Beacon Hill In 5

Securing the vote and funding towns: from polls to policy

Massachusetts keeps its election count secure by using paper ballots that are never connected to the internet and can be hand-counted if questions arise.

Quabbin water grabs, killed tax relief and Massachusetts drone battles test Beacon Hill

There are major policy clashes over WMass water rights, potential upset over rejected gas tax relief, and growing local resistance to Amazon's drone delivery plans.

From beds to pipes; The infrastructure challenges facing Massachusetts

An examination of how physical and civic strains, from care and rehab bed shortages to old water pipes, shape Massachusetts capacity for growth.

Mass. governor taps the energy playbook to cushion voters before Election Day

Gov. Maura Healey has declared a state of energy emergency to deploy $150 million in home heating relief, as Massachusetts leaders navigate other increases, and proposed

From economic scorecards to nursing home scandals, what's on Mass. lawmakers plates before November

Ahead of the Healey-Minogue debate, we unpack state tax policy, affordability. Plus we look at long-term care legislation and proposed reforms to nursing home oversight.

Inside Springfield's $2 billion courthouse battle, the gas tax fight and the cost of living

State House News Service reporter Ella Adams breaks down a demand for a federal probe over the proposed $2 billion courthouse in Springfield, MA, the Beacon Hill showdown

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