People, Power, and Politics

'I'm Sorry.'    If Sen. John Keenan could go back in time, he would take back his vote to legalize sports betting in the state. While he can’t change the past, Keenan is looking to change the law, and on Thursday explained to colleagues his bill (S 302) that places guardrails on sports betting to address the harms that can come with wagering.  “We unleashed an industry that now promotes betting on anything and everything imaginable and unimaginable all over the world, 24 hours a day, every single day,” Keenan said at a Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies hearing. "I want to publicly apologize to those who've lost the opportunity to sit and watch a game just for the enjoyment of the game, I want to apologize to those who find themselves in the dark spaces of betting addiction, and to those working through recovery and to their families and friends. I want to apologize to those who have lost loved ones to suicide because of gambling issues."

FRANKLIN

New Town Website Does Not Support “Cut and Paste” of calendar entries. Go to https://franklinma.gov/Calendar.aspx to view directly. Steve Sherlock from Franklin Matters has kindly compiled and and shared the below information. Thanks Steve!

With the new Town Council organized around new leadership, the School Committee gets to do the same thing this week.

The School Committee welcomes 3 new members to their organizational meeting on Tuesday. They also have a workshop facilitated by the area director of the Mass Association of School Committees with lots of good info on rules, regulations and process items specific to School Committees.

The Town Council gets into their second meeting with some serious business on the agenda for their Wednesday session. The second FY 2026 budget adjustment of approx $280K is scheduled for discussion. An organizational change to remove the Deputy Town Administrator and replace that role with one focused on communications and returning a part-time administrative assistant provides some of the savings needed. There is an adjustment to local receipts as well as a reduction to the Tri-County school building assessment due to a lower interest rate actually achieved vs. the original forecast.

The first adjustment was made in August to account for a reduction in State local aid revealed when the State approved their budget in July with a lower amount than already included in the FY 2026 budget by the Town.

The requested rescission of the Town Council approval of the 444 East Central St development proposal is also on the agenda. 1 or 2 of the Council won’t be able to vote on this to avoid a conflict of interest as they are either direct abutters to the property or in the neighborhood.

Part of the discussion should also include consideration of all the options for what to do and what consequences might occur. If nothing is done to interfere with the due diligence process at the ZBA, and they deny the proposal, the Town is in good position as we are above the minimum 40b percent and an appeal to the State would likely not be overturned. As I understand the situation, most other options for appeal to the State could result in additional legal costs to be assumed by the Town to defend its actions.

The ZBA is scheduled to continue their due diligence at their Thursday meeting. The 250th Anniversary Celebration committee also meets for the first time Thursday.

For all the meetings and cultural events, check out the calendar at Franklin.news where each day, that day's events are posted on the top of the page, the TV and radio schedules are on the bottom, and all the other goodness falls in-between.

*** Meeting schedule and agendas as of Town page 11/14/25, 6:00 PM ***

Planning Board Meeting

Monday, November 17 Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_11172025-2005

Recreation Advisory Board Meeting

Monday, November 17 Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_11172025-2003

Franklin School Committee MASC Workshop

Tuesday, November 18 Time: 5:30 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_11182025-1982

Franklin School Committee

Tuesday, November 18 Time: 7:00 PM

https://core-docs.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/4780/FPSD/6138802/SCAGENDA11-18-25.pdf

Board of Assessors Meeting

Wednesday, November 19 Time: 4:30 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_11192025-2009

Town Council Meeting

Wednesday, November 19 Time: 6:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_11192025-2010

Town Council Office Hours

Thursday, November 20 Time: 8:30 AM

No agenda for this session

250th Anniversary Celebration Committee Meeting

Thursday, November 20 Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_11202025-2007

Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) Meeting

Thursday, November 20 Time: 7:30 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_11202025-1997

FOFE Meeting

Friday, November 21 Time: 9:00 AM

Council on Aging Meeting

Friday, November 21 Time: 1:30 PM

*** Looking back at the week that was ***

The Town Council met for the first time since the election brought 7 new members to the table. Dellorco was voted as Chair. Grella as Vice-chair, and Cormier-Leger as Clerk. Griffith was appointed temporarily as Clerk to cover the absence of Cormier-Leger for 2 meetings. Franklin TV video is available for replay -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsYVvhWdqWs

The Conservation Commission met on Thursday as scheduled. Franklin TV video is available for replay -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojepfHYFuow

On the Franklin High School sports front, there were 3 live streamed events broadcast by Franklin TV

• Volleyball on Wednesday, Nov 12 -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2FLttuyC6NQ
• Girls soccer on Thursday, Nov 13 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6k4hfKdJ1w
• Football on Friday, Nov 14 -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGPwJa8sz_s

On the Youth Football front, 3 teams are scheduled to play in their respective Super Bowl games this weekend. A special 3 part series provides info on the G5, G6 and G8 team success this season

• https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/11/the-g5-football-teams-journey-to-emass.html
• https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/11/the-g6-football-teams-journey-to-emass.html
• https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/11/the-g8-football-teams-journey-to-emass.html

For all the meetings and cultural events, check out the calendar at Franklin.news where each day, that day's events are posted on the top of the page, the TV and radio schedules are on the bottom, and all the other goodness falls in-between.

Town calendar -> https://www.franklinma.gov/Calendar.aspx

Community calendar -> https://bit.ly/FranklinCommunityCalendar

Subscribe for the daily dose of information -> https://www.franklinmatters.org/p/welcome.html

Subscribe for the weekly dose of information -> https://www.franklinmattersweekly.org/p/subscribe-for-email.html

MEDWAY

Medway’s new website, likewise, does not readily support cut and paste. Go to medwayma.gov.

STATE HOUSE and BEYOND

Energy, cannabis and spending bills are top of mind as lawmakers approach the scheduled end of formal sessions for 2025 on Wednesday. A new joint legislative rule enables the House and Senate to hold formal sessions in late November or December, before the scheduled resumption of formals in January, if the session is called to take up a conference committee report. A $2.3 billion bill to close the books on fiscal 2025 meets that description although legislators would probably like to see that bill wrapped up before Wednesday. The Senate plans a formal session Wednesday to take up its version of a House bill overhauling cannabis laws and restructuring the Cannabis Control Commission. House Democrats keep their plans more private but clean energy advocates are fearful that Speaker Ron Mariano and his team next week will try to rush through the House a sweeping bill that critics say nullifies critical clean energy law while supporters see it as a necessary course correction to address rising energy costs that are burdening consumers and businesses. The bill emerged Wednesday from the House side of the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy and is now before the House Ways and Means Committee. "They don't have to vote on it next week," said Larry Chretien of the Green Energy Consumers Alliance. "I think most house members would love more time to figure this out. A great move would be to punt and give it more time." The big business trade group Associated Industries of Massachusetts declared Thursday that it "unequivocally" supports the bill because it "changes the game on energy costs." Supporters of scores of other bills are angling to see their proposals swept into the expected acceleration of legislative activity that will occur over the first half of next week. Similarly, supporters of major policy changes that are out of favor among the ruling Democrats in the Legislature face their own test next week. Initiative petition campaigns need 74,574 voter signatures for their proposed laws and activists plan to file their signatures locally by Wednesday's deadline so that clerks can begin to vet signatures ahead of a Dec. 3 deadline for campaigns to file certified signatures with the secretary of state's office. The signature requirement is too much for some campaigns, and the field of potential 2026 ballot questions will be trimmed in the coming days. In addition, registration will open during the week of November 17 for Literacy Launch Institutes, a professional development opportunity hosted by DESE and the Department of Early Education and Care in collaboration with HILL for Literacy. These free institutes are designed to strengthen educators’ understanding of evidence-based, culturally and linguistically sustaining early literacy practices. New options this year include Friday/Saturday school-year options in Worcester and Northampton, as well as expanded summer offerings in multiple regions to increase access for educators statewide.

Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025

JON MARCUS ON KELLER: Political analyst Jon Keller's "Keller at Large" show is a rerun from earlier this year. Jon Marcus, higher education editor at the Hechinger Report, discusses the financial landscape of higher education, the impact of a drop in international students coming to Boston and the future of online education. (Sunday, 8:30 a.m., WBZ-TV)

McGOVERN ON THE RECORD: U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern joins WCVB's weekly political talk show "On the Record." (Sunday, 11 a.m., WCVB-TV)

Monday, Nov. 17, 2025

BRISTOL COUNTY MOSQUITO CONTROL: Bristol County Mosquito Control Commission meets. Members will discuss an open commission seat, vote on the proposed fiscal 2027 budget increase, and vote on a cost of living adjustment for non-contract employees. (Monday, 7 a.m., 38R Forest St., Attleboro | Agenda and Zoom)

ARCHITECTURAL ACCESS: Architectural Access Board meets. Income case reviews deal with buildings in Allston-Brighton, Brookline, Beverly, New Bedford, Newburyport, Salem, Cambridge, Wellesley, Marlborough, Boston and Chatham. (Monday, 9 a.m. | Agenda and Livestream)

THANKSGIVING FOOD DRIVE: St. John School, St. Lucy Society and St. Anthony Society will fill NEW Health’s – a community health center – van with non-perishable foods donated in the past month. Boston City Councilor Gabriela Coletta Zapata, councilor at-large Henry Santana and Rep. Aaron Michlewitz, a Boston Democrat , will attend. (Monday, 9:30 a.m., St John School 9 Moon St., Boston)

MASSAGE THERAPISTS: Board of Registration of Massage Therapists meets. Agenda includes reports from the executive director and board counsel, and compliance monitoring. (Monday, 10 a.m. | Agenda and Livestream)

FAIR HOUSING LISTENING SESSION: Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities hosts the second in a series of regional listening sessions focused on informing and guiding policies and programs for the state’s new Office of Fair Housing. Maureen St. Cyr, executive director of the Massachusetts Fair Housing Center, will attend along with local officials and leaders of housing organizations. (Monday, 10 a.m., UMass Amherst Henry M. Thomas III Center, 1500 Main Street Tower Square, Suite 260 Springfield)

SENATE SESSION: Senate meets in an informal session. (Monday, 11 a.m., Senate chamber)

HOUSE SESSION: House meets in an informal session. (Monday, 11 a.m., House chamber)

RECREATIONAL TRAMWAY: Recreational Tramway Board meets. Members will vote on annual license applications from Berkshire East Mountain Resort, Catamount Mountain Resort, Wachusett Mountain Ski Area and Ski Butternut. (Monday, 11 a.m. | Agenda and Livestream)

LABOR AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE: Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development holds a hearing on bills related to unemployment insurance, non-compete agreements and wages. Bills on the docket include a proposal (H 2107 / S 1349) to increase minimum wage from $15 to $20 an hour and increase tipped minimum wage from $6.25 to $12 an hour over five years. A Rep. Cruz bill (H 2081) would create a minimum 19% gratuity for parties of four or more while dining during "peak restaurant season" in certain cities and towns, and Sen. Tarr recommends (S 1376) adjustments to unemployment insurance, requiring individuals to have earned wages in at least two quarters during the base period to qualify. (Monday, 11 a.m. | Livestream & More Info)

PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES COMMISSION: Commission on the Status of Persons with Disabilities Long-Term Services & Supports and Health Equity Subcommittee meets. The subcommittee will discuss fiscal year 2026 goals and affordable housing. (Monday, 11 a.m. | Virtual & More Info)

HELMETS TO HARDHATS RECOGNITION: Massachusetts Building Trade Unions gather to recognize the Helmets to Hardhats, H2H, program. H2H offers a way for veterans to connect with union trades for careers after their military service. Since 2003, the program has placed more than 41,000 former military personnel into “family sustaining careers,” according to the union. Veteran apprentices from Iron Workers Local 7, IUOE Local 4 and IBEW 103 will be at the event to share their stories and answer questions about how the program has affected them. (Monday, 11 a.m., Nurses Hall)

EMPLOYEE OWNERSHIP: Employee Ownership Advisory Board's Policy and Advocacy Committee meets. (Monday, 11 a.m. | Agenda and Livestream)

PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES COMMISSION: Commission on the Status of Persons with Disabilities Disability Employment Subcommittee meets. The subcommittee will discuss their fiscal year 2026 goals and the role of employment resource groups in disability employment. (Monday, 12 p.m. | Virtual & More Info)

MCCA FINANCE & PERSONNEL: Massachusetts Convention Center Authority's Finance and Personnel Committee meets. They will discuss and vote on the results of the fiscal 2025 audit, conducted by auditors CliftonLarsonAllen. They'll also discuss a charter for an internal audit, and a September 2025 year to date budget to actual income statement. (Monday, 12:30 p.m. | Agenda & Access)

RACIAL EQUITY, CIVIL RIGHTS, AND INCLUSION COMMITTEE: Joint Committee on Racial Equity, Civil Rights, and Inclusion holds an informational hearing to consider the impact of heightened federal immigration enforcement on Massachusetts and what the Legislature can do in response. The committee will only hear from invited witnesses. "The testimony will be used to issue findings about the impact of federal immigration enforcement on Massachusetts and to develop an array of potential legislative responses," according to the committee. (Monday, 1 p.m., Room A-2 | Livestream and More Info)

SALEM PANTRY: The Salem Pantry and the Greater Boston Food Bank host a briefing and site visit on a new regional initiative for the North Shore. GBFB last month awarded a $2 million grant to the pantry to lease a 20,000-square-foot warehouse in Salem that's also situated on the borders of Lynn and Peabody. "The warehouse will increase The Salem Pantry’s food storage capacity by five times, providing warehouse space, cold storage, and distribution infrastructure for up to 20 additional emergency food distribution partners in lower Essex County," GBFB said in a news release. Sen. Lovely and Rep. Cruz attend. (Monday, 1 p.m., 220 Highland Ave., Salem)

XYLAZINE COMMISSION: The working group on education and training convened by the Special Commission on Xylazine holds its first meeting. The commission was formed under a 2024 law to study the increasing presence of the dangerous animal sedative in the state's illicit drug supply. The group will go over background information and preliminary research. (Monday, 2 p.m. | Virtual)

HEALEY ANTI-HUNGER TASK FORCE LISTENING SESSIONS: Gov. Maura Healey’s administration is holding a series of listening sessions to inform the governor’s Anti-Hunger Task Force’s recommendations for how Massachusetts can lessen the effects of federal cuts to SNAP and other food assistance programs. The sessions will involve local government officials, food banks, nonprofits, business leaders and those affected by SNAP cuts. Feedback from the sessions will focus on the objectives of reducing the direct and indirect effects of SNAP cuts and program changes for Massachusetts residents, “initiating and deepening” collaboration for alleviating food insecurity, looking into long-term solutions for addressing hunger, and maintaining food systems and supporting local economies. (Monday, 5:30 p.m., Bristol County Agricultural High School 135 Center St. Dighton)

CHARLES RIVER TASK FORCE: Charles River Task Force holds a public hearing on its recommendations to address equitable access between the Longfellow Bridge and Eliot Bridge, ensure inclusive public engagement and improve communication with stakeholders. The task force was created through the fiscal 2025 budget. (Monday, 6 p.m., Cambridge Community Center, 5 Callender St., Cambridge | Register)

BRIMFIELD STATE FOREST: Department of Conservation and Recreation holds a public meeting on findings from the Brimfield State Forest trail master plan. (Monday, 6 p.m. | Zoom)

HOUSING COMMITTEE: Joint Committee on Housing accepts written testimony on home rule petitions and late file bills. Sen. Montigny recommends legislation requiring assisted living homes to provide a minimum 10 days free of charge after the death of a resident to remove personal belongings. Bills related to affordable housing trusts in West Tisbury, Chatham and Edgartown are also on the docket. (Monday)

Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025

BUILDING CODE APPEALS: Building Code Appeals Board holds virtual hearings on properties in Palmer, Watertown, Boston, Pittsfield and Medfield. (Tuesday, 9 a.m. | Agenda and Livestream)

FIRE PREVENTION: Board of Fire Prevention Regulations' Administrative Code Committee meets. (Tuesday, 9 a.m. | Access)

OLLIE'S LAW: Ollie's Law Advisory Committee meets. Members will discuss operator education and training competencies, including animal behavioral knowledge. (Tuesday, 9 a.m. | Agenda and Livestream)

XYLAZINE COMMISSION: The working group on outreach and treatment convened by the Special Commission on Xylazine holds its first meeting. The commission was formed to study the increasing presence of the dangerous animal sedative in the state's illicit drug supply. The group will go over background information and preliminary research. (Tuesday, 9 a.m. | Virtual)

BOARD OF ED: Board of Elementary and Secondary Education meets, with plans to vote on their budget priorities for fiscal year 2027, ahead of state budget officials sitting down likely before the end of the year to establish a joint revenue forecast for the upcoming fiscal year. The board plans to vote on whether to solicit public comment on amendments to alternative licensure pathways for teachers, and to discuss district and school staff attendance for the 2024-2025 school year. It's the first time DESE will report attendance data for staff, administrators and teachers. (Tuesday, 9 a.m., 135 Santilli Highway, Everett | Livestream)

BUILDING CERTIFICATION: Board of Building Regulations and Standards' Building Official Certification Committee meets. Agenda includes executive director and board counsel reports, exam approval packets, certification applications, new employee report forms and applications for continuing education. (Tuesday, 9 a.m., Division of Occupational Licensure Satellite Office, 365 East St., Tewksbury | Agenda and Livestream)

GAMING COMMISSION: Gaming Commission holds a public hearing on proposed regulations that address underage sports betting, clarify how communications between surveillance and security should be documented by gaming licensees, and strike out certain references to "digital, crypto and virtual currencies converted to cash." (Tuesday, 9:30 a.m. | More Info and Access)

PRIM INVESTMENT COMMITTEE: Pension Reserves Investment Management (PRIM) Investment Committee meets. Treasurer Goldberg chairs the meeting. (Tuesday, 9:30 a.m. | Agenda & Access)

EMBALMING, FUNERAL DIRECTING: Board of Registration in Embalming and Funeral Directing meets. Agenda includes introducing a new executive director, discussing the licensee downgrade process and electing officers. (Tuesday, 10 a.m., 1 Federal St., Boston | Agenda and Livestream)

BOSTON GLOBE SUMMIT: The Boston Globe will be hosting its fifth annual Globe Summit with the theme “Revolutionary Ideas.” The summit's speaker lineup includes Gov. Maura Healey, Economic Development Secretary Eric Paley and Sen. Julian Cyr, a Truro Democrat, along with leaders in industries like health care, education and sports. Former Gov. Charlie Baker, now president of the NCAA, and Rep. Leigh Davis, a Great Barrington Democrat, are among those giving virtual remarks. Tickets for the in-person event start at $249, tickets for the virtual programming are free. (Tuesday, 10 a.m., House of Blues 15 Landsdowne St., Boston | Tickets)

JOINT COMMITTEE ON REVENUE: Joint Committee on Revenue holds a public hearing on nearly 40 bills dealing with income and estate taxes. Multiple proposals look to overhaul the estate tax, including raising the tax threshold and aligning the state structure with the federal government. A 2023 tax relief law raised the estate tax threshold from $1 million to $2 million. In its recently released 2025-2026 tax reform agenda, the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce and the Massachusetts Society of CPAs called for the repeal of the estate tax, noting the commonwealth is one of just 12 states with such a tax. A Sen. Lewis bill (S 2032) would establish a universal basic income pilot program, ensuring a randomly selected group of at least 1,500 residents earn a monthly income "that is at least equal to a living wage." A Rep. DuBois petition (H 3087) would repeal Chapter 62F, the law that triggered tax rebates in 2022 after state revenue collections exceeded the annual cap. (Tuesday, 10 a.m., Room A-1 | Agenda and Livestream)

CANNABIS CONTROL COMMISSION: The Cannabis Control Commission meets. Commissioners plan to discuss and may vote on proposed updates to social consumption regulations, though the item has been delayed at several recent meetings. The CCC recently added a new commissioner, Carrie Benedon, and members said they wanted to give her time to review the rules before taking a vote. They’ve set a goal of voting before Christmas. The agenda also includes a discussion and vote on omitted public health and safety data from the 2025 industry report, a proposal for a 120-day license extension option, nearly two dozen license renewals, and a licensing data update from staff. (Tuesday, 10:15 a.m. | Access and More Info)

PRIMARY CARE TASK FORCE WORKFORCE MEETING: The Primary Care Access, Delivery and Payment Taskforce will hold a Workforce Workgroup meeting. The taskforce is co-chaired by the Massachusetts Health Policy Commission and Executive Office of Health and Human Services. Members will review legislative proposals meant to address administrative burdens related to primary care and a summary of the pre-filed testimony on the 2025 Health Care Cost Trends Hearing. The meeting will end with a background presentation about the Quality Measure Alignment Taskforce and Statewide Quality Advisory Committee. This is followed by an open discussion among members about addressing administrative burdens, like prior authorizations and quality measures, in primary care. (Tuesday, 10:30 a.m. | Livestream)

JOINT COMMITTEE ON FINANCIAL SERVICES: Joint Committee on Financial Services holds a public hearing on two dozen bills dealing with banking. Legislation from Reps. Connolly and Cabral and Sen. Eldridge (H 1114 / S 736) would establish a Massachusetts public bank to promote economic development in underserved communities, support minority- and women-owned enterprises, increase affordable housing options and address food insecurity. Meanwhile, a state climate bank proposed by Rep. Meschino and Sen. Mark (H 3937 / S 786) would evaluate and coordinate financing solutions for climate and clean energy innovation across the public, private and nonprofit sectors, with the aim of hitting the state's decarbonization targets. A Rep. Williams proposal (H 1349) seeks to bolster banking access and commercial insurance coverage for microbusinesses and small businesses. (Tuesday, 10:30 a.m., Room A-2 | Agenda and Livestream)

HOUSE ETHICS TRAINING: House Committee on Human Resources and Employee Engagement holds a mandatory ethics training for all House staff members. (Tuesday, 11 a.m., Gardner Auditorium)

HOUSE FORMAL: House plans to hold a formal session. (Tuesday, 11 a.m., House Chamber)

HOUSE DEMS CAUCUS: House Democrats plan to meet in a closed caucus. (Tuesday, 11 a.m., Rooms A-1 and A-2)

HAZARDOUS MATERIALS: Hazardous Materials Mitigation Advisory Board meets. Agenda includes a FIFA World Cup update. (Tuesday, 11 a.m. | Agenda and Access)

WOMEN’S HEALTH SYMPOSIUM: Massachusetts Caucus of Women Legislators and MassBio host the third annual Women’s Health Symposium. This year’s event will highlight the effect of Alzheimer’s disease on women of all ages and include experts from Eli Lilly, Mass General Brigham, Brigham & Women’s, the Society for Women’s Health Research as well as members of the caucus and Kendall Burlin O’Connell, CEO and president of MassBio. The event comes as lawmakers are considering a bill (H 4302) presented by the Joint Committee on Aging and Independence that would create a public awareness campaign for Alzheimer’s and dementia and ensure data collection and reporting on Alzheimer’s and dementia. The bill also creates a new role – Director of Dementia Care and Coordination within the Executive Office of Health and Human Services – to coordinate and implement the Alzheimer’s Disease State Plan and work with the Department of Public Health and other agencies on awareness efforts. (Tuesday, 11:30 a.m., Great Hall, State House)

CHILDREN, FAMILIES AND PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES: Joint Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities holds a hearing on miscellaneous matters. Rep. Barber proposes (H 202) expanding school vision-screening requirements and creating a statewide Children’s Vision & Eye Health Advisory Council. A comprehensive Rep. Decker bill (H 216) would reform the Emergency Assistance family shelter program by broadening eligibility, guaranteeing same-day placement for families with immediate need, limiting denials based on missing documentation, and establishing an ombudsperson unit to help families navigate the system. Rep. Garry recommends (H 4194) limiting state-estimated inflation increases for social service programs by capping annual adjustments at no more than 200% of the previous year’s increase. (Tuesday, 1 p.m., Room A-2 | Virtual & More Info)

SUPPORTIVE HOUSING: Interagency Council on Housing and Homelessness' Committee for Supportive Housing Production and Services meets. Agenda includes an update on the Affordable Homes Act. For access, contact Pearl Chan at pchan@cedac.org or 617-727-5944 ext. 100. (Tuesday, 1 p.m. | Agenda)

EDUCATION COMMITTEE: Joint Committee on Education holds a hearing on bills related to special education. Rep. Peisch proposes (H 670) requiring that private special education schools publish student achievement data and undergo annual financial audits. Her bill would also prioritize school construction projects that create in-district special education space. A Rep. Decker and Sen. Creem (H 546 / S 317) proposal would require the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to publish more detailed data on special education services and student outcomes, broken down by student demographics to better identify inequities. Rep. Sullivan-Almeida (H 4217) recommends shifting the burden of proof in special education disputes onto school districts and creating a commission to study barriers families face — especially low-income, disabled and multilingual families — when navigating the special education appeals system. (Tuesday, 1 p.m., Room B-2 | Livestream & More Info)

JOINT COMMITTEE ON THE JUDICIARY: Joint Committee on the Judiciary holds a public hearing on about 40 bills focused on health care and commitments. The docket includes a Reps. O'Day and Cruz bill (H 1923) that would gradually raise the age of juvenile jurisdiction to 21. The accompanying Senate bill (S 1061) is before the Senate Ways and Means Committee. Proposals from House Minority Leader Jones and Sen. Friedman (H 1081 / S 1115) map out a new process for involuntarily committing individuals to community-based mental health treatment. A Rep. Shand proposal (H 1991) would eliminate the requirement for people under age 16 to get parental consent or go through the judicial bypass process to access abortion care. (Tuesday, 1 p.m., Room A-1 | Agenda and Livestream)

C3 GRANTS: Department of Early Education and Care holds an information session on updates to the Commonwealth Cares for Children grant program for fiscal year 2026. The Board of Early Education and Care last month approved a formula that requires programs to allocate at least half of their funding to workforce expenditures. (Tuesday, 2 p.m. | Register)

XYLAZINE COMMISSION: The working group on oversight and enforcement convened by the Special Commission on Xylazine holds its first meeting. The commission was formed to study the increasing presence of the dangerous animal sedative in the state's illicit drug supply. The group will go over background information and preliminary research. (Tuesday, 2 p.m. | Virtual)

PRIMARY CARE TASK FORCE DATA AND RESEARCH MEETING: Primary Care Access, Delivery and Payment Task Force will hold a Data and Research Workgroup Meeting. The Center for Health Information and Analysis will offer an overview of its primary care dashboard framework and collect feedback from members on other metrics to include in the next dashboard, which will be released in spring 2026. The Health Policy Commission, which co-chairs the task force, will then share findings on cost sharing included in its upcoming 2025 Health Care Cost Trends Report. The workgroup will conclude with a discussion on assessing the effects of health plan design on health equity and patient access to primary care services. (Tuesday, 2:30 p.m. | Livestream)

EARLY LITERACY DATA TRAINING: The Department of Early Learning, working with the Education-to-Career Research and Data Hub and the Massachusetts School Administrators’ Association, offers a virtual training session on using state data to support early literacy goals for public school early learning administrators and educators. The session will cover insights from new dataon early literacy screening assessments in grades K-3 and demonstrate how to access and apply data on MCAS, attendance, English learners, special education services, and other indicators. (Tuesday, 3 p.m., Register)

DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES: Massachusetts Developmental Disabilities Council's Policy Committee meets. Agenda includes a review of policy changes at the state and federal level that affect people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. There will also be updates on the council's priority and endorsed legislation. (Tuesday, 3 p.m. | Agenda and Livestream)

AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES: Joint Committee on Agriculture and Fisheries accepts written testimony on a Sen. Fernandes proposal (S 602) related to how cranberry farmers use water. The bill would require the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs to allow cranberry water-use permits to be transferred to other local water users in the same watershed. Those other users could use the water for environmental mitigation, as long as they get the proper permits and registrations for the new use. (Tuesday | More Info)

Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2025

BOSTON GLOBE SUMMIT: The Boston Globe hosts its fifth annual Globe Summit with the theme “Revolutionary Ideas.” The summit includes a lineup of dozens of notable speakers including Gov. Maura Healey, Eric Paley, Massachusetts Secretary of Economic Development and Sen. Julian Cyr, a Truro Democrat, along with leaders in several industries like health care, education and sports. Former governor Charlie Baker, now president of the NCAA, and Rep. Leigh Davis, a Great Barrington Democrat, are among those giving virtual remarks.Tickets for the in-person event start at $249, tickets for the virtual programming are free. (Wednesday, 9 a.m., House of Blues 15 Landsdowne St., Boston | Tickets)

STRATEGIES FOR CHILDREN: Rep. Decker and Horizons for Homeless Children President & CEO Kate Barrand discuss Rep. Decker’s bill (H 215) on supports for young children experiencing homelessness on Strategies for Children's daily "9:30 call." The bill makes families eligible for homeless child care vouchers as soon as they enter emergency assistance shelter, without needing to meet work requirements, and allows a shelter residency letter to serve as a full-time child care referral. It also states that infants and toddlers entering shelter, or otherwise verified as homeless, automatically qualify for early intervention services for up to a year after leaving shelter.. (Wednesday, 9:30 a.m. | Zoom)

MTF COMPETIVENESS INDEX: Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation and the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce host an event titled "How the Commonwealth Competes: Year 2 of the MTF Competitiveness Index.” The event will include a presentation of the 2025 Index and Poll results, followed by a panel discussion. This year, the index comes with a Competitiveness Poll, conducted by the MassINC Polling Group, that shows how residents feel about the state and where it stands compared to other U.S. regions. While the Index found Massachusetts ranks No. 1 in Talent as a result of its world-class education and health care, high costs have kept the state in a No. 50 spot for private job growth. The panel discussion will focus on the state’s strengths and weaknesses, resident perceptions and public policies to manage rising costs, boost housing development and innovation. The event is free and open to the public, RSVPs are required. (Wednesday, 9:30 a.m., Well-B Innovation Center, 101 Huntington Ave., Boston | RSVP)

PRIM REAL ESTATE AND TIMBERLAND: The Pension Reserves Investment Management (PRIM) Real Estate and Timberland Committee meets. Treasurer Goldberg attends the meeting. (Wednesday, 9:30 a.m. | More Info)

FIRE PREVENTION APPEALS: Fire Prevention Regulations Appeals Board hears a case involving a Charlton property. (Wednesday, 10 a.m. | Agenda and Livestream)

BUILDING REGS: Board of Building Regulations and Standards' Energy Advisory subcommittee meets. Agenda includes a legal counsel overview, and a review of the subcommittee's charge. (Wednesday, 10 a.m. | Agenda and Livestream)

JOINT COMMITTEE ON HOUSING: Joint Committee on Housing holds a hearing on bills related to landlords, tenants and home rule petitions. The docket includes a bill (S 960) from Senate Majority Leader Cynthia Creem allowing Brookline to regulate rent in mult-family housing, with some exceptions. The town could set an annual maximum rent increase that is equal to the change in the Consumer Price Index plus 3%, or 7%, whichever is lower. This comes as there is a push – in the form of a ballot proposal from Homes for All Massachusetts – to enact rent control across the state. A proposal from Sen. Lydia Edwards, a Boston Democrat, (S 982) would create a five-year pilot program that supports certain cities and towns with more than 70% of rental units, facing a “displacement crisis” measured by evictions and applications for Residential Assistance for Families in Transition and high poverty rates. Cities and towns must apply to participate in the program and there is only room for 15 zip codes in the program. Rep. Tara Hong, a Lowell Democrat, has proposed a bill (H 1526) that establishes a commission to study the feasibility of a rent stabilization law. The commission would have 11 members and produce a study assessing the potential effects of rent stabilization on the state. Commission members would have to hold public hearings, gather data and produce a report on its findings no later than Dec. 31, 2026. (Wednesday, 11 a.m., Gardner Auditorium | Agenda and Livestream)

SENATE: The Senate holds a formal session to take up its version of a House bill overhauling cannabis laws and restructuring the Cannabis Control Commission. (Wednesday, 11 a.m., Senate chamber)

RAM ANNUAL MEETING: Retailers Association of Massachusetts holds its 107th Annual Meeting, featuring remarks from Economic Development Secretary Eric Paley. He plans to outline the administration’s economic priorities, followed by a fireside chat with BCBSMA President & CEO Sarah Iselin and an awards ceremony. (Wednesday, noon, Conference Center at Bentley University, Waltham)

NEW BEDFORD DTA: Department of Transitional Assistance's New Bedford Advisory Board meets. (Wednesday, 1 p.m. | Agenda and Access)

DIZOGLIO TOURS JAIL: Auditor DiZoglio tours the Suffolk County Jail, as Beacon Hill negotiators continue to hash out a closeout supplemental budget agreement that's expected to withhold the majority of sheriffs' funding request. (Wednesday, 1 p.m., 200 Nashua St., Boston)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY: Energy Efficiency Advisory Council meets. (Wednesday, 1 p.m. | Register)

MWRA MEETING: Massachusetts Water Resources Authority Board meets. A controversial proposal to change the Charles River’s water-quality classification — which advocates warned could allow continued sewage overflows — has been pulled from the agenda after significant public outcry. MWRA said the item was removed to address questions raised by board members and the public and will be taken up at a future meeting once more information is gathered. Other agenda items include financial updates, water quality and contract actions, personnel approvals, and a large volume of public correspondence on the draft Long-Term CSO Control Plan. (Wednesday, 1 p.m., Deer Island | Virtual)

HOUSE FORMAL: House plans to hold a formal session. (Wednesday, 1 p.m., House Chamber)

GOLDBERG-HEALEY MEETING: Treasurer Goldberg and Gov. Healey meet privately. (Wednesday, 2 p.m., Treasurer's Office, Room 227)

MBTA RIDERS' ACCESS: MBTA Riders' Transportation Access Group meets. (Wednesday, 2 p.m. | Register)

DIZOGLIO IN SOMERVILLE: Auditor DiZoglio visits the Center for Teen Empowerment. (Wednesday, 4:30 p.m., 165 Broadway, Somerville)

WORCESTER REGIONAL RESEARCH BUREAU’S 40TH ANNIVERSARY: Worcester Regional Research Bureau is celebrating its 40th anniversary by reflecting on the city and group’s legacy. The event will feature a keynote panel discussion among Worcester’s city managers and moderated by Kim Salmon, president of The Hanover Insurance Group Foundation. (Wednesday, 4:30 p.m., DCU Center 50 Foster St., Worcester | Tickets)

HEALEY ANTI-HUNGER TASK FORCE: Gov. Maura Healey’s administration hosts listening session to inform the governor’s Anti-Hunger Task Force’s recommendations for how Massachusetts can lessen the effects of federal cuts to SNAP and other food assistance programs. The sessions will involve local government officials, food banks, nonprofits, business leaders and those affected by SNAP cuts. (Wednesday, 5:30 p.m. | Virtual)

DIZOGLIO CAMBRIDGE TOWN HALL: Auditor DiZoglio joins a town hall with the Cambridge Committee for Transparency and Accountability. Organizers say DiZoglio will discuss her stalled audit of the Legislature. Voters overwhelmingly passed a 2024 law authorizing the auditor to audit the Legislature but Senate President Spilka and House Speaker Mariano have resisted, contending the voter law raises constitutional concerns. (Wednesday, 6 p.m., Saint James Church, 1991 Mass Ave., Cambridge | Register)

WATERTOWN GSA SITE: Department of Conservation and Recreation holds a public meeting to discuss proposed improvements at the former General Services Administration site in Watertown. Officials are planning to create a passive park and connections to bike and pedestrian networks with access to Arsenal Street. Other improvements deal with nature-based stormwater management and landscape restoration. (Wednesday, 6 p.m. | More Info and Zoom)

C3 GRANTS: Department of Early Education and Care holds its second information session of the week on updates to the Commonwealth Cares for Children grant program. (Wednesday, 6 p.m. | Register)

MASSDOT GREAT BARRINGTON: MassDOT holds a public meeting on a proposed bridge replacement in Great Barrington for State Road over the Housatonic River. (Wednesday, 6:30 p.m., Great Barrington Fire Department, 37 State Road, Great Barrington | More Info)

SIGNATURE DEADLINE: Campaigns for possible 2024 ballot questions must submit 74,574 signatures from voters — 3% of the total votes cast for candidates for governor, excluding blanks, in the most recent election — to local officials to stay in the running for the November 2026 ballot. A record 44 proposals (some representing multiple proposed versions of a potential question) were certified by Attorney General Andrea Campbell's office in September. That includes 40 proposed laws and four proposed constitutional amendments. The questions address a wide range of public policy questions, including proposals to slash the state income tax, reverse a decades-old ban on rent control, and force the Legislature and governor to open their records. The signature deadline is often a significant hurdle — two years ago, only seven of 34 certified petitions filed sufficient signatures in November to keep advancing. (Wednesday)

Thursday, Nov. 20, 2025

GIC: Group Insurance Commission meets. (Thursday, 8:30 a.m. | More Info and Livestream)

MENTAL HEALTH ADVISORY COUNCIL: Statewide Mental Health Advisory Council meets. Agenda includes updates from the Department of Mental Health, and a presentation from the Massachusetts Mental Health Counselors Association. (Thursday, 8:30 a.m. | Agenda and Zoom)

THANKSGIVING MEAL PREPARATION AND DISTRIBUTION: NEW Health, a federally qualified health center, will host its annual complimentary preparation and distribution of Thanksgiving meals. Preparation of the meals will start at 9 a.m. and they will be distributed beginning at 12 p.m. Community members and patients could sign up in advance at the health center to receive their meals. There will be 120 to-go meals distributed including turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, vegetables, stuffing, cranberry sauce and a slice of pie. (Thursday, 9 a.m., NEW Health Charlestown 15 Tufts St., Charlestown)

ALLIED HEALTH: Board of Allied Health Professions meets. Agenda includes an update about the annual meeting of the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy, a vote on a continuing competence, and comments from professional associations. (Thursday, 9 a.m. | Agenda and Livestream)

MED BOARD: Board of Registration in Medicine's Licensing Committee meets. (Thursday, 9 a.m. | Agenda and Access)

ELECTRICAL CODE: Massachusetts Electrical Code Advisory Committee meets. (Thursday, 9 a.m., Department of Fire Services, 1 State Road, Stow | More Info)

CHIA HEARING: Center for Health Information and Analysis holds a public hearing on new regulatory reporting requirements for pharmacy benefit managers under the 2025 prescription drug reform law. Written testimony will be accepted through 5 p.m. on Dec. 1. (Thursday, 10 a.m. | Notice)

FIRE PREVENTION: Board of Fire Prevention Regulations' Equipment Code Committee meets. (Thursday, 10 a.m. | Livestream)

LABOR AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE: Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development holds a hearing on the remaining bills before the committee. Rep. Berthiaume proposes (H 2067) allowing on-call firefighters to collect unemployment benefits without having their small town stipends counted as income. Rep. Jones (H 2131) recommends denying workers’ compensation to employees injured due to their own serious willful misconduct — including intoxication or illegal drug use — while still allowing dependents to receive benefits if the injury results in death. Rep. Uyterhoeven (H 2182) would expand overtime rules to require overtime pay not only after 40 hours per week but also after eight hours in a day. (Thursday, 10 a.m., Room B-1 | Livestream & More Info)

RETIREMENT BOARD: State Retirement Board meets. Treasurer Goldberg will chair the meeting. (Thursday, 10 a.m. | Email MSRBCommunications@tre.state.ma.us for access)

MBTA BOARD: MBTA Board of Directors meets. (Thursday, 10 a.m., State Transportation Building, 2nd Floor, 10 Park Plaza, Boston | More Info)

HOUSE ETHICS TRAINING: House Committee on Human Resources and Employee Engagement holds a mandatory ethics training for all House staff members. (Thursday, 11 a.m., Gardner Auditorium)

HOUSE INFORMAL: House plans to hold an informal session. (Thursday, 11 a.m., House Chamber)

FIRE SERVICE COMMISSION: Fire Service Commission meets. Agenda includes a vote on credentialing and re-credentialing, a discussion on the annual report, and issues and updates from the Department of Fire Services. (Thursday, 11 a.m. | Agenda and Access)

EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS: Joint Committee on Emergency Preparedness and Management holds an invitation-only hearing to explore the impacts of federal policy and funding changes. (Thursday, 1 p.m., Room A-2 | More Info and Access)

MASSDOT MILTON: MassDOT holds a public meeting on a proposed project in Milton for improvements at the intersection of Route 138 (Blue Hill Avenue) with Bradlee Road and Atherton Street. (Thursday, 6:30 p.m. | Register)

WATERDOWN DAM: Department of Conservation and Recreation holds a public meeting to discuss a study that explored dam removal alternatives for the Watertown Dam located on the Charles River. (Thursday, 7 p.m., Watertown Free Public Library, 123 Main St., Watertown)

ANTISEMITISM COMMISSION: Commission on Combatting Antisemitism holds its final meeting. Commissioners plan to vote on a final report to send to the Legislature after a year and a half of study and public hearings prompted by a rise in violence against Jewish residents. The commission will still take testimony, and Treasurer Goldberg says she plans to testify. (Thursday, Time TBD)

Friday, Nov. 21, 2025

MASSACHUSETTS ASSOCIATION OF HEALTH PLANS: Massachusetts Association of Health Plans hosts its annual conference, featuring keynote speaker Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel, vice provost of global initiatives and professor at Levy University. Emanuel is also a professor at the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine and Wharton School. The event’s title is “Health Care at a Crossroads, How Federal and State Policies are Impacting Change.” Health care leaders, including Secretary of Health and Human Services Kiame Mahaniah, will host discussions exploring this theme and there will be networking opportunities. (Friday, 8 a.m., Encore Boston Harbor 1 Broadway, Everett | Registration)

NEW HEALTH PRODUCE DISTRIBUTION: New Health continues its monthly complimentary distribution of a variety of fruits and vegetables to patients. Patients were referred through their primary care providers. This is a delivery service and a ridealong must be coordinated in advance. (Friday, 9 a.m., NEW Health North End 332 Hanover St. Boston)

MASSACHUSETTS EDUCATION JUSTICE ALLIANCE: Massachusetts Education Justice Alliance will celebrate its 10-year anniversary and reflect on its journey, while also focusing the group’s commitment to equity, justice and movement building. (Friday, 6 p.m., Dorchester Brewing Company 1250 Massachusetts Ave., Boston)