated as a system failure » Commonwealth Beacon

Opinion: Those in states with abortion protections can’t be complacent » Boston Globe

Tax cuts signed into law by Gov. Healey take effect as 2024 begins » Axios

Massachusetts tax bill goes into effect in 2024: Bringing money back to taxpayers » News 22 WWLP.com

To tackle poverty, more states will offer bigger child tax credits in 2024 » WBUR

MBTA is eliminating frustrating slow zones at record pace » Boston Globe

Social Media Spotlight

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CBS Boston Keller @ Large: Does the Massachusetts GOP have any path to comeback? WCVB Channel 5 Boston OTR Year in Review: Warren faces strong headwinds as she seeks reelection

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Podcast Spotlight

New England Public Media Beacon Hill in 5: It's the New year and new laws are in effect in Massachusetts Wall St. Journal Minute Briefing: Oil Rises Following Red Sea Tensions

Pioneer Institute Study Finds Massachusetts Saw Four-Fold Loss of Income to Net Outmigration » Pioneer Institute

Small Business Saturday to Kick off Free Parking at Select Locations on Saturdays Through Dc. 28 to Promote Local Engagement » City of Worcester

The Mass Leads Act Gains Momentum: Extending Permits and Offering Protections for Developers » Bowditch & Dewey

MTA statement on implementing new high-school graduation requirement » Massachusetts Teachers Association

MMA webinar covers key legal issues related to holiday displays » Mass. Municipal Association

Resident Charged with Arson in Apartment Complex Fire » MA Department of Fire Services

Critical Drought Declared Across Massachusetts » MA Department of Fire Services

Healey-Driscoll Administration, UMass Lowell and Boston University Launch New Initiative to Advance Clean Energy and Build Geothermal Workforce » MA Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs

Governor Healey Signs Executive Order Granting State Recognition to Herring Pond Wampanoag Tribe » Office of Gov. Maura Healey and Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll

MSA Honors Individuals at 2024 Law Enforcement & Corrections Awards Ceremony » Mass. Sheriffs’ Association