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 […]
Massachusetts Legislature
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 […]
Posted inState Government, State House News Service
House budget chief uncertain about economic development bill
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE THE HOUSE BUDGET chief wants to “get something done in the shortest period of time possible” to revive an economic development bill, but he will not […]
Posted inState Government
Auditor certification paves way for $2.9b in tax cap credits
MASSACHUSETTS RESIDENTS could soon be receiving tax refunds in the mail after state Auditor Suzanne Bump officially certified that the state’s tax cap law has been triggered and taxpayers are […]
Posted inOpinion
End-of-session cram is no way to conduct legislative business
THE MASSACHUSETTS LEGISLATURE passed more substantive legislation in the last 18 days of its two-year session than it had in the previous 550. In those 18 days of July, it […]
Posted inState Government
Mariano tapping brakes on economic development bill
HOUSE SPEAKER Ron Mariano raised concerns on Tuesday about whether the state can afford a $3 billion tax cap giveback and the $3.5 billion in spending contained in the economic […]
Posted inEnergy, Environment
Baker signs climate bill, despite ‘deep misgivings’
DESPITE “DEEP MISGIVINGS’ about some of its elements, Gov. Charlie Baker signed into law on Thursday a climate change/energy bill that he said would help Massachusetts retain its standing as a […]
Posted inGambling
Let the betting begin – in a number of months
GOV. CHARLIE BAKER on Wednesday signed a law legalizing sports betting in Massachusetts, joining more than 30 other states that have authorized sports betting since the US Supreme Court overturned […]
Posted inEnergy, Environment, State Government
Baker says climate change bill is giving him agita
GOV. CHARLIE BAKER indicated on Tuesday he is having difficulty reaching a decision on whether to sign the climate change/energy bill the Legislature sent him. At a press availability, Baker […]
Posted inHealth, State Government
Baker returns public health bill unsigned
GOV. CHARLIE BAKER on Monday refused to sign a bill overhauling the state’s public health system, instead returning it to the Legislature with an amendment. The intention of the bill […]
Posted inOpinion
Senate president is our employer, she should talk to us
IN MARCH of this year, a majority of Senate staff came forward to announce our decision to form a union. Our unionization drive is a historic effort, and we’re proud […]
