FOR CAMBRIDGE-BASED Biogen, it’s been the best of times and the worst of times. The biotech powerhouse saw its Alzheimer’s drug Aduhelm approved in June by the Food and Drug Administration. The first new Alzheimer’s therapy in nearly 20 years, the drug looked poised to become a blockbuster treatment that would reap billions in sales […]
state house news
Posted inPolitics
Mariano intends to run for speaker again
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE AS CANDIDATES START to shift into campaign mode for 2022, House Speaker Ronald Mariano said Monday that he intends to stick around for another term in one of the most powerful posts in state government. “I have every intention of doing that, yeah,” Mariano said regarding his plans to campaign for […]
Posted inPolitics
Revised map puts Fall River, New Bedford in separate districts
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE FALL RIVER and New Bedford would remain in different Congressional districts under a revised map released on Monday by legislative leaders that disregarded the pressure being applied by some activists and lawmakers, including US Rep. William Keating, to unite the two South Coast cities. The redistricting plan proposes to adjust the boundaries […]
Posted inUncategorized
Senate passes ARPA spending bill
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE AFTER WADING THROUGH hours of debate and considering hundreds of amendments, the Senate late Wednesday night unanimously approved a $3.82 billion package to steer special federal relief funds and surplus state budget revenues into virtually every corner of the state. All three Senate Republicans, who unsuccessfully sought to double the amount of […]
Posted inPolitics
Fall River’s fate unclear as power players divided
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE DEBATE OVER HOW the South Coast cities of New Bedford and Fall River should be represented in Congress continues to divide the state’s political power players, and the House’s top redistricting official on Tuesday signaled skepticism about some arguments in favor of folding the two cities into a single district. Faced […]
Posted inEnvironment
Utilities defend energy efficiency plan
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE GETTING MORE people to adopt electric heat sources in place of fossil fuel-powered sources is a crucial part of the effort to meet the state’s new climate targets, but senators said Monday that the latest three-year plan for the Mass Save program isn’t ambitious enough to truly drive that change. Utility […]
Posted inThe Download
What will Boston’s new Wuniverse bring?
In her victory speech after cruising to a landslide win in the Boston mayor’s race, Michelle Wu spoke of the urgency of “bold” change to “meet the moment” the city is facing, a theme she sounded throughout her campaign. But she also talked about the importance of basic city services, saying her administration can pay […]
Posted inUncategorized
State tax collections keep up surprising growth
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE A THIRD OF THE WAY into fiscal 2022, state tax collections are trending about 20 percent ahead of the pace that led to a roughly $5 billion surplus in fiscal year 2021, the Department of Revenue announced Wednesday. State tax collectors took in $2.445 billion last month — $356 million or […]
Posted inPolitics
Congressional redistricting map unites Fall River
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE FALL RIVER, the state’s 10th most populous city, would no longer be divided between two congressional districts under a draft map lawmakers released Monday that fell short of winning over voting rights advocates. Top House and Senate Democrats rolled out their plan for redrawing the state’s nine Congressional districts and eight […]
Posted inUncategorized
House add $174m to ARPA bill
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE A MAJOR SPENDING bill allocating federal COVID-19 relief funds and surplus state tax revenues cleared the House on Friday evening by a vote of 159-0 after lawmakers added nearly $174 million via the amendment process. The bill began with a bottom line of $3.65 billion and representatives took a handful of […]