STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE GOVERNORS AROUND THE COUNTRY, including Gov. Charlie Baker, are fighting the Trump administration over proposed changes to how the federal government reimburses states for Medicaid, seeking to avoid a shift that could blow a massive hole into state budgets. The new regulations proposed by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services […]
Matt Murphy
Posted inState House News Service, Transportation
DiZoglio defends shift on immigrant license bill
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE SEN. DIANA DIZOGLIO is defending her decision to vote in favor of advancing a bill that would make driver’s licenses available to undocumented immigrants, leaning on the support of police chiefs in her district in the face of sharp criticism from Republicans who accused her of flip-flopping from her 2014 campaign […]
Posted inTransportation
TCI club appears to be shrinking
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE IN A PROTEST-INTERRUPTED State of the State address Thursday, Vermont Gov. Phil Scott cast a shadow on the prospects of him signing his state up for a multi-state compact to reduce vehicle emissions. Scott, who along with Gov. Charlie Baker is one of two Republican governors in New England, did not […]
Posted inTransportation
Theoharides: Sununu rejection of TCI no surprise
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE THE STATE’S LEAD NEGOTIATOR on a multi-state pact to lower carbon emissions from vehicles said Thursday she was not surprised New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu withdrew his state from talks, as he slammed the program as a “financial boondoogle.” Energy Secretary Kathleen Theoharides said Thursday after testifying before the Senate Global […]
Posted inPolitics, State House News Service
Lawmakers finally pass close-out budget
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE HOUSE AND SENATE LEADERS broke a weeks-long impasse over a more than $1 billion surplus spending bill on Wednesday night, cutting a deal that dropped a controversial corporate tax change that would have financially benefited Massachusetts businesses and set aside $32 million for repairs on the MBTA, which is less than […]
Posted inState House News Service, Uncategorized
DiMasi: ‘I’ve paid my debt to society’
FORMER HOUSE SPEAKER Salvatore DiMasi on Tuesday made a public appeal for a “second chance” after his conviction on federal corruption charges eight years ago, resuming his battle with Secretary of State William Galvin over the Democrat’s quest to return to Beacon Hill as a lobbyist. DiMasi, a former North End Democrat who led the […]
Posted inPolitics
Lawmakers cram a lot in at the end
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE MASSACHUSETTS LAWMAKERS wrapped up work Wednesday on bills calling for long-term K-12 education investments, requiring motorists to use only hands-free technology while driving, and banning flavored tobacco products. Legislators tried to come up with a late-night deal allocating a more than $1 billion fiscal 2019 surplus, but House and Senate Democrats […]
Posted inPolitics
PAC with ties to Baker getting active
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE A NEW SUPER PAC closely tied to Gov. Charlie Baker and funded by a familiar ensemble of well-heeled GOP donors has been spending heavily this fall in local elections, backing both Democrats and Republicans. The Massachusetts Majority super PAC has reported spending $267,429 to support candidates in mayor and city council […]
Posted inTransportation
House leaders talk transpo taxes
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE HOUSE LEADERS ARE INCHING toward a proposal to raise new revenue “sourced from transportation for transportation” to invest in infrastructure and public transit, keeping their eye on the third full week of November as a deadline to take up a bill. House Speaker Robert DeLeo met for over 90 minutes on […]
Posted inState House News Service, Uncategorized
Judge allows Baker vaping ban to continue
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE IN A RULING critical of how Gov. Charlie Baker went about banning the sale of all vaping products for four months, a Superior Court judge on Monday allowed the administration’s full ban to stay in effect, but only until next week unless changes are made. The ruling left the governor’s ban […]