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The annual Gold Star Family Tree dedication returned to Memorial Hall on Thursday as Gov. Charlie Baker, Gov.-elect Maura Healey and others join the families of military members killed in action for a solemn ceremony marking the holiday season. Above, First Lady, Lauren Baker, reads to children.
FRANKLIN WEEK AHEAD
Monday, Dec. 12
4:30pm
Tuesday, Dec. 13
10:00am
Municipal Affordable Housing Trust Meeting - Canceled
10:00am
esign Review Commission Meeting
7:00pm
Wednesday, Dec. 14
5:45pm
7:00pm
Thursday, Dec. 15
3:00pm
Conservation Commission Meeting
7:00pm
7:30pm
STATE HOUSE AND BEYOND
The MBTA's core subway system will finally extend northwest Monday morning, more fully serving heavily populated Somerville and Cambridge neighborhoods and running all the way into Medford for the first time on the Green Line. As riders say hello to the new service, departing state representatives and senators on Monday get a chance to say their public goodbyes. The parting speeches from the House and Senate floor often run high on emotion and humor, and can delve into the storytelling and personal relations that are part of the fabric of any legislative body. As far as the actual work, lawmakers have less than a month left in their terms, and while legislative leaders are riding out the year with informal sessions, many legislators are still trying to dislodge local bills and get them to Gov. Charlie Baker's desk before a new two-year term begins on Wednesday, Jan. 5.
Gov.-elect Maura Healey is slowly assembling her governing team and leading a large contingent of women who are poised to rise to positions of power and influence in state government in the new year. Senate President Karen Spilka this week made clear that she is ready for the Senate to revisit a major early education and child care bill in the new session. Healey has described the system as in "desperate need of investment" and House leaders have also pointed to a desire to make major changes. Healey supports a proposal to make child care free for the lowest-income families, limit child care costs for most families to no more than 7 percent of their income, and "significantly increase" pay for early educators. In what she described this week as a "very intense" process, Healey is vetting candidates for Cabinet posts, including the education and finance secretaries, for instance, she will be counting on to execute her early education agenda. The names and faces who will surround Healey could become evident any day. "I'm really excited about the folks we've been talking with and thinking about what's possible here as we get ready for Jan. 5," Healey said Thursday.
One agency that has its foot on the workload accelerator this month is the Massachusetts Gaming Commission. The agency is in the midst of near-daily meetings as it rushes to stand up a legalized sports betting industry. Regulators are poised to hand out more sports betting licenses in the coming days and on Monday will wrestle with a topic with major tax and responsible wagering implications. Promotional play credits, which gaming companies offer to entice gamblers with the equivalent of free cash, are up for discussion. The Legislature, which spent years debating sports betting before legalizing it this summer, did not make a clear statement about promotional play in its compromise betting bill despite analysis showing that the issue could have a dramatic effect on sports betting tax revenue. Regulators are considering both the tax structure around credits and potential restrictions, but want more information about the topic before making any decisions.
Sunday, Dec. 11, 2022
GALVIN ON 5: Secretary of State William Galvin is this week's guest on "On The Record" with Janet Wu and Sharman Sacchetti. (Sunday, 11 a.m., WCVB-TV Ch. 5)
Monday, Dec. 12, 2022
GLX OPENING AT 4:45 A.M. | The second branch of the Green Line Extension opens. Five new stops come online, giving residents of the cities of Medford and Somerville a clearer path to Boston, and opening those communities to more visitors. Stops include Medford/Tufts, Ball Square, Magoun Square, Gilman Square and East Somerville, all on the Green Line's E line. The branch's opening signifies the conclusion of a $2.3 billion project that's been under construction for four years and anticipated for decades, and is the second and last branch currently planned for the GLX. A smaller, one-stop branch to Union Square in Somerville opened in the spring. Local and state officials will celebrate the GLX's opening throughout the week. Gov. Baker and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito will be "talking about the GLX" on the day of its launch. Somerville Mayor Katjana Ballantyne and other city officials are planning a rush hour celebration at Ball Square with a band and free opening day memorabilia. (Monday, first train at 4:45 a.m., Green Line Extension)
CADET COMMISSION HEARING: Law Enforcement Officer Cadet Program holds a Cadet Commission hearing. (Monday, 9:30 a.m., Room A2, State House | Virtual Access Information)
IMMIGRANT VOTING: Boston City Council Committee on Civil Rights and Immigrant Advancement holds a hearing to discuss restoring municipal voting rights to immigrants with legal status. (Monday, 10 a.m., Iannella Chamber, Fifth Floor, Boston City Hall | View Online)
SCHOOL BUILDING AUTHORITY: Mass. School Building Authority Administration, Operations and Finance Subcommittee meets remotely to discuss fiscal year 2022 audited financial statements and investment management policy. Treasurer Goldberg attends. (Monday, 10 a.m., Agenda | Call 617-720-6156 or email Thirtsa.Savain@massschoolbuildings.org for access info)
SPORTS BETTING PUBLIC HEARING: Mass. Gaming Commission holds a hearing to allow members of the public to weigh in on the five applications for mobile sports betting licenses tethered to one of the state's casinos or slots parlor. Commissioners will review the applications in depth -- and potentially approve them -- during individual meetings beginning Tuesday. The so-called Category 3 applications came from WynnBet and Caesars Sportsbook to partner with Encore Boston Harbor, BetMGM to partner with MGM Springfield, and Penn Sports Interactive and Fanatics Sportsbook to partner with Plainridge Park Casino. (Monday, 10 a.m., Agenda and Access Info)
GLX CELEBRATION: U.S. Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey, Gov. Charlie Baker, Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito, Congresswoman and U.S. Assistant Speaker Katherine Clark, Rep. Christine Barber, MBTA General Manager Steve Poftak, Medford and Somerville mayors Breanna Lugo-Koehn and Katjana Ballantyne, MassDOT Secretary and CEO Jamey Tesler and Tufts University President-elect Sunil Kumar celebrate the opening of the Green Line Extension to Medford/Tufts. (Monday, 10 a.m., 177 College Ave., Medford)
HOUSE SESSION - FAREWELLS: The House meets for a session that will include farewell speeches from departing representatives. On Jan. 4, new members will replace at least 20 representatives whose term of service ends with the conclusion of the 192nd General Court. Though a list of expected speeches was not available Friday, departing representatives include Reps. Wagner, Ehrlich, Gouveia, Tucker, Whelan, Malia, Campbell, Elugardo, Devers, Minicucci, Belsito, Dooley, and Reps. Miranda and Oliveira who will be joining the Senate. Other representatives left mid-session to take up other posts, including Reps. Dykema, Ehrlich, Golden, Cronin, Kelcourse, Robinson and Harrington. Two seats still remain up in the air, with an ongoing recount occurring in the 1st Middlesex for the seat Rep. Harrington left open and incumbent Rep. Mirra planning to challenge a recount that put Democrat challenger Kristin Kassner one vote ahead for his North Shore seat. Session is planned for 11 a.m. and farewell addresses will begin at 12 p.m. (Monday, 11 a.m., House Chamber)
SENATE SESSION - FAREWELLS: Senate meets for a session that will feature farewell speeches from departing senators, according to President Spilka's office. The 192nd General Court will be the last term of service for five senators who have either already resigned or did not seek reelection to the Legislature. A list of expected speeches was not available Thursday, but onlookers could potentially hear from: former Sen. Adam Hinds, who resigned Sept. 25 to take a job as executive director of the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate; Sen. Eric Lesser, who lost his bid for lieutenant governor in the September Democratic primary; Sen. Sonia Chang-Díaz, who unsuccessfully ran for governor this year; Sen. Diana DiZoglio, who prevailed in the state auditor's race and will be sworn in as a constitutional officer in January; and Senate President Emerita Harriette Chandler, who announced 11 months ago she would retire after 28 years in the Legislature, 22 of them in the Senate. Another senator departed this term -- former Sen. Joseph Boncore, who resigned in 2021 to move to the private sector -- but he already gave a farewell address last year. (Monday, 12 p.m., Senate Chamber)
TREMONT/COLUMBUS AVE BUS MEETING: MBTA and City of Boston staff host a virtual public meeting to discuss the second phase of the Tremont/Columbus Avenue Bus Lanes Project, which looks to make improvements to stops and shelters along Tremont Street and Columbus Avenue. (Monday, 12 p.m., More Info)
ELECTRIC VEHICLE POLICY: Heath Fahle, assistant secretary for federal funds in the Executive Office for Administration and Finance, Daniel Gatti, director of clean transportation policy in the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, and Carrie Lavallee, deputy administrator and chief engineer at MassDOT, participate in a Mass. Municipal Association webinar on electric vehicle policy and incentives. Eligible light-duty battery electric vehicles and fuel cell electric vehicles qualify for a rebate of $3,500 through the state's MOR-EV program as of Nov. 10, so long as they are purchased or leased for less than $50,000 by a Massachusetts resident and registered here for at least 36 months. Previously, those EVs qualified for a rebate of $2,500. Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Beth Card has said that Massachusetts will need to have at least 200,000 passenger electric vehicles on the roads by 2025 and 900,000 by 2030 in order to meet its decarbonization commitments. There are so far about 55,000 EVs and plug-in hybrids on the roads in Massachusetts. (Monday, 12 p.m., Register)
BABY BONDS BRIEFING: Treasurer Deborah Goldberg and her Office of Economic Empowerment hold a virtual briefing to discuss the Baby Bonds Task Force's report on establishing an at-birth publicly funded trust fund program for Massachusetts residents. The Baby Bonds initiative is viewed by the Treasury as a way to set up more people, especially low-income children, with invested funds that can be tapped when they become adults to help pay for college, buy a home, or start a business. (Monday, 12 p.m., Register)
GAMING COMMISSION - PROMO PLAY: Mass. Gaming Commission plans to get into the weeds of promotional play in the sports wagering world. Commissioners have flagged the issue as one major policy issue they will have to reckon with before betting goes live. To attract customers and keep them betting, operators offer promo play credits that bettors can use largely as cash. The question of whether the amount in free bets that a customer places counts as part of an operator's taxable revenue base has significant tax implications, and whether the commission opts to restrict promo play in some way could be a significant responsible gaming discussion. The commission has given itself flexibility by including a potential vote on its agenda, but commissioners recently indicated they were interested in first getting a detailed briefing on the matter. (Monday, 1:30 p.m., Agenda and Access Info)
MARINE MONUMENT HEARING: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and NOAA Fisheries hold a public hearing to accept public input relative to the future management of the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument. The first marine monument in the Atlantic was designated in 2016. The federal agencies said they want public input to "guide the creation of the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument Joint Management Plan -- a long-term vision and framework to provide proper care for the Monument's ecosystem, marine life, and natural and historical resources, as well as set priorities and goals for management in the future." More Info (Monday, 5:30 p.m., New England Aquarium, 1 Central Wharf, Boston)
Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2022
POST COMMISSION: Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission meets. Agenda calls for an update on staffing and suspensions from Executive Director Enrique Zuniga, an update on regulations including one relative to databases and dissemination of information, and discussion of a proposed policy on designation of hearing officers for adjudicatory hearings. The commission will also go into executive session to talk about "the investigation of charges of criminal misconduct" and preliminary commission investigations. (Tuesday, 8:30 a.m., Zoom)
MPHA ANNUAL MEETING: Massachusetts Public Health Association virtually holds its annual conference and meeting, "Rooted in Community: Building Equity-Driven Policies." Chief Health Equity and Strategy Officer for the CDC Foundation Lauren Smith will deliver keynote remarks, discussing "the importance of data collection as a means of measuring health inequities and developing effective strategies to address them." The association will also discuss its 2023-2024 policy priorities and share its recently revised Health Equity Policy Framework. (Tuesday, 9 a.m. | Register and More Information)
WOMEN IN CORPORATE AMERICA: Mass. High Technology Council hosts a hybrid event to showcase key findings and themes from the 2022 Women in the Workplace report. Organizers said the event's "action-oriented agenda will explore what women can do to advocate for themselves and other women, navigate transitions to advance their careers, and help to improve the culture within their organizations." The report was conducted by McKinsey & Company and its findings will be presented by McKinsey Partner Megan Greenfield. (Tuesday, 9 a.m., PTC, 121 Seaport Blvd., Boston | Register)
CHELSEA POVERTY FORUM: Massachusetts Association for Community Action hosts an economic opportunity forum to discuss findings from a new report on poverty written by MassBudget, called "At A Crossroads Created by COVID: Families Moving Along the Road to Opportunity in Massachusetts." MASSCAP and Community Action Programs Inter-City Inc. co-sponsor the event, which will include a panel discussion on the report's findings and focus on challenges and opportunities in Chelsea related to housing, food insecurity and social determinants of health. Sen. Sal DiDomenico and Rep.-elect Judith Garcia will join representatives from the Chelsea Police Department, CAPIC, MASSCAP, the Chelsea Chamber of Commerce, MGH Health Chelsea Coalition, Chelsea Department of Housing and Community Development and the Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center for the discussion. (Tuesday, 9:30 a.m., Chelsea City Hall, Council Chambers, Third Floor, 500 Broadway, Chelsea | Register)
BOARD OF HIGHER ED MEETING: Board of Higher Education meets. Board Chairman Chris Gabrieli said at an Executive Board meeting on Dec. 5 that the board will discuss legislative and budget priorities for next year at Tuesday's meeting. Executive board members said there is "enthusiasm and potential right now for investing more resources into public higher education." (Tuesday, 10 a.m. | Zoom)
GOVERNOR'S COUNCIL - SHABAZZ COMMUTATION: Governor's Council holds a hearing on Gov. Baker's proposal to commute the first-degree murder sentence of Ramadan Shabazz to second-degree murder, which would make Shabazz eligible to seek release on parole 50 years after he was convicted. Shabazz is serving two life sentences for the Dorchester murders of Harry Jeffreys and Calvin Thorn, and Baker said he has "dedicated his life in prison to bettering himself and serving as a mentor to others in prison." Councilor Christopher Iannella Jr. of Boston will chair the hearing. (Tuesday, 10 a.m., Room 157)
ENCORE ONLINE BETTING: Mass. Gaming Commission meets to review and evaluate the two applications for mobile sports betting tied to Encore Boston Harbor: from WynnBet and Caesars Sportsbook. The applicants will make a presentation, including a demonstration of their technology and user experience, and then commissioners will also hear from their consultants who scrub each applicant's finances and software. Commissioners will then work through the various sections of the application asking questions of the applicants. The agenda contemplates executive sessions for the commissioners to deliberate on each license and also includes potential votes to award the applications. The commission is not bound by that and could elect to defer its licensing decision to a later date. (Tuesday, 10 a.m., Agenda and Access Info)
SEAL AND MOTTO COMMISSION: Special Commission Relative to the Seal and Motto of the Commonwealth meets. Agenda items include updates on funding and extension, and "final recommendations." (Tuesday, 11 a.m., Hearing Room A2, State House | Virtual)
GOVERNOR'S COUNCIL - AMIRAULT PARDONS: Governor's Council holds a hearing on Gov. Baker's proposal to pardon Cheryl and Gerald Amirault, who were convicted of sexually abusing young children in the 1980s contested Fell's Acre case. Baker said he is "left with grave doubt regarding the evidentiary strength of these convictions" after reviewing the evidence. Councilor Terry Kennedy of Lynnfield will preside over the pardon hearing. (Tuesday, 1 p.m., Room 157)
SILVER LINE EXTENSION ANALYSIS: MBTA hosts a virtual public meeting to discuss options for extending the Silver Line to Everett and surrounding communities. (Tuesday, 6 p.m., More Info)
ROUTE 114 SAFETY MEETING: MassDOT staff host an in-person workshop to solicit feedback on a planned project to make safety improvements to the Route 114 Corridor from Danvers to Peabody. (Tuesday, 6 p.m., Torigian Senior Center, Peabody Council on Aging, 75R Central St., Peabody | More Info)
DEERFIELD BRIDGE REPLACEMENT: MassDOT hosts a virtual public hearing to discuss a proposed bridge replacement along Upper Road over Deerfield River. (Tuesday, 6:30 p.m., More Info)
Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2022
PUBLIC HEALTH COUNCIL: Public Health Council holds its monthly meeting. Agenda items include an update from Commissioner Margaret Cooke including a review of data from the Biannual Opioid Report. The council will vote on requests by both Boston Medical Center Health System, Inc. and Children's Medical Center Corporation for a substantial capital expenditure and substantial change in service. The council will also vote on requests to publicize amendments to 105 CMR 130.00 relative to hospital licensure and 105 CMR 170 related to the emergency medical services system. (Wednesday, 9 a.m., Department of Public Health, 250 Washington St., Second Floor, Henry I. Bowditch Public Health Council Room, Boston | Virtual)
ONLINE BETTING APPLICATION: Mass. Gaming Commission is expected to hold its second online sports betting license application review meeting of the week. The hearing could cover the application from BetMGM to partner with MGM Springfield, or those from Penn Sports Interactive and Fanatics Sportsbook to partner with Plainridge Park Casino. The so-called Category 3 license reviews will continue the following week. The commission pushed off its votes on awarding MGM Springfield and PPC their own in-person betting licenses in part because of overlap with the companies' online betting applications. Decisions on those in-person license applications could come back up when the respective online betting applications are under review. (Wednesday, 10 a.m., More Info TBA)
MWRA BOARD: Mass. Water Resources Authority Board meets virtually to get a budget update, to discuss watershed land acquisition, to be updated on operations and maintenance at the Fore River Pelletizing Plant, and to consider contract awards and changes. (Wednesday, 10 a.m., Agenda and Access Info)
HPC MEETING: Health Policy Commission Board convenes for its last meeting of 2022. HPC staff present data on changes in the pediatric market in Massachusetts and on the use and implications of risk adjustment in Massachusetts. The Office of the Attorney General will also present findings from their 2022 Cost Trends Report. An executive director's report will include a recap discussion of the 2022 Health Care Cost Trends Hearing, followed by a video presentation reflecting on the HPC's 10-year anniversary. Commissioners are anticipated to enter into a confidential executive session to review the latest list of referred entities with excessive increases in health care spending though the performance improvement plan process. (Wednesday, 12 p.m. | Livestream)
GOVERNOR'S COUNCIL: Governor's Council meets for its weekly assembly with a long list of pending nominations. The panel may also be asked to certify results of two House election recounts, and meetings are an opportunity for Gov. Baker to introduce any new nominations. (Wednesday, 12 p.m., Room 157)
CLEAN WATER TRUST BOARD: Mass. Clean Water Board of Trustees meets remotely, according to Treasurer Goldberg, who will attend. (Wednesday, 1:30 p.m., More Info)
NAIOP ADVOCACY OVERVIEW: Boston's chief of economic opportunity and inclusion, Segun Idowu, will give an overview of Mayor Wu's first year in office and the city's plans for the future during a virtual event hosted by NAIOP Massachusetts. The organization said it has been busy in recent years advocating for the commercial real estate sector "in discussions spanning climate change, economic development, housing and more. At the same time, NAIOP was at the table for numerous statewide regulatory updates and a stakeholder in many local initiatives before the City of Boston." (Wednesday, 2 p.m., Register)
MATERNAL HEALTH HEARING: Ellen Story Commission on Postpartum Depression holds a supplemental meeting on action steps related to a report of the Special Commission on Racial Inequities in Maternal Health. (Wednesday, 5:30 p.m. | Virtual Hearing)
LUDLOW BRIDGE MEETING: MassDOT publishes a pre-recorded virtual public hearing to present the design for a proposed bridge replacement project in Ludlow. (Wednesday, 6 p.m., More Info)
WINCHESTER STATION CONSTRUCTION: MBTA staff host a virtual public meeting to discuss ongoing work at the Winchester commuter rail station, which the T shuttered in 2021 for repairs due to safety concerns. The MBTA plans to overhaul the station with a $50 million project while it is closed. (Wednesday, 6 p.m., More Info)
ROUTE 138 IMPROVEMENTS MEETING: MassDOT hosts a public hearing to discuss planned roadway improvements on Route 138 between Purchase Street and Jackson Street in Taunton. (Wednesday, 6:30 p.m., More Info)
Thursday, Dec. 15, 2022
MHA EXECUTIVE INSIGHTS: Massachusetts Health and Hospital Association hosts a webinar in its "Executive Insights" series. President and CEO of MHA interviews president and CEO of Cape Cod Healthcare, Michael Lauf. (Thursday, 8 a.m. | Register)
ROUTE 1A WORKING GROUP: MassDOT virtually hosts the fifth meeting of a Route 1A Corridor Study Working Group, which is examining ways to improve connectivity of the Route 1A corridor between Bell Circle in Revere and Day Square in East Boston. (Thursday, 10 a.m., More Info)
MBTA BOARD MEETING: MBTA Board of Directors meets virtually. The meeting might be the last featuring Steve Poftak as the T's general manager before he steps down on Jan. 3, 2023. Poftak plans to depart two days before Gov.-elect Healey takes over in the corner office, adding pressure for her to name a successor or for Gov. Baker to make clear who will run the T in the interim. (Thursday, 10 a.m., Agenda and Livestream)
HOUSE AND SENATE: Both branches likely hold informal sessions. (Thursday, 11 a.m., House and Senate chambers)
SMALL BUSINESS TECH: IT support company Tech Advisors hosts online forum "Small Business Tech Day!" meant for small to medium sized businesses to learn about new technology, network security and data protection. Speakers include businessman and Shark Tank investor Kevin O'Leary, FBI agent Eric O'Neill, Tech Advisors co-founder Konrad Martin and author of small business books such as "Profit First," Mike Michalowicz. (Thursday, 12 p.m. | Register)
MNPA MEETING: Massachusetts Newspaper Publishers Association holds its annual meeting virtually. Agenda items include a report of the Finance Committee and approval of the 2023 budget, report of the Nominating Committee and election of officers and executive board members for 2023, the president's annual report and annual reports on legislative and legal affairs. Preregistration is required. (Thursday, 1 p.m. | Register)
GAS OR INDUCTION STOVES: Mothers Out Front will demonstrate how to use an induction cooktop (and provide attendees with warm apple cider) and MASSPIRG Education Fund will release its latest survey results showing that shoppers do not get the health warning or safety advice the group said is necessary when purchasing gas stoves at major retailers. The event is meant to highlight "the environmental and public health risks associated with gas stoves" and will also feature representatives from Environment Massachusetts and Massachusetts Sierra Club. (Thursday, 1:30 p.m., Robbins Library, Community Room, 700 Massachusetts Ave., Arlington)
CANNABIS ADVISORY -- RESEARCH: Research Subcommittee of the Cannabis Advisory Board meets. The subcommittee is a part of the volunteer group that makes non-binding recommendations to the Cannabis Control Commission. (Thursday, 2 p.m., More Info)
WORCESTER RESEARCH: Worcester Regional Research Bureau holds its 37th annual meeting. Featured speakers on a "Greater Worcester's Talent Advantage for Life Sciences" panel include Kenneth Turner, president and CEO of Massachusetts Life Sciences Center; Rita Smith, regional director for business human resources for AbbVie; and Brian Cohen, senior vice president of CBRE/New England Consulting Group. (Thursday, 4 p.m., DCU Center, 50 Foster St., Worcester | Register)
RIDERS' TRANSPORTATION ACCESS MEETING: MBTA Riders' Transportation Access Group meets virtually to discuss accessibility issues affecting riders with disabilities and older adults. (Thursday, 5:30 p.m., More Info)
WELLINGTON CIRCLE MEETING: MassDOT staff host a virtual public meeting about a study examining possible changes to the transportation infrastructure at Wellington Circle in Medford. (Thursday, 6 p.m., More Info)
FITCHBURG BRIDGES HEARING: MassDOT hosts a virtual public hearing to discuss proposed bridge replacements in Fitchburg. (Thursday, 6:30 p.m., More Info)
GAMING REVENUE: Mass. Gaming Commission is due to report on November's gross gaming revenue at Plainridge Park Casino, MGM Springfield and Encore Boston Harbor, as well as what that revenue translates into in terms of state revenue. (Thursday)
Friday, Dec. 16, 2022
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE: Middlesex DA Marian Ryan hosts a workshop in partnership with the Center for Restorative Justice at Suffolk University. Participants will discuss how restorative justice practices can be used in criminal and non-criminal scenarios, schools and communities. Contact sarah.lamson@mass.gov for more info. (Friday, 9:30 a.m., Virtual)
FY23 TAX PROVISIONS: Public comment period ends on the working draft of Massachusetts Department of Revenue's tax provisions in the fiscal year 2023 budget, including a Massachusetts personal income tax code update. A technical information release about the working draft explains certain tax law changes contained in the budget. These changes include the conformity of the personal income tax to the Internal Revenue Code as amended on Jan. 1, 2022 and in effect for the taxable year; the decoupling of the personal income tax from Code 199A, which provides a federal deduction for qualified business income from a qualified trade or business operated directly or through a pass-through entity; the creation of a personal income tax exclusion for the forgiveness of student loans; and the repeal of an unconstitutional tax on illegal drugs. (Friday, 5 p.m. | Email comments to rulesandregs@dor.state.ma.us)
