For the first time since 2019, House and Senate Democrats have reached an agreement on joint rules to guide their work in the legislative session that began six months ago.
House, Senate say they have agreement on joint rules
Posted inThe Codcast
Why a quasi-independent state agency needed a quick $240 million
John McDonough, Paul Hattis, and Matt Veno of the Group Insurance Commission discuss the GIC’s last-minute $240 million infusion from state coffers to cover claims for the rest of the 2025 fiscal year.
Posted inOpinion
The century-old flaw that let Question 1 go the ballot
The audit question amounts to an act of constitutional vandalism, an example of the mischief that can result from Article 48, and why this seems a good time to consider amending the initiative process.
Posted inState Government
MBTA Communities fight lingers in courts, on Beacon Hill
Some municipalities who claim the law asks too much of them are still looking to the courts and the Legislature for relief.
Posted inOpinion
Why we shouldn’t give up on civility
The divisions we face are real. But by embracing civility, demonstrating respect, and extending grace, we can begin to heal the rifts.
Posted inOpinion
As we mark Juneteenth, don’t let Trump’s cuts to vital cultural institutions whitewash history
We live in a time when institutions with the honesty and integrity to tell difficult historical truths are bullied by those who seek to paper over our past.
Posted inMarijuana
Cannabis commission plans to launch social consumption in October
“I obviously appreciate that we’re a little behind…the schedule that we laid out last December, but I still think we’re making great progress,” said Bruce Stebbins, acting chair of the cannabis commission, about a delay on social consumption regulations.
Posted inHousing
Milton Town Meeting decides to comply with MBTA Communities law
By 69 percent to 31 percent, the 239 representative voters at Milton’s special Town Meeting passed zoning language that would lay the groundwork for potentially 2,461 new units in the town, complying with the controversial state multi-family housing law.
Posted inMarijuana
Deep divide: The cannabis industry remains split over how many dispensaries a single business should own
“Meeting with equity licensees, I heard overwhelmingly from them in large numbers that they’re highly concerned about the bill out of the house to raise the license cap,” said Kimberly Roy, a member of the Cannabis Control Commission.
Posted inOpinion
How the MBTA move to electric buses could also help power the grid
When the buses of Greater Boston go fully electric, there is a unique chance to capitalize on this moment of technological transition to meet a variety of environmental and community needs.
Posted inEconomy
‘Open for business’: Despite tariffs, leaders from northeastern states and Canada pledge to work together
The gathering grew out of a meeting Gov. Maura Healey had with Maine Gov. Janet Mills, who traces her ancestry back to Nova Scotia.
Posted inState Government
Transportation gets upper hand in $1.3 billion spending accord
The chasm in surtax surplus spending was one half of a broader disagreement between the House and Senate on the scope of state aid to the MBTA.
Posted inThe Codcast
Decoding the state budget with Doug Howgate
This week on The Codcast, CommonWealth Beacon reporter Jennifer Smith talks to Doug Howgate, president of the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation, about the Fiscal Year 2026 state budget. They break down differences between the House and Senate plans, discuss why some parts of the process always happen behind closed doors, and consider the future of the wealth surcharge split between education and transportation.
Posted inOpinion
Making war in US communities: Trump executive order on policing threatens to set public safety back decades
Trump is seeking to militarize the approach of the more than half a million sworn police officers charged with protecting and serving communities across the country.
Posted inHousing
Town Meeting vote on MBTA Communities looms for a divided Milton
The clock is ticking on Milton’s chance for compliance with MBTA Communities. The planning board and residents are still divided heading into a special town meeting on Monday.
Posted inGovernment
Could the Trump administration’s border policies affect 2026 World Cup tourism in Massachusetts?
The World Cup could bring more than $1 billion in economic activity, and plenty of tourists, to Massachusetts. Here’s what some are worrying about as the soccer games are a year out.
