10:00am Department of Revenue Public Hearing, 100 Cambridge Street, 2nd Floor, Room A, Boston

6:00pm Boston City Councilor Annissa Essaibi-George's Birthday Celebration & Fundraiser

6:00pm Holiday Party for Norfolk County Sheriff Jerry McDermott with Gov. Charlie Baker

6:00pm Holiday Fundraiser for State Sen. Candidate John Mahoney

6:00pm Campaign Kickoff for State Rep. Candidate Kate Lipper-Garabedian

7:00pm Cape Cod Kickoff for State Sen. Candidate Becky Coletta

Birthdays: State Senator Peter Durant

Former judges claim unequal pay, retaliation during Deval Patrick’s tenure » Boston Globe

State lawmakers reach compromise on long-stalled spending bill » Boston Globe

House Democrats brace for some defections among moderates on impeachment of Trump » Washington Post

Secretary of state Bill Galvin calls Sen. Don Humason’s resignation letter ‘worthless’; alleges voter suppression effort » The Republican

Warren Is Spending Campaign Cash to Unseat Susan Collins » The Daily Beast

Oops. Missed call by Deval Patrick puts nascent presidential campaign in a jam » Boston Globe

The Democratic Vice Presidential Derby: Look Beyond the 2020 Contenders » Sabato's Crystal Ball

Voting rights, a partisan issue? Yes, Republicans have fallen that far » Roll Call

Pastor Who Says Jews Are Going To Hell Speaks At Trump’s Hanukkah Party » HUFFPOST

The Hill's Top Lobbyists 2019 » The Hill

Michael Cohen, Broken and Humiliated, Asks for Leniency From Prison » New York Times

Deval Patrick fights for a spot on Michigan’s 2020 presidential primary ballot » Boston Herald

Democratic National Committee needs to practice a little diversity » Boston Herald

NH Primary Source: “Squad” member US Rep. Ayanna Pressley to speak on Warren’s behalf at NHYD event » WMUR

Nothing doing for Deval Patrick in N.H. poll » Boston Herald

When will Rhode Island shake its 38 Studios hangover? » Boston Globe

City set to approve controversial sale of Harriet Tubman House to condo developer » Boston Globe

As Vaping Sales Resume, Businesses Deal With A New Reality » WBUR

House bill threatens Springfield railcar plant » Boston Globe

Colliers tapped to sell Hynes, as Baker defends decision » Boston Business Journal

Mass. marijuana stores given OK to resume sales of some vaping products » Boston Globe

State to allow resumption of cannabis vape sales with new restrictions » Boston Business Journal

Detained alleged Latin Kings regional leader allegedly punished rivals with lethal force » Boston Herald

College Town: Fitchburg State, Mount Wachusett form business administration degree pathway » Worcester Telegram

On Cassellius' Community Tour, Boston Parents Call For Quality Schools For Every Student » WBUR

Transportation Climate Initiative dispute heats up » Boston Herald

Worcester receives state energy award » Worcester Telegram

Climate program could be boon for border states » The Salem News

Town gets state cash to fix West Street dam » The Sun Chronicle

House OKs defense bill, parental leave for federal workers » Boston Globe

Massachusetts bill treating gun ownership as health problem is off target » Boston Herald

Boston City Council expands sanctuary city policy » Boston Herald

‘Sanctuary cities', deployment to U.S.-Mexico border contributed to 15% drop in ICE arrests in New England » The Republican

Boston City Council updates Trust Act, clarifies limits on police cooperation with ICE » The Republican

Arbella offers first-of-its-kind discount for home energy checkups » Boston Business Journal

Health Connector Clears Path for Deductible Increases » State House News Service

Tsarnaev’s Attorneys Want Him Off Death Row. Here’s What They'll Argue » WBUR

Are you ready for a robot boss? Many workers say that yes, they are » Boston Globe

State Sen. Humason plans Senate departure on Jan. 6 » Gazette Net

Dates set for state Senate special election » Cape Cod Times

Canton Middle School Teacher's Twitter Post Prompts Swift Action » Brookline Patch

O.B. wants to be green » Martha's Vineyard Times

Facing deadline, City Council makes moves on immigration, wetlands, taxes » Boston Globe

Taunton city councilor Sanders wants incoming Mayor O'Connell to expedite job-appointment info » Wicked Local Taunton

Salem recognizes outgoing elected officials » Wicked Local Salem

Brookline Votes To Ban Face Surveillance Technology » WGBH

Worcester City Council OKs petition to retain Columbus Day » Worcester Telegram

Riding high on 1-vote win for City Council » Commonwealth Magazine

Ranked-choice voting could guarantee that a candidate is elected by a majority » Boston Globe

Ranked-choice voting threatens to distort election outcomes » Boston Globe

Lydia Edwards endorses Shannon Liss-Riordan in US Senate race » Boston Globe

MassGOP Snubs Weld on Mass. Ballot Access » State House News Service

State officials applaud Holbrook students for battle against vaping, tobacco » Wicked Local Holbrook

Joe Kennedy III is speaking out about safe injection sites. Here’s why. » Boston.com

Gov. Charlie Baker’s controversial vape ban officially lifted for nicotine » Boston Herald

Vape sales resume, with a warning from state health commissioner » The Valley Dispatch

Mass. health panel moves to lift ban on nicotine vape sales, passes new restrictions » Boston Globe

Opioid 'Rescue Kits' Installed Around Northampton, Mass. » New England Public Radio

After Three Long Months, the State’s Vaping Ban Is Finally Over » Boston Magazine

The State's Vape Ban Has Ended. But Some Shops Are Still Looking To Rebrand — Or Relocate » WBUR

Contractor selected for Dracut fire station project » Lowell Sun

Child predators target of sex offender bill » Boston Globe

Hingham Fire Department Receives $48K State Grant For Equipment » Hingham Patch

Former Mass. State Police troopers Paul Wosny, Michael Wilmot arraigned on charges of taking weapons from state police armory » The Republican

House Challenges Comptroller on Surplus Transfer » State House News Service

House, Senate Pass $541 Mil Spending Bill » State House News Service

Lawmakers can’t agree on how to spend $1B in surplus revenue » News 22 WWLP.com

Lawmakers finally pass close-out budget » Commonwealth Magazine

Massachusetts votes on campaign finance reform bill » Wicked Local Burlington

Gov. Baker Appoints Retired Justice Edwards To State Ethics Commission » Framingham Source

Gov. Charlie Baker announces $3.2 million MassWorks grant in Carver » Wicked Local Carver

Boston approves fee on real estate transactions » Commonwealth Magazine

Boston real estate tax gets closer to becoming reality » Boston Herald

T needs better management before money » Boston Herald

Baker talks up his transportation-funding approach » Commonwealth Magazine

Brookline’s ban on natural gas connections spurs other municipalities to consider the idea » Boston Globe

Lawrence mayor urges judge to reject gas explosion settlement, saying lawyers would receive too large a share » Boston Globe

6 more protesters arrested at Weymouth compressor site » Patriot Ledger

Delegation Weighs In on State Solar Rules Rewrite » State House News Service

Social Media Spotlight

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WCVB Channel 5 Boston How lifting the emergency vaping ban could impact Mass. stores, customers CBS Boston Keller @ Large: Putting Bloomberg, Patrick Claims To The Truth Test

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Podcast Spotlight

WBUR Bostonomix: The State's Vape Ban Has Ended. But Some Shops Are Still Looking To Rebrand — Or Relocate Steve Koczela, Jennifer Smith and Stephanie Murray The Horse Race: The Poll-ar Express Massachusetts Bar Association MassBar Beat: Demystifying Malpractice Insurance Bloomberg Baystate Business: Vaping, Powell, Langer NCSL Our American States: Living to 100: The Policy Implications

HB4132 - An Act making appropriations for the fiscal year 2019 to provide for supplementing certain existing appropriations and for certain other activities and projects

HB4246 - An Act making appropriations for the fiscal year 2019 to provide for supplementing certain existing appropriations and for certain other activities and projects

HB4196 - An Act modernizing tobacco control

HB4069 - An Act relative to the authorities of municipal light boards

HB2005 - An Act to prevent gun violence

SB1145 - An Act ensuring access to addiction services

HB1980 - An Act relative to HLTV 111 tests

HB4281 - An Act protecting vulnerable adults from financial exploitation

SB1232 - An Act relative to restroom accommodations in family restaurants

HB1799 - An Act relative to variances

Audit Identifies Barriers to Access in Operational Services Division » MA Office of the State Auditor

Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden Pays $5,000 Civil Penalty for Violating Conflict of Interest Law » MA State Ethics Commission

A Call for Climate Justice at the InterAmerican Court of Human Rights » Union of Concerned Scientists

Congresswoman Trahan Announces $3 Million In Head Start Funding For Making Opportunity Count In Fitchburg » Office of Congresswoman Lori Trahan