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MassInsider

Wednesday, May 8th, 2024

Today on Beacon Hill

10:00am Mass. Nurses Association Day of Advocacy, Grand Staircase, State House, Boston

1:00pm Joint Committee on Municipalities & Regional Government, Committee Hearing

Last day for late filed proposals for amendments to the Constitution

Deadline for reporting of the FY25 House Ways & Means budget

Must-Reads

MASSACHUSETTS

One-Time Revenue Patchwork Supports Senate Spending Plans » State House News Service

Hoping to slow loss of young workers, Healey pushes for jobs bill » Boston Globe

Supreme Court to rule on city's homeless encampment ban. What will it mean for Worcester? » Worcester Telegram

As offshore wind struggles, are longer contracts the answer? » Boston Globe

John Deaton, Warren’s Republican challenger, visits border to ‘truly understand’ immigration » Boston Herald

Boston appoints new director for police watchdog agency amid scrutiny from advocates » Boston Globe

What reclassifying cannabis could mean for Mass. businesses » Axios

SJC ponders environmental justice, East Boston substation » Commonwealth Beacon

Voters reject MBTA zoning changes at fiery Town Meeting » Marblehead Current

THE OTHER 49

NH: Child marriage ban clears both N.H. legislative chambers after several false starts » Boston Globe

NY: NYS Board of Regents considers gender-neutral rule for school sports » newsday

GA: With 2024 presidential contest looming, Georgia governor signs new election changes into law » AP News

GA: Fulton DA Fani Willis won’t cooperate with state Senate probe » Atlanta Journal-Constitution

GA: Governor vetoes tax breaks for data centers, homestead exemption bump and higher ed assistance » Georgia Recorder

FL: As students protest Israel, has the Florida Democratic Party drifted to the right? » Tampa Bay Times

MN: Gov. Tim Walz signs ‘Taylor Swift bill’ into law, requiring more regulation in the ticketing industry » MPR News

IN: Spartz renominated as Indiana also picks nominees for open seats » Roll Call

SD: Facing Unchecked Syphilis Outbreak, Great Plains Tribes Sought Federal Help. Months Later, No One Has Responded. » ProPublica

CO: Colorado lawmakers strained by personality and politics as 2024 session ends » Axios

CO: What's headed to the finish line at Colorado legislature » Axios

CA: Anger builds over sweeping change in the way most Californians will pay for electricity » Los Angeles Times

MO: How Do You Repurpose a Closed Jail? Competing Visions Clash in St. Louis » Bolts

NATIONAL

TikTok challenges U.S. ban in court, calling it unconstitutional » WBUR

Animal health. Human health. It’s all one. » Vox

Kevin Spacey endorses RFK Jr. » The Hill

Judge indefinitely delays Trump’s classified documents trial in Florida » Washington Post

Donald Trump, an Adonis in His Own Mind, Says Democratic Senator Jon Tester “Looks Pregnant” » Vanity Fair

Stormy Daniels details Trump's sleazy contempt for women » Public Notice

The Airlines’ Secret Billion-Dollar Refund Racket Is Set To End » The Lever

Students in Oregon and across U.S. call for divestment. It’s not so simple. » The Oregonian

“The school even said to the student organizers, 'If you take down the tents, we will make warming rooms available inside that you can [use] 24 hours a day,'” she added. “And the response was that the students, the organizers, wanted to get arrested, and would keep the tents up to get arrested.”
Mayor Michelle Wu
Wu on Tuesday defended the recent clearance of a pro-Palestinian encampment at Emerson College by Boston Police, saying a city ordinance prohibiting encampments can't be selectively applied and that the protesters there “wanted to get arrested.”

News By Category

Beltway Politics

Lowry: Sorry Biden, America just isn’t into you » Boston Herald

Business

Building agricultural resiliency: During tour with Senate leaders, Oliveira shows off research at UMass Cold Springs Orchard in Belchertown » Gazette Net

iRobot names its new, permanent 'turnaround' CEO » Boston Business Journal

Public gets a look at progress on Northampton Resilience Hub » Gazette Net

Gates-backed battery maker files for bankruptcy » Axios

Satayan Mahajan returns to startup mode at Datalign, a Cogo Labs spinout » Boston Globe

Cannabis & Psychedelics

Editorial: Psychedelics ballot question too far a reach » Sentinel & Enterprise

Cannabis testing a contributing factor in shortage of licensed commercial drivers » New England Public Media

Civil Rights

Biden condemns a ‘ferocious surge’ of antisemitism in the United States » Boston Globe

Education

How we can further expand access to higher ed in Mass. (Viewpoint) » MassLive

Boston Mayor Wu says Emerson College student protesters wanted to be arrested » Boston Herald

What to know about the Mass. Senate's free community college proposal » WBUR

Dozens arrested after UMass Amherst protestors once again set up encampment » WBUR

What we can learn from 4 schools that have reached agreements with Gaza protesters » WBUR

Wu: Emerson protesters 'wanted to get arrested' » WGBH

Two Miss Hall's alums detail alleged grooming and sexual misconduct by former teacher » Berkshire Eagle

A lesson is emerging as Harvard and MIT face continuing protests: Negotiating can help » Boston Globe

MIT suspends ‘dozens’ of anti-Israel student protesters for refusing to clear encampment » Boston Herald

UMass Amherst calls in police to disperse new pro-Palestinian encampment » Boston Globe

MIT quietly ends diversity statements in hiring as leaders try to manage protests on campus » WBUR

Concord schools hit with cyber attack, officials say » Boston Globe

Calm before the storm: Overnight at MIT’s student-led, pro-Palestinian camp, two days before police arrived » Boston Globe

Clashes, 135 Arrests At UMass Amherst Protest » State House News Service

Comerford: Free community college plan will lift up students, offer immediate return on investment » Gazette Net

MIT says it will suspend dozens of students who reclaimed pro-Palestinian encampment » WCVB

Town manager’s plan shorts Amherst Regional Schools’ budget » Gazette Net

Environment

Editorial: Will spiking price of meat & dairy save the planet? » Boston Herald

Opinion: A $19 Big Mac meal is a good thing » Boston Globe

Federal

Toxic culture is the norm at the FDIC, outside review cites 500 employee complaints » WBUR

Health Care

The 3rd-largest Mass. hospital system is in bankruptcy. Here’s what you need to know » WBUR

Bankrupt Steward hopes to sell Massachusetts hospitals by end of June » Boston Globe

Massachusetts AG Andrea Campbell blasts Steward in bankruptcy court » Boston Herald

Housing

Map: Nearly 200 towns must rezone under the MBTA Communities law. Has your town complied? » Boston Globe

Marblehead Town Meeting votes down new zoning to comply with MBTA Communities law » Boston Globe

Labor

Mass. College Grads In Healey's Sights » State House News Service

Local Government

Town Meeting voters shoot down STR proposal; Night two opening with proposed youth hostel purchase » The Inquirer and Mirror

'History has been made.' Mashpee voters take $96.1M stand on more sewers, connections » Cape Cod Times

Billerica Town Manager John Curran takes sudden leave of absence » Lowell Sun

Select Board recommends articles 2, 4 for tonight's Special Town Meeting » Your Arlington

School assessment, electricity program among items on Pelham Town Meeting docket » Gazette Net

Easthampton native named Whately town administrator » Gazette Net

Fuller fends off challenge, wins 10th term on Chesterfield Select Board » Gazette Net

Easthampton to use built-up reserves to help cover $57.1M budget next year » Gazette Net

Politics

Deepfakes Bill Targets "Synthetic Media" Use In Elections » State House News Service

Boston City Hall sexual harassment lawsuit goes to trial Wednesday » Boston Herald

Opinion: Protesters’ motivations are an issue for some » Boston Globe

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu used campaign funds for ‘electeds of color’ holiday party, records show » Boston Herald

Howie Carr: Hippie hootenannies for Hamas revolting » Boston Herald

Public Health

Could bird flu become the next COVID? How worried should we be? » Boston Globe

Reproductive Rights

NY: New York’s abortion rights amendment thrown off ballot, for now » Politico

State Finance

Free Rides, College Feature In Senate Budget » State House News Service

Senate budget plan makes community college free, eliminates RTA fares » Commonwealth Beacon

Rodrigues: "We Know The Dance" As Senate, House Get Down To Budget Biz » State House News Service

Cash for roads & schools? Yes. Online Lottery? No: Mass. Senate rolls out $57.9B budget » MassLive

State Government

State Senator Jake Oliveira welcomes Senate Delegation for tour of Western Mass to hear regional priorities. » MassLive

Healey Outlines Trade Trip Stops In Italy » State House News Service

Taxation

Editorial: The outlook isn’t good for Wu’s tax hike plan » Boston Globe

Transportation

Sumner Tunnel closure this summer will only be half as long as expected » WGBH

Mass. Senate’s $57.9B budget proposal does not cover MBTA operating budget gap » Boston Herald

Senate budget would make regional transit free and better connected » WGBH

East Boston’s Sumner Tunnel will be closed for just a month this summer instead of two » Boston Herald

Press Releases

Weighted Lottery for Vocational HS Admissions is in effect; proposal to block this backed by vocational superintendents in the House budget was NOT included in the final House-Senate Conference Committtee » Vocational Education Justice Coalition

Brown Rudnick Advises Vor Bio in $125 million Global License Agreement with RemeGen for Ex-China Rights to Telitacicept » Brown Rudnick

Supreme Court Upholds Parental and Religious Rights in Landmark LGBTQ Storybook Ruling » Mass. Family Institute

93 Healthcare Professionals at BMC – Brighton File for Union Election to Join the Massachusetts Nurses Association, Citing Need for a Stronger Voice in Patient Care and Working Conditions » Mass. Nurses Association

Fenway Health Commends Supreme Court Braidwood Decision Preserving Access to PrEP & Other Preventive Care » Fenway Health

AFSCME’s Saunders on SCOTUS decision: We remain undeterred in our commitment to defend our freedoms and democracy » American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME)

Massachusetts RMV Program Initiatives and Staff Receive AAMVA Awards » Massachusetts Department of Transportation

AG Campbell Issues Statement on Supreme Court Decision in Trump v. CASA » Office of Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell

Trump Administration Terminates $45 Million to Protect Massachusetts Farms, Forests, Wetlands » Mass. Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs

MassDOT Announces $6.8 Million Shared Streets & Spaces Program Awards » Massachusetts Department of Transportation, Highway Division

Mass NOW and MTPC’s Second Annual Trans Period Pride » Mass NOW

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