11:00am House Session, Informal Session

11:00am Senate Session, Informal Session

5:00pm Campaign Rally for State Rep. Candidate James McCarty

Some Dems Have Harsh Words For Tax Relief Law » State House News Service

N.H. Governor Chris Sununu stumps for Doughty, says Wrentham businessman is GOP’s best chance against Healey » Boston Globe

Massachusetts tax relief: Baker sidesteps accusations from House Speaker over lack of communication » MassLive

Democratic candidates for state auditor trade barbs in contentious WBUR-WCVB-Globe debate » Boston Globe

MBTA details how a month-long Orange Line shutdown will work » Axios

Making headway on Beacon Hill » Boston Globe

Massachusetts education officials sound alarm over college enrollment plunge » WGBH

After Supreme Court decision, a once-denied Christian flag is raised at Boston City Hall » Boston Globe

Boston faith community unites in opposition to surge of white supremacy » Boston Herald

NY: A court will mull unfreezing New York's education budget today. Here's what's at stake. » POLITICO Pro

NJ: PAC tied to Ciattarelli rivals plans to raise money in hopes of flipping state Legislature » POLITICO Pro

FL: Hospital board a culture war front » Sarasota Herald-Tribune

WI: Gov. Evers joins Midwest governors to create Lake Michigan EV route » Milwaukee Business Journal

NY: In New York free-for-all, progressive insurgents vie to be next AOC » Axios

TN: GOP eyes Nashville seat for flip; Dems vie to face governor » Boston Globe

FL: DeSantis claims concern over monkeypox is overblown » Politico

A key ingredient to flip the House: A wave of Latino GOP candidates » Politico

Giuliani Is Unlikely to Face Criminal Charges in Lobbying Inquiry » New York Times

The most pro-business Supreme Court ever » Axios

How the newest megadonor wants to change Washington » Politico

An authoritarian leader is coming to CPAC. The media will need to bring its A-game » CNN

Reassessing the Race for the Senate » Sabato's Crystal Ball

Alex Jones’s Lies Blow Up in His Face in Explosive Sandy Hook Trial » Vanity Fair

Opinion: A Cynical Low for the Democratic Party » New York Times

Senate Judiciary Committee airs threats against elections workers » Roll Call

How Ruth Bader Ginsburg Will Have The Last Laugh on Samuel Alito » Politico

Battenfeld: Nancy Pelosi and her ego play dangerous game in Taiwan » Boston Herald

Democrats see hope in November after surprise Kansas abortion vote » Boston Globe

Democrats’ climate deal raises taxes on private equity, VCs » Boston Globe

Rethinking the traditional grocery store » Boston Globe

Marijuana delivery service to open Quincy warehouse by the end of the year » Patriot Ledger

Marty Walsh long opposed legal cannabis. As labor secretary, he won't say how he feels » Washington Examiner

New Massachusetts hotline number for reporting hate crimes 1-833-634-8669, U.S. Attorney says » MassLive

America faces catastrophic teacher shortage » Boston Globe

Food for thought: State budget includes free school lunches for coming year » Worcester Telegram

Select Board chair says increased patrols have helped ease North Pond Conservation Area issues » MassLive

Open-space challenge: Some say Worcester needs more staff to lock up environmental lands » Worcester Telegram

How the Charles River is being affected by drought » Boston Globe

Sports betting may soon be legal at Massachusetts casinos — wagers may also extend to local bars, restaurants and clubs » MassLive

Airport housing is a no-fly zone » Martha's Vineyard Times

NOAH Receives State Grant for Aileron Project » East Boston Times-Free Press

Holyoke Soldiers’ Home faces whistleblower lawsuit by former nurse manager, claiming resident abuse and misreporting of COVID deaths in past year » MassLive

Editorial: US must open its doors to more Ukrainian refugees » Boston Globe

Massachusetts pension fund returns drop 3%, but outperform market » Boston Herald

Edgartown receives $200,000 state grant » Martha's Vineyard Times

City-owned shuttles or riding with college kids? Council is aboard, and for an e-bike delivery biz » Cambridge Day

Meet the woman tasked with helping Everett heal from racial turmoil » WGBH

Lucas: Maura Healey’s pursuit of Dean Tran just smells bad » Boston Herald

The races for lieutenant governor and attorney general are heating up. Jim Braude offers his takes » WGBH

Guv Candidates Line Up Behind Ch. 62F » State House News Service

Joe Kennedy III Endorses Ricardo Arroyo for DA » East Boston Times-Free Press

Doughty favors pragmatic conservatism to hot-button issues. He hopes that will win him the governor's seat » WBUR

Pressley backs Sullivan’s campaign » The Bay State Banner

Elizabeth Warren endorses DA Andrea Harrington in Berkshire County race » Berkshire Eagle

Western Mass. leaders rally behind Lesser Lt. Gov. campaign » The Reminder

Baker campaigns with Mirra in Hamilton » Ipswich Local News

Rodents give residents, city the runaround » Lowell Sun

2 monkeypox cases confirmed in Worcester; no cause for alarm, health chief Castiel says » Worcester Telegram

Jumble of legal outcomes for Springfield officers charged with crimes puts city in quandary » MassLive

Here’s a look at possible ripple effects of the surprising vote to keep abortion legal in Kansas » Boston Globe

Gov. Charlie Baker to join Kamala Harris in Boston as she highlights abortion rights » Boston Globe

Biden signs executive order aimed at helping patients travel for abortions » Boston Globe

Opinion: Kansas abortion vote shows how hard it is to take away a right » Boston Globe

Senator seeks update on mail-in ballot application portal » News 22 WWLP.com

Legislature’s proposal to change 1986 law met with resistance » Boston Herald

Dems Feel Baker Knew of Brewing Tax Relief Blockbuster » State House News Service

Candidates for Mass. governor urge tax cuts » WGBH

Comerford, Whipps: Legislature should reconvene to finish tax relief proposal » Athol Daily News

Decision to shut down entire Orange Line for a month of track work is a high-stakes gamble for the MBTA » Boston Globe

'Unprecedented' closure of entire MBTA Orange Line will begin Aug. 19 » Boston Business Journal

Month-long MBTA Orange Line shutdown means longer, more complex commutes for community college students » MassLive

Orange Line shutdown: How Boston’s bracing for the closure » Boston Herald

For A Major Makeover, Orange Line Going Offline For A Month » State House News Service

MBTA Chief: 'We Reserve the Right' to Shut Down Other Lines » State House News Service

‘MBTA needs to go’: Here’s why readers say the agency can’t be saved » Boston.com

Shutting down the Orange Line may just be the start » Boston Globe

MBTA riders fume over plans to close Orange Line for 30 days » WBUR

MBTA tells riders to take the bus, commuter rail or work from home during Orange Line shutdown » Boston Herald

RMV on the move: Worcester branch to relocate from downtown to former Big Y on Route 20 on Monday » Worcester Telegram

MBTA to get major infusion of public funds » The Eagle Tribune

Social Media Spotlight

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GBH News Sports betting will soon be legal in Massachusetts. So when and where can fans place their bets? WCVB Channel 5 Boston MBTA GM says shutdown 'fastest, most efficient way' to repair Orange Line

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Podcast Spotlight

Five Thirty Eight Politics Podcast: The Justice Department Is Investigating Trump’s Connection To Jan. 6 NPR The NPR Politics Podcast: Abortion Rights Activists Win Big In Kansas (And Other Primary Results) The MassINC Polling Group The Horse Race: Episode 223: The all-nighter no one wanted WBUR Radio Boston: Democratic primary candidates for state auditor debate government accountability and T oversight

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