10:00am Physician Assistants Day, Grand Staircase, State House, Boston

11:00am Senate Session, Informal Session

11:00am House Session, Informal Session

AZ: Uber Eats, Waymo to debut autonomous food delivery in Phoenix » Phoenix Business Journal

CT: Town launches petition to fight Eversource rate increase. They hope the whole state signs it. » Hartford Courant

CT: State agency issued $50 million in tax credits without authorization » Hartford Courant

NY: NYC did congestion pricing ‘backwards,’ N.J. lawyer says in court battle over $15 fee » NJ.com

NY: Long-Awaited Placard Report Reveals Widespread Abuse by NYPD » Streets Blog NYC

NJ: Schools still face high absenteeism and discipline problems thanks to pandemic » northersey.com

OH: Ohio marijuana sales expected by end of summer » Axios

WI: Wisconsin voters enshrine amendments that could ‘subvert’ elections in state » The Guardian

GA: GOP, Trump build on immigration fears to push voting restrictions in states » Georgia Recorder

FL: DeSantis just lost the judicial firewall he boasted about » Politico

AL: Alabama Republicans try to 'criminalize librarians simply for doing their jobs' » Raw Story

MO: Missouri's ridiculous lawfare against Media Matters » Public Notice

NV: In Tightening Presidential Battleground, Nevada Senate Moves To Toss Up » The Cook Political Report

WA: Republicans Hatched a Secret Assault on the Voting Rights Act in Washington State » ProPublica

WA: Washington state legislative maps survive Supreme Court appeal in latest battle over Latino voting rights » Courthouse News Service

Governor’s Council approves Healey’s blanket pardon for marijuana possession convictions » Boston Globe

Primary care wait times grow in Mass., pushing some patients to ERs » WBUR

Campbell takes another swipe at electricity retailers » Commonwealth Beacon

‘What exactly have we been doing here?’ ShotSpotter gunshot detection is under fire. » Boston Globe

Private-equity backed health care 'kills people,' Warren says at U.S. Senate hearing » The Enterprise

As hiring freeze takes effect, Healey administration says March revenues rebounded slightly » Boston Globe

Two public radio stations. Two different business models. One future of public radio in Boston hangs in the balance. » Boston Globe

Massachusetts State Police purchased cell-phone surveillance tech that civil liberties watchdogs say invites concerning violations of constitutional protections » BINJ

Less surveillance, more support: New leaders bring new approach to Mass. parole and probation » WGBH

Why Trump still has a ‘Nikki Haley’ problem at the ballot box »

Inside the Terrifyingly Competent Trump 2024 Campaign » Vanity Fair

The Democrats’ Patriotism Problem Revisited » The Liberal Patriot

As Elections Loom, Congressional Maps Challenged as Discriminatory Will Remain in Place » ProPublica

Which states are restricting, or requiring, lessons on race, sex and gender » Washington Post

How Three High-Tech Countries Became Laggards in Electric Vehicles » Bloomberg Politics

Here’s where the Biden-Trump polls stand in 7 swing states » The Hill

How Trump's mind works » Axios

Why is Truth Social so overvalued? » Vox

Will Tim Scott be Trump’s ‘bold’ VP choice? » The Hill

Amazon increased US plastic packaging despite global phase-out, report says » The Guardian

Lucas: Dems determined to stop Camelot 2.0 » Boston Herald

Opinion: More straight shooting needed on Everett soccer stadium proposal » Boston Globe

North Shore firm plans rockin’ life sciences campus in former granite quarry » Boston Globe

Editorial: Governor seeks role for convention centers that goes beyond putting ‘heads on beds’ » Boston Globe

Wu gives out more storefront grants, while looking for ways to extend the popular program » Boston Globe

Editorial: Soccer stadium could give Everett needed $$ kick » Boston Herald

Approval pending for Healey's historic marijuana possession pardons » NBC Boston

Governor's Council approves Healey's pot pardons » The Eagle Tribune

Council Approves Marijuana Possession Mega-Pardon » State House News Service

Massachusetts becomes first state to blanket pardon low-level marijuana charges » Boston Herald

Massachusetts pardons all misdemeanor marijuana possession convictions » Axios

FL: What happens if Florida legalizes recreational marijuana? Where could you buy and smoke? » The Associated Press (AP)

UMass Tees Up 2.5 Percent Tuition Increase » State House News Service

State exit from Holyoke puts spotlight on mixed takeover record » Commonwealth Beacon

Framingham Teachers Union protest pending budget cuts outside City Hall before key vote » The Metro West Daily News

Cost of college in Worcester: Some schools put price tag at more than $80K a year » Worcester Telegram

UMass trustees OK 2.5% tuition increase » Gazette Net

Gov. Maura Healey proclaims April 2–8 ‘Dark Sky Week’ in Massachusetts » the Berkshire edge

State regulators focus on 'environmental justice' » Salem News

EPA awards $20 billion in green bank grants for clean energy projects nationwide » Boston Globe

Amherst set to start work on trail system at old Hickory Ridge Golf Course » Gazette Net

Springfield mayor, MGM executives meet to talk about possible casino sale » MassLive

'Rest easy.' Mashpee tribe praises Supreme Court action preserving 321 acres in trust » Cape Cod Times

Warren, Markey knock 'looting' of health care by private equity » WGBH

Markey Using Steward In Federal Legislative Push » State House News Service

Markey, Warren focus on Steward Health Care in push for stronger regulations » NBC Boston

Markey and Warren rip Steward’s bosses for ‘rot of their greed’ at State House hearing » Boston Globe

Amylyx withdraws ALS drug after trial fail, slashes headcount » Boston Business Journal

Markey, Warren blast Steward and its CEO at congressional hearing in Boston » WBUR

Judge grants receivership for historic Mission Hill nursing home on the brink of closure » Boston Globe

In a reversal, state’s largest private insurer will cover new Alzheimer’s drug from Biogen » Boston Globe

Coward! Steward Health CEO dodges Senate hearing » Boston Herald

Housing bond bill is an ‘economic winner’ for Mass., Lt. Gov. Driscoll says » MassLive

$4B housing bill worries some local officials, is a ‘necessity’ others say » Boston Herald

Northeast Arc CEO: Healey housing bill offers opportunity to work together » Boston Business Journal

NY: Is NYC really facing a ‘squatter’ problem? Lawyers on both sides say no. » Gothamist

Why Boston homeowners looking to sell should wait for May » Axios

State legislators, advocates urge $20M bridge funding for crime victim support groups » Worcester Telegram

Plan to turn former Cape Cod nursing home into family shelter sparks concern amid migrant crisis » Boston Herald

U.S. Rep. Neal scopes out new veterans home » Gazette Net

Proposed ‘buffer zone’ around Karen Read trial opposed by observers, ACLU » Boston Herald

NJ: unemployment system improved but over 700K still face barriers, report says » northjersey.com

New rule strengthening federal job protections could counter Trump promises to remake the government » Boston Globe

Five Blue Bottle Coffee locations in Greater Boston unionize » Boston Globe

5 groups, including ACLU, call on Worcester to restore online checkbook after T&G report » Worcester Telegram

Battenfeld: Does Ayanna Pressley really represent her constituents’ top needs? » Boston Herald

Nighttime gunshots may harm health and sleep of millions, Mass General study finds » Boston Herald

Community Justice Support Center offers alternative to incarceration » The Eagle Tribune

Opinion: Predators with badges » Boston Globe

Family of Vermont mother who died in police custody in 2018 reaches tentative settlement with City of Springfield » Boston Globe

Massachusetts searches for new Department of Correction Commissioner » WBUR

Holyoke woman files suit against city, 2 officers over forceful arrest a year ago » Gazette Net

Amherst police chief finalists stress anti-racism cred, discuss other issues in separate meetings with public » Gazette Net

Massachusetts March revenues ‘more positive than we expected,’ Gov. Healey says » Boston Herald

Tax Collections Rebound in March, But Admin Still Wary » State House News Service

First Youth Advisory Council to the governor sworn in » Lowell Sun

Memo outlines state’s strict new hiring rules; Healey insists there’s no ‘freeze’ » Boston Herald

Critics Say Healey's Hiring Controls Are Too Late » State House News Service

House Hesitates As Galvin Knocks Document Access Redraft » State House News Service

Boston city councilor opposes Mayor Wu’s plan to raise commercial tax rates » Boston Herald

A Black pastor retired and started driving for a car service on the Cape. Quickly, he started getting pulled over. » Boston Globe

Facing delays, MBTA says Worcester’s Union Station’s new platform opens this spring » MassLive

Massachusetts RMV unable to process transactions due to statewide outage » CBS News

Boston pushing for 15-20 mph citywide speed limit after pedestrian deaths » Boston Herald

AG: Mass. residents have lost more than $577M to competitive electric suppliers » MassLive

AG: Competitive Suppliers Missed "Perfect" Savings Opportunity » State House News Service

Social Media Spotlight

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GBH News Are you ready to return to the office? Some Boston companies want to phase out WFH CBS Boston Mass. Gov. Healey hits brakes on hiring for some state jobs WCVB Channel 5 Boston Steward CEO a no-show in Boston for Senate hearing on health care

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Podcast Spotlight

Boston Bar Association The Latest on the Law: Consumer Debt Relief for Human Trafficking Survivors: Implementation of the Federal Debt Bondage Repair Act in Massachusetts Bloomberg Zero: The climate watchdog holding the UK Government to account Ballotpedia On the Ballot: BP CEO Leslie Graves on engaging young voters

HB3998 - An Act authorizing the town of Holliston to continue the employment of Mark Dellicker as deputy fire chief until a maximum age of 70

SB2609 - An Act designating a certain bridge in the city of Leominster as the Honorable John Walter Olver memorial bridge.

SB2705 - An Act establishing a sick leave bank for Tiffany Brennan, an employee of the trial court of the Commonwealth

SB2487 - An Act authorizing changing the name of board of selectmen to select board and the title of selectmen to select board member in the town of Charlton

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