9:00am Rural School Districts, Virtual Hearing

10:00am Department of Correction and Sheriff's Department Funding, Virtual Hearing

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

11:00am Joint Committee on Financial Services, Public Hearing

11:00am House Session, Full Formal Session

1:00pm Senate Session, Full Formal Session

3:30pm The Future of Work hosted by MAPC, Via Zoom

As donors await decision, Charlie Baker enjoys best fund-raising month in years » Boston Globe

Justice Dept. will address ‘disturbing spike’ in threats against school personnel » Boston Globe

Mike Pence Is Conveniently Trying to Turn the Page on January 6 » Vanity Fair

The Cocooning of Kyrsten Sinema » New York Times

FL: Ms. DeSantis’ cancer diagnosis: Few are willing to discuss the political implications » Florida Phoenix

MN: St. Paul City Council considers "pioneering" anti-tobacco proposal » Axios

NY: New York's cannabis board holds first meeting, amends medical program » Lohud

Why Some Health Care Workers Are Vaccine Hesitant Despite Their Medical Training » Gothamist

FL: Groups challenging new Florida election law seeks documents about how it was drafted » Miami Herald

Trump endorses Geoff Diehl for governor of Massachusetts » Boston Herald

Voters in 36 states will elect a governor next year. Here’s a cheat sheet. » Politico

TX: Dallas Morning News rejects ad hammering AT&T for backing sponsors of Texas abortion bill, Democratic super PAC says » CNBC

Tensions erupt between environmental justice leaders and White House » Politico

From broadband to homebuilding to a state-owned bank, Senate outlines its priorities for a postpandemic Massachusetts » Boston Globe

Opinion: Biden’s polling numbers are even worse than they appear » Washington Post

State Tax Receipts Running Half A Billion Over Benchmarks » State House News Service

Critics Fault Massachusetts For Counting Nonprofits In Minority Business Spending Goals » WGBH

Senate report urges bonus pay, training to boost 'care economy' » Boston Business Journal

State is rolling in money » Commonwealth Magazine

As the US hurtles toward a debt crisis, what does McConnell want? » Boston Globe

Senate filibuster change on debt a ‘real possibility,’ Biden says » Boston Globe

In budget turning point, Biden conceding smaller price tag » Boston Globe

Biden scales back his agenda in hopes of bringing moderates onboard » Boston Globe

‘It puts employers in a difficult position’: Businesses are stuck waiting for federal vaccine mandate rules » Boston Globe

Lawyers for Henrietta Lacks estate say Thermo Fisher Scientific is just the first firm to be sued over her cells » Boston Globe

Why Fidelity invests in unicorns: A conversation with Karin Fronczke » Boston Globe

Trump drops off Forbes 400 list for first time in 25 years » Boston Globe

Facebook whistleblower tells Congress that the platform is hurting kids, weakening democracy » Boston Globe

Waltham's Rocket Software names new CEO after 30 years » Boston Business Journal

Massachusetts companies have raised $5.8B in IPOs this year. Here's how they ranked » Boston Business Journal

East meets west: State officials get first-hand account of the struggles Valley farmers face » Amherst Bulletin

House may pass bill to address possible egg shortage » News 22 WWLP.com

Mass. Lawmakers Consider Changes to Animal Welfare Law to Avoid Egg Shortage » NBC Boston

Defendants in a $3 million cannabis trafficking case question the legality of a police search in Savoy » Berkshire Eagle

Rule change paves way for smokable hemp » Commonwealth Magazine

Gerald Alston finally wins his case » Boston Globe

Opinion: ‘Until I am free, you are not free either’ » Boston Globe

MIT cancels professor lecture after backlash against him, university cites ‘distractions’ » Boston Herald

Dept. of Justice cracking down on threats and harassment of school board members — including Massachusetts » Boston Herald

Parent says test-and-stay is not optimal » The Landmark

The Battle for Franklin Park » Boston Magazine

State regulators roll out CSO discharge notice rules » The Eagle Tribune

Through 100 percent Clean Act, climate advocates seek to ramp up state's work on climate » Berkshire Eagle

‘Culture of corruption’: Senator Warren slams top Federal Reserve officials » Boston Globe

Brain Injury Suit Leads to Transformation of Services » State House News Service

$1M OK'd for Middlesex effort to divert mental-health cases » Your Arlington

A comeback realized: $50M renovation of Skyview Downtown housing in Springfield draws praise » MassLive

Liberty Mutual gives Boston homelessness nonprofit its largest-ever grant » Boston Business Journal

Senator Moran to Host Housing Roundtable » Cape Cod Online

5 Investigates: Baker administration offers Boston help with 'Mass. & Cass' » WCVB

Kim Janey, mayoral candidates distance themselves from Suffolk sheriff’s Mass and Cass plan » Boston Herald

Annex of Worcester County Courthouse nominated to National Register of Historic Places » Worcester Telegram

TV and film union vote to authorize strike, potentially bringing Massachusetts’ booming industry to a halt » Boston Herald

Mass. AFL-CIO joins others in asking lawmakers to urge St. V to end nurses' strike » Worcester Telegram

Who’s keeping whom in check on Beacon Hill? » Commonwealth Magazine

Holyoke City Council continue talks on Wage Theft ordinance » MassLive

GB to receive $2.1 million in COVID relief funds, as state auditor calls for action on ‘east-west divide’ » the Berkshire edge

Northampton Arts Council cancels Biennial show citing ‘harmful’ art, flawed process » Gazette Net

Northampton wants public’s help spending $21.7 million » Gazette Net

Amherst planners consider overlay district for downtown parking garage » Gazette Net

Dozens Of Communities Moving Forward With Reprecincting » State House News Service

AG: Sharon School Committee broke the law when it secretly deliberated to oust chairwoman » Patriot Ledger

Essaibi George aims to broaden appeal with diversity plan » Boston Globe

‘Chump change’ fundraising continues as Charlie Baker, Maura Healey hold off on 2022 Massachusetts governor’s race decision » Boston Herald

Trump likes Diehl. He also likes the Yankees. Could this be Trump’s least relevant endorsement? » Boston Globe

Ed Markey endorses Michelle Wu, a big name boost to the Boston mayoral candidate but a blow to rival Annissa Essaibi George » Boston Globe

Campaign Notes: Former Mayors Endorse Morrow; Trocki Backs O’Neil; Events This Week » WHAV

Howie Carr: The art of the Diehl » Boston Herald

Boston mayoral race 2021: A running list of all the candidate debates and forums » Boston Globe

Rep. Lynch endorses Erin Murphy for at-large council » Dorchester Reporter

Mayoral Candidate Essaibi George Unveils Major Equity And Inclusion Agenda » WGBH

Encouraging trends emerge in Mass. coronavirus data. But experts say it’s no time to celebrate. » Boston Globe

Breakthrough COVID cases in Massachusetts decrease along with overall drop in numbers and are about 38% of total » MassLive

Guest columnist Patrick J. Cahillane: A case for ‘smaller is smarter’ at Hampshire County Jail » Gazette Net

Springfield city councilors question $5M request to settle police misconduct cases » MassLive

Families of homicide victims, including Colleen Ritzer’s parents, split over parole for offenders » Boston Herald

Life Without Parole Knocked As “Death By Another Name” » State House News Service

Senate Report May Inform Big Spending Decisions » State House News Service

“Fraudsters” eager to exploit ARPA relief funds, state Auditor Suzanne Bump warns » Lowell Sun

Report urges action on addressing inequities post-COVID » Commonwealth Magazine

Watchdogs Want Reserve To Audit ARPA Spending » State House News Service

Poftak Flags More Work Ahead on MBTA Safety Front » State House News Service

Traffic Is Making A Comeback In Boston, But Rush Hour Is On The Move » WGBH

Social Media Spotlight

annissaforbos repsmitty joanmeschino

---

GBH News Is COVID Finally Declining? CBS Boston Cambridge School Committee Approves COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate For Students

---

---

Podcast Spotlight

Union of Concerned Scientists Got Science?: Ep. 119: Floods, Fires, and Outdated Disaster Plans at Chemical Facilities

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