THE LEGISLATURE suspended its rules and whisked through a climate change bill on Thursday that seeks to make Massachusetts the “Saudi Arabia of wind,” promotes the adoption of zero emission […]
Government
Posted inState Government
State budget is a lot more than just a spending plan
FRAIDY REISS, who leads the New Jersey-based advocacy group Unchained At Last, has been fighting to end child marriage in Massachusetts for six years, lobbying lawmakers and testifying at hearings. […]
Posted inState Government
Senate’s $4B economic development bill provides faster tax relief
THE MASSACHUSETTS SENATE released a $4 billion economic development bill on Monday that includes some key spending differences from a House bill in areas like education, human services, and housing. […]
Posted inState Government
Final budget deal boosts revenue by $2.66 billion
LEGISLATIVE BUDGET writers vastly increased their estimate of how much tax revenue the state will get next year in order to fund the priorities of both the House and Senate […]
Posted inState Government
Negotiators reach agreement ‘in principle’ on state budget
TWO WEEKS INTO the fiscal year, legislative budget writers have reached an agreement on the fiscal 2023 state budget. Ways and Means chairs Rep. Aaron Michlewitz and Sen. Michael Rodrigues […]
Posted inState Government
Abortion bill nears finish line, with one hurdle left
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE MASSACHUSETTS LAWMAKERS can get to work crafting a final reproductive rights bill following the Senate’s unanimous vote Wednesday, and distance between the branches on an approach […]
Posted inState Government
Money for crime victim services in budget limbo
WHEN IT IS fully staffed, the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center employs 50 people who run its hotline for sexual assault victims, provide referrals, offer counseling, support survivors in the […]
Posted inState Government
New tax credit for live performances surfaces again
HOUSE LEADERS are trying once again to launch a new tax credit to lure live theater, dance, and musical productions to Massachusetts. The so-called live performance tax credit received little […]
Posted inCriminal Justice
A new women’s prison is not the answer
LAST MONTH, three days before the Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade, women in Massachusetts lost another opportunity for bodily autonomy and personal dignity when the Massachusetts Department of Correction […]
Posted inPolitics, State Government
House proposes $1b in short and long-term tax relief
HOUSE LEADERS rolled out a $523.5 million package of permanent tax breaks on Monday that, when combined with $510 million in one-time payments to middle-income residents proposed last week, would […]
Posted inCourts, Politics, State Government
SJC upholds no-excuse voting by mail
THE SUPREME JUDICIAL COURT will uphold the VOTES Act, the new law that allows Massachusetts residents to vote early by mail for any reason. The court on Monday announced that […]
Posted inCourts, Criminal Justice, State Government
Governor’s Council candidate would seek pro-choice, anti-racist judges
IF MARA DOLAN were interviewing a judicial nominee, she would want to know three things: whether the person supports abortion rights, whether they understand substance use disorders, and whether they […]
Posted inState Government
Legislature releasing $500 million tax break package
HOUSE AND SENATE LEADERS will roll out a $500 million package of tax breaks that will address many – though not all – of the tax cuts that Gov. Charlie Baker […]
Posted inState Government, State House News Service
House approves veterans bill, pandemic policy extensions
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE WITH JUST 24 days left to pass significant legislation until the House and Senate hibernate until early 2023, more is being added to the Legislature’s joint […]
Posted inEconomy
Legislature may send residents $250 checks
THE MASSACHUSETTS LEGISLATURE intends to take up a bill that would send $250 checks to more than 2 million low and middle-income Massachusetts residents. As many residents struggle with inflation […]
Posted inEconomy
Budget surplus could reach $3.6 billion
MASSACHUSETTS CONTINUES TO be swimming in cash. After dire warnings early in the pandemic, COVID-19 has proven to be an economic boon to Massachusetts, primarily because of federal largesse. Congress’ […]
Posted inState Government, State House News Service
House bids for slots in veterans halls
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE REPRESENTATIVES WILL vote Thursday on a wide-reaching veterans bill that also features a gambling expansion proposal that is unpopular in the Senate and could create “complexity” […]
Posted inState Government, State House News Service
Senate approves pandemic policy extensions bill
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE DURING ITS FIRST session of the final month of serious legislating, the Massachusetts Senate on Tuesday released and passed a bill further extending some pandemic-era policies. […]
Posted inState Government, State House News Service
Baker tax relief bill clears committee mostly intact
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE THE LEGISLATURE’S Revenue Committee advanced a $600 million tax relief package on Friday, but the panel’s House chairman said the measure remains a work in progress. […]
Posted inState Government
Long to-do list for end of legislative session
IT’S JULY 1, and this month is shaping up to be an enormously busy one on Beacon Hill. There’s one month until the Legislature wraps up its business for the […]
Posted inHealth Care
House passes abortion provider protections as advocates clamor for more
THE MASSACHUSETTS House on Wednesday passed a bill protecting Massachusetts abortion providers from adverse consequences by other states and requiring insurers to cover abortion care. Yet even with the Legislature’s […]
Posted inCourts, State Government
MassGOP challenges vote-by-mail law
PERMANENT MAIL-IN voting is now the law in Massachusetts – unless Republican Party chair Jim Lyons has his way. The conservative GOP chair filed a lawsuit with the Supreme Judicial […]
Posted inState Government
Senate staff get raises and pay scale changes – but no union
MASSACHUSETTS SENATE staff seeking to unionize have gotten a big portion of what they want – minus the union. Senate President Karen Spilka on Wednesday announced a new compensation system […]
Posted inEducation
Massachusetts can lead in supporting LGBTQ+ youth
RECENT LEGISLATIVE ACTION in Texas and Florida reminds us that LGBTQ+ youth continue to be targeted and criminalized for expressing their gender identity. Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” law prohibits instruction […]
