11:00am House Session, Informal Session

11:00am Senate Session, Informal Session

NJ: Murphy-backed gun control package falling flat in lame duck » Politico New Jersey

NJ: N.J.’s largest school district will switch to remote learning as COVID fears rise » NJ.com

Legal and scientific experts sharply question proposed crackdown on drugged driving » Boston Globe

Massachusetts’ minimum wage will go up again. The fate of other laws is less certain in 2022 » Boston Globe

Firefighters, police unions sue to block Boston’s vaccination mandate for city workers » Boston Globe

MN: Jockeying begins over how to spend Minnesota's $7B surplus » Axios

You Can File Bills In the Massachusetts Legislature — Here’s How » New Boston Post

GA: Kemp will challenge feds’ decision to reject key parts of his Medicaid plan » Georgia Recorder

NY: Mayor Eric Adams voices concerns about NYC’s non-citizen voting bill » New York Post

The Year in Labor Strife » The New Yorker

Larry Hogan goes on tour to boost Republicans on Trump’s enemies list » Politico

Twitter permanently suspends Marjorie Taylor Greene’s account » Boston Globe

House Democrats begin preparing for the post-Pelosi era » Washington Post

Massachusetts’ biggest climate wins and losses of 2021 » Boston Globe

Donald Trump, Melania Host Mar-a-Lago NYE Party For Allies, Including Matt Gaetz » Newsweek

Opinion: The coup is still underway » Boston Globe

Left and center-left both claim Stacey Abrams. Who’s right? » Boston Globe

In NH and elsewhere, Republicans struggle to recruit A-list Senate candidates. They may not need them. » Boston Globe

Opinion: Jan. 6 proved that what happens online doesn’t stay online » Boston Globe

Trump to Supreme Court: Read This Washington Post Article That I Think Proves My Point » Vanity Fair

‘They have massive influence.’ How Raytheon turned a potentially hard year into a good one. » Boston Globe

Opinion: Nobody knows anything » Boston Globe

Experts see 'bright spots' for the Massachusetts economy in 2022, despite uncertainty » WBUR

Cannabis companies seek records after Springfield rejects their applications » MassLive

Opinion: ‘What happens when the world isn’t ready for you to be who you are?’ » Boston Globe

‘Humanitarian disaster’: Infectious disease experts sound the alarm as Massachusetts schools open amid omicron surge » Boston Herald

Some Massachusetts schools cancel, delay school Monday to give teachers, students time to test for coronavirus » Boston Herald

Massachusetts makes 227,000 rapid coronavirus tests available for teachers, but unions slam ‘last minute’ strategy » Boston Herald

State education officials reject call by teachers union to keep schools closed Monday after COVID testing kits arrive late » Boston Globe

Gov. Baker to talk in-person learning at Salem K-8 school » Fox 25 News

Baker Pushes in-Person Learning as Some Mass. Schools Delay Winter Break Return » NBC Boston

Most, but not all, schools reopen Monday » Commonwealth Magazine

150 Boston teachers test positive for COVID as districts across Massachusetts assess return to classrooms from winter break » MassLive

‘We count in-person school as school,’ Gov. Charlie Baker says as COVID cases surge after winter break » MassLive

High-roller at MGM Springfield claims that over $20,000 went missing from his room safe, hotel told him he’d checked out » MassLive

CleanSlate to pay $4.5 million to settle allegations it charged MassHealth for unnecessary drug tests » Boston Globe

‘It’s just relentless’: Exhausted hospital workers battle another COVID surge » Boston Globe

'Get me out of here.' Inside the staffing crisis at Berkshire nursing homes » Berkshire Eagle

How Do You Get Dental Care When You Can’t Afford It? » The New Yorker

Assessment: Demands Leave UI Trust Fund With Deficit » State House News Service

Report indicates UI trust fund warnings overstated » Commonwealth Magazine

Editorial: The state’s high court backed police who frisked a Black man under questionable circumstances. Don’t take the decision too far. » Boston Globe

Supreme Judicial Court pauses jury trials across Mass. amid winter surge in COVID-19 cases » Boston Globe

Striking nurses at St. Vincent Hospital to vote on new contract Monday » Worcester Telegram

City faces racial and age discrimination lawsuits from former gang intervention workers » Boston Globe

Many Boston city workers to shift to remote as omicron rages » Boston Herald

Judge orders Springfield to enforce employee residency requirement » MassLive

'Let's get to work together.' Charlie Sisitsky sworn in as Framingham mayor » The Metro West Daily News

Jennifer Macksey outlines her goals as North Adams' first woman mayor » Berkshire Eagle

Verga seeks tone reset in City Hall » Gloucester Times

Look Ahead, Pittsfield: A look at the topics returning before city leaders in 2022 » Berkshire Eagle

‘Let’s get to work together;’ New mayors take office in Gloucester, Framingham, and North Adams » Boston Globe

Health board approves vaccine mandate for Hadley Senior Center » Gazette Net

Public asked not to attend Haverhill inauguration » The Eagle Tribune

Another family sues Beverly over bird ban » Salem News

Howie Carr: Massachusetts hacks enjoy end-of-year shakedown bonanza » Boston Herald

What’s coming up in Boston politics in 2022 » Boston Herald

Schools, businesses brace for chaotic return from winter break amid Omicron spike » Boston Globe

As Omicron surges, so, too, do fear and frustration for immunocompromised people » Boston Globe

U.S. COVID cases continue to skyrocket and disruptions abound as 2022 begins » WBUR

FDA expands Pfizer COVID-19 boosters for children as young as 12 as Omicron variant spreads » Boston Globe

CDC could add a negative test to its new isolation guidelines, Fauci says » WBUR

Locals travel to COVID testing sites as holiday break comes to an end » Western Mass News

Commission on police body camera rules to meet after missed deadline » Boston Herald

Randolph, Duxbury awarded grants for police body cameras » Patriot Ledger

The opioid and homelessness crisis at Mass. and Cass: Whose problem is it? » South Coast Today

Opinion: Sheriff repeats lies » Dartmouth Week

A year after Capitol Police's darkest day, its chief says the force is making gains » WBUR

Tax, fee policy changes sought to aid Massachusetts parolees » Fall River Reporter

Of 41,000 state workers, nearly 1,000 left over vaccine mandate » Boston Herald

988 Massachusetts State Employees Have Left Jobs Over Vaccine Mandate » CBS Boston

Still no improved Mattapan trolleys nearly five years after $7.9m MBTA investment announced » Boston Globe

Boston’s Logan Airport flight cancellations top 100 on busy holiday weekend travel day amid omicron staffing crisis » Boston Herald

Boston, MBTA, FTA to meet on fare-free test » Commonwealth Magazine

Broadband internet proves a hurdle as telehealth services continue to rise in popularity » The Metro West Daily News

Social Media Spotlight

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CBS Boston Keller @ Large: Is Attorney General Maura Healey Going To Run For Governor? WCVB Channel 5 Boston Boston preparing for possibility of staffing shortage in schools

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Podcast Spotlight

NPR The NPR Politics Podcast: Our Favorite Political Music of 2021 Crooked Media Pod Save America: Offline: Jon and Emily Favreau Answer Your Questions CommonWealth Magazine The Codcast: Should we try a bit of Maryland in Mass.?

11:00am House Session, Informal Session

11:00am Senate Session, Informal Session

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

10:00am Joint Committee on Revenue, Public Hearing

10:00am Joint Committee on Public Service, Public Hearing

11:00am Ellen Story Commission on Postpartum Depression, Virtual Hearing

11:00am Joint Committee on Education, Public Hearing

1:00pm Joint Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities, Public Hearing

1:00pm Joint Committee on Environment & Natural Resources, Public Hearing

7:00pm Boston Mayor Michelle Wu on Greater Boston with Jim Braude, WGBH

11:00am House Session, Informal Session

11:00am Senate Session, Formal Session

6:00pm Division of Marine Fisheries Public Hearing, Via Zoom

11:00am House Session, Informal Session

11:00am Senate Session, Informal Session

6:00pm Division of Marine Fisheries Public Hearing, Via Zoom

11:00am Joint Committee on Veterans & Federal Affairs, Public Hearing

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

MMA webinar reviews digital equity planning and programs » Mass. Municipal Association

Pressley, Warren Celebrate $1M Secured for Black Economic Council of Massachusetts » Office of Congressman Ayanna Pressley

Southcoast Health Recognized by the White House for Sustainability Efforts » Southcoast Health

House Passes Bipartisan Legislation to Protect America’s National Security, Support U.S. Allies, Surge Humanitarian Aid to Gaza » Office of Congresswoman Lori Trahan