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Today on Beacon Hill

10:00am House Session, Informal Session

11:00am Senate Session, Informal Session

Must-Reads
MASSACHUSETTS

With the clean energy transition, low-income communities fear they’ll be saddled with big infrastructure projects, again » Boston Globe

Half of state residents support legalizing teachers’ strikes » Commonwealth Magazine

First look at how little Amherst’s police alternative being used called troubling » Gazette Net

South Coast Rail service appears to be delayed, with a summer start ‘unlikely’ » Boston.com

MIT Sloan looks to boost hiring of people with criminal backgrounds » Bay State Banner

People are leaving Massachusetts in droves. Who are they? » Boston Globe

Lucas: Up close & personal with Dukakis in ’88 race » Boston Herald

Union concerned for future of Springfield jobs after Philadelphia cancels train contract » WBUR

Here’s why Worcester wants to plant two new forests. And it wants your help » MassLive

Cannabis Control Commission makes changes to community host agreements, impact fees » Worcester Telegram

Transit advocates urge downtown Boston tolls to make traffic bearable » Axios

Suffolk County youths three times more likely to be held after arraignment » Boston Globe

THE OTHER 49

RI: 'I know I'll get by this': Senate President Ruggerio breaks silence on health, rumors of a coup » The Providence Journal

CT: With its May 8 adjournment date approaching, more than 600 bills await action in CT legislature » CT Insider

NY: Ransomware attack hits bill drafting commission » POLITICO Pro

NY: Mayoral control deal faces pushback » POLITICO Pro

VA: Amazon HQ2 was supposed to add jobs last year. It shed them instead. » Washington Post

KY: The EPA Has Done Nearly Everything It Can to Clean Up This Town. It Hasn’t Worked. » ProPublica

TN: Tennessee Is Ramping Up Penalties for Student Threats. Research Shows That’s Not the Best Way to Keep Schools Safe. » ProPublica

FL: Florida tells school principals it’s on them to fix abuses in book challenge process » The Associated Press (AP)

WI: In Madison, College Students Say They’re Voting For Biden. Mostly For 1 Reason. » HUFFPOST

CO: Colorado's marijuana industry looks to stabilize after record pandemic sales » Axios

AZ: “I’m Here…to Represent Jesus Christ”: Arizona Republicans Block Second Attempt to Repeal Civil War–Era Abortion Ban » Vanity Fair

AZ: What does losing a pro sports team like the Coyotes mean for the metro Phoenix economy? » Arizona Republic

CA: Paris Hilton speaks up for California’s ‘troubled’ teens » Washington Post

WA: Protesters, vehicles block traffic at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport; 46 arrested » Yahoo! News

GA: Early education researchers give Georgia high marks for lottery-funded pre-K programs » Georgia Recorder

NATIONAL

Remember the Centrists Who Lost the House in 2022? They’re Back! » The Intercept

Trump cuts into Biden’s lead among young people, poll finds » Politico

Senate kills articles of impeachment against Homeland Security Secretary Mayorkas » WBUR

Kale, watermelon and even some organic foods pose high pesticide risk, analysis finds » The Guardian

Donald Trump and American Justice » New York Times

House GOP unveils border bill as conservatives slam foreign aid measures » The Hill

Kennedy family to endorse Biden in show of force against RFK Jr. » Axios

How Cloud Seeding Boosts Rainfall — and Why That’s Controversial » Bloomberg

Prosecutions of Fake Electors for Trump Gain Ground in Swing States » New York Times

Earth Day: How a senator’s idea more than 50 years ago got people fighting for their planet » AP News

Trump rails against wind energy in fundraising pitch to oil executives » Washington Post

The New Rules of Political Journalism » The Atlantic

Now that we’re in mid-April, we’re just over 100 days into 2024 and just over 100 days until July 31, i.e., the last day of the formal period of the legislative session. So what’s happened in 2024 so far? 74 bills have been signed into law in 2024: 44 are about just 1 town. 17 are about just 1 city. 12 are about just 1 person That totals 73 out of the 74 being about 1 town, 1 city, or 1 person. And that 1 other bill? It’s about 2 towns.

Jonathan Cohn, Policy Director Progressive Mass

The Massachusetts legislature got off to a historically slow start in 2023 and that lack of urgency has continued to the finish line in 2024.

News By Category
Business

State grants will help three Cape Cod cranberry farmers renovate bogs » Cape Cod Times

Atlas, Boston Dynamics’ dancing robot, will finally be for sale » Boston Globe

State Street may acquire custody business » Boston Globe

Sage Therapeutics stock plunges 20 percent after Parkinson’s drug fails study » Boston Globe

Petition to block auto dealership on King Street falters in Northampton » Gazette Net

Harvard, Tishman Speyer team up on another major Allston development » Boston Business Journal

Civil Rights

Editorial: Talk isn’t enough – fighting antisemitism takes action » Boston Herald

Domestic Relations

Healey urges passage of parentage rights bill » The Eagle Tribune

Education

She was surprised Concord Academy removed her as commencement speaker. She thinks it had to do with her ‘politics.’ » Boston Globe

Brockton School Board adds experienced educator » Bay State Banner

FL: All Florida K-12 students to learn about ‘atrocities’ of communism » The Associated Press (AP)

Lawsuit alleges incarcerated young adults are deprived of special education services » WBUR

Opinion: MTA webinar wades into, gets mired in, Israel-Palestinian debate » Boston Globe

State Extends Key Financial Aid Deadline » State House News Service

Middle-income families struggle to pay for college » Boston Globe

Federal

Biden administration revives oil sanctions on Venezuela, saying Maduro reneged on democracy deal » Politico

Gaming

Opinion: State hits the jackpot on sports gambling revenue, but what’s the social cost? » Boston Globe

Health Care

Senators Make New Appeal To Steward Landlords » State House News Service

Boston, Cape Hospitals Cleared To Add Beds » State House News Service

'Transformative' agreement will help thousands of people leave Mass. nursing homes » WGBH

Taking a break from health care » Commonwealth Beacon

Glimcher & Lathan: Community hospitals vital to cancer care » Boston Herald

State panel approves request to add nearly 100 new beds at Massachusetts General Hospital » Boston Globe

MGH adding nearly 100 beds when research facility opens, citing ‘capacity crisis’ » Boston.com

In Holyoke, a home of her own: One woman’s struggle to build a life in the state’s poorest place » Boston Globe

Housing

Officials in 27 Mass. communities come out in support of real estate transfer fee » MassLive

Massachusetts governor to hold meetings on Steward finances » Becker's Hospital Review

Editorial: No positive signs in discouraging state of housing » Sentinel & Enterprise

Judiciary

Karen Read juror questionnaire released on second day of jury selection » Boston Herald

Here’s how jury members are being chosen for the Karen Read murder trial » Boston Globe

Fight over 'buffer zone' around Karen Read trial continues in Massachusetts' highest court » WCVB

The American judiciary: The gift that keeps on giving » The Sun Chronicle

Labor

Gov. Healey says state seeking $20M grant for child care, job training in Western Mass. » Boston Herald

Legislators push bill to protect union workers during energy transition » Boston Business Journal

Local Government

East Longmeadow budget draft introduced at Town Council meeting » The Reminder

Boston Mayor Wu appoints city’s first chief climate officer at $195,000 a year » Boston Herald

Lowell budget forecast: More City Hall staffers » Lowell Sun

Boston city councilor sounds alarm over decision to allow unpermitted marathon with 200 runners » Boston Herald

Politics

Berkshire Democrats oppose State Auditor DiZoglio’s controversial effort to investigate the legislature » WAMC

Healey Steps Up Promotion Of Biden » State House News Service

Campbell Defends Healey Against Ayotte's Barb » State House News Service

Westfield Councilor Files in Western Mass Swing District, Taking on Incumbent GOP » Western Mass. Politics & Insight

Public Health

On the verge of a breakup, Lawrence and Methuen make amends to keep public health partnership alive » Boston Globe

WPI receives slice of $2.8M women’s health grants for bipolar treatment development » Worcester Business Journal

Public Safety

Marion Police Department introduces body-worn cameras » Sippican Week

New National Campaign Targets Online Exploitation Of Children » State House News Service

Lithium-ion battery fires jump rapidly in Massachusetts: ‘They’re nearly impossible to extinguish’ » Boston Herald

Brookline Police Department starts rolling out body cameras for officers » Brookline News

Chicopee officials duck questions about firefighter Jason Chapdelaine’s work history after alleged murder » MassLive

Hate crimes fuel push for more security grants » Cape Cod Times

State Government

AG Andrea Campbell talks local power and gambling boom » Commonwaelth Beacon

Transportation

NJ: Will North Jersey get money to tackle air pollution through NYC congestion pricing plan? » NorthJersey.com

Boston plans sweeping replacement of city parking meters » WGBH

Utilities

Quabbin Region Being Studied For MWRA Expansion » State House News Service

What’s next for New Bedford’s offshore wind terminal? » The New Bedford Light

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The Week In Review

New laws enacted this week:

SB2544 - An Act relative to polling locations in the city of Gloucester

HB4195 - An Act authorizing the town of Chesterfield to continue the employment of reserve special police officer Greg Smith

HB4061 - An Act amending the act establishing a charter for the town of Wrentham

HB3997 - An Act to amend the Needham charter

HB3879 - An Act creating the appointed positions of town treasurer and tax collector in the town of Westwood

HB3875 - An Act relative to care, custody, and control and uses of Wing Island

HB3575 - An Act providing for recall elections in the town of Conway

SB2698 - An Act validating the results of the annual election held in the town of Whitman on May 20, 2023

Most read bills of the week:

House Actions This Week: 154

Senate Actions This Week: 55


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