68° and Patchy rain nearby
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A plea by a member of the Governor's Council to reopen a livestream of Governor's Council activities and not "keep people in the dark" prompted a personal attack from another member of the elected panel, which votes on new judgeships and Parole Board members, and the motion was brushed aside Wednesday without a vote. The sudden termination of livestreaming has concerned those who want to keep the practice in place permanently
FRANKLIN WEEK AHEAD
Monday, April 4
Franklin Housing Authority Agenda
4:30pm
7:00pm
Tuesday, April 5
School Comm. Negotiations Sub Comm. Agenda
3:00pm
Community Preservation Committee Meeting
7:00pm
7:30pm
Wednesday, April 6
2:00pm
5:00pm to 6:00pm
5:30pm
7:00pm
Cultural District Committee Meeting
7:00pm
Thursday, April 7
Commission on Persons with Disabilities
7:00pm
7:30pm
STATE HOUSE AND BEYOND
The future of natural gas, a core component of the existing energy mix but one that the state needs to become less dependent on to meet its climate goals, is front and center for debate at a Senate hearing on Monday. Just as gasoline remains the most common way to power vehicles, natural gas continues to serve as a dominant fuel. The Senate Global Warming and Climate Change Committee hearing will be followed up later in the week with hearings that examine some of the tough choices that will be necessary to meet near-term emission reduction requirements in 2025 and 2030 as Massachusetts slowly implements plans to bring offshore wind energy into the mix, and to build upon solar and other renewable energy sources. Another sector that state officials are trying to build out comes into focus on Thursday, when the Senate is set to act on legislation to facilitate cannabis cafes and enable more people affected by the War on Drugs to become entrepreneurs in the growing legal marijuana market. The rare legislative push on the marijuana front has a friend in the House too where Speaker Ron Mariano has given voice to the need to act on a similar bill. Gov. Charlie Baker also has decisions to make on an important bill that landed on his desk Thursday night, a $1.67 billion midyear budget that includes measures important to the restaurant industry and divestment efforts designed to weaken the Russian economy while that country continues its invasion of Ukraine.
-- KEY BILLS LOCKED UP IN CONFERENCE: Candidates running for district and county offices have just more than one month left to collect and submit signatures for their nomination papers, but while election season churns along, it's still not clear what tools will be available to voters this fall with a major reform bill tied up in closed-door talks. Legislative leaders tapped a six-lawmaker conference committee on Feb. 3 to resolve differences between House and Senate bills (H 4359 / S 2545), both of which would restore and make permanent mail-in voting and expanded early voting options that proved popular and successful during the pandemic. The Senate legislation would also allow prospective voters to register and cast a ballot in a single trip to the polls on Election Day or during an early voting period, while the House bill instead orders Secretary of State William Galvin to study that reform and its costs -- a step Galvin says is unnecessary. Pressure to reach a consensus and finalize the legislation was lower in the winter but has been growing amid the spring local election season. Some cities and towns have already conducted their local races in recent weeks using pre-pandemic voting models, and many others are set to do the same over the next month-plus. Conferees tasked with voting reforms are Reps. Michael Moran, Dan Ryan and Shawn Dooley and Sens. Barry Finegold, Cynthia Creem and Ryan Fattman. Another conference committee -- Reps. Joseph Wagner, Paul McMurtry and David DeCoste and Sens. Michael Rush, John Velis and Bruce Tarr -- is negotiating a soldiers' home reform bill two years after the deadly COVID-19 outbreak at the Holyoke Soldiers' Home (H 4441 / S 2761). A separate conference committee technically remains on the books to finalize a package of joint legislative rules for the 2021-2022 session, but that panel appears effectively dead with no compromise offered more than a year after it started its work and two members, former Rep. Claire Cronin and former Sen. Joseph Boncore, now resigned. The number of conference committees will likely grow this spring once the House and Senate complete their work on the annual state budget and whenever the House tackles a mental health bill and the Senate advances a climate bill. - Chris Lisinski
Sunday, April 3, 2022
LANNAN & MURPHY ON 'KELLER': State House News Service reporters Katie Lannan and Matt Murphy are on "Keller At Large" talking about Gov. Baker's lame-duck status, politics around the gas tax, prospects for legalized sports betting, and the gubernatorial race. (Sunday, 8:30 a.m., WBZ-TV Ch. 4)
DOUGHTY ON RADIO: Republican candidate for governor Chris Doughty will appear on Cape Cod radio station WXTK. (Sunday, 10 a.m., WXTK 95.1 FM)
DOUGHTY ON 5: Republican gubernatorial candidate Chris Doughty is the guest on "On The Record," followed by a roundtable with analysts Mary Anne Marsh and Virginia Buckingham. (Sunday, 11 a.m., WCVB-TV Ch. 5)
LEOMINSTER FALLEN MARINE - CANDLELIGHT VIGIL: Leominster holds candlelight vigil on the steps of City Hall to support the family of fallen Marine Corps Capt. Ross Reynolds and honor the late Marine's life. Vigil moves inside City Hall in the event of inclement weather. A public wake for Capt. Reynolds, who died from injuries sustained in an air crash in Norway, will be held at City Hall on Monday from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. (Sunday, 7 p.m., City Hall, 25 West St., Leominster)
Monday, April 4, 2022
POST COMMISSION MEETING: Massachusetts Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission holds a virtual public meeting with an agenda that includes administrative and staffing updates from Executive Director Enrique Zuniga, plans for officer re-certifications, and a public comment period. The group was created under a police reform law Gov. Baker signed in December 2020 and is tasked with certifying and regulating law enforcement officers in the state. (Monday, 8:30 a.m., Agenda and Access Info)
SJC SITS IN BOSTON: Supreme Judicial Court meets with six cases on its docket. One case concerns the reasonableness of imposing a GPS monitoring requirement on a person convicted of a sex offense. Another involves an appeal in a case filed by a John Doe plaintiff alleging sexual abuse by Roman Catholic clergy in the 1960s. (Monday, 9 a.m., Livestream)
FUTURE OF GAS HEARING: Senate Committee on Global Warming and Climate Change hosts a hearing on the recently filed Future of Gas report, which utility companies put together with outside consultants as part of a Department of Public Utilities exploration of how natural gas fits into Massachusetts' energy future and whether the resource might help or hinder the state's emissions reduction efforts. After opening remarks from Sen. Creem, who chairs the committee, senators will hear from representatives from climate activist groups like Brookline Mothers Out Front, Rewiring America and the Acadia Center. An economist and two researchers will then present on the current state of the gas system, and the committee will also hear from an official in the attorney general's office, a decarbonization strategist, a member of the Vermont House of Representatives, the Conservation Law Foundation, John Buonopane of United Steelworkers Local 12012, and an attorney from National Consumer Law Center, among others. In October 2020, the DPU launched an investigation of the future of gas and required gas companies operating in Massachusetts to hire an independent consultant to look into ways that the companies might be able to help the state meet the state's commitment to get to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 while still protecting ratepayers and ensuring energy reliability. The report filed by gas utilities last month identified "eight decarbonization pathways" that the gas companies said would comply with the state's emissions reductions commitments and "are designed to reflect different futures for the [local distribution companies] and their customers, ranging from ongoing use of the LDCs' distribution networks to 100% decommissioning of gas distribution infrastructure in the Commonwealth." Climate activists have been weary of the utility-driven DPU process since it began and recently became more vocal about feeling shut out of the proceedings, the Boston Globe reported Thursday. A Senate committee source told the News Service that Monday's hearing will help the committee determine whether the Legislature should intervene to ensure an adequate process before the state commits itself to any specific decarbonization strategies for the gas system. (Monday, 10:30 a.m., Access Info)
HOUSE AND SENATE: House meets in an informal session while Senate meets without a calendar. (Monday, 11 a.m., House and Senate chambers)
HIGHER ED BOARD: Board of Higher Education meets over Zoom to discuss its strategic plan for racial equity. (Monday, 12 p.m., Agenda and Access Info)
AUTO BODY LABOR RATES: A special commission tasked with studying auto body labor rates holds a virtual hearing to discuss a report the group is crafting for the Legislature, review previous hearings, and look at submitted written testimony. The commission was created in the fiscal 2022 budget to examine rates, the impact of managed competition in the auto insurance market, and the auto body labor workforce. The commission was originally tasked with submitting a report to the House and Senate by Dec. 31, 2021 but was granted an extension until July 1, 2022 in the ARPA spending bill Gov. Baker signed into law in December 2021. (Monday, 12 p.m., Agenda and Access Info)
GAMING POLICY ADVISORY COMMITTEE: Members of the Gaming Policy Advisory Committee will hear from the Gaming Commission's chief administrative officer and special projects manager about casino employment, diversity and salary reporting, and will be briefed by the commission's director of research and responsible gaming on a white paper his team recently released to look at the issues surrounding gambling advertising. (Monday, 2:30 p.m., Agenda and Access Info)
MARIJUANA AMENDMENT DEADLINE: Senators have until 5 p.m. to file amendments to the marijuana bill planned for debate on Thursday. The legislation (S 2801) would put tighter restrictions on the legally-required contracts between marijuana businesses and their host communities, establish a Cannabis Social Equity Trust Fund and lay the groundwork for cities and towns to allow on-site cannabis consumption establishments. (Monday, 5 p.m.)
DOUGHTY IN BROOKLINE: Republican candidate for governor Chris Doughty will address the Brookline Republican Town Committee. (Monday, 7 p.m., 157 Walnut Place, Brookline)
Tuesday, April 5, 2022
GOLDBERG, BAKER MEET: Gov. Baker and Treasurer Goldberg hold their monthly meeting by phone. (Tuesday, 9 a.m.)
MBTA BUS DRIVER HIRING EVENT: MBTA hosts a one-day hiring event seeking to attract bus operators to help fill more than 300 positions. The T will offer signing bonuses of up to $4,500 and advise those interested they can "ask questions and possibly receive a job offer at this one-day event." (Tuesday, 9 a.m., 10 Park Plaza, State Transportation Building, Boston | More info)
LEOMINSTER FALLEN MARINE - FUNERAL: A funeral Mass is said for Marine Corps Capt. Ross Reynolds, a Leominster native who died in March after his Osprey crashed during a training exercise in Norway. Private burial with full military honors follows at Massachusetts Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Winchendon. Under a Gov. Baker order, state and U.S. flags fly at half-staff until sunset Tuesday. (Tuesday, 11 a.m., St. Cecilia's Church, 180 Mechanic St., Leominster)
IMMIGRANTS AND HEALTH COVERAGE: Health Care For All holds a virtual briefing on legislation dubbed the "Cover All Kids Bill" (S 762), with Sen. Sal DiDomenico, Rep. David Rogers and the Children's Health Access Coalition. The bill, pending before the Senate Ways and Means Committee, would expand MassHealth coverage to children who are not eligible for it solely because of their immigration status. The briefing will include statements from affected families and health care providers. (Tuesday, 1 p.m., Registration)
TUFTS CHILDREN'S "VIGIL": Tufts Medical Center registered nurses who are a part of the Massachusetts Nurses Association hold a "vigil" to draw attention to the impending closure of the hospital's pediatric unit. "The event is also intended to provide nurses, families, and elected officials with an opportunity to personally express their grief, worry, and disappointment over Tufts' decision to move ahead with the closure of this historic and vitally important community," a media advisory said. The hospital plans to close its pediatric inpatient units effective July 1, according to Tufts, with plans to refer children who need overnight hospitalization to Boston Children's Hospital. (Tuesday, 4 p.m., Teddy Bear Statue, Tufts Medical Center, 755 Washington St., Boston)
LIVINGSTONE, WBUR TALK CIVIL ASSET FORFEITURE: WBUR journalists host a hybrid in-person and virtual event to discuss their investigation into the use of civil asset forfeiture, in which law enforcement confiscate property and money they suspect is involved in a crime and can hold it indefinitely even after charges are dismissed. Rep. Jay Livingstone, who has proposed reforms addressing the issue, participates alongside WBUR senior investigative editor-reporter Christine Willmsen. (Tuesday, 6:30 p.m., WBUR CitySpace, 890 Commonwealth Ave., Boston | Access Info)
MARCH REVENUES: Department of Revenue is due to report on tax collections for March, which the department said tends to be "a mid-size month for revenue collections, ranking #6 of the twelve months in nine of the last ten years." DOR has set the monthly benchmark at $3.43 billion and as of March 15 had already collected $2.1 billion, up about 23 percent from the same half-month period in 2021. Most of that increase, DOR said in its mid-month report, came from income taxes, including withholding, but much of the increase is due to the recently-enacted elective pass-through entity excise and is therefore temporary. Through February, fiscal 2022 tax collections have totaled about $23.673 billion, more than $4 billion above the same period in fiscal 2021 and more than $1.7 billion above year-to-date benchmarks. (Tuesday)
Wednesday, April 6, 2022
UMASS AUDIT COMMITTEE: University of Massachusetts Board holds a remote meeting of its Audit and Risk Committee, to hear a report by the director of internal audit and an update on the UMass system-wide enterprise risk management program. (Wednesday, 8 a.m., Agenda and Access Info)
SJC SITS IN BOSTON: Supreme Judicial Court meets with six cases on its docket. The slate of cases includes a pair of murder appeals and a matter regarding zoning appeals for recreational marijuana dispensaries. (Wednesday, 9 a.m., Livestream)
PUBLIC HEALTH COUNCIL: Public Health Council meets remotely, with plans to hear an update from Public Health Commissioner Margret Cooke, an overview of proposed amendments to hospital licensure regulations, and presentations on supporting local public health and COVID-19 Community Impact Survey updates. Members are also set to vote on a letter to the public health workforce from the council and a request to repeal regulations around the Massachusetts Wellness Tax Credit Incentive. (Wednesday, 9 a.m., Agenda and Access Info)
MASSDOT FINANCE AND AUDIT COMMITTEE: Department of Transportation Board of Directors Finance and Audit Subcommittee meets virtually. Agenda ahead of the meeting. (Wednesday, 9:30 a.m., Livestream)
MASSDOT CAPITAL PROGRAMS COMMITTEE: Department of Transportation Board of Directors Capital Programs Subcommittee meets virtually. Agenda. (Wednesday, 10:30 a.m., Livestream)
SENATE DEMS CAUCUS VIRTUALLY: Senate Democrats have decided to make their caucus a remote affair on Wednesday, one day before a scheduled formal session. (Wednesday, 11 a.m.)
CLEAN WATER TRUST: Massachusetts Clean Water Trust Board of Trustees will meet. At its March meeting, the board approved $3.78 million in new loan commitments, including $1.2 million for a Chatham sewer extension, $1.3 million for Revere "Phase 12 Illicit Discharge Investigations" and $900,000 for Lakeville's community septic management program. (Wednesday, 1:30 p.m., Zoom)
MBTA CAPITAL INVESTMENT PLAN: MBTA officials hold a virtual meeting to collect public feedback on the agency's five-year capital investment plan that funds the planning, construction, and maintenance of projects across the transit system like the Green Line Extension project, buying new Orange and Red Line cars, and bus electrification. Staff will provide an overview of the proposed fiscal 2023-2027 investment plan and discuss several projects. To submit feedback in writing, email cipengagement@mbta.com, visit the online form, or mail a letter to MBTA Capital Investment Plan, c/o Adam Kamoune, 10 Park Plaza, Suite 3830, Boston. (Wednesday, 6 p.m., Agenda Info and Access)
Thursday, April 7, 2022
CANNABIS COMMISSION: On the same day that the Senate is planning to debate legislation targeting persistent issues with host community agreements and social equity in the legal cannabis industry, the Cannabis Control Commission will meet. Three of the bill's central provisions -- putting tighter restrictions on the legally-required contracts between marijuana businesses and their host communities, establishing a Cannabis Social Equity Trust Fund and laying the groundwork for cities and towns to allow on-site cannabis consumption establishments -- address issues that the CCC explicitly asked lawmakers to tackle. The CCC will likely process dozens of license applications, renewals and changes of ownership. (Thursday, 10 a.m., Agenda and Access Info)
HOUSE INFORMAL: House plans to meet in an informal session. (Thursday, 11 a.m., House Chamber)
SENATE FORMAL: Senate holds a formal session to debate legislation targeting persistent issues with host community agreements and social equity in the legal cannabis industry and to consider its own version (S 2802) of a House-approved women's rights history trail bill. The Legislature has been mostly hands-off since it rewrote the voter-approved marijuana law in 2017, but momentum appears to be growing on Beacon Hill to put tighter restrictions on the legally-required contracts between marijuana businesses and their host communities, establish a Cannabis Social Equity Trust Fund and lay the groundwork for cities and towns to allow on-site cannabis consumption establishments. (Thursday, 11 a.m., Senate Chamber)
CLEAN ENERGY AND CLIMATE PLAN -- DAY ONE: Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs hosts a public hearing on its Clean Energy and Climate Plan proposals for 2025 and 2030, including economy-wide emissions limits, emissions sublimits for specific sectors, and policies to achieve the emissions limits, sublimits, and other goals. The hearing will focus specifically on the electric power, transportation and non-energy sectors. The hearing will begin with a presentation from the administration followed by a period of public comment. The administration's interim plan for 2030 and its 2050 Decarbonization Roadmap, both released at the end of 2020, laid out possible pathways towards the 2050 net-zero target as the administration set a new goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 45 percent from 1990 levels by 2030 (the 2021 climate roadmap law later set a requirement for a 50 percent reduction by 2030). The 2025 and 2030 emission limits, sublimits and plans must be finalized by July 1 per the climate roadmap law. In the fall, the administration said it planned in March 2022 to present and gather feedback on "proposed emissions limits and sublimits for 2025 and 2030; proposed goals for reducing emissions from and increasing carbon sequestration on natural and working lands (NWL) [and] proposed policy portfolio that aim to achieve these emission limits, sublimits, and NWL goals." Following the hearing, written feedback on the proposals will be accepted at gwsa@mass.gov until April 30. (Thursday, 6 p.m., Access Info)
Friday, April 8, 2022
SJC SITS IN BOSTON: Supreme Judicial Court meets with two cases on the docket, both of which are murder appeals. (Friday, 9 a.m., Livestream)
CLEAN ENERGY AND CLIMATE PLAN -- DAY TWO: Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs hosts a public hearing on its Clean Energy and Climate Plan proposals for 2025 and 2030, including economy-wide emissions limits, emissions sublimits for specific sectors, and policies to achieve the emissions limits, sublimits, and other goals. The hearing will focus specifically on the electric power, transportation and non-energy sectors. The hearing will begin with a presentation from the administration followed by a period of public comment. The administration's interim plan for 2030 and its 2050 Decarbonization Roadmap, both released at the end of 2020, laid out possible pathways towards the 2050 net-zero target as the administration set a new goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 45 percent from 1990 levels by 2030 (the 2021 climate roadmap law later set a requirement for a 50 percent reduction by 2030). The 2025 and 2030 emission limits, sublimits and plans must be finalized by July 1 per the climate roadmap law. In the fall, the administration said it planned in March 2022 to present and gather feedback on "proposed emissions limits and sublimits for 2025 and 2030; proposed goals for reducing emissions from and increasing carbon sequestration on natural and working lands (NWL) [and] proposed policy portfolio that aim to achieve these emission limits, sublimits, and NWL goals." Following the hearing, written feedback on the proposals will be accepted at gwsa@mass.gov until April 30. (Friday, 12 p.m., Access Info)
