STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE Veterans who qualify to access medical marijuana through the state’s dispensary program would no longer have to pay annual registration fees under a rider that the […]
State Government
Posted inPolitics, State House News Service
Baker moves to curb sick leave accrual
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE IN THE WAKE OF REPORTS of long-time state employees walking into retirement with lucrative compensation packages boosted by payouts for unused sick time, Gov. Charlie Baker […]
Posted inBallot Questions, Politics
Medical pot dispensaries can cash in with ballot question
THE MEDICAL MARIJUANA INDUSTRY in Massachusetts, which has been struggling to get off the ground, could hit the jackpot if voters this fall approve a ballot question legalizing the commercial […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, State House News Service
27 correctional officers honored
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE TWENTY-SEVEN CORRECTIONAL officers and one K9 were honored Friday at the State House as correctional employees of the year, each one recognized for acts that went […]
Posted inHealth Care
Commission wraps up health pricing discussions
THE STATE’S HEALTH POLICY COMMISSION on Thursday wrapped up a series of discussions with industry stakeholders on what to do about hospital pricing disparities, but the group seemed to have […]
Posted inOpinion, Politics
Hersh-Galvin: Round 2
In an interview with the Boston Globe’s Joshua Miller earlier this week, Secretary of State William Galvin responded to a critical essay I wrote about his leadership in managing elections. […]
Posted inDrug Addiction, Opinion
Medical marijuana could ease opioid crisis
THE CAMPAIGN TO LEGALIZE MARIJUANA for recreational use in Massachusetts is dominating headlines and polls while drawing some strong opposition from important people. Boston Mayor Marty Walsh, Attorney General Maura […]
Posted inPolitics, State House News Service
Baker freezes non-essential spending
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE THE BAKER ADMINISTRATION on Friday ordered the immediate suspension of all state spending on “non-essential” goods and services in an array of categories, including outside consultants, […]
Posted inOpinion, Politics
Parents of transgender children want vote on bill
AS PARENTS OF TRANSGENDER CHILDREN in Massachusetts, we’ve been closely following the movement of  the transgender protections bill pending in the Legislature. As you can imagine, this bill would have […]
Posted inPolitics, State House News Service
House nixes gas tax hike, film tax credit cut
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE THE MASSACHUSETTS HOUSE on Monday shot down proposals to increase the gas tax and put a cap on the state’s film tax credit program as they […]
Posted inState House News Service, Transportation
T pension fund has negligible gains
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE THE MBTA RETIREMENT FUND, which set its assumed annual rate of return on investments at 7.75 percent, will probably earn about a half-percent of return in 2015, […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, State House News Service
Retirement board ordered to give DiMasi $127,000
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE FORMER HOUSE SPEAKER SALVATORE DIMASI, now serving out an eight-year prison sentence for federal corruption charges, is entitled to the return of about $127,000 in contributions […]
Posted inEconomy, Opinion, Politics
The lessons of GE’s move to Boston
LURKING BEHIND GENERAL ELECTRIC’S DECISION to relocate its headquarters to Boston is the hotly debated issue of why businesses locate and grow in Massachusetts or decide to consolidate or expand […]
Posted inHealth Care, Opinion
Radically decentralize DCF’s responsibilities
THE MASSACHUSETTS ORGANIZATION responsible for running the state’s child welfare system has had four different names over a period of 40 years, which is not a sign of success. Each […]
Posted inHealth Care, Opinion
Behind the Massachusetts Health Connector’s rehab
AT 11:59 PM on October 31, 2015, about 20 nervous state officials and contractors hunched around computer terminals in a non-descript office in the Charles F. Hurley Building near Beacon […]
Posted inEconomy, Transportation
Pump slump good for government
FALLING FUEL PRICES may be wreaking havoc in oil-producing countries, but they are bringing smiles to drivers in Massachusetts and helping state and local officials keep their budgets in balance. […]
Posted inHealth Care
Out-of-network billing surprises
MARYLOU SUDDERS, the state’s secretary of health and human services, was going through some paperwork for her late sister when she came across a bill from a doctor for thousands […]
Posted inArts and Culture
Tea Party Ship loses $3.6m
THE BOSTON TEA PARTY Ships and Museum boosted revenue in its third year of operation, but continued to lose money, nearly $3.6 million. Damaged by fire in 2001, the museum […]
Posted inOpinion, Politics
A transgender Republican appeals to Baker
Dear Gov. Baker, As I’m sure you’re aware, the topic of transgender accommodation is a pretty hot button issue lately. I feel the discussion around it is getting more heated, […]
Posted inOpinion, Politics
An alternative approach on pay for success
EIGHT YEARS AGO, I pitched the pay for success concept as a new kind of money-back guarantee. Government would pay for a social service, impact would be rigorously measured, and, […]
Posted inEnvironment, Opinion
No longer Taxachusetts, now we’re Trashachusetts
AFTER ANOTHER LONG NEW ENGLAND WINTER, Massachusetts residents will soon bid a welcome hello to spring. The sun will set later, the daffodils will bloom, the last of the snow […]
Posted inTransportation
T hikes fares despite angry takeover
THE MBTA OVERSIGHT BOARD ON MONDAYÂ approved a fare increase of more than 9 percent starting July 1 despite angry, vocal protests that disrupted the hearing and forced board members to […]
Posted inEconomy, Education
Doubts over controversial construction method
A NEW STUDY released by a conservative think tank says schools built in Massachusetts under a relatively new construction approach cost taxpayers far more than similar projects built using the […]
Posted inPolitics, State House News Service
Feds raid Joyce’s law office
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE THE FBI AND IRS raided the Canton law offices of state Sen. Brian Joyce on Wednesday in the first indication of criminal problems for the Milton Democrat […]