WE ALL KNOW that New Bedford is facing a housing crisis that involves not only rising rents and home prices, but a severe shortage in housing options across all income […]
Massachusetts Legislature
Posted inState Government
Mariano says state can afford another tax cut package
THE PROSPECTS for passage of a new tax reform package gained momentum on Thursday as House Speaker Ron Mariano said the chamber will soon unveil a series of tax cuts, […]
Posted inEducation
METCO students, parents lobby for more funding
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE HUNDREDS OF STUDENTS and parents roamed the halls of the State House this week  to ask state lawmakers to support increased funding for the largest school […]
Posted inOpinion
DiZoglio’s audit of Legislature seems straight out of Hollywood
THE TIMING is perfect. Our new state auditor, Diana DiZoglio, is making good on a controversial campaign promise to audit the Legislature. Her investigation will not just be about its […]
Posted inState Government
DiZoglio plans to audit the Legislature
FOLLOWING THROUGH on a contentious campaign promise, state Auditor Diana DiZoglio announced Tuesday that she intends to audit the Legislature, an institution she served in for more than a decade […]
Posted inPolitics
Moran moves into House’s No. 2 spot
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE REPS. MIKE MORAN of Boston, Alice Peisch of Wellesley, and Frank Moran of Lawrence all got big promotions Thursday as House Democrats rolled out their committee […]
Posted inPolitics
Some Senate Dems on fence on term limit issue
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE AS SENATE DEMOCRATS emerged Wednesday from a private caucus in President Karen Spilka’s office, they had mixed reactions to the proposed removal of a decades-old term […]
Posted inState Government, State House News Service
Under new rules, House returns to in-person sessions
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE THE HOUSE on Wednesday unanimously adopted its rules for the two-year term that began four weeks ago, agreeing to eliminate a pandemic-era policy that allowed representatives […]
Posted inPolitics
House panel votes 2-1 to seat Kassner over Mirra
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE REPRESENTATIVES WILL BE ASKED to vote Wednesday on a party-line recommendation to declare Kristin Kassner, a Hamilton Democrat, the official winner in a contested recount she […]
Posted inState Government
Millionaire surtax: What’s the split between education, transportation?
THE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT approved by voters in November establishes a 4 percent income tax surcharge on income over $1 million, and directs that the money should go to transportation and […]
Posted inPolitics, State Government
Special treatment considered for revenue from millionaire tax
TOP BUDGET OFFICIALS from the Legislature say they intend to abide by the will of the voters and make sure all revenue from the new millionaire tax goes to “new […]
Posted inPolitics
Rules reformers prepare for another fight in Legislature
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE AROUND THE COUNTRY, state legislatures use their public websites to publish reams of written testimony submitted in support or opposition to proposals, name special interest groups […]
Posted inPolitics, State Government
House declares Scarsdale winner of disputed race
DEMOCRAT MARGARET SCARSDALE of Pepperell is expected to be sworn in Wednesday as a state representative after a special House committee of two Democrats and one Republican upheld her seven-vote […]
Posted inPolitics
Big Three gather but provide few details on talks
THE TOP THREE officials on Beacon Hill – now all Democrats with the departure of Republican Charlie Baker — gathered to discuss priorities and strategies for the first time on […]
Posted inThe Download
Lawmakers walk tightrope on wind power contracts
The Legislature’s energy experts say it makes sense to penalize CommonWealth Wind and Mayflower Wind if they default on their recently approved power purchase contracts, but the lawmakers don’t want […]
Posted inEnergy
Lawmakers walk tightrope on wind power contracts
THE LEGISLATURE’S ENERGY experts say it makes sense to penalize CommonWealth Wind and Mayflower Wind if they default on their recently approved power purchase contracts, but the lawmakers don’t want […]
Posted inPolitics
Mariano says House will review 2 election results
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE TOP HOUSE DEMOCRATS plan on Wednesday to task a special committee with examining the results of two elections decided by microscopic margins following recounts, a process […]
Posted inState Government, State House News Service
Revenge porn bill surfaces in Senate
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE LAWMAKERS COULD make a late-session push to crack down on distribution of sexually explicit content without a subject’s consent, often referred to as “revenge porn,” after […]
Posted inPolitics
Two House races appear headed for recounts
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE CANDIDATES IN TWO Massachusetts House races, each apparently decided by only 10 votes, want elections officials to take another look at the thousands of ballots cast. […]
Posted inState Government
Baker again clashes with lawmakers on abortion-related law
GOV. CHARLIE BAKER on Thursday signed a $3.76 billion economic development bill. But Baker, a Republican, once again entered into a controversy with the Democratic-led Legislature over reproductive rights by […]
Posted inTransportation
Key lawmaker calls for restructuring MBTA
TO JUMP-START a discussion about the future of the MBTA, the House chair of the Legislature’s Transportation Committee is calling for a fairly radical restructuring of the transit authority to […]
Posted inHealth Care
Step therapy bill moving in informal sessions
FOR NEARLY EIGHT years, patient advocate groups have been battling insurers to limit the use of step therapy, a policy requiring patients to try one treatment before accessing a different […]
Posted inState Government, State House News Service
Handful of progressives push change in tax cap
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE A GROUP OF PROGRESSIVE Democrats will push to set a $6,500 limit on the maximum tax credit high-income earners in Massachusetts can receive under a tax […]
Posted inHealth, State Government
Lessons learned from failed birth control law
DRAWING LESSONS from a Massachusetts birth control law that failed to work as planned, a reproductive rights group released a toolkit on Monday offering a series of recommendations to lawmakers […]