9:00am Joint Committee on Public Service, Public Hearing

10:00am Office of Medicaid Public Hearing, Via Zoom

Bill allowing driver’s licenses for people without legal immigration status will advance to a vote in the Mass. House, speaker’s office says » Boston Globe

Nearly 60% of Mass. rental assistance applications not approved » Fox 25 News

When will the Massachusetts State House reopen? » Boston Globe

Senate Plans To Reopen Sessions To Public Feb. 22 » State House News Service

Boston announces ‘listening tour’ ahead of budget » Boston Herald

AG Healey's office inquires about patients' claims against East Boston Neighborhood Health Center » WGBH

Boston, teachers union strike agreement over vaccine mandate » Boston Herald

Clark University graduate students to unionize » Worcester Business Journal

Howie Carr: Mandate mania still infecting Democrats » Boston Herald

NY: Nearly 3,000 N.Y.C. Workers Have a Day to Get Vaccinated or Be Fired » New York Times

NY: Cuomo to file complaint against James with entity that can disbar New York lawyers » Politico

NJ: N.J. releases more than 200 prisoners over COVID concerns » NJ.com

TX: Abortions In Texas Fell 60% In 1st Month Under New Limits » HUFFPOST

NJ: Murphy should not end mask mandate in schools and child care, N.J. Senate health chair says » NJ.com

FL: Congressional redistricting: FL Supreme Court says no to DeSantis » Florida Phoenix

FL: Legislators to require condo owners to conduct inspections, save for repairs » The Miami Herald

Sen. Alex Padilla Calls Out GOP Colleagues For Racist Treatment Of Biden’s Court Picks » HUFFPOST

Capitol Police IG to investigate GOP spying claims » The Hill

Populism's new inferno » Axios

Adrift, Broke, and Disillusioned: How a struggling bartender became the face of a resurgent left » New York Magazine

With evictions on the rise, House Democrats team up to push new housing protections » NPR

The Soup Nazi on Marjorie Taylor Green’s gazpacho police: ‘I knew I was in trouble’ » The Guardian

Why Liberal Suburbs Face a New Round of School Mask Battles » New York Times

CA: California to debate mandating Covid vaccines at all workplaces » Politico

GA: State lawmakers take aim at ‘obscene’ public school books and lessons on race » Georgia Recorder

Editorial: The US must make clear that any Russia cyberattack, including disinformation campaigns, will have consequences » Boston Globe

12-story hotel could rise in downtown alley next to Orpheum Theatre » Boston Globe

I-Team: Car repair law passed by Mass. voters not yet being enforced » News 22 WWLP.com

$400K COVID relief windfall to jumpstart effort to keep working artists on Cape Cod » Cape Cod Times

Cambridge finally has a fully approved adult-use cannabis dispensary » Boston Business Journal

Boston to maintain mask requirement in schools, loosen vaccine mandate for educators » Boston Globe

MIT president L. Rafael Reif to step down » Boston Globe

Groundbreaking marks 'a new beginning' for Braintree's South Middle School » Patriot Ledger

COVID cases in Massachusetts K-12 public schools dropped by almost 45% in past week » MassLive

Boston schools mask mandate will stay in place beyond state’s Feb. 28 end date, Wu says » Boston Globe

Vaccine Disparity May Factor Into School Districts' Mask Decisions » NBC Boston

Haverhill School Committee Agrees: No Public School Student Masking After Feb. 28 » WHAV

Foxboro officials make plans as statewide mask mandate for schools ends Feb. 28 » The Sun Chronicle

Fate of masks in school sports still undecided » WHDH

Pedestrian Bridge May Tie Development To Casino Regulation » State House News Service

Encore Casino shares plans for entertainment district, scales back concert venue » Boston Herald

Gaming Commission Monitoring Penn, Barstool Sports » State House News Service

Vaccine mandates for organ transplant ethical, argues new paper that focused on Boston case » Boston Herald

How Neo-Nazi and antivaccine protesters collided at the Brigham » Boston Globe

Senate Again Sends Prescription Drug Bill to House » State House News Service

Massachusetts boosts availability of COVID-19 antiviral pills, including Paxlovid » Boston Herald

Biden highlights plan to trim drug costs » Boston Globe

Relief for seniors could improve Boston real estate transfer tax's State House prospects » WGBH

Wu Tries To Sweeten Transfer Tax Proposal » State House News Service

Beacon Hill divided on soldiers’ home governance » Commonwealth Magazine

House Reworks, Passes Soldiers' Home Oversight Bill » State House News Service

GOP Rep Pledges “Compassion” In Court Posting » State House News Service

Massachusetts Gov. Baker nominates Joseph P. Hurley, III as Circuit Justice of the District Court » New Bedford Guide

Wrongfully convicted drug defendants await possible $10M payback » New Bedford Light

Senate passes landmark bill to guarantee victims of workplace harassment can pursue lawsuits » Boston Globe

Wu administration, teachers union reach COVID-19 accord » Dorchester Reporter

Labor appeals board upholds Baker’s vaccine mandate » Commonwealth Magazine

Letter: Democratic Town Committee believes Stockbridge should retain remote component for meetings » Berkshire Eagle

A Tradition the Coronavirus Could Not Crush? Town Meeting & Its Moderation » Western Mass Politics and Insight

Lynn officials back eminent domain taking » Lynn Daily News Item

Wu launches push to give Bostonians more say in city's almost $4B budget » WGBH

Danvers Board of Health lifts mask requirement » Salem News

No place for hate. Franklin Council adopts guidelines to promote civility, respect » The Metro West Daily News

Facing self-surrender on Monday, ex-mayor Jasiel Correia again requests stay from prison » The Herald News

MassGOP says intruder wants to charge them for ‘breathing on him’ » Boston Herald

Letter: Time for Trahan and McGovern to go » Lowell Sun

How a Long Island Republican used a mask rebellion to revive his career » Boston Globe

Charlie Baker’s first book sounds like the opposite of a juicy tell-all » Boston.com

A vaccine for the youngest children brings hope, confusion, concern » Boston Globe

Massachusetts reports 2,611 daily coronavirus cases; 6,723 infections in K-12 schools » Boston Herald

Local physician pushes back on vaccine misinformation on Joe Rogan show » WBUR

$11M in Shannon grants fuels gang prevention in Springfield, across the state » MassLive

Gunshot wounds in Boston surged during first year of pandemic, study shows » Boston Herald

Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito visits Chicopee, Springfield » News 22 WWLP.com

Editorial: MBTA’s passback perk headed for the last stop » Boston Herald

MBTA seeks to charge $3 for ‘new’ Charlie Cards » Commonwealth Magazine

T oversight board light on oversight, transit advocates warn » Boston Globe

MBTA fare revenue trending higher than expected » Commonwealth Magazine

House Ready To Move On Driver’s License Access Bill » State House News Service

Bill allowing driver’s licenses for people without legal immigration status will advance to a vote in the Mass. House, speaker’s office says » Boston Globe

AGs asked to oppose rule that could impede clean energy expansion » Boston Globe

Social Media Spotlight

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CBS Boston Schools Weigh Dropping Masks At End Of Month WCVB Channel 5 Boston Mass. inflation surges, but at lower rate than national average

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Podcast Spotlight

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