Beacon Hill In 5

White House security debate puts Massachusetts’ 9/11 history in focus

Proposed White House security plans raise new questions. What about public access on Beacon Hill? Colin Young explains how Massachusetts’ 9/11 history still shapes policy

From federal fraud charges to Primary Day: How public trust is shaping up across Massachusetts

Federal fraud indictments for a sitting state representative, Beacon Hill accountability, and EBT card skimming safeguards shape the week ahead in Mass. politics.

Primary realities versus policy fights: How are the ballots in Massachusetts shaping up?

From immediate primary matchups in Western Mass. to sweeping November ballot initiatives, state voters face critical choices that highlight the dynamic between local repr

MA median wealth tops $370K, but 1 in 3 can't cover a $400 emergency

A Boston Fed report highlights severe wealth inequality in Mass., prompting lawmakers to evaluate housing reforms and estate tax policies to address the divide.

Beacon Hill versus local control: the battle over tiny towns and an empty seat

State House News Service reporter Colin Young deep dives into home rule petitions and how they're aimed at addressing local communities issues.

Massachusetts lawmakers pivot to campaign trail mode as regularly scheduled sessions end

All 160 Massachusetts legislative districts are electing members this fall, while new operating rules keep the current Legislature in session.

July 31 isn't the hard deadline anymore, so when will Beacon Hill actually finish up?

Under new rules, Mass. lawmakers can schedule formal sessions to take up any of the numerous bills that they have been dumping into six-person conference committees, afte

Mass. governor seeks $100M school band aid, while Beacon Hill weighs a WooSox wage carve out

Less than a week after signing the new Massachusetts budget, Gov. Maura Healey filed a supplemental budget seeking an additional $100 million for public schools this year

Mass. farm wage battles and a school tax credit fight are set to collide on Beacon Hill

Lawmakers face no strict deadlines to advance the bills in conference other than the end of this two-year session on Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2027.

Massachusetts lawmakers eye a new child welfare bill as a high-stakes rent control showdown looms

The deadline for Mass. lawmakers to enact a law related to rent control, in order to remove the question from November's ballot, is swiftly approaching.

Massachusetts political minefields: shelter crises, sludge bans and the Red Sox

A preview of Mass. political strategies on immigration, upcoming gig worker regulatory battles, a sewage sludge ban, and why state lawmakers won't target the Red Sox.

Massachusetts lawmakers serve up immigrant shields, killer bots & $63B 'eggless omelets'

Massachusetts hosts the first of seven World Cup matches on June 13, 2026, but before then, Mass. lawmakers want to shore up immigrant laws, begin reconciling the state b

Massachusetts leaders pitch tech growth as a shield against tax cuts

Lawmakers debate the "Mass Wins Act" containing tech and business investments, amid tight deadlines, assessing consequences of a decreased income tax and state budget tal

The fight for fair aid, rent caps in Massachusetts

The Mass. Senate’s $63.3B budget adds $53M in local aid via a new per-capita formula, and the state's highest court weighs if a rent control ballot bid illegally exempts

Beacon Hill takes on critical decisions around data, the census and the budget

Pressure from the Trump Administration to share voter data has Mass. lawmakers concerned.

Massachusetts lawmakers begin the sprint to the finish on Beacon Hill

It'll be May at the end of the week. Massachusetts lawmakers are aiming to have a balanced budget process complete and signed by the Governor before the end of the fiscal

Mass. college campuses get a $3 billion facelift while local schools and libraries look for help

A look at how lawmakers frame their funding, as Mass. plans for a $3-billion higher education infrastructure upgrade. At the same time towns are hitting tax limits, and r

Beacon Hill seeks a tax deal; Some lawmakers want to strike one before the November vote

House Speaker Ron Mariano, traditionally a fierce critic of the ballot initiative process, signaled a major shift last week by expressing a willingness to negotiate on on

Massachusetts lawmakers eye a $1.8B supplemental budget

Mass. Senate advances a $1.8B supplemental budget splitting surtax funds differently than the House, with less for the MBTA and more for regional aid. Lawmakers brace for

Massachusetts lawmakers wrestle with budget, Fed rates, November tax vote

House Speaker Ron Mariano expects voters to pass an income tax cut this year. He warns that if it passes, the state may have to hike other taxes or slash spending.