10:00am Special Legislative Commission to Study and Examine the Civil Service Law, Virtual Hearing

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

11:00am "Ask the Superintendent" with Boston Superintendent Brenda Cassellius on GBH's Boston Public Radio, 89.7 FM or wgbhnews.org

11:00am House Session, Informal Session

11:00am Senate Session, Informal Session

5:00pm Close of Comment Period for Department of Transitional Assistance Proposed Regulatory Changes, Submission via mail or email

Charlie Baker and the demise of the Yankee Republican » Boston Globe

Revealed in dark of night and passed hours later in nearly empty chamber, Mass. House moves $4 billion bill toward governor » Boston Globe

No Compromise Needed: Lawmakers Pack All Pet Projects Into $4B Bill » State House News Service

Editorial: With Baker’s exit, two-party rule will cease to exist » Sentinel & Enterprise

‘We ran out of ICU beds today’: Hospitals stagger under strain as COVID-19 cases reach highest level since winter » Boston Globe

Andrew Lelling also eyeing run for Massachusetts governor, sources say » Boston Herald

Mass. ARPA bill nears finish line as House OKs compromise » Boston Business Journal

'I love the job I have': Will New Bedford's Jon Mitchell run for Gov. Charlie Baker's seat? » South Coast Today

Rollins edges closer to being confirmed as the next US attorney for Massachusetts following narrow Senate vote » Boston Globe

Southcoast Health fires more than 200 for refusing vaccines » New Bedford Light

The Immunity to Trumpism Among Massachusetts Republicans Is Dwindling » Esquire

Gutting Roe Means 2022 Will Be All About Abortion Rights » Vanity Fair

Burnout, money, concern drive Harris turnover » Axios

Voting rights advocates frustrated by ‘same-old, same-old’ meeting with White House » The Guardian

A Pollster’s Warning to Democrats: ‘We Have a Problem’ » New York Times

The Radical Young Intellectuals Who Want to Take Over the American Right » The New Republic

Build Back Better’s Gift To The Gas Industry » The Daily Poster

GA: The Origins of Herschel Walker’s Complicated Views on Race » Politico

FL: Florida's DeSantis wants to hand out taxpayer dollars to businesses that defy vaccine mandates » CNN

PA: Dr. Oz Hopes to Replace Rand Paul as Biggest Quack in Senate » The New Yorker

NY: NY Republicans vow to take legal action if de Blasio signs bill allowing non-citizens to vote » Fox News

The year 2022 is supposed to be a banner one for Republicans, so why are three of the region’s top Republicans passing on big contests? » Boston Globe

Senate passes stopgap funding bill, avoiding shutdown » Boston Globe

Pressley, 37 other house members call for Boebert to be stripped of committee assignments » Boston Globe

MIT-founded food waste startup Spoiler Alert finds its stride amid supply chain woes » Boston Globe

Hey Alexa, can you add even more jobs in Boston? » Boston Globe

Possible egg shortage looms as legislative deadline nears » Boston Herald

The Business of Replacing Governor Baker » NECN

Season of giving? Worcester and Springfield named the least charitable cities in America by LendingTree » MassLive

Cape Ann pot shop sues city of Gloucester over fees charged in host community agreement » WBUR

Opinion: Alarm bells are ringing: Congress must pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act » Boston Globe

Massachusetts lawmakers sign global pledge to ban conversion therapy for LGBTQ+ community » MassLive

Justices signal they may toss Roe, allow new abortion limits » Boston Globe

Opinion: The stench at the Supreme Court » Boston Globe

Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker signs genocide education bill into law, as Hanukkah puts the spotlight on rising anti-Semitism » MassLive

Maura Healey speaks out over Mississippi abortion case » Boston.com

Boston will create wait-lists for its exam schools amid enrollment decline » Boston Globe

Families want answers on fired Boston high school administrator » WGBH

School cases spike: Mass. reports 8,513 new coronavirus cases among public school students and 1,396 among staff in past two weeks » Boston Globe

Educators less worried this year about the uptick of COVID-19 cases in schools » Boston Globe

Bridgewater State students raise concerns about mold on campus » Boston.com

UMass Amherst, Hampshire College mandate booster shots for students » Gazette Net

MGM Springfield will reopen all floors of hotel and be 24/7 again » MassLive

Mayor Michelle Wu drafts immediate plan to move people from Mass. and Cass to new housing » Boston Globe

Biden administration will resume Trump policy for asylum-seekers to wait in Mexico » Boston Globe

Suffolk DA Rollins moves ahead to final vote for US attorney nomination after Markey and Warren defend her » Boston Globe

Narrow Senate Vote Edges Rollins Nomination Forward » State House News Service

Fall River lawyer accuses Bristol County DA of retaliation after Target 12 report » WPRI.com

Compromise ARPA spending bill emerges $180m bigger » Commonwealth Magazine

Departing City Councilor Matt O’Malley steps over to steam plant owner Vicinity » Boston Globe

Holyoke Mayor Joshua Garcia debuts Transition Team; ready to tackle major issues » MassLive

Backed by Black and Latino coalition, Flynn secures votes for Council presidency » The Bay State Banner

Judge to examine 2 ballots in Framingham's Steiner-Feeney race. Here's what it means. » The Metro West Daily News

GBH Launching Weekly Politics Show » State House News Service

'It really is a surprise': South Shore leaders react after Baker says he won't run again » Patriot Ledger

Why GBH News political analysts were 'very surprised' by Baker and Polito's exit » WGBH

Howie Carr: Marty Walsh urged to run for 5M-plus reasons » Boston Herald

Opinion: Charlie Baker's empty suit » WBUR

As Baker and Polito exit, Western Mass. supporters praise ‘pragmatism’ » MassLive

A hole in the middle » Commonwealth Magazine

Opinion: In wake of Baker-Polito exit, let’s make way for a whole new way of doing politics » Boston Globe

Baker’s exit ends era, opens doors » Commonwealth Magazine

Editorial: Baker’s move sets scene for pol free-for-all » Boston Herald

Jane Swift Won’t Run For Governor » New Boston Post

Mass. gubernatorial field feels the ripples from Baker’s decision not to run » WAMC

Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker, not seeking third term, says ‘yeah’ to ruling out presidential run » MassLive

Hodgson Opponent Gets Push From Beacon Hill Dems » Fall River Reporter

Polito may be out of governor's race, but she retains a $2 million war chest » Worcester Telegram

Will She Run? All Eyes on Healey in Mass. Governor's Race » NBC Boston

Taunton Mayor Shaunna O’Connell may run for Mass. governor » WPRI.com

Opinion: Why I like Baker’s political playbook » Commonwealth Magazine

Our Opinion: Baker's bow means future wide open for governor's race — and GOP » Berkshire Eagle

What would a Mayor Shaunna O'Connell run for governor mean for Taunton? » Taunton Gazette

LETTER: Dysfunctional Republican Party in Massachusetts » Newburyport News

Markey Endorses Lydia Edwards for State Senate » Winthrop Transcript

GOP push to require voter ID fizzles out » The Eagle Tribune

Biden’s winter coronavirus plan: What you need to know » Boston Herald

Free Rapid Tests Part Of Biden’s Winter COVID Strategy » State House News Service

Is omicron in Massachusetts yet? Testing labs are on the lookout » WGBH

Harvard study: Vaccinated people with COVID-19 may be infectious for a shorter period of time » Boston.com

‘I don’t think we’re back to square one.’ Beth Israel races to find out how much vaccines protect against Omicron » Boston Globe

Boston-area coronavirus wastewater tracker, cases and hospitalizations are all surging again after Thanksgiving: ‘We need to act’ » Boston Herald

Massachusetts police honored at George L. Hanna Memorial Awards for Bravery » Boston Herald

Fallen Worcester Police Officer Manny Familia recognized at statewide awards ceremony; Westborough Sgt. Jon Kalagher awarded Medal of Valor » MassLive

Manny Familia on minds of those at Hanna Memorial Award ceremony in Worcester » Worcester Telegram

Baker honors Mass. law enforcement members for exemplary acts of bravery » WHDH

Judge rules against Massachusetts prison mail drug tests » WBUR

Gov. Charlie Baker, Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito will get their COVID booster shots Friday » MassLive

Legislators seek to designate July 8 as “Massachusetts Emancipation Day” » The Bay State Banner

Neal flexing muscles for east-west rail » Commonwealth Magazine

Social Media Spotlight

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GBH News How safe are Massachusetts’ abortion laws with Roe V. Wade’s future in doubt? CBS Boston Lawmakers Agree On Bonus Program For In-Person Pandemic Workers

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Podcast Spotlight

Five Thirty Eight Politics Podcast: What Went Down At The Oral Arguments On The Mississippi Abortion Law NPR The NPR Politics Podcast: Why Two Experts Think The Supreme Court Is Prepared To Roll Back Roe V. Wade Crooked Media Pod Save America: “America’s Next Top MAGA.” WBUR Radio Boston: Could QR codes replace physical vaccination cards?

Audit Identifies Barriers to Access in Operational Services Division » MA Office of the State Auditor

Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden Pays $5,000 Civil Penalty for Violating Conflict of Interest Law » MA State Ethics Commission

A Call for Climate Justice at the InterAmerican Court of Human Rights » Union of Concerned Scientists

Congresswoman Trahan Announces $3 Million In Head Start Funding For Making Opportunity Count In Fitchburg » Office of Congresswoman Lori Trahan

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