9:00am Joint Committee on Consumer Protection & Professional Licensure, Public Hearing

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

11:00am Senate Session, Informal Session

11:00am House Session, Full Formal Session

Birthdays: Rep. Paul Frost

State Senate poised to debate long-awaited sports betting bill Thursday — but differences with House remain » Boston Globe

Hospitals seek to solve their own staffing shortages » Boston Globe

Challenging the status quo on electricity, heating » Commonwealth Magazine

Charlie Baker wants lots of new housing around MBTA stations. Not so fast, towns say. » Boston Globe

Really, why are Gov. Baker and Chris Doughty supporting Sheriff Hodgson? » Boston Globe

NH: Border visit backfires on vulnerable Senate Dem » Politico

NY: Unvaccinated NYPD officers get final ultimatum after exemption requests are denied » Gothamist

NJ: Gender identity a lightning rod in N.J. sex ed curriculum debate » New Jersey Monitor

FL: Now that DeSantis signed Disney bill, who assumes all that bond debt? » Tampa Bay Times

CA: California Dems are eyeing Feinstein's seat — but they're not talking about it » Politico

Prepare for the White Dude Summer » Roll Call

FBI chief Wray addresses 59% jump in police officer murders » Axios

Analysis: Loss is victory for far-right in France’s election » AP News

A Mass. lieutenant governor candidate was mistakenly left out of 2 polls. ‘It seems to be a skewed game,’ he says. » Boston.com

Even Dems sound warnings of doom ahead of midterm elections » Boston Herald

Howie Carr: Between Trump and Kevin McCarthy, it appears no good deed goes unpunished » Boston Herald

Editorial: Dems tackle a presidential primary revolution » Boston Globe

John Kerry called a coward for hiding public records; AG Garland has ‘no comment’ » Boston Herald

Opinion: How history will view the disastrous Biden years » Boston Herald

Joe Biden’s message drowned out by beat of the Republican culture-war drum » The Guardian

Jan. 6 committee says Meadows knew about threat of violence ahead of riot » The Hill

Keller @ Large: The State Of Local Journalism In Massachusetts » CBS Boston

In Mattapan, neighbors eye Taco Bell proposal with concern » Boston Globe

An American Consulting Firm Became a Power Broker, and Then a Pariah, in South Africa » New York Times

Editorial: Bird flu is making inflation worse » Boston Herald

Brockton Fair, a beloved 148-year-old tradition, won't return – here's why » The Enterprise

Disability rights marchers in Northampton call on businesses, city to open up access to all » Gazette Net

Editors’ Letter: The Return of The Emancipator » Boston Globe

Lynn Clark removed from duties as Chicopee superintendent of schools » MassLive

Continued student struggles are weighing on teachers in the third year of the pandemic » Boston Globe

Clock is ticking to find new Boston Public Schools superintendent » Boston Herald

UMass Boston launches new marketing campaign » Boston Globe

Group says 8 guns in Boston Public Schools since September points to an ‘immediate crisis’ » Boston Herald

Community Colleges Receive State Grant for Workforce Training » Cape Cod Online

Wu announces plan to prepare Boston for extreme heat » Boston Globe

Westover Air Reserve Base completes $32M reconstruction of main runway » MassLive

Senate Tees Up Sports Betting Bill for Vote This Week » NBC Boston

A ‘scary man,’ or someone like your uncle? Mass. requires doctors to undergo implicit bias training in an effort to address health care inequities. » Boston Globe

She’s ready to take the test to become a certified nurse aide, but can’t schedule one » Boston Globe

Massachussetts OKs Optum's $236 million not-for-profit Atrius Health deal » Modern Healthcare

Applications open for Sanderson Place, new affordable senior housing in Sunderland » Gazette Net

A small nonprofit labors to fill the aid gap as Ukrainians ask, ‘What is taking so long?’ » Boston Globe

BARCC Walks For Change: Fundraises For Sexual Assault Survivors » WBZ News Radio

US Sen. Ed Markey calls on US to accept more Ukrainians, increase refugee cap for all amid ongoing Russian invasion » MassLive

Markey: US must ‘roll out the welcome mat’ to Ukrainian refugees, lift cap on those escaping war » Boston Globe

Curley: Biden continues silence on border crisis » Boston Herald

What to know about Title 42, the Trump-era policy now central to the border debate » WBUR

‘Sick’ Roderick Ireland Courthouse woes persist as civil action case heads for trial » MassLive

Fairness for Farmworkers bill remains in limbo » Gazette Net

Panel calls for increasing auto body labor rates » The Eagle Tribune

Michelle Wu says she still intends to abolish the BPDA » Boston Herald

Pittsfield Board of Health requests $84,000 for lawyers' help in pursuing cease-and-desist order against Verizon Wireless' use of South Street cell tower » Berkshire Eagle

West Boylston receives state Green grant for clean energy projects » Worcester Telegram

Northampton Dems to host candidates forum on May 2 » Gazette Net

Carole King will perform at virtual fundraiser for state senator candidate Sydney Levin-Epstein » MassLive

School board races, both nationally and locally, a heated front in culture wars » The Sun Chronicle

‘Playing games for political points’: AG candidate Andrea Campbell fires back against Shannon Liss-Riordan » MassLive

Lucas: Like Tom Brady, no thanks for Charlie Baker in Massachusetts » Boston Herald

OTR: Can Sonia Chang-Diaz close gap on Maura Healey in Mass. governor's race? » WCVB

Briefings: McAuliffe Tries to Seize an Early Edge in Chicopee Rep Race » Western Mass Politics and Insight

Voters meet Jeffrey Raymond, Republican candidate for 2nd Franklin District » The Recorder

Boston-area COVID wastewater data starts dropping: ‘I’m cautiously optimistic’ » Boston Herald

‘It’s Life or Death’: The Mental Health Crisis Among U.S. Teens » New York Times

Their mom died of COVID. They say conspiracy theories are what really killed her » WBUR

Ashish Jha on the omicron BA.2 variant wave: ‘We’re going to get through this without disruption’ » Boston Herald

Ipswich Board of Health considering syringe service program » Salem News

Springfield Police Department can’t fix a problem if it denies it exists (Viewpoint) » MassLive

Almost a year on, new Boston police watchdog has processed only a few complaints of officer misconduct. Some advocates are disappointed. » Boston Globe

Our View: Statehouse's greed in spotlight » The Sun Chronicle

Attleboro Rep Eyes Budget Rider to Reopen Commuter Rail Stop » State House News Service

MBTA goes out to bid for battery-electric buses » Commonwealth Magazine

Boston hospital begins teen distracted driving study, collaborating with father of 21-year-old killed by distracted driver » Boston Herald

State rep in support of SSA term-limits bill » The Inquirer and Mirror

Push for rail electrification highlights roundtable discussion in Lynn » Lynn Daily News Item

'A risk a lot of people take': Why undocumented immigrants drive without a license. » South Coast Today

Social Media Spotlight

jessicaagiannino senatorjamieeldridge

---

GBH News Does Elizabeth Warren have the influence among Democrats to help them avoid a midterm blowout? WCVB Channel 5 Boston OTR: Can Sonia Chang-Diaz close gap on Maura Healey in Mass. governor's race?

---

---

Podcast Spotlight

National Conference of State Legislatures Our American States: Going Big on Clean Water | OAS Episode 156 NPR The NPR Politics Podcast: The US Will Take In As Many As 100,000 Ukrainian Refugees CommonWealth Magazine The Codcast: Challenging the status quo on electricity, heating

Birthdays: Rep. Paul Frost

9:00am Joint Committee on Consumer Protection & Professional Licensure, Public Hearing

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

11:00am Senate Session, Informal Session

11:00am House Session, Full Formal Session

Birthdays: State Senator Paul Mark

11:00am House Session, Full Formal Session

2:00pm The Racial Wealth Gap hosted by the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, Via webcast

5:30pm Northern Berkshire County Campaign Kickoff for Sen. Adam Hinds for Lieutenant Governor

11:00am Governor's Council Meeting, Governor's Council Chamber, Room 360, State House

11:00am House Session, Full Formal Session

12:00pm Joint Committee on Education, Public Hearing

Last day to report on proposals for amendments to the Constitution

9:00am The Transformed Workplace: Retain and Recruit During a Workforce Shortage, Via Zoom

9:30am Mass. Gaming Commission Public Hearing, Via conference call

10:00am Supplier Diversity Office Public Hearing, Via webcas

11:00am Senate Session, Full Formal Session

11:00am House Session, Informal Session

5:30pm Hampshire County Campaign Kickoff for Sen. Adam Hinds for Lieutenant Governor

7:00pm Re-Election Campaign Kickoff for Rep. Marc Lombardo