People, Power, and Politics

Climate protesters held up signs outside the Senate chamber as the branch adjourned on Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024

FRANKLIN

Thurs. Aug 8

Conservation Commission Meeting

7:00pm

Cultural District Committee Meeting

7:00pm

Benjamin Franklin Classical Charter Public School Meeting

7:00pm

STATEHOUSE AND BEYOND

Legislative leaders begin a five-month stretch of informal sessions where public policymaking will compete with electioneering due to the unproductive and unusual way that final sessions wrapped up on the morning of Aug. 1. The end of formal sessions for the two-year term always leaves some significant loose ends that get mopped up during informals, but after the total collapse this week of talks between and among top House and Senate Democrats, they mostly just shrugged it off and announced plans to try to strike and pass deals during informals. It's a plan, at least, and gives House and Senate Democrats time to perhaps heal some wounds from the shots they took at each other this week. On the other hand, most lawmakers don't even attend the roughly twice-weekly informal sessions and already have vacation or reelection plans lined up for the weeks ahead. Their votes or participation at sessions are not even needed. At informals, top Democrats strictly control the agenda, debates are uncommon or non-existent, and mumbled voice votes are the norm, but bills can only advance with "unanimous consent" -- a parliamentary way of saying any single legislator can halt a bill's progress. Many of the major bills that remain hung up in conference committees have bipartisan support, giving legislative leaders hope that they can salvage some priorities and save face after they failed to finish a range of major bills. Putting big bills up for votes before the election creates its own set of challenging circumstances, and waiting until the lame-duck period that will follow the Nov. 3 elections carries other politics. The climate shift gives Republicans and really every individual member of the Legislature more power, if they wish to exercise it to block bills they don't like, or to let them through in exchange for concessions. The joint rule discouraging major legislating during informal sessions was inspired by a December 1994 deal involving tax cuts and pay raises between Democratic legislative leaders and a former governor. The two-year legislative terms always begin on the first Wednesday in January, which means the current term this year will likely end with a session on New Year's Eve (mark your calendars now), with new legislators sworn in on Jan. 1, 2025.

ON HEALEY'S DESK: The only statewide bill Gov. Maura Healey has to take action on next week is legislation related to direct wine shippers, which is due for her signature or veto by Friday. She may, however, choose to not use the full 10 days she's allotted to review a veterans bill and policy to redefine parentage in state law. Since these are just policy bills without spending attached, Healey's options are: sign the bill, veto it, don't sign and let it become law anyway, or return it to the Legislature with recommendations for changes. The veterans bill was originally filed by Healey, and she's expressed her support for the parentage bill in the past. The other major bill the Legislature sent to the governor's desk at the end of formal sessions was a housing bond bill, to which she can make line-item vetoes.

Sunday, Aug. 4, 2024

HOWGATE ON 4: Doug Howgate, president of the Mass. Taxpayers Foundation and a former policy aide to Senate President Spilka, talks with Jon Keller about the end of formal sessions, what happened to the economic development bill, frayed relations between legislative leaders, and how Gov. Healey's agenda fared. (Sunday, 8:30 a.m., WBZ-TV Ch. 4)

EDWARDS ON 5: Sen. Edwards is the guest on "On The Record," followed by a roundtable with political analysts Mary Anne Marsh and Lizzy Guyton. (Sunday, 11 a.m., WCVB-TV Ch. 5)

Monday, Aug. 5, 2024

BLACK PROSECUTORS ASSOCIATION: National Black Prosecutors Association holds its annual conference and job fair in Boston, which runs through Friday. Middlesex DA Ryan delivers opening remarks. Other sessions Monday deal with the Aaron Hernandez murder trial, prosecuting a race-based hate crime, and leading with professionalism and purpose. (Monday, 9 a.m., Westin Copley Place, 10 Huntington Ave., Boston | More Info)

HOLLISTON YOUTH PUBLIC SAFETY ACADEMY: Campers at the Holliston Youth Public Safety Academy participate in a discussion with Middlesex DA Ryan about making safe decisions. (Monday, 11 a.m., Holliston High School, 370 Hollis St., Holliston)

SENATE INFORMAL: Senate meets in an informal session. (Monday, 11 a.m., Senate Chamber | Livestream)

HOUSE INFORMAL: House meets in an informal session in Room A-1. The House is not meeting per usual in its chamber because of work that an aide to Speaker Mariano said will be occurring there. Gov. Maura Healey on Friday issued a statement urging the Senate and House "to return as soon as possible" to pass an economic development bill that's hung up in a private legislative conference committee. (Monday, 11 a.m., Room A-1 | Livestream)

HATE CRIMES: Hate Crimes Task Force meets virtually. Agenda includes a presentation from LA vs Hate, which supports Los Angeles County residents and is focused on ending hate, including by addressing the "normalization of hate," according to its website. There will also be an update from the legislative subcommittee. (Monday, 2 p.m. | Agenda and Livestream)

EARLY ED SCHOLARSHIP: Department of Early Education and Care holds an information session about the Career Pathways program and the Early Childhood Educator Scholarship. Career Pathways helps early educators enroll in higher education courses as they seek EEC certification and associate degrees. The scholarship supports early childhood educators pursuing a certificate or associate, bachelor's or master's degree. (Monday, 7 p.m. | Register)

JULY REVENUES: Department of Revenue is due to report on tax collections for the month of July, the first month of fiscal year 2025. The news is expected "to be very bad," Senate Ways and Means Chairman Michael Rodrigues said this week. "We know that we're going to have some very bad news on the economic front in just the next few days, that July's [state tax revenue] numbers are going to be very bad," he said by way of explanation for why the Senate did not move to override any of the governor's budget vetoes. DOR has not yet released monthly benchmarks for fiscal 2025, so it is unclear exactly how much the administration expects to take in. Through July 15, DOR said last month, the state had raked in $996 million -- $87 million or 8 percent less than collections during the same period of July 2023. The mid-month report showed decreases in withholding, non-withheld income tax, and the "all other" tax category, partially offset by increases in corporate and business tax and sales tax collections. State revenue officials still have not released June tax collection data. (Monday)

NCSL SUMMIT - KENTUCKY: Lawmakers and legislative staff from around the nation convene in Louisville for the annual NCSL Legislative Summit, where they've been invited to "unbridle [their] legislative potential." The three-day conference was preceded on Sunday by a new attendee orientation and committee meetings of the National Conference of State Legislatures. Among the several programs planned is a panel titled "By the Book: A Parliamentary Procedure Game," featuring Washington Senate Secretary Sarah Bannister, West Virginia Senate Clerk Lee Cassis, Louisiana House Clerk Michelle Fontenot, and Louisiana House Assistant Clerk Angela Smith. Another, titled "Navigating Power, Privilege and Procedure in Legislatures," includes Oregon Senate Secretary Obie Rutledge and New Hampshire House Clerk Paul Smith. Utah Legislative Auditor General Kade Minchey and private practice attorney Frank Arey will go over "Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Legislative Subpoena Powers." Kentucky Secretary of State Michael Adams speaks about "Communicating for Voter Confidence." And a panel on "Strengthening an Evolving Institution" features the Wisconsin Senate's deputy sergeant-at-arms, Cyrus Anderson; Raúl Burciaga of the New Mexico Legislative Council Service; and Lori Mathis, the Maryland General Assembly's director of administrative services. West Virginia legislative photographer Perry Bennett gives a talk on "Capturing Legislative Moments: A Photography How-To." And political strategists Kellyanne Conway and Donna Brazile will discuss the "home stretch" of this year's campaigns. U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell and White House senior advisor Tom Perez speak to the Republican and Democratic party breakfasts, respectively. Tuesday includes a "salute to legislative staff lunch," and Wednesday caps things off with a closing reception at Churchill Downs, home of the Kentucky Derby. Next year's summit will be in Boston from Aug. 4 to 6, 2025, marking the 50th anniversary of the NCSL. (Monday through Wednesday, Kentucky International Convention Center, 221 South 4th St., Louisville, Ky. | More Info)

Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024

EARLY ED LISTENING SESSION: Education Secretary Patrick Tutwiler and Early Education and Care Commissioner Amy Kershaw hold a listening session as the Early Education and Child Care Task Force seeks recommendation to ensure accessible and affordable high-quality child care for all families. (Tuesday, 10 a.m., Bunker Hill Community College, 250 Rutherford Ave.)

COMMISSION FOR THE BLIND: Massachusetts Commission for the Blind Statutory Advisory Board meets virtually. Agenda includes welcoming new board members, a commissioner's report and program updates. (Tuesday, 12 p.m. | Agenda and Livestream)

STEWARD HEARING: U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge Christopher Lopez resumes a hearing that began July 31 on the agreement that Massachusetts state government has to provide $30 million in advance Medicaid payments to keep a handful of Steward Health Care hospitals here open through August as the company continues to try to sell them. Lopez on July 31 approved the closures of Carney Hospital in Dorchester and Nashoba Valley Medical Center in Ayer, but he delayed his ruling on the state's funding proposal at the request of the Healey administration. "The Commonwealth is not going to fund right now unless there’s a path to new ownership,” an attorney for the law firm representing the state in the bankruptcy proceedings said during the July 31 hearing, according to the Boston Globe. Steward has filed Worker Adjustment and Retraining Act (WARN) notices specifying 753 Carney Hospital layoffs and 490 at Nashoba Valley, with both notices carrying Aug. 31 layoff dates. (Tuesday, 2 p.m., Bob Casey United States Courthouse, Courtroom 401, 515 Rusk Ave., Houston, Texas | More Info)

GEN Z VOTE: The Hill and civic engagement organization A Starting Point host a nationwide online event about Generation Z voters. Co-founders of A Starting Point Chris Evans and Mark Kassen, Illinois Congresswoman Raja Krishnamoorthi and former Illinois Congressman Peter Roskam will discuss "unlocking the mindset of Gen Z to get a fresh perspective on what these future leaders want to build." Young voters were important to President Joe Biden's election in 2020, and the midterms in 2022. Young progressives have also been galvanizing on social media in support of Vice President Kamala Harris's presidential bid. Close to 16 million Americans will be able to vote for the first time this November. (Tuesday, 3 p.m. | Register)

MORRISSEY BOULEVARD COMMISSION: Morrissey Boulevard Commission, created by the Legislature to study the congested and occasionally flooded corridor of Dorchester, holds its fifth meeting. The Kosciuszko Circle-Morrissey Boulevard Study is a planning effort to improve the major thoroughfare in Dorchester. "The goal is to design the corridor to reflect the City of Boston’s and the state’s goals of climate preparedness and resiliency for a plan which prioritizes people, placemaking, connectivity, resilience, and safety for all modes of transportation. In conjunction with the Morrissey Boulevard Commission, the study team will also work to develop actionable, short-term improvements for the corridor and adjacent neighborhoods," according to MassDOT. (Tuesday, 6 p.m., Boston Collegiate Charter School, 215 Sydney St., Boston | Livestream)

GOP SENATE CANDIDATE FORUM: Norfolk County Republican Committee hosts a candidate forum and straw poll with three Republicans who want to challenge U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren this fall: John Deaton, Ian Cain and Bob Antonellis. Organizers said attendees must have been registered to vote as Republicans or as unenrolled voters by at least April to participate. A virtual option will also be available upon registration. (Tuesday, 7 p.m., VFW Post 2017, 84 Eastern Ave., Dedham)

Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024

ENERGY EFFICIENCY: Executive Committee of the Energy Efficiency Advisory Council meets. (Wednesday, 10 a.m. | Register)

GOVERNOR'S COUNCIL: Governor's Council meets, and could vote on a batch of Superior Court judicial nominations from Gov. Healey: District Court Judge Matthew Nestor and attorneys John Fraser, Deepika Shukla, and Keren Goldenberg. (Wednesday, 12 p.m., Council Chamber | Livestream)

GOVERNOR'S COUNCIL - JULIE GREEN: Governor's Council interviews Julie Green, a deputy chief in the attorney general's Office, who is the fifth Superior Court nominee from Gov. Healey to enter into the confirmation process in the past month. Green is deputy chief of the Constitutional and Administrative Law Division in the AG's office. (Wednesday, 1 p.m., Council Chamber | Livestream)

CLEAN WATER TRUST: Mass. Clean Water Trust Board of Trustees meets. (Wednesday, 1:30 p.m., Teams | More Info)

DCR STEWARDSHIP: Conservation Committee of the DCR Stewardship Council meets virtually. Agenda includes a discussion of forests as a "climate solutions response." (Wednesday, 3:30 p.m. | Agenda and Livestream)

BLIND VENDORS: Massachusetts Elected Committee of Blind Vendors meets virtually. (Wednesday, 5 p.m. | Livestream)

OXFORD BRIDGE REPLACEMENT: MassDOT holds a virtual public hearing about a proposed design to replace a bridge in Oxford that goes over the French River. (Wednesday, 6 p.m. | Register)

WIND PROJECT SELECTION: Wednesday is the deadline for an evaluation team led for the first time by the Department of Energy Resources to select an offshore wind project or multiple projects to advance to the contract negotiation phase of the state's latest procurement and for Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut to pick projects to advance in the tri-state procurement process. Massachusetts is seeking as much as 3,600 megawatts of offshore wind capacity in its fourth procurement round, and the tri-state partnership aims to coordinate selections for a combined 6,000 MW of offshore wind energy capacity. Massachusetts received proposals from three developers who also submitted their proposals for the multi-state solicitation: Vineyard Offshore, Avangrid Renewables and SouthCoast Wind. At their maximum, the projects that were bid to Massachusetts in March would represent a cumulative 4,270 MW of capacity. The developer Orsted also bid a 1,184 MW project to Rhode Island and Connecticut, making approximately 5,454 MW available for the multi-state effort. The trio of states will have discretion to cover their entire procurement authority with a multi-state project, or instead to combine single-state and multi-state projects within their allowable capacity. Wednesday could answer a key question -- how much more expensive than the last projects selected (and then canceled) will the next projects cost? The companies submitted detailed pricing information with their bids in March, but they were allowed to redact many details around pricing and project specifics from the public versions of their documents. Long-term contracts for Massachusetts-selected projects are to be executed by Oct. 9 and submitted for Department of Public Utilities approval by Nov. 13. Massachusetts is not currently receiving any energy from offshore wind installations since the federal government shut down the under-construction Vineyard Wind 1 project and its 10 operating turbines to investigate a wind blade that shattered and later detached from its turbine. (Wednesday)

Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024

DCR STEWARDSHIP: Policy Committee of the DCR Stewardship Council meets virtually. Agenda includes a discussion about using rodenticides on DCR property for rodent control. (Thursday, 8 a.m. | Agenda and Livestream)

MBTA AUDIT AND FINANCE: MBTA Audit and Finance Subcommittee meets. (Thursday, 9 a.m., State Transportation Building, 2nd Floor, 10 Park Plaza, Boston | More Info)

CANNABIS COMMISSION: Cannabis Control Commission holds a regular business meeting remotely. (Thursday, 10 a.m., Agenda and Access Info TBA)

MBTA WORKFORCE, COMPENSATION: MBTA Planning, Workforce, Development and Compensation Subcommittee meets. (Thursday, 10 a.m., State Transportation Building, 2nd Floor, 10 Park Plaza, Boston | More Info)

MBTA SAFETY, HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT: MBTA Safety, Health and Environment Subcommittee meets. (Thursday, 11 a.m., State Transportation Building, 2nd Floor, 10 Park Plaza, Boston | More Info)

REHAB COUNCIL: Business and Employment Opportunities Committee of the State Rehabilitation Council meets virtually. (Thursday, 1 p.m. | Livestream)

ALEWIFE COMPLEX REDEVELOPMENT: MBTA hosts a developers’ forum to discuss the impending redevelopment of the Alewife Station complex in Cambridge, a busy transportation hub that includes a Red Line stop, bus station and parking garage. "By seeking a private sector partner to bring fresh ideas and expertise to this project through a joint development collaboration that combines public and private strengths, the MBTA aims to create a realistic and viable development plan that improves the transit experience and contributes to the area's economic growth and sustainable development," the T said. MBTA General Manager Eng and Cambridge City Manager Yi-An Huang will offer remarks. (Thursday, 1 p.m., State Transportation Building, second floor board room, 10 Park Plaza, Boston)

COMMUNITY BEHAVIORAL HEALTH: Community Behavioral Health Commission meets virtually. (Thursday, 3 p.m. | Agenda and Zoom)

HOTEL WORKER STRIKE VOTE: The union UNITE HERE Local 26 holds a press conference to announce the results of hotel workers’ citywide strike authorization vote. In Boston, 35 union contracts covering more than 4,000 workers are set to expire, including at the Hilton Boston Logan Airport, the Omni Boston Hotel at the Seaport, and the W Boston. Hotel workers say they are fighting for a fair contract with meaningful raises, updated benefits, and sustainable working conditions. If authorized by a majority of workers, strikes could occur anywhere and at any time after Aug. 31. The union said it has "a history of successful labor strikes," including a 46-day strike at Marriott hotels in 2018 and a 79-day strike at the Battery Wharf hotel in 2019. (Thursday, 5:30 p.m., City Hall Plaza, 1 City Hall Sq., Boston)

Friday, Aug. 9, 2024

BILLBOARD REGULATIONS: MassDOT holds a public hearing on updating billboard regulations, as officials look to clarify ambiguities about where billboards are allowed on interchanges and ramps along MassDOT roadways. Written public comment will be accepted through 5 p.m. (Friday, 10 a.m., 10 Park Plaza, Conference rooms 5 and 6, 2nd Floor, Boston | More Info and Zoom)

TOXIC, HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES: Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs holds a virtual public hearing on updating the state's Toxic or Hazardous Substance List by adding seven per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Written testimony will be accepted through 5 p.m. (Friday, 1 p.m. | More Info and Zoom)

Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024

SALES TAX HOLIDAY: Massachusetts shoppers do not have to pay the 6.25 percent sales tax on individual items costing $2,500 or less. Meals, tobacco, marijuana, alcohol, motor vehicles, motorboats and utility payments are still subject to taxes. For items of clothing over $175, the amount over $175 is subject to tax. (Saturday, Aug. 10 and Sunday, Aug. 11)

VOLLEYBALL TOURNAMENT: The annual Volleyball Tournament Beach Day at Revere Beach is sponsored by the Massachusetts Health Connector. There will be a wellness fair, volleyball tournament, sandcastle building competition for families, professional sandcastle sculptures, Zumba sessions, kite giveaways and music. The event runs through 6 p.m. (Saturday, Aug. 10, 395 Revere Beach Blvd. | More Info)