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Posted inPolitics
AG report details decades of abuse at Fall River, Springfield, Worcester dioceses
The attorney general called for the Legislature to strengthen remedies for survivors of childhood sexual abuse and revealed that she is a survivor of childhood sexual abuse.
Posted inElection 2026
Dionne would use ‘bully pulpit’ to press for more local aid
Elizabeth Dionne appeared on GBH Radio on Tuesday and detailed how she sees the state Treasury addressing “affordability via local aid.”
Posted inEconomy
Healey proposes two-month gas tax suspension
Republican gubernatorial candidate Mike Minogue last week launched an ad saying he would suspend the gas tax “until prices stabilize.”
Posted inTransportation
Feds end oversight of MBTA that began in 2022
The Federal Transit Administration officially closed its safety management inspection of the Department of Public Utilities’ safety oversight management of the MBTA.
Posted inHealth Care
Opponents of new abortion law eye 2028 repeal effort
A new coalition filed paperwork seeking to suspend and ultimately repeal the measure in the 2028 election cycle.
Posted inPolitics
Recounts taking shape in two Democratic legislative primaries
Elections have come down to just a few votes in the high-profile showdown between 19-year legislator Sen. William Brownsberger and challenger Daniel Lander.
Posted inHealth Care
Healey moves to grow behavioral health workforce as access lags
Massachusetts is “facing a behavioral health access crisis,” says a May report from the Health Policy Commission’s Behavioral Health Workforce Center.
Posted inHousing
Tax credits expected to turn old offices into 860 rental units
Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll announced the second tranche of commercial conversion credits, established through the 2024 Affordable Homes Act.
Posted inChild Care
Frustrated family child care providers working with expired contract
Members of the Family Child Care Chapter of SEIU Local 509 called on lawmakers to raise reimbursement rates for child care providers who care for kids who are eligible for financial assistance.
Posted inState Government
Voting season puts focus on election administration, litigation, turnout
“With 600,000 ballots on the street, I think it’s important for people to vote them and send them back,” Secretary of State William Galvin said, calling the figure average and declaring that his “strong suggestion” is that mail-in voters return their ballots “immediately.”
Posted inEconomy
Study pegs median net wealth of Massachusetts families at $370,000
A survey sent to 32,817 randomly selected Massachusetts addresses and yielding 5,018 responses highlighted long-standing racial wealth gaps.
Posted inOpinion
Massachusetts must put communities before data center profits
Before we commit to a new generation of energy-intensive infrastructure, we must prove that the benefits outweigh the costs and ensure that residents determine what comes next in their communities.
Posted inPolitics
Healey and Minogue agree to fall debates, but not the same ones
In a June Suffolk University/Boston Globe poll of 500 Massachusetts registered voters, Minogue and Shortsleeve received 31 percent and 29 percent of support, respectively, to Healey’s 56 percent.
Posted inHealth Care
Health insurance woes reaching ‘inflection point,’ commissioner says
The escalating use of low-value care — medical services that are unnecessary for patient care — was identified as a contributor to health care spending growth. One in four commercially insured residents received at least one low-value service in 2024.
Posted inEducation
Proposed graduation requirements revive debate over standardized testing
The K-12 Statewide Graduation Council recommends in a new proposal that students complete state-designed and administered end-of-course assessments, sparking debate over whether Massachusetts is reintroducing the standardized testing voters rejected by ballot question in 2024.
Posted inTransportation
Mass. lawmakers move to create statewide framework for e-bikes and scooters
The rapid adoption and quickly changing technology of smaller vehicles has outpaced the ability of regulations to keep up, leaving riders, local officials, and law enforcement without a clear understanding of how these devices should be operated safely. New legislation sets up a statewide framework, leaving flexibility to localities for further regulation.
Posted inState Government
House counteroffer to primary care may focus on prescription drugs
Pressed about aspects of a potential health care bill, House Speaker Ron Mariano said, “I know the committee, health care policy, has done an awful lot of work in prescription drug stuff, so we’ll start probably with that, and see where that takes us.”
Posted inState Government
SJC upholds Walsh’s spot on ballot; Manning Martin case still pending
On Monday, SJC Justice Frank Gaziano denied the State Ballot Law Commission’s appeal of an Essex County Superior Court ruling that overturned the commission’s decision and reinstated Walsh’s name onto the ballot.
Posted inState Government
Walsh back on ballot after judge faults process, despite fraud evidence
The commission plans to appeal the decision to the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, according to a spokesperson for MassDems.
Posted inEducation
Massachusetts emerges as a national leader in child care access, but accessibility issues remain
Funding for the Mass. Department of Early Education and Care increased by 125 percent between 2020 and 2025, helping support providers and expand capacity.
Posted inEnvironment
Controversial private jet expansion proposal at Hanscom faces setbacks as developers look to move project ahead
The proposed hangar expansion has roiled activists and officials alike. Critics fear that a spike in air traffic will bring extra noise and emissions, as private flights are widely considered to be the most polluting source of transportation.
Posted inUncategorized
CommonWealth revisits Billerica and four more stories
The Saturday Send Welcome back to the Saturday Send, a weekly digest of stories from CommonWealth Beacon that you may have missed. This week, reporter Chris Lisinski travels to the […]
Posted inCourts
Clash with prediction market giant Kalshi reaches SJC
In September, Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell sued Kalshi for offering what she claims equates to “illegal sports betting” without proper licensing.