The trip comes as state energy policies shaped through a series of clean energy laws are suddenly at odds with the new direction of federal energy policy under President Donald Trump.
State House News Service
Posted inHealth Care
State orders open access to free prenatal vitamins, birth control
“We know that prenatal vitamins and birth control play an essential role in women’s health. No one should be prevented from getting the care they need because of cost or because they are waiting for a prescription,” Healey said in a statement.
Posted inEconomy
AG Campbell: Medical research change could ‘undermine our economy’
Attorney General Andrea Campbell and nearly two dozen of her peers sued the Trump administration and federal health care agencies Monday, alleging that they unlawfully moved to cut crucial federal dollars for research.
Posted inPolitics
Healey plans to seek reelection in 2026
“And I feel like we’ve done all those things, and there’s a heck of a lot more to do. And so I plan to run for reelection, because there’s a lot more to do.”
Posted inHealth Care
Push continues for brain injury treatment coverage
Sen. Paul Feeney and Rep. Kimberly Ferguson urged survivors Tuesday to share personal stories with lawmakers to help get their brain injury treatment legislation over the finish line in the new session.
Posted inState Government
Mass. scrambles to understand, react to fed funding freeze
The Trump administration’s move to pause trillions of dollars in federal spending triggered an avalanche of uncertainty, panic and outrage, including a lawsuit from Attorney General Andrea Campbell and several of her counterparts.
Posted inState Government
Healey budget leans on surtax to drive up spending
Gov. Maura Healey proposed increasing state spending to more than $62 billion next fiscal year, relying on burgeoning income tax collections from the state’s wealthiest and a slew of other budget-balancing strategies in a spending plan unveiled Wednesday.
Posted inImmigration
Trump citizenship order draws quick lawsuit
President Donald Trump’s executive order attempting to redefine birthright citizenship drew an immediate lawsuit from immigrants’ rights groups, including the ACLU of Massachusetts, and another subsequent complaint from Attorney General Andrea Campbell and more than a dozen of her peers.
Posted inState Government
Mass. owes feds $2.1 billion to resolve unemployment mistake
The state will pay the federal government $2.1 billion over the next decade after the Baker administration mistakenly used federal pandemic funds to cover unemployment benefits.
Posted inState Government
Healey expands scope of shelter law shakeup
Gov. Maura Healey on Wednesday recommended statutory changes to the decades-old Right to Shelter Law.
Posted inState Government
DiZoglio not satisfied with Senate Democrats’ audit response
The Senate Subcommittee tasked with handling Auditor Diana DiZoglio’s quest to probe the Legislature agreed Monday to meet with her office but outlined a string of issues.
Posted inState Government
With new term dawning, Spilka eyes K-12 funding reform, primary care overhaul
A newly reelected Senate President Karen Spilka previewed some of her legislative priorities for the 2025-2026 session: reexamining the state’s education funding formula, pressing for primary health care delivery reform, and pushing again to expand juvenile court jurisdiction to include young adults aged 18.
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
Democrats redirect savings deposit to balance state budget
Lawmakers moved Monday to redirect more than half a billion dollars headed for the state’s long-term savings account and instead use it to close a budget gap and fund some additional spending.
Posted inEnergy
Offshore wind contracts put off again until after Trump takes office
The evaluation team negotiating contracts with those projects informed DPU in a letter Thursday that it will not meet Friday’s target for finishing contract talks, or the Dec. 18 target date for contract filings. The evaluation team includes the Department of Energy Resources, National Grid, Eversource and Unitil.
Posted inState Government
Long-stalled economic development bill nears finish line
More than three months after they ended scheduled formal sessions for the term without a deal in place, negotiators announced Thursday an “agreement in principle that resolves the differences between the House and Senate versions of the economic development bill.”
Posted inGambling
Sports betting hits record high in September
Bettors set their own record last month by putting about $678.75 million on the line as wagers on September sporting events. That unseats the previous record monthly handle of $658.7 million wagered on events in December 2023.
Posted inEconomy
Mass. competitiveness affected by ‘tsunami of little things’
“It’s not one factor that’s going to be the silver bullet that makes Massachusetts competitive vis a vis other states. It’s really going to be multifaceted,” said Jane Steinmetz of EY Boston.
Posted inHealth Care
Health care spending takes dramatic leap of 5.8%
Massachusetts has the second-highest family health insurance premiums in the country, and the average annual cost of health care for a family is more than $29,000 when including out-of-pocket spending, the HPC said.
Posted inCriminal Justice
New State Police chief promises review of training death, mum on staffing changes
Noble said Friday he had not been officially briefed on the investigation into the recruit’s death yet, but that he is aware of the situation and a deeper briefing is shortly forthcoming.
Posted inBy The Numbers
State tax revenues lag slightly behind projections
The Department of Revenue said Thursday that it collected $4.518 billion in September — $331 million, or 7.9 percent more, than what was collected during September 2023, but $29 million, or 0.6 percent, below the monthly benchmark.
Posted inState Government
Mass. begins eminent domain taking of St. Elizabeth’s
“Taking the property for a fraction of the assessed value is theft and everyone in Massachusetts–every business owner and homeowner–should be concerned about this threat,” said an attorney for the landowner.,
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
Goldberg fires Cannabis Commission chair O’Brien for ‘gross misconduct’
“I expect my appointee’s actions to be reflective of the important mission of the CCC and performed in a manner that incorporates the standards of professionalism required in today’s work environment,” the treasurer said in a statement.
