11:00am Senate Session, Informal Session

11:00am House Session, Full Formal Session

12:00pm Environmental League of Mass. Climate & Equity Webinar, Via Zoom

State health care board does soul-searching after excessive spending growth » Boston Business Journal

REPORT: MATT GAETZ UPGRADED FROM JUST F--KED TO ROYALLY F--KED » Vanity Fair

HEALTH CARE’S MISSING PIECE » Boston Business Journal

Local biotech leaders sign letter against voter suppression » Boston Business Journal

OPINION: ‘Your dad was a hero’ — the clashing views about American police » Boston Globe

Democrats to introduce legislation to expand Supreme Court » Politico

Tax breaks not on House budget chief’s radar » Commonwealth Magazine

Asian American families overwhelmingly reject full-time return to BPS classrooms this month » Boston Globe

WBUR Poll: Rent Control Supported By Most Boston Voters » WBUR

Massachusetts just passed a landmark climate bill. Here’s why Ben Downing thinks it doesn’t go far enough. » Boston.com

NY: Andrew Yang leads the New York mayoral race despite missteps. But can he win? » The Guardian

‘Little Statehouse’ not big enough: Springfield Councilor Sean Curran wants a state agency headquarters downtown to aid post-COVID recovery » The Republican

Inside Nancy Pelosi’s War With AOC and the Squad » Politico

NY: Andrew Yang’s mayoral campaign is being run by a lobbying firm » City & State New York

FL: FL House passes controversial bill affecting transgender athletes, despite hours of opposition »

NJ: New Jersey governor might give $40M in federal funds to undocumented immigrants » Politico NJ

RI: Demonstrator arrested with loaded handgun near RI State House » Providence Journal

GA: Quest for D.C. statehood finds new friends and foes: Other states » Georgia Recorder

Democrats brace for new 'defund the police' attacks » The Hill

Fed Reimbursements, Rainy Day Fund Help House Drive Up Budget Bottom Line » State House News Service

Unions struggle to secure wins under Biden » The Hill

Briefings: Brady, Ways & Means GOP Leader, Retiring with Rank » Western Mass Politics and Insight

US Capitol Police watchdog to testify on Jan. 6 failures » Boston Globe

‘Time to end America’s longest war’: Biden announces timetable for Afghanistan withdrawal » Boston Globe

No charges against officer who fatally shot woman during insurrection at US Capitol in January, prosecutors say » Boston Globe

House panel votes to advance bill on slavery reparations » Boston Globe

Mass. Cities Help Lead Puerto Rico Self-Determination Push » State House News Service

Watch Out for FEMA Funeral Aid Scams, Mass. Attorney General Warns » NBC Boston

Boston insurance tech startup raises $20M, plans new hires » Boston Business Journal

Former Alden Shoe Co. CFO charged in $30 million embezzlement scheme » Boston Globe

Madoff was an evil master of financial illusion » Boston Globe

Welcome to ‘Beerfield’: Berkshire Brewing Co. receives OK to expand beer garden; town will soon get 3rd brewery » Gazette Net

Civic group launches new pilot program for Asian-owned businesses » Boston Business Journal

Report: Pandemic Has Had High Economic Impact On Mothers » WGBH

Waltham-based Thermo Fisher buying PPD in deal worth $17.4 billion » Boston Herald

Amplify Latinx co-founder to head fund aimed at racial wealth inequity » Boston Business Journal

Cannabis conflict: Hempest’s move into recreational marijuana causes trouble for co-owner’s family » Gazette Net

Under the radar, states around the country are quickly making marijuana legal » Boston Globe

Former congressman joins board of enVerid Systems » Boston Globe

Antonio Delgado, Deval Patrick, Leticia Smith-Evans Haynes talk racial, economic divides in launching Bridging Divides: Healing Communities series (Video) » Berkshire Eagle

WBUR Poll Finds 8 In 10 Bostonians Say Racism Is A Significant Problem » WBUR

Competition at Play in Early Timing of UMass Tuition Freeze » State House News Service

UMass trustees lock in flat tuition for in-state students » Gazette Net

Group calls for lottery system for admission to vocational schools » Sentinel & Enterprise

The National Guard wants to clear 170 acres of woods on Cape Cod for a new machine gun range » Boston Globe

A victory against Springfield Biomass project, but work remains to be done (Guest viewpoint) » The Republican

Building Trades Rattled Over Labor Agreement in Holyoke Home Bill » State House News Service

Food Insecurity Rates Remain High In Massachusetts Because Of The Pandemic » WGBH

Judge becomes first woman appointed first justice in Attleboro District Court » The Sun Chronicle

Amazon Vote Won’t Deter Union Goals, Labor Secretary Marty Walsh Says » The Wall Street Journal

‘I’m excited to see how tall people are’: For those hired remotely, it’s the little things they miss most » Boston Globe

US weekly unemployment claims dip to 576,000, the lowest number since start of the pandemic » Boston Globe

Lawmakers Wade Into Redistricting Without Key Data » State House News Service

Town Hit With Another Lawsuit From The Port And Ember » The Cape Cod Chronicle

Pittsfield School Committee picks Curtis for superintendent; Powell quits panel in protest » Berkshire Eagle

Lowell is an immigrant city on the precipice of change » Boston Globe

'All anyone wants is to be accepted:' Fairhaven elects first openly transgender official » South Coast Today

Boston Public Library set to eliminate late fines and the equity imbalance they create, Janey says » Boston Globe

Trailing Boston mayoral candidates need to get creative, consider TV commercials after poll, experts say » Boston Herald

Tito Jackson found his birth mother. Their family’s journey is a tale of Boston history » Boston Globe

Emily’s List targeting Gov. Charlie Baker in new campaign for refusing to expand abortion rights in Massachusetts » The Republican

Are Bostonians Wedded To The Idea That The Mayor Should Be Born Here? » WGBH

Michelle Wu pledges to create ‘children’s cabinet,’ ‘personal navigator’ for Boston Public Schools students if elected mayor » Boston Herald

2,004 confirmed cases, 14 deaths, and 92,459 vaccinations: See today’s new COVID-19 data from Mass. » Boston Globe

Regional Vaccination Clinic launched; doses dedicated to Southborough residents each week » My Southborough

Our Opinion: Mass. vaccine effort marches on » Berkshire Eagle

Opinion: I got the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. The pause makes me believe in it more. » Boston Globe

Baker expects ‘minimal disruptions’ to vaccine appointments despite pause in Johnson & Johnson shots » Boston Globe

State plans Red Sox-themed COVID-19 vaccination outreach for Spanish-speaking communities » WCVB

Baker: Pause in Johnson & Johnson Vaccines Shows System is Working » iBerkshires

1.7 million people to become eligible for COVID-19 vaccines next week in Massachusetts » WCVB

Federal panel recommends continued ‘pause’ on J&J vaccine. Doctors hope to reconvene in a week to 10 days » Boston Globe

Walk-up Pfizer COVID vaccine appointments available in Boston, no appointment necessary » The Republican

Officials are reserving nearly half of all vaccine appointments at the Hynes Convention Center next week for hard-hit communities » Boston.com

Massachusetts releases more data on COVID infections among children as overall active cases decline for second straight day » The Republican

Despite losing ‘game-changing’ vaccine, MA still set to reach major vaccination milestone » Fox 25 News

‘It May Take Several Weeks’ For Newly Eligible Massachusetts Residents To Book COVID Vaccine Appointment, Baker Says » CBS Boston

Opinion: N.Y. is right, Governor Baker — bring on the vaccine passport » Boston Globe

Vaccine appointments being rescheduled, state addresses vaccine hesitancy » Western Mass News

Battenfeld: Biden takes credit for coronavirus vaccines, now will he tell the truth? » Boston Herald

House budget calls for publicizing 2017 law » Commonwealth Magazine

Residents of these 20 communities will be able to participate in ‘Red Sox Week’ at the Hynes Convention Center » Boston Globe

J&J Pause Could Reduce Pharmacy Shots, Senator Says » State House News Service

The courage of a 12-year-old » Boston Globe

Editorial: Ending the code of silence for Boston police » Boston Globe

Mayor mulls police reform while drafting budget » Gazette Net

Two former state troopers repay $110,000 in overtime fraud case » Boston Globe

Public invited to pay respects at Adams funeral procession for Billy Evans » Berkshire Eagle

Kim Janey focuses on getting police off of medical leave to meet overtime cut goal » Boston Herald

House budget proposes spending $1.8B more than Gov. Charlie Baker’s plan » Lowell Sun

Mass. House budget plan avoids cuts, tax hikes; some still concerned with education funding » Berkshire Eagle

House budget boosts spending, keeps fed funds in reserve » Commonwealth Magazine

Solvency fund problem, which drove employer contribution spikes, was ‘dropped on our laps,’ Massachusetts House Speaker Ron Mariano says » The Republican

House Budget Generates Mix of Reactions » State House News Service

Great Barrington to get modular bridge to open Division Street » Berkshire Eagle

PVTA to start a pilot express route between Northampton, Holyoke, Springfield » The Reminder

Quincy city councilors call for halt to compressor operations, vow to keep fighting » Patriot Ledger

Social Media Spotlight

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MassGovernor COVID-19 Update: Red Sox Week at the Hynes GBH News Derek Chauvin, Kim Potter And The Problem Of Police Brutality CBS Boston CDC Panel Decides To Leave Johnson & Johnson COVID Vaccine Suspension In Place

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Podcast Spotlight

WBUR Radio Boston: Wu And Janey Lead The Mayoral Pack: Poll Mass Climate Action Network Mass Climate Action: The anatomy of climate delay on Beacon Hill: The Climate Minute The MassINC Polling Group The Horse Race: Episode 177: Mayorals? For Spring? Groundbreaking. NPR The NPR Politics Podcast: After Almost Two Decades Of War, Biden To Withdraw Troops From Afghanistan

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

It Takes A Village to Heat a Home with Wood » Sierra Club Mass.

Senate Leaders Unveil MassEducate: Universal Free Community College for Massachusetts Residents » Office of Senate President Karen Spilka

Will MA Do the Right Thing on Housing? » Progressive Mass

Chamber Announces Small Business of the Year Honorees » Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce

Gov. signs $375M transportation bond bill » Mass. Municipal Association

Our Advocacy Network in Action: Evelyn Disla » Strategies for Children

Sen. Markey Leads Call to End Solitary Confinement in Bureau of Prisons Facilities » Office of Sen. Ed Markey

Steward Health Care Finalizing Financing Deal with Medical Properties Trust to Support its Restructuring » Steward Health Care