AFTER AN EXHAUSTIVE debate that dragged on for nearly five hours, the state Senate passed Uber-friendly regulations for the runaway ride-hailing industry but not before beating back an impassioned plea by the chamber’s only black member to require fingerprints for background checks on drivers to ensure safety of passengers. “Fingerprinting is not a form of […]
Technology
Posted inTransportation
Judge says Uber, Lyft should be treated like taxis
A FEDERAL JUDGE on Thursday ordered Boston officials to explain what regulations they plan to implement on ride-hailing companies such as Uber and Lyft to treat them like cabs until the state comes up with some action and why the court should not issue an injunction barring the companies from operating. In a lengthy ruling […]
Posted inGambling, The Download
Casinos dangle funny money to lure customers
Think of it as the candy cigarettes of the casino industry. Players lose no actual money on the online games recently unveiled by Plainridge Park Casino. But they can still win — and win big. It is meaningless points that players accrue on the games, but it’s a heady feeling nonetheless to see your tally […]
Posted inPolitics, State House News Service
Senate unanimous in support of Public Records Law update
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE ACKNOWLEDGING THAT ADVANCES in current technology has rendered the decades-old law ineffective, the Massachusetts Senate on Thursday passed a public records reform bill updating the statute governing access to public documents for the first time roughly 40 years. By a unanimous vote, the bill that supporters said would strengthen access to […]
Posted inPolitics
Baker administration making public records progress
A clarification has been added to this story. THE BAKER ADMINISTRATION is making significant progress in fulfilling the governor’s pledge to make it easier and cheaper for the public to access records from his administration. Baker’s new procedures require every agency to designate a “records access officer” to receive and track public records requests, to […]
Posted inEconomy, Opinion
Are dashboards the right tool to measure progress?
YOU RUN A government agency or nonprofit. You ask management experts how you can assess your “bottom line,” given that earning profits is not your mission. You want to know if you are doing a good job delivering value for the public money you are spending. The experts tell you to take three easy steps. […]
Posted inPolitics
Senate puts teeth into public records reform
THE STATE SENATE unveiled its version of Public Records reform, potentially the first major overhaul since the law was enacted in 1973, placing a hard time limit on responses, requiring courts to award attorneys’ fees if a requester is wrongly denied, mandating electronic records be provided, and restricting fees for compliance and copies. The bill, which […]
Posted inOpinion
Municipalities shouldn’t go it alone on IT
EVERY ONE OF US relies on the services of local public works departments, pretty much every day, from morning to evening, in one way or another. Think for a moment about everything public works departments do for our region. They maintain roads and sidewalks, haul garbage, collect hazardous household waste, mow fields, install traffic signals, […]
Posted inUncategorized
State courts revamp their website
THE STATE’S TRIAL COURT has upgraded its outmoded computer system to allow lawyers to electronically file case records and to allow judicial decisions to be shared automatically with other government agencies. But proposed regulations governing the system continue to limit access by the general public to court records and bar access to any documents dealing […]
Posted inThe Download, Transportation
Why GM is investing in Lyft
Massachusetts lawmakers can’t keep up. They’re still trying to figure out a way to regulate ride-sharing companies such as Uber and Lyft, yet the market is already moving on to the next big thing: driverless cars. General Motors announced on Monday that it is investing $500 million in Lyft and plans to partner with the […]