10:00am Study Civil Asset Forfeiture Policies and Practices in the Commonwealth, Virtual Hearing

10:00am Government Affairs Forum: Mayor Kim Janey hosted by the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, Via webcast

10:00am Joint Committee on Election Laws, Public Hearing

11:00am Joint Committee on Community Development and Small Business, Public Hearing

1:00pm Joint Committee on Public Service, Public Hearing

2:00pm Joint Committee on Transportation, Public Hearing

6:30pm Executive Office for Administration & Finance Public Hearing, Via Zoom

Trump is out of D.C. The pandemic is fading. And the newest issue driving the American political discourse is quickly emerging » Boston Globe

‘They’re going to try to do here what they did in California’: A potential gig worker ballot fight is looming in Massachusetts » Boston.com

NY: Adams Leads in N.Y.C. Mayoral Primary, but Ranked-Choice Awaits » New York Times

Chang-Diaz launches run for governor » Commonwealth Magazine

Development coalition hits airwaves in Boston mayoral race » Boston Herald

Boston City Council Proposes Law To Maintain Affordable Housing » WBUR

Mail-in voting for Boston’s fall election could be at risk if Mass. lawmakers don’t act soon, Secretary of State Galvin warns » Boston Globe

Warren holds up confirmation of a Biden pick at Education Department » Washington Post

'Killibuster': Democratic angst grows as filibuster threatens agenda » The Hill

Community health centers applaud big boost in MassHealth reimbursement » Boston Business Journal

Admin Worried About Holdup As House Dems Vote to Stash Fed Aid » State House News Service

Tech Giants, Fearful of Proposals to Curb Them, Blitz Washington With Lobbying » New York Times

CO: Colorado GOP pushes against teaching critical race theory » Axios

NY: Buffalo’s Walton on verge of becoming first big city socialist mayor in 60 years » Politico

OPINION: A strong Black woman challenging him, Marco Rubio claims that identity politics are Marxism » The Associated Press (AP)

NJ: Budget committees advance $46.4B spending bill minutes after making it public » Politico

Trump Rages Against ‘Saturday Night Live’ In Unhinged Conspiracy Rant » HUFFPOST

GA: Warnock targets state takeover of local elections with new voting bill » Georgia Recorder

OPINION: Want to Get Trump Re-elected? Dismantle the Police. » New York Times

Republicans block voting rights bill, dealing blow to Biden and Democrats » Boston Globe

Howie Carr: Democrats never have to say sorry, just ask Sheldon Whitehouse » Boston Herald

The failure of the voting rights bill is the moment when Biden loses the left » Boston Globe

What’s next now that GOP has blocked voting bill? » Boston Globe

First look: These three giant cranes are a big deal for the Port of Boston » Boston Business Journal

Cybersecurity startup raises $543M, becomes latest Boston tech unicorn » Boston Business Journal

‘Wigs are the next big thing’: A Boston beauty startup wants to make the buying process easier for Black women » Boston Globe

Massive cranes give Boston an economic lift » Boston Herald

Jasa Farms halts pursuing a Cummington marijuana facility » Gazette Net

Opinion: If patience is a virtue, Black people must be saints » Boston Globe

Opinion: Again the Supreme Court defends religious believers. Again it’s unanimous. » Boston Globe

Massachusetts Schools Will Not Require Masks This Fall » WBSM

Riley Pledges Enforcement of New Vocational School Admissions Rules » State House News Service

Education Commissioner threatens to freeze funding to Boston over school committee turmoil » Boston Herald

To boost access to vocational schools, Mass. drops requirement to consider grades, attendance, or discipline in admissions » Boston Globe

Food Container Bill Spurs Debate Between Lawmakers, Industry » State House News Service

Bill Seeks Remedies For Air Pollution Hotspots » State House News Service

Supporting local beekeepers during Pollinator Week » News 22 WWLP.com

Dear Jo with Sen. Jo Comerford: Bugs, weeds and health » Gazette Net

Community health centers get $700 million boost from state » MassLive

Wait Lists For Children's Mental Health Services Ballooned During COVID » WBUR

Massachusetts body shop owner's surveillance video helped convict him of fraud » WCVB

Coalition launches amid battle over benefits for Uber, Lyft workers » Boston Business Journal

Bill mandates pay scale disclosure if applicants ask » News 22 WWLP.com

Gig Workers At Center Of Emerging Labor Law Fight » WBUR

Mass. poised to be ‘ground zero’ for high-stakes gig economy battle as potential ballot question looms » Boston Globe

Almost 40 percent of remote workers in Mass. won’t be back in the office until January, at the earliest » Boston Globe

Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito to join unveiling of Susan B. Anthony statue in Adams » Berkshire Eagle

Georgetown Town Meeting approves zoning restrictions on trash stations » Wicked Local

Southampton voters reject $718,467 override » Gazette Net

Weymouth postpones fireworks display to future time » Boston Globe

Campbell blasts Janey’s budget, says she will vote ‘no’ » Boston Globe

As COVID-19 fades, Northborough selectmen discuss post-pandemic challenges » Community Advocate

Planning board considers possibility of permanent restaurant outdoor seating » Community Advocate

Sixth candidate, Marc Warner, joins Northampton mayoral race » Gazette Net

Sonia Chang-Diaz says she’s running for governor of Massachusetts » Boston Herald

Development coalition hits airwaves in Boston mayoral race » Boston Herald

What Bostonians need to know about the NYC mayoral election » Boston Globe

Mass. Gov. Candidate Danielle Allen Pushes For ‘Something Transformative’ » WGBH

Federal government to step up efforts to get young people vaccinated as Biden falls short of July 4 vaccine goal » Boston Globe

Massachusetts hits milestone of 4.1 million people fully vaccinated; US to miss mark » Boston Globe

Local communities working to catch up to state's COVID-19 vaccination rates » Western Mass News

Last shot given at Hynes Convention Center mass COVID-19 vaccination site in Boston » WCVB

Getting COVID notifications on your phone? The MassNotify tracer is setting off privacy alarms » Boston Globe

A government-sanctioned place to inject illicit drugs? It may come first to Somerville » Boston Globe

33 confirmed cases, 1 death, and 12,888 vaccinations. See today’s COVID-19 data from Mass. » Boston Globe

Town officials, residents wrangle over funding alternative police services in Amherst » Gazette Net

Former Boston cop pleads guilty in overtime fraud scheme » Boston Herald

Police dog killed in shootout honored with open casket funeral at Gillette Stadium » Boston Globe

As homicides soar nationwide, mayors see few options for regaining control » Boston Globe

Galvin Urges Lawmakers to Act Now on Mail-In Voting » State House News Service

House Rejects Baker’s $2.8 Bil ARPA Plan in Favor of Reflective Approach » State House News Service

Beacon Hill Democrats Strip Baker Of New Federal Aid Spending Authority » WGBH

Legislature rejects Baker’s spending plan for federal COVID funds; governor concerned with delay in disbursements » Boston Globe

Power struggle between Charlie Baker, Dems over spending federal coronavirus aid rages » Boston Herald

House votes to put fed funds through budget-like process » Commonwealth Magazine

MassDOT official: Traffic back to 2019 levels, ‘adjustment period’ coming » Fox 25 News

Steamship Authority did not make ransom payment » News 22 WWLP.com

Report: Massachusetts’ urban interstate congestion and bridge deterioration among highest in U.S. » Boston Herald

State lawmakers to debate bills that would allow undocumented immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses » WHDH

Editorial: Extend and modify the T's oversight board » Boston Business Journal

House lightly amends, passes $275M transportation bill » News 22 WWLP.com

Social Media Spotlight

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WCVB Channel 5 Boston Should Mass. keep mail-in voting? CBS Boston Keller @ Large: Talks Drag Over Infrastructure Bill, But One Side Has The Upper Hand

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Podcast Spotlight

WBUR Radio Boston: Ask the Doctors: The Delta Variant And Changing Vaccine Milestones Five Thirty Eight Politics Podcast: Why Democrats Are Trying Election Reform Even Though They Don’t Have The Votes NPR The NPR Politics Podcast: Democrats And Republicans Are In An Existential Crisis Over Ballot Access Union of Concerned Scientists Got Science?: Ep. 112: Big Oil Upheaval and Growing Voter Restrictions

Directions

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

2024 ‘State of the Air’ Report Reveals Most ‘Hazardous’ Air Quality Days in 25 Years » American Lung Association

Environmentalists and Youth Group Sue Maine for Failure to Act on Climate Change » Conservation Law Foundation

Senate President Spilka Pledges "Comprehensive Climate Bill" In Senate » American Council of Engineering Companies of Mass.

NEW VIDEO: Maura Healey's Embattled Secretary of Transportation » MassFiscal Alliance