9:00am Joint Committee on Housing, Committee Hearing

9:30am Executive Office of Health & Human Services Public Hearing, Via Zoom

10:00am Executive Office of Veterans' Services Public Hearing, Via Microsoft Teams

10:00am Network of Women in Solidarity Conference, Great Hall, State House, Boston

10:30am Joint Committee on Ways & Means, Committee Hearing

12:00pm Joint Committee on Municipalities & Regional Government, Committee Hearing

Healey faces heat over proposed reentry cuts » Commonwealth Beacon

How the wife of a former Worcester firefighter became the loudest voice in the push to remove toxic chemicals from turnout gear » Spectrum News

New Director Seen As "Major Step" At Cannabis Commission » State House News Service

Ex-top aide to Mass. state senator to serve jail time for tax fraud » MassLive

Mass. GOP Chair Carnevale discusses Trump primary win, divisions within state party » WAMC

What lies beneath towns may be the downfall of the MBTA Communities law » WGBH

Quincy city councilor and cryptocurrency champion is weighing Republican bid against Elizabeth Warren » Boston Globe

The North End is ‘at war’ with Mayor Michelle Wu, restaurant owner says » Boston Herald

Why we need more Parole Board members » Commonwealth Beacon

RI: ‘We still have a great deal of work left’: R.I. speaker’s 2024 housing bills aimed to spur, streamline new construction » Boston Globe

NY: The Adams administration quietly hired its first AI czar. Who is he? » City & State New York

NJ: New Jerseyans to Menendez: Get out » Politico

IL: Democrats fight over West Side congressional seat » Axios

NC: Mark Robinson, Trump’s Pick for North Carolina Governor, Wants to “Go Back to the America Where Women Couldn’t Vote” » Vanity Fair

FL: Florida Senate won’t confirm Moms for Liberty co-founder to ethics board » Orlando Sentinel

FL: Amid rising cases, Orange County jail screens inmates for syphilis » Orlando Sentinel

CA: Katie Porter Doubles Down on Claim Her Election Loss Was “Rigged” » Vanity Fair

CA: San Francisco, the liberal beacon, embraces conservative ballot measures » Washington Post

OR: Portland may rewrite its daytime ban on homeless camping » Oregon Live

WA: Seattle among first to get double-decker wireless electric buses » Axios

Cyberattack Paralyzes the Largest U.S. Health Care Payment System » New York Times

Republican Katie Britt Ruthlessly Mocked for SOTU Response » Newsweek

Senator Brian Schatz Explains What Donald Trump’s “Fascism” Would Mean for America » Vanity Fair

The Roots of the Right’s Love of Dictators » The Bulwark

AI safety group taps ex-Schumer staffer as lobbyist » POLITICO Pro

Trump's lawyers are hunting for the identities of secret consultants who approved Russiagate Pulitzer Prizes » Business Insider

Offering a Choice of ‘Revenge’ vs. ‘Decency,’ Biden Strikes a Contrast With Trump » New York Times

An expulsion couldn’t keep George Santos from attending the State of the Union » Boston Globe

US gained 275K jobs in February, beating expectations » The Hill

Trump’s Truth Social sputtered during State of Union address » Boston Herald

Four takeaways from President Biden’s third State of the Union address » Boston Globe

Lowry: The rise of Trump nostalgia » Boston Herald

Biden uses feisty State of the Union to contrast with Trump, sell voters on a second term » Boston Globe

Some Massachusetts restaurants had an ‘exceptionally weak’ start of the year: Was Dry January to blame? » Boston Herald

Diversity advocates concerned new federal ruling will affect minority-focused business efforts » WGBH

Gov. Healey visits Hopkinton business to tout investment in state's life sciences industry » The Metro West Daily News

Worcester chamber creates $2.5M fund for economic development » Worcester Business Journal

Labor Secretary touts tools for businesses to get help » Gloucester Times

Revs stadium plan will finally get its day on Beacon Hill » Boston Globe

Boston Scientific likely faces FTC scrutiny on $3.7 billion Axonics deal » Boston Globe

GE Aerospace sets tone with post-breakup profit goal, dividend » Boston Globe

Boston liquor licenses can cost $600k or more. That's an equity issue. » Boston Globe

Clean energy unicorn receives $50M to accelerate Devens development » Boston Business Journal

AGs want Meta to better protect accounts » Boston Herald

A big change is coming to Massachusetts cannabis delivery. Companies can’t wait » MassLive

Spreading message of coexistence: Palestinian, Jewish Israelis bring cause to UMass » Gazette Net

Almost 50 people arrested at South Station protest calling for ceasefire in Gaza » Boston.com

Boston police arrest protesters at Dewey Square calling for cease-fire in Gaza » WBUR

Charges dismissed against majority of protesters who targeted Raytheon in Tewksbury » Lowell Sun

Boston reparations task force will not complete work by end-of-year target » WBUR

Massachusetts Senate plans another push for major early education and child care bill » WBUR

Senate child care bill announced Thursday aims at increasing aid to families » Spectrum News

A moving MAC moment: UMass formally introduced as 13th member of the Mid-American Conference » Gazette Net

Lawsuit filed against MIT accuses the university of allowing antisemitism on campus » Boston.com

Explosive request to deploy National Guard in Brockton fraught with 'historical overtones' » The Enterprise

After backlash, Harvard professor holds tense conversation on Israeli-Palestinian conflict » Boston Globe

Massachusetts ramps up financial oversight for 2 faith-based colleges » Higher Ed Dive

Opinion: Brockton students need support, not the National Guard » Boston Globe

Editorial: A bachelor’s in three years? Colleges just got a green light to get in the game. » Boston Globe

This Cape Cod golf course was going to be 300-plus apartments. Now, it’s set to be a private school. » Boston Globe

Students at embattled Brockton High will soon have to lock up their phones » Boston.com

School Groups Warn Lawmakers Of "Funding Cliff" » State House News Service

What would the Mass. Senate's new child care proposal do for you? » WBUR

North Adams Regional Hospital is poised to open this month. The public just got a glimpse of the renovated inpatient unit » Berkshire Eagle

Amylyx stock implodes following trial failure of ALS drug » Boston Business Journal

Stapleton: State must continue to invest in nursing homes » Boston Herald

Southcoast Health interested in acquiring Steward Health Care hospital » Boston Business Journal

Steward Health Care's Fall River hospital has an interested buyer » NBC Boston

Mass. launches new $10.5M program to help 400 migrant families move out of state-run shelters » Boston Herald

Senators Weigh Impacts Of Cap On Shelter Stays » State House News Service

At chamber meeting in Worcester, Gov. Healey touts city's approach to housing » Worcester Telegram

Mass. officials push to pass legislation, open new units to combat housing crisis » WGBH

Stoughton town's leaders concerned about costly, outsized role in Massachusetts shelter crisis » WCVB

Homelessness surges across Pioneer Valley » News 22 WWLP.com

Historic Back Bay building now has state’s largest homeless housing development » MassLive

Fiola, Haddad, Schmid and Silvia all vote against Residency Requirement for Right to Shelter Law a second time » Fall River Reporter

She thought her son’s day care closed due to a family death. Turns out it was cocaine trafficking. » Boston Globe

Moore: Biden spurred another immigration calamity » Boston Herald

Briefings: MGM Poker & Table Game Employees to Vote on Dealing in a Union » Western Mass. Politics & Insight

Sam Adams brewer has long kept former employees on a tight leash. Now some are suing to break free. » Boston Globe

Former MA Senator’s Chief of Staff sentenced for tax fraud » News 22 WWLP.com

Cyberattack, migrants top Lowell School Committee agenda » Lowell Sun

New Bedford Mayor: Republican Ballot Issues ‘Unacceptable,’ Review Underway » WBSM

Milton Planning Board eyes two zoning plans » Commonwealth Beacon

Northborough expected to move to hybrid meetings soon » Community Advocate

Hong Net and Sean Reid announce candidacy for State Representative » Lynn Daily News Item

Mass. Prez Primary Turnout About 25 Percent » State House News Service

1.2M Mass. voters cast ballots on Super Tuesday, state says » MassLive

Nearly half of Mass. primary voters cast an early ballot » WBUR

Pressley’s State of Union guest a teacher paid six-figures with home assessed at $1M given $117,000 student debt ‘relief’ » Boston Herald

Amid squabbles with union, Medford mayor taps interim fire chief. But the clash seems far from over. » Boston Globe

Worcester County Sheriff's Office cited by AG for improper removal of asbestos » Worcester Telegram

NJ: Assembly committee advances gas tax with no amendments amid scattered opposition » POLITICO Pro

NJ: NJ Transit needs to delay 15% fare hike, lawmakers demand » NJ.com

MBTA warns ahead of South Coast Rail: Dumping on railroad tracks 'a life-threatening risk' » The Herald News

Parent of Avangrid wants to own all of it » Boston Globe

Social Media Spotlight

repmcgovern adamgomezma massdot

---

CBS Boston Keller @ Large: Biden slams Trump in State of the Union address GBH News Why Nikki Haley's run matters for Trump and Biden

---

Podcast Spotlight

WGBH What is Owed: The Government's Burden BBC Global News Podcast: Biden targets Trump in combative speech

HB3905 - An Act expanding the Select Board of the Town of Sharon

HB3810 - An Act dissolving the Hampshire County Regional Housing Authority and incorporating its functions into the Northampton Housing Authority

HB2048 - An Act relative to the Auburn Water District clerk and treasurer

HB4221 - An Act amending the special act charter of the town of Northampton

HB4220 - An Act amending the act authorizing the town of Deerfield to construct and operate systems of sewers.

HB4197 - An Act authorizing the town of Richmond to continue the employment of Steven Traver as fire chief

HB4196 - An Act authorizing the town of West Stockbridge to continue the employment of Steven Traver as fire chief

HB4191 - An Act authorizing the city of Greenfield to grant an additional license for the sale of all alcoholic beverages to be drunk on the premises

SB2537 - An Act establishing a sick leave bank for Danielle Marie Cruz, an employee of the trial court

SB2553 - An Act to provide for the continuance of the town of Hingham's senior means-tested property tax exemption

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