11:00am House Session, Informal Session

11:00am Senate Session, Informal Session

Birthdays: Rep. Frank Moran

How America’s Newspapers Covered Up a Pandemic » The New Republic

Beaumont Plans Moving Ahead After Some Residents Test Positive » State House News Service

State hires former federal prosecutor to investigate as two more veterans die at Holyoke Soldiers’ Home » Boston Globe

Emergency Housing Bill Slow to Take Shape » State House News Service

Coronavirus cases at senior centers and nursing homes in Massachusetts are rising: ‘It’s a hot zone’ » Boston Globe

A measure to stop evictions starts moving on Beacon Hill » Boston Globe

The SBA's $350B stimulus program kicks off Friday, but banks still lack crucial details » Boston Business Journal

It’s Time to Make Your Own Face Mask » New York Times

Boston Fed chief warns economic hit from coronavirus could last longer than expected » Boston Globe

To mask or not to mask » Commonwealth Magazine

Editorial: Seize the moment to bolster infrastructure » Boston Business Journal

Democratic National Convention postponed until August » Boston Globe

Despite crisis, they keep on trucking to meet the demands of consumers » Boston Globe

Maura Healey reminds businesses it remains illegal to refuse cash over coronavirus fears » Boston.com

Boston Fed's Rosengren: COVID-19 will have long-term effects on commercial real estate » Boston Business Journal

Local golf courses feeling the pinch of the coronavirus » The Metro West Daily News

Dire Economic Picture Sketched in Series of Reports » State House News Service

VC firm Flagship Pioneering raises $1.1b for biotech startups despite reeling economy » Boston Globe

Stoneham auto design company making face shields for health care providers » WCVB

Berkshire markets aim to keep customers, workers safe from virus » Berkshire Eagle

Pandemic puts brakes on 'non-essential' construction sites, including Polar Park » The Metro West Daily News

Bob Kraft sends Patriots plane to China to get equipment for Mass. » Politico

A Million N95 Masks Are Coming From China—on Board the New England Patriots’ Plane » The Wall Street Journal

Aggressive Social Distancing Now Is Good For The Economy Later, Study Finds » WBUR

SouthCoast truckers putting on brakes during coronavirus outbreak » South Coast Today

Banks brace for millions of small-business loan requests as Trump coronavirus plan is put to test » Boston Globe

Keating To Mass. Small Businesses: Get Coronavirus Aid Fast, Before It's Gone » WGBH

Baker reversed course on gun shop, range openings » Taunton Gazette

Closures put pressure on salon owners » The Bay State Banner

Vertex 3.0 » Boston Business Journal

Boston Scientific cuts exec pay as revenue slides » Boston Business Journal

Two employees of pot firm NETA test positive for coronavirus, making workers question protocol » Boston Globe

Program keeps students active while at home during health crisis » South Coast Today

Councilors trying to combat glove littering in Brockton amid coronavirus crisis » The Enterprise

New EPA Rules Will Increase Air Pollution As The World Suffers A Respiratory Pandemic » WBUR

Massachusetts takes additional steps to encourage social distancing at state parks and beaches » News 22 WWLP.com

For Trump, cameras leave no room for social distancing » Commonwealth Magazine

Stimulus $$$ Should Begin Arriving Next Week, Delegation Says » State House News Service

Trump’s leadership on the coronavirus — horrendous or outstanding? » Boston Globe

The census is not canceled: How advocates are reaching hard-to-count communities » Gazette Net

Trump resists a national coronavirus shutdown, leaving it up to the states » Boston Globe

Democrats proposing commission to study US pandemic response » Boston Globe

Trump administration revokes tribe’s reservation status in ‘power grab’ » The Guardian

Social Security recipients who don’t usually file tax returns will automatically get $1,200 payments, Treasury says in reversal » Washington Post

Coronavirus relief act brings $4.8 million to Western Massachusetts, says US Rep. Richard Neal » The Republican

Abrupt Action by Federal Government Puts Mashpee Casino Project in Jeopardy » Vineyard Gazette

DCU Center taking shape as COVID-19 field hospital » Worcester Telegram

Anticipating surge, Boston area facilities moving residents and patients to set up coronavirus recovery centers » Boston Globe

In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, we must have those serious illness conversations » Boston Globe

Charlie Baker tours coronavirus care facility at DCU Center in Worcester » Boston Herald

Lt. Gov. Polito On DCU Field Hospital: 'Worcester Is Made For This Moment' » CBS Boston

Field hospital plans in works for the BCEC » Dorchester Reporter

Charlie Baker launches investigation into coronavirus deaths at Holyoke Soldiers’ Home » Boston Herald

Baker hires private lawyer to probe Holyoke Soldiers’ Home » Commonwealth Magazine

Mass. Governor Launches Investigation Into Soldiers' Home COVID-19 Outbreak » New England Public Radio

Nurses call for statewide inventory of personal protective equipment » WCVB

After COVID-19 Deaths At Holyoke Veterans' Home, Sister Facility In Chelsea Reports Cases, 2 Deaths » New England Public Radio

Coronavirus field hospital to open in Worcester, Boston convention center may be next » Boston Herald

Marcus Smart Donating Blood Plasma For Coronavirus Research » CBS Boston

Worcester Nursing Home 'Pauses' Transfer Of Residents After One Tests Positive For Coronavirus » WBUR

Seaport convention center may become a coronavirus field hospital » Boston Globe

Renters, homeowners need protection now » Boston Globe

Boston City Council passes call for rent moratorium under coronavirus » Boston Herald

Boston Council Approves (Largely Symbolic) Call For Rent And Mortgage Moratorium » WBUR

CTI receives boost for housing aid » Lowell Sun

Insurance companies could collapse under COVID-19 losses, experts say » Boston Herald

Judges must consider a person's risk of Covid-19 complications in probation-violation cases, court says » Universal Hub

All state trials in Mass. postponed until at least May 4 » Boston Globe

Closed-door hearing over inmate release for coronavirus concerns slammed » Boston Herald

Ocean State Job Lot raises worker pay and adds voluntary surcharge on prices to be paid out as employee bonuses » Universal Hub

Massachusetts again shatters record for weekly unemployment claims » Boston Business Journal

6.65 million file jobless claims as job market collapses under weight of coronavirus pandemic » Boston Globe

Amazon’s hiring boom packed applicants into job fairs with no special precautions » Boston Globe

Construction during coronavirus a ‘horror show’ says union president calling for ban » Boston Herald

Virus Forces Big Adjustments in Building Trades » State House News Service

Coronavirus response: Massachusetts convenience store workers see pay boost during COVID-19 pandemic » The Republican

Elizabeth Warren calls on Uber Eats, Instacart, others to classify workers as employees » Boston Globe

New Jobless Claims Set Second Straight Weekly Record » State House News Service

Unemployment Claims Set Another Discouraging Record In Mass. » WBUR

As the state logs record unemployment claims, the system has left hundreds frustrated » Boston.com

Section Matrix: An Act to address challenges faced by municipalities and state authorities resulting from COVID-19 » InstaTrac

'Unprecedented Need for Information': Inside the Lobbying Frenzy Over the $2 Trillion Coronavirus Package » law.com

Lynn census count could also be impacted by COVID-19 » Lynn Daily News Item

Aquinnah addresses communication concerns » Martha's Vineyard Times

My Life in the Age of COVID: Boston Mayor Marty Walsh » Boston Magazine

Falmouth closes beach parking lots to deter gatherings » Cape Cod Times

Lawrence extends deadlines for taxes, water and sewer bills » The Eagle Tribune

Outdoor municipal workers being called back to jobs in Attleboro » The Sun Chronicle

81 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Westfield » News 22 WWLP.com

Boston Turns to Data Analytics to Track COVID-19 for Residents » GovTech

Town officials worried construction work continuing » The Inquirer and Mirror

Joe Kennedy builds on his fundraising advantage over Ed Markey in first quarter of 2020 » Boston.com

State mum on outbreaks as coronavirus death toll in nursing homes mounts » Boston Globe

Governor Baker is launching a major effort to trace infected people’s contacts. Some say it might be too late » Boston Globe

Gov. Baker on calculating coronavirus recoveries in Massachusetts » WCVB

How vets died of COVID-19 and no one knew » Commonwealth Magazine

Data Center: Mass. Bed Capacity Not Enough to Handle Virus Peak » South Coast Today

Now more than ever, keep your distance » Lowell Sun

Virus notes: Franklin Cty. reports 3 more deaths » Commonwealth Magazine

Nurses at Massachusetts General Hospital beg public to help in coronavirus fight » Boston Herald

Coronavirus Updates For Western New England: States Opening Field Hospitals Ahead Of 'Surge' » New England Public Radio

Mass. Gov. Baker Extends Stay-Home Guidance Through May 4 » New England Public Radio

Gov. Baker launches investigation into Holyoke Soldiers’ Home; veteran deaths rise to 15 » Gazette Net

Madaro and EBNHC Host Virtual Town Hall » East Boston Times-Free Press

Moderna Is Manufacturing Its Potential Coronavirus Vaccine With Unusual Speed » WBUR

Temporary morgue set up at Fitchburg State University » Boston Globe

State offers more leeway on virus data » Cape Cod Times

Massachusetts coronavirus numbers: 122 deaths and 7,738 cases » Boston Herald

Kraft family used Patriots team plane to shuttle protective masks from China to Boston » Boston Globe

Baker says coronavirus hospitalizations expected to peak between April 10 and April 20 » Boston Globe

In transpacific deal for 1.2M masks, Krafts were a phone call away, Gov. Baker says » Boston Business Journal

Health Connector to Assist with Virus Contact Tracing » State House News Service

Serious Crimes Drop In Boston As Nearly Everyone Stays Home » WGBH

‘No transparency, no plan’ — Stoughton police unions fault chief amid department’s outbreak of coronavirus » Patriot Ledger

State budget writers are starting over » Commonwealth Magazine

Voting by mail in New England? Coronavirus could lead to the biggest changes in the way Americans vote in more than half a century » Boston Globe

Coronavirus Has Potential to Reshape Government Technology » Governing

Mass RMV extends renewal deadlines for motor vehicle registrations » News 22 WWLP.com

Coronavirus fallout: MBTA subway, bus ridership continues to plummet » The Republican

AG wants DPU to freeze gas rates during COVID-19 crisis » News 22 WWLP.com

Social Media Spotlight

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MassGovernor COVID-19 Update: Governor Baker, Lt. Governor Polito Tour Field Medical Station Site At DCU Center WGBH News Researcher From Widely-Cited COVID-19 Model Says Stay-At-Home Mandate Would Save Lives WCVB Channel 5 Boston More veterans die of coronavirus at Holyoke, Chelsea soldiers' homes

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HB4598 - An Act to address challenges faced by municipalities and state authorities resulting from COVID-19

HB4612 - Text of a further amendment to HB4598

HB4586 - An Act to further address challenges faced by municipalities, school districts and state authorities resulting from COVID-19

SB2619 - Text of the Senate amendment (Senator Rodrigues) to the House Bill to address challenges faced by municipalities and state authorities resulting from COVID-19 (House, No. 4598)

HB4611 - An Act relative to emergency hazard health duty

HB4580 - An Act addressing challenges in municipal governance resulting from COVID-19

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

HB4631 - An Act relative to state employees performing core functions

HB4593 - An Act to facilitate the delay of the income tax filing deadline

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

Whip Clark Statement on the Passing of Congressman Donald M. Payne, Jr. » Office of Congresswoman Katherine Clark

Administration opens Destination Development grant program » Mass. Municipal Association

Release: Airlines to disclose fees up front, give automatic refunds for cancellations, delays » MassPIRG

Ending the Tax Penalty Against Working Immigrants » Mass. Budget & Policy Center