STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE Prominent lobbyists have filed a lawsuit against Secretary of State William Galvin claiming the state’s chief lobbying enforcement officer overstepped his authority by trying to force registered lobbyists to disclose every public official with whom they’ve had communication over the past six months. The lawsuit, filed Tuesday in Suffolk County Superior […]
Matt Murphy
Posted inPolitics, State House News Service
Brown turned down RNC speech invite
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE US Sen. Scott Brown acknowledged for the first time on Thursday that he was asked by the Romney campaign to speak at the Republican National Convention, but turned it down to focus on his tight race with Democrat Elizabeth Warren. “I have my own race. I have my own life, as […]
Posted inPolitics, State House News Service
Only nine percent of legislative primaries to be contested
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE In a month voters will cast ballots to decide Democratic and Republican primary races for the state Legislature, but they might be surprised to find how few choices there will be to make this summer. With the primary election scheduled for Sept. 6, just days after the Labor Day holiday, and […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Politics, State House News Service
DeLeo uncertain of Patrick’s sentencing bill plan
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE With the possibility that Gov. Deval Patrick could quietly kill habitual offender legislation by vetoing it after formal sessions end for the year at midnight tonight, House Speaker Robert DeLeo on Tuesday morning said he has not spoken with the governor since the House and Senate rejected his judicial discretion amendment. […]
Posted inEconomy, Politics, State House News Service
Patrick signs budget, sends amendments to Legislature
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE Gov. Deval Patrick put his final imprint on a $32.5 billion state budget for fiscal 2013 on Sunday, returning several proposals with amendments to the Legislature regarding immigration and welfare benefit reform, and rejecting efforts by lawmakers to keep Taunton Hospital open. The governor also filed a roughly $64 million supplemental […]
Posted inEconomy, Politics, State House News Service
Conference committee agrees on $32b budget
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE The House and Senate are preparing to vote on a $32.5 billion state budget for fiscal 2013 after negotiators struck a compromise that increases funding for local aid, keeps Taunton Hospital open, and makes some reforms to the state’s welfare and immigrant verification systems. “Leading the way is local aid. We […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Environment, Politics
Murray rips NRC, Entergy
As the lockout of workers at the Pilgrim nuclear power plant in Plymouth continues amid stalled contract negotiations, Senate President Therese Murray had some harsh words Thursday for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. “We don’t know who’s in the plant. We don’t know what their training is, and NRC as usual ignores the town’s and the […]
Posted inBallot Questions, Economy, Education
Teachers’ union opposes ballot question deal
The state chapter of the American Federation of Teachers, which represents 22,000 public school employees, has forged an alliance with the AFL-CIO against a deal struck by the state’s largest teachers union on legislation aimed at averting a divisive ballot campaign over merit-based hiring and firing decisions in public schools. The American Federation of Teachers […]
Posted inEducation, Politics, State House News Service
State officials announce Lawrence school turnaround plan
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE Lawrence public school students will be expected to spend more time in the classroom under a plan state education leaders plan to announce Wednesday to reverse the trend of chronic underperformance. The state also plans to bring in four education firms with proven track records of running successful charter schools in […]
Posted inEconomy, Environment, State House News Service
Creem proposal would ban bottled water
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE Sen. Cynthia Creem thinks she has a solution to the long-stalled effort on Beacon Hill to expand the state’s bottle redemption law to include water: just ban water bottles altogether. Frustrated by the reluctance of House and Senate leadership to entertain an expansion to the state’s bottle redemption law, Creem, a Newton […]