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Today on Beacon Hill

11:00am House Session, Informal Session

11:00am Senate Session, Informal Session

12:01pm Joint Committee on Municipalities & Regional Government, Public Hearing

Which Country Has Flattened the Curve for the Coronavirus?
via The New York Times

“We’re not ready to make a determination, but it would seem highly unlikely that we would have a budget in April at this point in time,”

Representative Aaron Michlewitz, House Ways and Means Chair

Speaking about the state budget for fiscal year 2021 which begins on July 1, 2020.

News By Category
Beltway Politics

The vote goes on » Commonwealth Magazine

The latest Bernie Sanders livestream was the perfect encapsulation of his failing presidential campaign in the time of coronavirus » Boston Globe

Former Massachusetts Gov. Bill Weld officially drops presidential candidacy » Milford Daily News

Weld ends long-shot bid for GOP nomination » Politico

Business

Sununu: Restaurants can offer beer and wine with take-out orders » Fosters

Baker: No Plan ‘At This Point’ for Statewide Construction Shutdown » Banker & Tradesman

Editorial: Restaurant bailout deserves consideration » Boston Business Journal

With Dining Rooms Shut, Takeout Keeps Some Mass. Restaurants Open — For Now » New England Public Radio

Gov. Baker on coronavirus impact: Economy is going to take a ‘big hit’ » Boston Herald

Boston startup Emulate names new CEO, announces new funding » Boston Globe

Markey, Warren press local banks to waive fees during crisis » Boston Globe

Government must do more to stanch economic bleeding » Boston Globe

Cambridge follows Boston in banning construction to slow virus spread » Boston Business Journal

Coronavirus could claim more victims: Downtown Fall River businesses » The Herald News

Major Boston Restaurants Have Moved to Takeout and Delivery—But How Much Will It Help? » Boston Magazine

COVID-19 hits lobster industry hard » Gloucester Times

A resource guide for Mass. businesses during coronavirus outbreak » Boston Business Journal

Hotels’ business and staffing may be down by as much as 90 percent » Boston Globe

Baker halts child care programs, provides tax relief for small businesses » Boston Herald

New Hampshire governor issues order allowing takeout, delivery of beer and wine » Boston Herald

Massachusetts Restaurant Owners Need Relief Now, and They’re Asking for It » Eater Boston

TJX shuts down stores and online businesses » Boston Business Journal

TD Garden employees frustrated with lack of communication » Boston Herald

Education

Tufts, Middlebury will make some facilities available if they’re needed to help fight Covid-19 » Boston Globe

Early Ed, Child Care Centers Also Shutting Down » State House News Service

Smith College cancels commencement over virus concerns » Gazette Net

UMass Boston Staff Concerned About Having to Show Up on Campus Amid Coronavirus Emergency » WBUR

Boston University tells students to leave campus housing by Sunday, creating new chaos amid coronavirus » Boston Herald

Environment

Exxon Climate Suit Headed Back To Mass. State Court » Law 360

Federal

Joe Kennedy proposes direct payments of at least $4,000 to most American adults » Boston.com

Coronavirus economic stimulus should target low-, middle-income Americans, says US Rep. Richard E. Neal during tele-town hall » The Republican

Americans would get two checks under proposed coronavirus stimulus package » Boston Herald

Health Care

Invisible, but on the front lines of a pandemic. » Boston Globe

Long backlogs for coronavirus test results frustrate Mass. doctors » Boston Globe

‘The worst is yet to come’: Escalation of hospitalized patients for coronavirus continues » Boston Globe

Mental healthcare even more important during coronavirus. Therapists are struggling to adapt their profession. » The Metro West Daily News

MIT, Harvard-backed Broad Institute hopes to run over 1,000 coronavirus tests per day » South Coast Today

Telehealth tech struggles to keep up with the demand » Boston Globe

Coronavirus testing locations: Drive-thru testing has begun in Massachusetts, but many require appointments, prescription from doctor » The Republican

Coronavirus testing in Massachusetts: Who can get it, who can’t, and why » Boston Herald

Safety-net hospital CEOs say they may not survive the crisis » Boston Business Journal

Sen. Warren, Mass. Delegation Urge Federal Government To Restock Hospitals With Protective Gear » WGBH

Housing

Sanders, Warren push for halt to evictions during coronavirus crisis » Boston Globe

Human Services

Advocates: Virus fight must account for needs of homeless » South Coast Today

With grocery shelves bare, food pantries struggle to feed SouthCoast's homeless » South Coast Today

JDI: Domestic, Sexual Violence Survivors at Greater Risk in Crisis » State House News Service

Judiciary

Coronavirus prompts urgent review of oft-overlooked clauses » Mass Lawyers Weekly

Labor

State unemployment claims spike amid travel industry, hospitality layoffs » Boston Business Journal

Anticipating ‘shelter-in-place’ orders across the country, trade groups push for exceptions for biopharma employees » STAT News

Layoffs begin to mount as virus forces Massachusetts economy to shrink » Boston Globe

Hourly workers stretching to make ends meet » The Salem News

Coronavirus: Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker signs unemployment benefits bill, announces tax extensions for some small businesses » The Republican

Mass. residents filed 20,000 unemployment claims Monday. That’s more than all of February » Boston Globe

Restaurant Worker Funds Launched To Help Those Shut Out By Coronavirus » WBUR

Baker, Beacon Hill act as unemployment spikes under coronavirus » Boston Herald

Legislative

Massachusetts Statehouse closed to public, lawmakers, staff working remotely » News 22 WWLP.com

Local Government

Framingham Council Backs Driver's Licenses For The Undocumented » Brookline Patch

Marshfield declares state of emergency in response to coronavirus » Wicked Local Marshfield

Natick town administrator: We need clearer guidance from Baker on coronavirus » The Metro West Daily News

Brewster boards call for shelter-in-place order » Cape Cod Times

Northampton council to hold virtual meeting Thursday night » Gazette Net

Board supports hiring two new firefighters » South Coast Today

Public Health

Area legislators: ‘We are here’ » Gazette Net

Mass. House Employee Tests Positive For COVID-19 » WBUR

Shrewsbury CVS is pilot site for drive-thru coronavirus testing » Worcester Telegram

Due to coronavirus unknowns, strong local leadership critical (Editorial) » MassLive

Cyr Comments on Preventing Coronavirus, Aiding Local Residents » Cape Cod Online

Virus notes: Baker orders child care shift » Commonwealth Magazine

Mass. Medical Reserves Seek Volunteers To Help With Virus Response » New England Public Radio

Coronavirus Updates For Western New England: Wednesday, March 18 » New England Public Radio

Area lawmakers join shelter-in-place call » Wicked Local Acton

US coronavirus plan anticipates 18-month pandemic and widespread shortages » Boston Globe

Trump says he’s invoking bill to marshal private sector to aid health care capacity in response to coronavirus » Boston Globe

'You’re not alone’: How the recovery community is sticking together during the coronavirus shut downs » Boston Globe

Day care centers ordered closed as coronavirus continues to spread » Boston Globe

Trying to escape the coronavirus, the well-heeled flee to Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard » Boston Globe

Baystate Health Has 200 Employees In Quarantine » WAMC

A Boston doctor and five friends went to Miami. All six came back sick, at least four with the coronavirus » Boston Globe

We know how to confront the coronavirus pandemic: Expert mercy » Boston Globe

Older Customers Get Special Shopping Hours During A Viral Age » WBUR

Gen Z gets an F in grasping coronavirus severity » Boston Herald

Mass. 211 Hotline Battling High Call Volumes During Coronavirus Pandemic » WBUR

State orders child care centers to close Monday; providers torn between mission, preventing contagion » Worcester Telegram

Suffolk DA working to release low-risk prisoners who are vulnerable to coronavirus » WHDH

Which Country Has Flattened the Curve for the Coronavirus? » New York Times

Distancing Creates Additional Obstacle for Seniors » State House News Service

Bharel’s Roots Grounded in Mass. Health Care Landscape » State House News Service

Mass. General Says 5 Suffering From COVID-19 Are Now In The ICU » WBUR

Charlie Baker tours coronavirus lab: State to see ‘enormous increase’ in testing » Boston Herald

Baker says ‘enormous increase’ in coronavirus testing is on its way » Boston Globe

Quest Lab Ready to Accelerate Mass. COVID-19 Testing » State House News Service

Public Safety

The state’s prison system halted employee discipline, citing coronavirus, but changed course a day later » Boston Globe

Ayanna Pressley’s coronavirus plan: Set prisoners free » Boston Herald

Ayanna Pressley calls for ‘compassionate leave,’ commuting prison sentences due to coronavirus » Boston Herald

State Finance

Virus Crisis Could Lead To Use Of State's Savings » WGBH

State Government

Town clerks want state Senate election postponed » Cape Cod Times

State scrambling for a way to postpone Plymouth special election if needed » Wicked Local Plymouth

Taxation

State to give small businesses respite on sales and other taxes » Boston Business Journal

Transportation

MBTA ridership continues to plummet » Commonwealth Magazine

Residents find long lines at Mass. RMV after some branches reopen » Western Mass News

PVTA, UMass paring public bus service » Gazette Net

Social discord: Coronavirus distancing ignored with massive line at RMV » Boston Herald

Data shows Red Line ridership sank before, after service cuts » Patriot Ledger

No stoppage of public transit on Cape, Islands » The Barnstable Patriot

Bourne administrator seeks answers on bridge repairs » Cape Cod Times

Utilities

Moss departs, Doba now Vineyard Wind communications director » Martha's Vineyard Times

Lawyers in Columbia Gas settlement seek early payout » Newburyport News

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The Week In Review

Most read bills of the week:

SB2598 - An Act authorizing waiver of the one week waiting period for unemployment benefits

HB4572 - An Act to address challenges in town governance resulting from COVID-19

SB2599 - An Act authorizing waiver of the one week waiting period for unemployment benefits

SB2602 - An Act relative to emergency hazard health duty

HB4571 - An Act designating September 14, 2020 as a legal holiday

HB4624 - An Act providing for a moratorium on evictions and foreclosures during the COVID-19 emergency

HB4561 - An Act making appropriations for the fiscal year 2020 to provide for supplementing certain existing appropriations and for certain other activities and projects

HB4634 - An Act providing emergency access to equity and justice for all in response to COVID-19

HB4728 - An Act relative to taxes while Executive Order 591 is in effect

HB4559 - An Act to regulate sports wagering

House Actions This Week: 80

Senate Actions This Week: 12


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