Franklin Town MA
5-31-2026 4:36am

People, Power and Politics

Republican gubernatorial candidate Mike Minogue  submitted 16,000 signatures to the Secretary of State's office on Wednesday to appear on the Republican primary ballot.

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!

Budget, budget, yes, we are into the final stretch on the FY 2027 budget.

Recall The Town of Franklin started planning internally with department level budget reviews during October/December 2025, the first pass on the capital budget during January 2026, the FY 2027 budget was released in February, the Finance Committee spent 17 plus hours over 4 nights in April, and the Town Council spent 8.5 hours over 2 nights May 20-May 21.

During those sessions, the numbers were evolving slightly. At the State level, the Governor issued her view in January, the House of Representatives in April, the Senate just approved their version in May. The health care costs are now closer to final with the open enrollment of Town and retirees completed during April and the costs associated now available.

Hence, there is an updated FY 2027 budget that the Town Administrator has just released incorporating both the Finance Committee recommendations and the latest numbers.

The Finance Committee gets their view and vote on this budget on Wednesday, June 3, the Town Council gets their chance on Wednesday, June 10.

The following Wednesday, June 17, the Council also gets to close out this phase of the FY 2027 budget cycle with some procedural authorizations (Community Preservation funding, enterprise fund authorizations, etc.) all before the FY 2027 fiscal year opens July 1, 2026.

Bottomline, the Finance Committee essentially validated the budget approach and numbers. While some on the Council may still think there are areas to cut, those have not explicitly been expressed so it will be interesting to see what the ‘final’ moves are by the Finance Committee and the Town Council.

Will some of the key cuts get restored (Deputy Town Administrator, School Resource Offices, library Sunday hours, etc.)? Or will the temporary use of $1.1million in free cash to allow the Council, School Committee and Finance Committee to put the plan together on how to get out of this structural deficit be denied, potentially further deepening the hole we are in.

Will there be any surprises? Stay tuned to find out.

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.

*** Event & Meeting schedule (with agendas) as of Town pages 5/29/26, 7:00 PM ***

Pride Flag Raising - May 31, at 1 PM

Flavors of Franklin - Restaurant Week - May 31 through June 6

Franklin PorchFest - June 6

Planning Board Meeting

Monday, June 1 Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_06012026-2341

Recreation Advisory Board

Monday, June 1 Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_06012026-2306

250th Anniversary Celebration Communications Subcommittee Meeting

Tuesday, June 2 Time: 6:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_06022026-2329

Franklin Public Schools Contractual Negotiations Meeting June 3

Wednesday, June 3 Time: 4:30 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_06032026-2326

Board of Health Meeting

Wednesday, June 3 Time: 5:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_06032026-2345

Finance Committee Meeting

Wednesday, June 3 Time: 6:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_06032026-2346

Franklin Commission on Disability Meeting

Thursday, June 4 Time: 4:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_06042026-2340

Economic Development Subcommittee Meeting

Thursday, June 4 Time: 6:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_06042026-2343

Conservation Commission Meeting

Thursday, June 4 Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/604?fileID=9231

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

Town/ School meetings

FHS/ Tri-County live streaming

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

Major bills are flowing into House-Senate conference committees at a faster rate this year than they are coming out of the negotiating panels. Conferees struck an agreement in April on cannabis legislation and five other major bills are currently before the six-person panels, which operate mostly in private. The biggest bill of all, an annual state budget that may top $63.4 billion, was shipped to a conference this week – talks are scheduled to start Wednesday. But first, the six lawmakers who for the last five weeks have been hashing out a compromise on how to spend $1.8 billion, including splitting $1.3 billion in surplus income surtax funds between education and transportation, might be able to wrap up their work. "We have been engaged in productive discussions and look forward to sharing an update with the public on Tuesday," Sean Fitzgerald, spokesman for lead Senate negotiator Sen. Michael Rodrigues told the News Service on Friday. If an agreement is close at hand, the House and Senate could also take the up-or-down votes necessary to put that supplemental budget on the governor's desk next week. The House is planning a formal session Wednesday and possibly Thursday, and the Senate will have a formal session Thursday. House and Senate members also continue to wait for their Democratic colleagues to reach agreements on early literacy reforms, bills to protect non-criminal undocumented immigrants from deportation, and higher education infrastructure financing bills. House Speaker Ron Mariano and Senate President Karen Spilka continue to keep House and Senate members wondering which major bills might surface for votes. The branches function in large part based on agendas set at the highest levels of each branch and announced week by week. Senate Democrats are still working on energy and primary care bills. Unlike past sessions, where most major work had to be done by July 31 during election years, a new rule this session only requires major bills to pass each branch and get assigned to conference committees by that date. The catch is that those bills, should they emerge from conference, could come out during the teeth of the election cycle or during lame duck sessions after the Nov. 3 election. Any election-related impacts stemming from campaign season policymaking are mitigated this year by the fact that so few people are running for seats in the Legislature that most of the incumbents have no reason to worry about being reelected.

Next week begins with a somber tone as public officials are expected to attend the funeral for Boston Firefighter Robert Kilduff Jr., who died May 23 while fighting a house fire in Dorchester. Monday will bring the inspector general's final report on the messy situation around sheriffs' budgets and spending, a document that may influence legislative responses, including in the next annual budget. Monday is also the deadline for public input on a bill that would let cities and towns extend last call to 3 a.m. this summer. Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll and Mariano are due to discuss health equity issues at a summit Tuesday, the same day that Interim Transportation Secretary Phil Eng and Transportation Committee co-chairs mark the one-year anniversary of South Coast Rail with mayors up and down the corridor. Fresh off the Democratic Party convention, Gov. Maura Healey participates Wednesday in a Takeda event focused on sharpening the state's competitive edge. A six-lawmaker negotiating panel will start fiscal 2027 budget talks that morning, and officials will huddle to recognize the 50th anniversary of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. On Thursday, researchers will dig into their findings about immigrants' role in the regional economy.

Sunday, May 31, 2026

THE FUTURE OF PAPERS WITH KELLER: Northeastern University journalism professor Dan Kennedy joins political analyst Jon Keller's weekly talk segment, "Keller at Large." They'll discuss the state of and future of local newspapers, including the Boston Globe, and local and national threats to free speech, according to Keller. (Sunday, 8:30 a.m., WBZ-TV)

MORAN AND FITZGERALD ON MASS AND CASS: Rep. John Moran and Boston City Councilor John FitzGerald join NBC-10 reporter Matt Prichard on location at the intersection between Massachusetts Avenue and Melnea Cass Boulevard in Boston, known as Mass and Cass, for the network's weekly "@ Issue Sit Down" segment. (Sunday, 9:30 a.m., NBC 10)

DURKAN ON THE RECORD: Boston City Councilor Sharon Durkan joins WCVB's weekly political talk show, "On the Record." (Sunday, 11 a.m., WCVB-TV)

"REIMAGINING HEALTHY COMMUNITIES" ON CITYLINE: WCVB's weekly urban magazine program "CityLine" looks at "reimagining health communities." Sen. Payano joins to talk about a health equity bill. Boston Public Health Commissioner Dr. Bisola Ojikutu discusses the city's work to address disparities behind statistics in a report that found Black Bostonians continue to have the lowest life expectancy of any racial or ethnic group. Whittier Street Health Center President Federica Williams discusses the disparities within the neighborhood. (Sunday, 11:30 a.m., WCVB-TV)

PROFILE IN COURAGE AWARD: John F. Kennedy Library Foundation presents its annual Profile in Courage Award to former Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell and to the people of the Twin Cities of Minnesota. Powell is being recognized for resisting political pressure in order to maintain the Federal Reserve's independence and its apolitical role in setting monetary policy. The Twin Cities honorees are being recognized for their response to last year's federal immigration enforcement operation that the Department of Homeland Security described as the largest in U.S. history, in which more than 3,000 ICE and Border Patrol agents were deployed to the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area. Caroline Kennedy and Jack Schlossberg will present the award. (Sunday, 8:30 p.m., John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, Columbia Point, Boston | More Info)

KILDUFF WAKE: A wake is held for Boston Firefighter Robert Kilduff Jr., 51, who died May 23 after falling from a burning house in Dorchester. Boston Firefighters Local 718 IAFF said its membership plans a uniformed walkthrough. Treasurer Goldberg attends. (Sunday, 3 p.m., St. Teresa-Avila Catholic Church, 2078 Center St., Boston)

Monday, June 1, 2026

MYSTIC RIVER WATERSHED: Mystic River Watershed Association hosts its annual Champions Breakfast and honors U.S. Rep. Katherine Clark and Woburn Mayor Mike Concannon. Clark gives the keynote address. The association and the Charles River Watershed Association have continued to criticize a draft plan from the state they say would allow untreated sewage to keep flowing into the rivers during heavy rainfalls. "This is a regional issue that requires all of Greater Boston to buy in," Patrick Herron, executive director of the Mystic association, said this month. (Monday, 8 a.m., River Cafe at The Park at River's Edge, 200 Rivers Edge Dr., Medford)

KILDUFF FUNERAL: Funeral services are held for Boston Firefighter Robert Kilduff Jr., 51, who died May 23 after falling from a burning house in Dorchester. Boston Firefighters Local 718 IAFF said all off-duty members are expected to attend. Gov. Healey and Treasurer Goldberg are expected to attend. (Monday, 10 a.m., Cathedral of the Holy Cross, 1400 Washington St., Boston)

SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL AWARDS: MassDOT hosts its Safe Routes to School annual awards. Senate Transportation Chair Sen. Crighton sponsors. (Monday, 10:30 a.m., Great Hall)

FALCON CHICKS: Biologists from the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife check on the health of five peregrine falcon chicks and fit them with ID bands before they leave their nest at UMass Lowell's Fox Hall, which is also the city's tallest building. The university says 49 chicks have been raised atop Fox Hall over the last 18 years. The birds were previously an endangered species and are now on the state's list of birds of "special concern." (Monday, 10:30 a.m., Fox Hall, UMass Lowell East Campus, 100 Pawtucket St., Lowell)

WATERSHED FUNDING: U.S. Rep. Clark joins Wellesley municipal leaders and the Charles River Watershed Association to announce $500,000 in federal funding secured in the fiscal 2026 budget for tree canopy improvements and natural stormwater management in the watershed. (Monday, 10:45 a.m., Town Hall, 525 Washington St., Wellesley)

HOUSE: House meets in an informal session. (Monday, 11 a.m., House Chamber | Livestream)

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

ENERGY EFFICIENCY: Energy Efficiency Advisory Council's Equity Working Group meets. (Monday, 11 a.m. | Agenda and Access)

MCLA FEDERAL FUNDING: U.S. Rep. Neal joins Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts President James Birge, North Adams Mayor Jennifer Macksey, and students, faculty, and staff to announce federal funding for MCLA's Early Education Center. (Monday, 11:30 a.m., MCLA, Feigenbaum Center for Science & Innovation, 375 Church St., North Adams)

NATICK WATER FUNDING: U.S. Rep. Clark joins Natick officials to announce more than $1 million in federal funding secured in the fiscal 2026 budget for drinking water infrastructure. (Monday, 11:30 a.m., Springvale Water Treatment Plant, 1076 Worcester Road, Natick)

PBM LICENSING: Division of Insurance holds an information session on licensing applications for pharmacy benefit managers, based on regulations finalized in March. The division issued initial licenses for 2026, but those all expire at the end of the year. The upcoming licenses, which are required for all PBMs to operate in Massachusetts, will span Jan. 1, 2027 to Dec. 31, 2029. PBMs are now required to submit annual reports detailing their spread pricing policies, how they prioritize or exclude particular drugs, mid-year drug price changes and rebates to subsidiaries, among other details. (Monday, 1 p.m. | Access)

FIDUCIARY INVESTORS SYMPOSIUM: Treasurer Goldberg delivers remarks at the Top100Funds Fiduciary Investors Symposium. (Monday, 1 p.m., Harvard University, Cambridge)

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND EMERGING TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE: Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technology accepts written testimony through 2 p.m. on a Rep. Fiola bill (H 5465) that would enable municipalities to let bars and restaurants sell alcohol for an extra hour, but no later than 3 a.m., from June 1 through Aug. 31. The measure, which Fiola filed May 1, comes as Massachusetts prepares for a busy summer between World Cup matches and 250th celebrations. Cities and towns can also designate areas where alcohol can be consumed in public spaces under the proposal. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu voiced her support for the measure this week, according to The Boston Globe. (Monday, 2 p.m. | More Info)

MASSDOT CAPITAL – CENTRAL MASS: MassDOT hosts an online capital investment plan meeting with the Central Massachusetts Metropolitan Planning Organization and the Montachusett Metropolitan Planning Organization for the public to learn more about MassDOT’s five-year CIP, including investments planned for Central Massachusetts. (Monday, 6 p.m. | More Info and Register)

FINAL SHERIFF REPORT: Inspector General Jeffrey Shapiro issues his final report on sheriffs’ budgets and spending, required by a 2025 law in which lawmakers tasked Shapiro with assembling an account of sheriff expenditures in fiscal 2025, an analysis of their compliance with state finance laws, an analysis of compensation levels and changes over the last three fiscal years, and a review of sheriffs' spending on activities not required by statute. Shapiro wrote in a preliminary report released in March that the budget process for the 14 county sheriffs "has become opaque, chaotic, and deeply flawed." The fiscal 2027 budget now in conference committee proposes to reorganize how sheriffs are funded by funneling money to the offices across four purpose-specific line items. (Monday)

WORLD CUP OPERATIONS: Department of Public Health activates its emergency operation plan ahead of the start of the World Cup, monitoring for potential disease outbreaks, weather-related hazards, foodborne illnesses and mass casualty events. (Monday)

Tuesday, June 2, 2026

SOUTH COAST RAIL CONFERENCE: Interim MassDOT Secretary and MBTA General Manager Phil Eng gives the keynote address as Bridgewater State University hosts a Regional Transportation and Economic Development Conference marking the one-year anniversary of South Coast Rail. MBTA Board Chair Thomas McGee, Transportation Committee Co-chairs Rep. Arciero and Sen. Crighton; and the mayors of New Bedford, Fall River, Taunton, and Brockton also participate. Panels will cover state transportation leadership, Gateway City impacts, and business and economic growth along the rail corridor. (Tuesday, 8:30 a.m., Bridgewater State University, Dana Mohler-Faria Science and Mathematics Center, 24 Park Ave., Bridgewater)

HEALTH EQUITY SUMMIT: Health Equity Compact holds its fourth annual Health Equity Trends Summit, featuring Lt. Gov. Driscoll, House Speaker Mariano, Sen. Friedman, Rep. Lawn and Health and Human Services Undersecretary Rosenthal. The event includes panels, speakers and networking and the talks will be colored by the trends of rising care costs and federal policy changes affecting care access. (Tuesday, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., UMass Boston Campus Center Ballroom, Boston | More Info)

MAIL-IN VOTING LAWSUIT: U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts holds oral arguments in a lawsuit the League of Women Voters of Massachusetts filed against the Trump administration. It looks to block a March 31 executive order that directs federal agencies to compile a list of all individuals confirmed to be U.S. citizens and send that information to state election chiefs ahead of upcoming federal elections. The order also prevents the U.S. Postal Service from sending mail-in or absentee ballots to individuals who are not enrolled in a state-specific list. "If implemented, the Order would threaten the ability of millions of eligible citizens to cast their ballots, particularly military members, overseas citizens, the elderly, recently naturalized citizens, and voters with disabilities who rely on mail voting," the ACLU said. President Trump's order says the goal is to prevent violations of federal criminal law, maintain public confidence in election outcomes, and enhance election integrity. (Tuesday, 10 a.m., Moakley Courthouse, 1 Courthouse Way, Boston)

SURTAX SUPP NEGOTIATORS: Lawmakers meet after spending the last five weeks hashing out a compromise on how to spend $1.8 billion, including splitting $1.3 billion in surplus income surtax funds between education and transportation. "We have been engaged in productive discussions and look forward to sharing an update with the public on Tuesday," Sean Fitzgerald, spokesman for lead Senate negotiator Sen. Michael Rodrigues told the News Service on Friday. (Tuesday, 10:30 a.m., House Ways and Means office, Room 243 | Agenda and More Info)

QUINCY REDEVELOPMENT: Quincy Mayor Thomas Koch holds a press conference on a project to transform the Crown Colony business district into a 315-unit residential development for residents ages 55 and older. The redevelopment is intended to keep up with demand for senior and active adult housing options, city officials say. "Communities across Greater Boston are facing a fundamental shift in how commercial office space is being used, and Quincy is choosing to lead rather than react," Koch said in a statement. (Tuesday, 11 a.m., 1600 Crown Colony Dr., Quincy)

FIRE ACADEMY GRADUATION: State Fire Marshal Jon Davine and Massachusetts Firefighting Academy leadership present certificates of completion to 18 recruits graduating from fire academy training. The graduates represent the fire departments of Bellingham, Chicopee, North Adams, Palmer, Pittsfield, Springfield, Ware and West Springfield. (Tuesday, 11 a.m., 100 Grochmal Ave., Springfield | Stream will be available after the ceremony)

WORCESTER COMMERCIAL CONDOS: Ribbon-cutting ceremony is held in Worcester for the opening of the Main South Plaza Affordable Commercial Condominiums. The development, supported by more than $2.4 million in funding from MassDevelopment, turned a vacant and blighted property into six condos that will be sold at discounted prices to local entrepreneurs and small business owners. Other project funding came from the city, federal COVID relief dollars, and a low-interest loan from UMass Memorial Health's Anchor Mission. (Tuesday, 11 a.m., 807 Main St., Worcester)

HOUSE DEMS CAUCUS: House Democrats meet for a caucus ahead of a formal session on Wednesday. (Tuesday, 12 p.m., Rooms A-1 and A-2)

COMMISSION FOR THE BLIND: Massachusetts Commission for the Blind Statutory Advisory Board meets. Agenda includes a report from Commissioner John Oliveira and program updates. (Tuesday, 12 p.m. | Access)

CORE PLAN COMMITTEE: Treasurer Goldberg chairs the Q1 CORE Plan Statutory Committee meeting. (Tuesday, 12 p.m., Remote | Register)

ONLINE SAFETY: Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke Goldworm and victim/witness specialist Lauryn Mackey from the U.S. Attorney's office in Massachusetts participate in a virtual panel discussion about online child safety hosted by The Boston Globe. The discussion will explore how to speak with children about potential risks, reporting abuse, existing legal protections and community resources. (Tuesday, 1 p.m. | Register

PAIEWONSKY AT THE CHAMBER: Executive Director of MassDOT’s Megaprojects Delivery Office Luisa Paiewonsky addresses the business community at a free, hybrid event held by the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, called "Transportation First: State of Transportation Megaprojects." Paiewonsky will share insights into the development and delivery of the $4.5 billion Cape Cod Bridges Program and the $2 billion Allston Multimodal Transportation Project, according to the chamber. She will also join chamber President and CEO Jim Rooney for a fireside chat. Press and media RSVP to mholloway@bostonchamber.com and cbaines@bostonchamber.com. (Tuesday, 2:45 p.m., Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, 265 Franklin Street, Suite 1701 Boston)

MASSDOT CAPITAL – WESTERN MASS: MassDOT hosts an online capital investment plan meeting with the Berkshire Region MPO, the Franklin Transportation Planning Organization and the Pioneer Valley MPO for the public to learn more about MassDOT’s five-year CIP, including investments planned for Western Massachusetts. (Tuesday, 4 p.m. | More Info and Register)

MASSDOT CAPITAL – BOSTON: MassDOT hosts an online capital investment plan meeting with the Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization for the public to learn more about MassDOT’s five-year CIP, including investments planned for the Boston region. (Tuesday, 6 p.m. | More Info and Register)

Wednesday, June 3, 2026

BUDGET NEGOTIATIONS START: Fiscal 2027 budget conference committee meets to begin negotiations, with just less than a month left until the new budget year begins. The House (H 5501) and Senate (S 3100) passed roughly $63.4 billion budgets that differ by $49.6 million (the House supported the higher bottom line). In addition to reconciling spending differences across scores of line items, the panel will also have to reach compromise on a slew of policy proposals supported by one branch or the other, including a study of MassHealth dental benefit levels, a second chance for long-tenured teachers to opt into an enhanced retirement program, an expansion of the Department of Transportation board, a transfer of interest earned on the Stabilization Fund to the General Fund, a study of GLP-1 coverage loss, the removal of candidate street addresses from the ballot, and the repeal of the policy that strips low-income families of certain benefits if a student in the household has too many unexcused school absences. Negotiators are Reps. Michlewitz, Diggs and Smola, and Sens. Rodrigues, Comerford and O’Connor. (Wednesday, 10 a.m., Senate Ways and Means office, Room 212 | Agenda and More Info)

ADULT FOSTER CARE AWARENESS: Massachusetts Council for Adult Foster Care holds Adult Foster Care Awareness Day. Rep. Kushmerek sponsors. (Wednesday, 10 a.m., Nurses Hall)

HOUSE SESSION: House meets in a formal session. Roll calls are set to begin at 1 p.m. (Wednesday, 11 a.m., House Chamber)

PRIDE FLAG RAISING: Senate President Spilka gives remarks at a Pride flag raising ceremony. (Wednesday, 11 a.m., Front of the State House at Beacon Street well/flag pole)

SENATE DEMS CAUCUS: Senate Democrats meet for a caucus ahead of a formal session on Thursday. (Wednesday, 11 a.m., Senate president's ceremonial office and virtual)

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT: Sens. Oliveira and Gomez attend a regional briefing for Western Massachusetts chambers of commerce and regional partners on workforce development grant programs and funding opportunities for local employers. Commonwealth Corporation hosts, in partnership with the Western Mass Economic Development Council and the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center. The session is expected to cover workforce investments in the region, clean energy workforce initiatives, and how chambers can connect businesses to grant funding. (Wednesday, 11 a.m., Western Mass Economic Development Council, 1441 Main St., Springfield | Register)

PUBLIC SERVICE COMMITTEE: Joint Committee on Public Service holds a hearing on assorted bills mostly related to public safety personnel and their families. The bills include S 3051 from Sen. Fattman, which would posthumously promote Stephen LaPorta of the Uxbridge Police Department to the rank of sergeant for the purposes of calculating retirement benefits to assist his widow. LaPorta, 43, died Jan. 7 when struck by a tractor-trailer vehicle on Route 146 while assisting a disabled motorist in the freezing rain. Other bills are specific to Medford, Haverhill, Upton, Leicester, Natick, Chelmsford and Topsfield. (Wednesday, 11 a.m., Hearing Room B-2 | Agenda and Access Info)

EARLY INTERVENTION: Massachusetts Early Intervention Consortium and the Department of Public Health Early Intervention Division host a celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Through that law 50 years ago, Congress created the Part C early Intervention Program to help states provide comprehensive early intervention services for infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families. Speakers will include DPH Commissioner Robbie Goldstein, Rep. Hogan, Sen. DiDomenico, and Rep. Livingstone. Over 43,000 eligible infants and toddlers and their families are being served by Massachusetts Early Intervention Programs in fiscal year 2026. (Wednesday, 11:30 a.m., Great Hall)

COMMISSION FOR THE BLIND: Massachusetts Commission for the Blind's Rehabilitation Council meets. Agenda includes a commissioner's update and a budget update. (Wednesday, 1 p.m. | Access)

CLEAN WATER TRUST: Treasurer Goldberg chairs the Massachusetts Clean Water Trust Board of Trustees meeting. (Wednesday, 1:30 p.m., Remote | Request Access)

LIFE SCIENCES: Massachusetts Life Sciences Center's Investment Committee meets. Agenda includes a financial update on the center. Members also will discuss the Pathmaker Awards for life sciences training opportunities, the Education and Workforce Development Grant Program and the 2025 Tax Incentive Program. (Wednesday, 2 p.m. | Agenda and Livestream)

TAKEDA FORUM: Gov. Healey gives opening remarks and Economic Development Secretary Paley speaks as Takeda hosts a forum on how Massachusetts could maintain its global competitive edge in innovation. Takeda's U.S country head Rhonda Pacheco and Boston Medical Center Chief Innovation Officer David Twitchell also participate. (Wednesday, 3 p.m., Takeda, Fortis Hall, 200 Shire Way, Lexington)

MASSDOT CAPITAL – CAPE: MassDOT hosts an online capital investment plan meeting with the Cape Cod Commission, Martha’s Vineyard Commission, and Nantucket Planning and Economic Development Commission for the public to learn more about MassDOT’s five-year CIP, including investments planned for the Cape and Islands. (Wednesday, 4 p.m., | More Info and Register)

MAY REVENUES: Department of Revenue is due to report on tax collections in May. For the month, the penultimate one in fiscal 2026, the Healey administration has set a benchmark of $2.536 billion, which would be $91 million less than was collected last May. Through April, fiscal 2026 revenue has totaled $38.032 billion -- $1.513 billion or 4.1% more than what had come in by the same checkpoint in fiscal 2025 and $1.582 billion or 4.3% more than what Healey's budget office projected it would need by this point in the year. (Wednesday)

Thursday, June 4, 2026

IMMIGRATION AND LABOR FORUM: Boston Foundation hosts a discussion on the release of a new report from Boston Indicators in partnership with the MassINC Policy Center examining immigrants' role in the regional economy. International migration and immigrant labor have traditionally played major roles in the economy and population growth here. Boston Foundation President and CEO Lee Pelton will deliver opening remarks, followed by a research presentation. The event will be livestreamed. Breakfast is available at 8:30 a.m. (Thursday, 9 a.m., Boston Foundation, 75 Arlington St., Boston | Register)

EARLY ED, CARE: Early Education and Care Workforce Council holds a joint meeting with an advisory council. (Thursday, 10 a.m., More Info)

GAMING COMMISSION: Mass. Gaming Commission meets. (Thursday, 10 a.m., Agenda and Access Info)

CARIBBEAN AMERICAN LEADERS FORUM: Authentic Caribbean Foundation holds its Caribbean American Leaders Forum. Sen. Miranda sponsors. (Thursday, 10 a.m., Great Hall)

SENATE SESSION: Senate meets in a formal session. Agenda TBA. (Thursday, 11 a.m., Senate Chamber | Livestream)

HOUSE SESSION: House meets. Representatives were advised it could be a formal session. Roll calls would begin at 1 p.m. (Thursday, 11 a.m., House Chamber)

POTENTIAL HOUSE DEMS CAUCUS: House Democrats potentially meet for a caucus. (Thursday, 12 p.m., Rooms A-1 and A-2)

HUMAN SERVICES WORKFORCE: Sen. Kennedy gives remarks at a briefing about a new report on the human services workforce "crisis" from the Providers' Council and the UMass Donahue Institute. Researchers will discuss their findings, which address the impact of federal immigration and work authorization policies, as well as pay disparities between community-based and state workers. Human services executives also participate in a discussion. (Thursday, 1 p.m., Room 428)

COMMUNITY BEHAVIORAL HEALTH: Community Behavioral Health Promotion and Prevention Commission meets. (Thursday, 3 p.m. | More Info)

Friday, June 5, 2026

JOHNSTON HEALTH POLICY FORUM: Johnston Health Policy Forum hosts an event focused on a new study of healthcare cost control efforts in other states that could be deployed in Massachusetts. Speakers include health policy consultant Megan Burns, JD Chesloff of the Massachusetts Business Roundtable, David Cutler of Harvard University, Michael Dandorph of Tufts Medicine, and Sarah Iselin of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts. Concerns about surging healthcare costs are dogging employers and patients, but no concrete legislative solutions have emerged so far this session. Insurers in the merged marketplace have proposed double-digit premium hikes for 2027. Sen. Friedman is expected to attend. (Friday, 11:45 a.m., Omni Parker House, 60 School St., Boston)

TOUR GUIDE ORIENTATION: State House tour guides go through an orientation. Secretary of State Galvin sponsors. (Friday, 2 p.m., Nurses Hall)

Saturday, June 6, 2026

FAMILY FISHING DAY: Kids ages 10 and older can learn about surf casting at Family Fishing Day in Provincetown. Younger children can participate in "Fish Camp" activities. The free event is hosted by the National Park Services, along with Mass Beach Buggy Association, Friends of the Cape Cod National Seashore, and the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries. (Saturday, June 6, 9 a.m., Province Lands Visitor Center, 171 Race Point Road, Provincetown | Register)

I'm interested
I disagree with this
This is unverified
Spam
Offensive