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Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025 WACHUSETT RESERVOIR: Department of Conservation and Recreation hosts an event called "Legends and Lore at Sawyers Bluff," part of a hiking series at Wachusett Reservoir. Attendees will learn about the geology, history, legends and "lore of the misfortunes that surrounded the area during construction of the reservoir," organizers say. Attendees should wear "sturdy" footwear and be prepared for windy conditions. (Saturday, Jan. 4, 10 a.m., Wachusett Reservoir Gate 8, Intersection of Cross Street and Route 70, Boylston)
FRANKLIN
Mon.,
Dec 30
Sustainability
Subcommittee Meeting
5:00pm
OSR
& NCHR Subcommittee Meeting
5:45pm
Thurs,
Jan 2
6:00pm
7:30pm
MEDWAY
Thurs.,
Jan 2
Capital
Improvement Planning Committee
7:00pm
Conservation
Commission Meeting
7:30pm
STATEHOUSE AND BEYOND
This week will straddle the 193rd General Court and the 194th General Court, a season of change at the State House as decades of institutional knowledge depart the building and first-time lawmakers bring fresh ideas and energy to the House and Senate. The very top of the legislative hierarchy is expected to be reaffirmed next week, with both House Speaker Ronald Mariano of Quincy and Senate President Karen Spilka of Ashland considered locks to retain their perches. Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr of Gloucester is poised to continue to lead his small, but growing, caucus. And House Minority Leader Brad Jones of North Reading said he's confident he has the overwhelming support from his GOP caucus as he faces a challenge this year from Billerica Rep. Marc Lombardo. The current session ends with 2024 on Tuesday night, and the arrival of 2025 will also bring about the start of a new two-year legislating term, a function of New Year's Day falling on a Wednesday. That means lawmakers face a real deadline when the ball drops -- any legislation not enacted and sent to Gov. Maura Healey's desk by the time the House and Senate adjourn "sine die" will die and would need to start again from square one in the new year. Significant bills dealing with hospital oversight and the prescription drug industry remain in conference committee negotiations, but even without a last-minute compromise on those, the House and Senate are likely to be busy early next week processing the dozens of smaller-bore or local bills that remain hung up in the nooks and crannies of the Legislature. The new lawmaking term will likely be slow to get into gear (members are generally not assigned to committees until February), though next week will see a handful of laws approved by voters on this November's ballot take full effect. Friday is the effective date for the voter law giving Auditor Diana DiZoglio explicit authority to audit the Legislature under Secretary of State William Galvin's interpretation of state law (DiZoglio contested that interpretation and claimed it took effect Dec. 5). Once the law is unquestionably in effect, the House and Senate will no longer be able to cite that as a reason for their resistance to DiZoglio's repeated efforts to launch an audit. Top House and Senate Democrats could still refuse to cooperate with the auditor on separation of powers grounds, a move that seems likely to trigger a legal fight and draw Attorney General Andrea Campbell more directly into the fray.
After increasing on Jan. 1 for five consecutive years, the state minimum wage will remain static for the second year in a row as 2025 begins. The Jan. 1, 2023 rise to $15 an hour was the last of five annual increases approved under the 2018 "Grand Bargain" and the effort to begin to raise the minimum wage that employers must pay tipped workers (currently $6.75 an hour, though businesses must make up the difference if gratuities do not push a worker's combined wages to at least $15 an hour) failed on this November's ballot. There are no minimum wage hikes on the horizon, though the idea often gets floated. Some lawmakers and advocacy groups have begun to call for a $20 wage floor as inflation has eroded consumer buying power, and some businesses have already had to raise pay well above the state minimum to retain employees and attract new workers. Gov. Healey and other constitutional officers (Lt. Gov. Driscoll, AG Campbell, Treasurer Goldberg, Secretary Galvin and Auditor DiZoglio) will be up for pay raises in the new year, as will many top legislators. The Boston Globe reported this week that Healey's salary is set to rise to $243,493, or $308,493 in total compensation when including an annual housing stipend, and that Goldberg will get a $22,900 pay bump to raise her salary to $261,694 annually, the highest for a statewide elected official here. The governor's office has until Jan. 1 to determine whether and how much of a biennial adjustment should be made to the base pay for members of the Legislature.
Sunday, Dec. 29, 2024
HEALEY ON 4: Gov. Healey talks with Jon Keller about what could be on tap in 2025 as the station airs the second part of its year-end interview with the governor. (Sunday, 8:30 a.m., WBZ-TV Ch. 4)
OTR 2024 REVIEW: WCVB's "On The Record" program features a 2024 political year-end review, plus a look-ahead to 2025. It's hosted by Ed Harding and Sharman Sacchetti, who will be joined by Democratic political analyst Mary Anne Marsh and Republican political analyst Rob Gray for a roundtable discussion. (Sunday, 11 a.m., Channel 5)
SEAPORT MENORAH LIGHTING: Chabad of downtown Boston holds its annual Seaport Hanukkah celebration, featuring the kindling of a nine-foot menorah. There will be live music and treats. (Sunday, 4:30 p.m., 60 Seaport Blvd., Boston)
ICE SCULPTURE CARVING: New England Aquarium hosts a live ice-sculpture carving. Don Chapelle of North Andover's Brilliant Ice Sculpture plans to carve a sculpture of sea turtles, representing the nearly 500 endangered turtles that have received rehabilitative care at the aquarium's Sea Turtle Hospital in Quincy. (Sunday)
Monday, Dec. 30, 2024
BOSTON FIRST NIGHT SAFETY: Boston Mayor Wu will join public safety leadership from the city, the MBTA Police, and First Night representatives to discuss preparations ahead of Boston's annual New Year's Eve celebration on City Hall Plaza and around the city. (Monday, 10 a.m., City Hall, Eagle Room, 5th Floor, 1 City Hall Sq., Boston)
HOUSE: House meets in an informal session. (Monday, 11 a.m., House Chamber | Livestream)
SENATE: Senate meet without a calendar. (Monday, 11 a.m., Senate Chamber | Livestream)
Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024
SENATE SESSION: Senate President Spilka's office advised members to be prepared for a "potential" informal session on the final day of the 2023-2024 term. (Tuesday, 11 a.m., Senate Chamber)
FIRST NIGHT: Boston's First Night New Year's Eve celebration features performances, fireworks and other programming throughout Tuesday, including concerts at City Hall. The first Frog Pond Skating Spectacular is at 3 p.m., followed by another show at 5:30 p.m. The First Night Parade from City Hall Plaza to Boston Common is at 6 p.m. Family fireworks, presented by The Mugar Foundation and the City of Boston, are scheduled for 7 p.m. at Boston Common. There are also Boston Harbor fireworks, presented by Meet Boston, at midnight at Long Wharf. (Tuesday, Boston | Schedule)
Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025
SENATE DEMS CAUCUS: Senate Democrats meet in a private caucus before the first session of the new term. (Wednesday, 10:30 a.m., Senate President's office)
SENATE KICKS OFF NEW TERM: Senators kick off the 2025-2026 lawmaking term. Like the House, the first Senate session of the cycle traditionally involves selection of the Senate president -- a position Karen Spilka of Ashland is poised to retain -- plus some ceremonial speeches. The 40-person Senate will feature three newcomers this term: Kelly Dooner of Taunton, who is the first Republican woman elected to the Senate in 20 years; William Driscoll of Milton; and Dylan Fernandes of Falmouth. Both Driscoll and Fernandes are moving down the hall after four terms in the House. (Wednesday, 11 a.m., Senate Chamber)
HOUSE KICKS OFF NEW TERM: Representatives kick off the 2025-2026 lawmaking term. The first session of the cycle typically involves election of the House speaker and House clerk, plus a healthy amount of pomp and circumstance including introductory speeches. House Speaker Mariano -- who last year said he would seek another term at the top but declined to commit to spending a full two years in that role -- does not appear to face any competition to retain the gavel, and he will likely lock down the necessary votes in a Democratic caucus before the session begins. The House will feature 19 new members in the 2025-2026 term: Michelle Badger of Plymouth, Michael Chaisson of Foxborough, Leigh Davis of Great Barrington, Dennis Gallagher of Bridgewater, John Gaskey of Carver, Homar Gomez of Easthampton, Tara Hong of Lowell, Hadley Luddy of Orleans, Thomas Moakley of Falmouth, Bridget Plouffe of Brockton, Sean Reid of Lynn, Amy Sangiolo of Newton, Greg Schwartz of Newton, Steven Ouellette of Westport, Ken Sweezey of Pembroke, Mark Sylvia of Fairhaven, John Tarsky of Needham, Justin Thurber of Somerset and Richard Wells of Milton. (Wednesday, Time TBD, House Chamber)
PROSPECT HILL FLAG RAISING: Somerville Museum, along with Mayor Ballantyne, present the 249th annual Prospect Hill flag raising. On Jan. 1, 1776, General George Washington "raised the first American flag atop Prospect Hill, marking a pivotal moment in the Revolutionary War," city officials say. The event features historical reenactments and a ceremonial parade. It starts at City Hall at 11:30 a.m., followed by a program at Prospect Hill. (Wednesday, 11:30 a.m., 93 Highland Ave., Somerville | More Info)
FIRST DAY HIKES: Department of Conservation and Recreation hosts its 34th annual First Day Hikes at 14 state parks. DCR said its "signature" initiative began in 1992 when 400 hikers welcomed the new year at the Blue Hills Reservation in Milton. It has since expanded to parks across the state and was adopted nationally in 2012 with the endorsement of America's State Parks, expanding the First Day Hikes initiative to all 50 states. "We are a state of firsts, and the tradition of our First Day Hikes stands as a proud example of that," Gov. Healey said. Hikes will be hosted in Boston, Saugus, Rockport, Concord, North Andover, Mashpee, Uxbridge, Gardner, Townsend, West Boylston, Worcester, Turner Falls, and Chester. Hikers this year will get a commemorative winter hat and a pin. Last year, more than 3,000 people participated. (Wednesday, Schedule and More Info)
Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025
SENATE SESSION: Senate meets in an informal session. (Thursday, 11 a.m., Senate Chamber)
GOVERNOR'S COUNCIL SWEARING-IN: Members of the Governor's Council are sworn in for the 2025-2026 term. Senate President Spilka administers the oath of office. (Thursday, 12 p.m., House Chamber)
FIRE PREVENTION: Board of Fire Prevention Regulations meets. Staff from the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection discuss a guidance document about the public health, safety and environmental impacts of battery storage and electric vehicle chargers. There will also be a discussion about draft ADU regulations. (Thursday, 1 p.m. | Agenda and Access)
NORTH STATION BRIDGE: MBTA holds a virtual public hearing on the North Station Draw One bridge replacement project. The U.S. Department of Transportation in September awarded the MBTA a $472 million grant to help replace the bridge that connects Boston and Cambridge and carries Amtrak and commuter rail trains. Officials say they are seeking feedback on a draft environmental assessment. (Thursday, 6 p.m. | Register)
Friday, Jan. 3, 2025
FRAMINGHAM FLAG: A new city of Framingham flag gets installed in the State House's Great Hall. Senate President Spilka attends. (Friday, 12 p.m., Great Hall)
JUSTICE INVOLVED WOMEN: Justice Involved Women Panel of the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security meets virtually. (Friday, 1 p.m. | Livestream)
NORTH STATION BRIDGE: MBTA holds an in-person open house through 6 p.m. on the North Station Draw One bridge replacement project. Backed by a massive federal grant, the MBTA intends to replace the bridge that connects Boston and Cambridge and carries Amtrak and commuter rail trains. Officials are seeking feedback on a draft environmental assessment. (Friday, 4 p.m., Cambridge Public Library-Central Square branch, 45 Pearl St., Cambridge)
AUDITING THE LEGISLATURE: The voter law authorizing Auditor Diana DiZoglio to audit the Legislature takes effect Friday, according to Secretary of State Bill Galvin's interpretation of the state constitution. DiZoglio, clashing with the state's top elections official, had claimed Question 1 took effect Dec. 5, which was 30 days after the November election. While the constitution says ballot questions take effect 30 days after state elections, Galvin insisted the timeline only kicks in after approved measures are certified, which happened Dec. 4. That means DiZoglio can revive her probe on Jan. 3, though top Beacon Hill Democrats have long claimed her quest violates constitutional separation of powers. The matter could spiral into a lawsuit, which would force Attorney General Andrea Campbell to get involved. (Friday)
SILVER LINE CHANGES: MBTA Silver Line buses will begin using surface roads only for the duration of the weekend to allow drainage work to take place in the Silver Line tunnel at South Station. Riders looking to make connections at South Station can do so at the corner of Summer Street and Atlantic Avenue. World Trade Center station connections will happen on Congress Street near the station, and Courthouse Station stops will be on Seaport Boulevard. The T will charge a local bus fare of $1.70 one way on the Silver Line during the change. Normal service will resume Monday morning. (Friday, 8:30 p.m.)
