Gov. Maura Healey on Wednesday recommended statutory changes to the decades-old Right to Shelter Law.
Sam Doran | State House News Service
Posted inTransportation
Free bus rides help regional transit hit new highs
Ridership among regional transit authorities shot up to 2.345 million in June 2024, surpassing the pre-Covid level of 2.131 million rides in June 2019. RTA officials cheered the newly fare-free bus rides people are taking around the state.
Posted inState Government
Mass. preps for American revolution’s 250th anniversary
“And part of the launch today is to make sure we get ahead of this, because we are the birthplace,” said Gov. Maura Healey.
Posted inState Government
Budget, gun control bills near finish line
Lawmakers would need to ship the final budget to Healey by Sunday to guarantee their ability to push through any spending or policy ideas over the governor’s objection.
Posted inGovernment
Cape Cod DA pays $5,000 ethics fine
Both infractions of the conflict of interest law date to February 2023, the commission said, and Wednesday’s announcement concluded an inquiry into District Attorney Robert Galibois II that began last May.
Posted inGovernment
Despite latest court ruling, lawmakers dragging feet on home equity theft
The Massachusetts law known as Chapter 60 allows a city or town to foreclose on a person’s house to pay a tax debt, then keep the full value of the real estate beyond the amount of the debt.
Posted inImmigration
Senate, House cut deal on emergency shelter funding
Top lawmakers crafting the compromise supplemental budget bill landed on pulling an additional $251 million for fiscal 2024 from the so-called Transitional Escrow Account, a one-time revenue source that boasts a balance of $863 million.
Posted inMarijuana
Healey makes history with marijuana mega-pardon
Healey said her move makes Massachusetts “the first state to take action” since President Joseph Biden in 2022 asked the nation’s governors to follow his lead on pardoning simple cannabis possession convictions.
Posted inCourts
Wolohojian confirmed on 6-1 vote
An Appeals Court jurist of 16 years and former partner at the firm now known as WilmerHale, Wolohojian’s nomination has drawn public scrutiny because of her past personal relationship with the governor. Healey and the judge shared a home in Charlestown for several years.
Posted inState Government
Baker portrait hung at State House
Charlie Baker’s official portrait, unveiled at a private soiree December 21 in the State House library, was up on the wall this week in the lobby of the executive suite for all to see.
Posted inState Government, State House News Service
Senate appealed to AG on DiZoglio’s legislative audit petition
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE AUDITOR DIANA DIZOGLIO’S proposed ballot-box appeal to crack open the Legislature’s books for her inspection cleared a key hurdle last Wednesday. And it turns out that […]
Posted inHealth, State Government, State House News Service
State Police union claims victory over ‘tyranny’
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE THE PRESIDENT of the State Police union took a victory lap on Monday after an arbitrator ruled in favor of seven troopers who had remained on […]
Posted inState Government, State House News Service
Still no budget, but it’s coming
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE TOP HOUSE AND SENATE Democrats negotiating the fiscal 2024 state budget, which is now four weeks overdue, announced Friday afternoon they had “reached an agreement in […]
Posted inGuns
Another House-Senate squabble, this time over gun legislation
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE WITH THE UNFINISHED fiscal 2024 budget, a road and bridge funding bill, and even their internal rules still tied up in slow-moving backroom negotiations, House and […]
Posted inState Government, State House News Service
Healey withholds records on abortion pill plan
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE A FEDERAL JUDGE hadn’t even ruled yet on suspending approval of the abortion pill mifepristone in April when Gov. Maura Healey orchestrated a major reserve shipment […]
Posted inEnergy, State Government, State House News Service
Thong-wearing climate activists turn their cheeks in Senate
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE THONG-WEARING climate activists intent on stopping fossil fuel infrastructure mooned senators and disrupted Thursday’s tax relief debate in the Massachusetts Senate. About an hour later, they […]
Posted inHealth, Health Care, State House News Service
Healey gives life science firms $24.4m in tax breaks
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE GOV. MAURA HEALEY and the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center announced $24.4 million in tax incentive awards Tuesday that they expect will help 43 life sciences companies […]
Posted inState Government, State House News Service
Healey taps Rep. Santiago as veterans secretary
STATAE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE GOV. MAURA HEALEY will tap Rep. Jon Santiago of Boston, a major in the US Army Reserve, as the state’s next veterans’ services secretary, Healey announced […]
Posted inPolitics
Moran moves into House’s No. 2 spot
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE REPS. MIKE MORAN of Boston, Alice Peisch of Wellesley, and Frank Moran of Lawrence all got big promotions Thursday as House Democrats rolled out their committee […]
Posted inPolitics
Some Senate Dems on fence on term limit issue
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE AS SENATE DEMOCRATS emerged Wednesday from a private caucus in President Karen Spilka’s office, they had mixed reactions to the proposed removal of a decades-old term […]
Posted inState Government, State House News Service
Under new rules, House returns to in-person sessions
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE THE HOUSE on Wednesday unanimously adopted its rules for the two-year term that began four weeks ago, agreeing to eliminate a pandemic-era policy that allowed representatives […]
Posted inEnvironment
Healey greets Mothers Out Front at her office door
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE A CLIMATE JUSTICE GROUP got a last-minute speaker at its State House rally on Wednesday — Gov. Maura Healey, who told a group of mostly mothers […]
Posted inImmigration, State House News Service
Signature effort on immigrant driver’s license law nears goal
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE THE CAMPAIGN to repeal the new driver’s license law, which is set to open up license access to immigrants without legal status in Massachusetts, said it […]
Posted inState Government, State House News Service
Spilka sees no path forward for staff unionization
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE LEGISLATIVE STAFF have waited around four months to learn whether Senate President Karen Spilka would recognize their unionization effort with IBEW Local 2222, and on Thursday […]