Gov. Charlie Baker has been pushing for legislation he says would give “law enforcement more tools to keep our roads safe from impaired drivers.” John Amabile, president of the […]
Charlie Baker
Posted inUncategorized
Defense lawyer dismisses Baker marijuana bill as ‘junk science’
GOV. CHARLIE BAKER has been pushing for legislation he says would give “law enforcement more tools to keep our roads safe from impaired drivers.” John Amabile, president of the […]
Posted inCriminal Justice
Governor’s Council commutes sentences of two men convicted of murder
THE GOVERNOR’S COUNCIL on Wednesday voted unanimously to commute the sentences of two men convicted of first-degree murder, Thomas Koonce and William Allen, sealing the deal on the first commutations […]
Posted inUncategorized
Brayton Point finally lands offshore wind supplier
BRAYTON POINT in Somerset is finally getting a piece of the offshore wind industry it has been courting for years, but the industrial prize is apparently not big enough to […]
Posted inUncategorized
State House, closed nearly 2 years, to reopen next week
THE MASSACHUSETTS STATE HOUSE, closed to the public since March 2020, is going to reopen next Tuesday. State House leaders said legislative business will see little change initially. Committee hearings […]
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Baker vetoes ‘unrealistic’ deadlines in supp budget
GOV. CHARLIE BAKER on Saturday signed into law a $101 million supplemental budget bill that puts money toward increasing COVID-19 testing, buying masks, doing vaccine outreach, and recapitalizing a COVID-related […]
Posted inState House News Service, Uncategorized
Lawmakers urge pause on pursuing collections
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE A PAIR OF TOP legislators on Friday urged the Baker administration to halt pursuing overpaid unemployment benefits for the next five-plus months, calling for more time […]
Posted inUncategorized
Labor appeals board upholds Baker’s vaccine mandate
A STATE APPEALS board has ruled that Gov. Charlie Baker’s vaccine mandate for executive branch workers is legal, ending the final avenue of appeals for a challenge by the state police […]
Posted inEnvironment
Baker administration unveils building code slide deck
BAKER ADMINISTRATION officials unveiled a slide deck on Tuesday that outlines in broad strokes how they intend to use updates to two existing state building codes and the development of […]
Posted inUncategorized
State sending $500 checks to 500,000 low-income workers
APPROXIMATELY 500,000 low-income individuals in Massachusetts who worked during the pandemic will receive $500 bonus payments in the mail this March. Lt. Governor Karyn Polito said in a statement that […]
Posted inUncategorized
Baker sketches plan for $9.5b in fed infrastructure spending
GOV. CHARLIE BAKER on Thursday laid out in broad strokes his plan for spending $9.5 billion in federal infrastructure money, which the state is expected to receive over the next […]
Posted inThe Download
Baker mask mandate, no longer in effect, facing challenge
The statewide mask mandate is no longer in effect, but litigation over it continues. The Supreme Judicial Court on Wednesday will hear oral arguments in a case challenging Gov. Charlie […]
Posted inUncategorized
Baker mask mandate, no longer in effect, facing challenge
THE STATEWIDE MASK mandate is no longer in effect, but litigation over it continues. The Supreme Judicial Court on Wednesday will hear oral arguments in a case challenging Gov. Charlie […]
Posted inHealth Care
Vaccine mandate prompts exit of 1,013 state workers
MORE THAN 1,000 state employees have now left state government rather than comply with the state’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate. The Massachusetts executive branch vaccine mandate went into effect October 17, […]
Posted inCriminal Justice
Koonce, seeking commutation, takes full responsibility for killing
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE FACING THE PROSPECT of a commutation that would make him eligible for parole after three decades behind bars, convicted murderer Thomas Koonce said Wednesday that he […]
Posted inUncategorized
Baker budget includes $700m tax break proposal
IN HIS FINAL budget proposal before leaving office, Gov. Charlie Baker on Wednesday included nearly $700 million worth of tax cuts for Massachusetts residents, setting up a debate over tax policy with […]
Posted inUncategorized
Baker pushes tax breaks, trust
IN HIS SEVENTH and final State of the Commonwealth speech, Gov. Charlie Baker on Tuesday night tried to encapsulate his political philosophy, extolling the fiscal discipline that enabled him to propose […]
Posted inThe Download
Baker takes issue with Globe ‘clawback’ columns
Gov. Charlie Baker appears to have a problem with the way his administration is being portrayed by a couple of Boston Globe business columnists. It started with a column last […]
Posted inUncategorized
Baker takes issue with Globe ‘clawback’ columns
GOV. CHARLIE BAKER appears to have a problem with the way his administration is being portrayed by a couple of Boston Globe business columnists. It started with a column last […]
Posted inEducation
House releases $55m bill for COVID testing, school masks
THE HOUSE WAYS AND MEANS Committee on Tuesday released a bill that would allocate another $55 million to expanding COVID testing sites, buying masks for schools, and doing vaccine outreach, even as Gov. […]
Posted inHealth Care
Baker urges schools to adopt new testing regime
GOV. CHARLIE BAKER is urging Massachusetts schools to adopt a new COVID testing regime that relies on at-home testing once a week. Currently, the state operates a pooled testing program […]
Posted inCriminal Justice
Baker commutes sentences of two men convicted of murder
GOV. CHARLIE BAKER on Wednesday commuted the sentences of two men who were convicted of murder. the first commutations the Republican governor has issued since he took office. “I believe […]
Posted inEnvironment, Politics
Offshore wind policy fight takes center stage
A LONG-BREWING fight over state energy policy moved into the spotlight on Tuesday as key players laid out their positions in what promises to be an interesting debate over the […]
Posted inHealth Care
Baker, Democratic legislators clash on virus response
GOV. CHARLIE BAKER often says he and his political opponents will “agree to disagree.” That could have been the mantra of Tuesday’s oversight hearing of the Legislature’s Joint Committee on […]