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Politics

Protesters inside the Massachusetts State House call on Gov. Maura Healey to reconsider new restrictions to the state's family shelter system. (Robin Lubbock/WBUR)

A timeline of the Massachusetts shelter crisis — and Healey's changes to the system

Gov. Maura Healey has instituted a series of restrictions on Massachusetts Emergency Assistance shelter system – capping the total number of people housed and how long they can stay. Here's...

Local Coverage

Aug 12, 2024

A sign blocks access to the public at the entrance to the House of Representatives at the Massachusetts State House. (Mary Schwalm/AP)

Inside the unproductive and contentious end of the Mass. State House's legislative session

Some of the bills Massachusetts legislators failed to act on still have a chance at coming back to life in a rare special formal session, after Gov. Maura Healey publicly...

Local Coverage

Aug 5, 2024

Sen. Elizabeth Warren stands next to Vice President Kamala Harris onstage at Texas Southern University before a Democratic presidential primary debate during their respective presidential campaigns in 2019. (David J. Phillip/AP)

A Q&A with Elizabeth Warren on Kamala Harris and the 2024 race

Sen. Elizabeth Warren signaled support for Vice President Kamala Harris before President Biden even announced his decision to step aside. WBUR's Anthony Brooks recently spoke with Warren about her relationship...

Local Coverage

Jul 29, 2024

View of the Massachusetts State House from the corner of Tremont and Park Streets. (Jesse Costa/WBUR)

3 bills to watch as the clock winds down on Beacon Hill

Massachusetts lawmakers have until July 31 before the formal session ends, And while they recently brokered deals on the budget and a major gun control bill, there’s a lot left...

Local Coverage

Jul 22, 2024

Gov. Maura Healey talks to Boston Mayor Michelle Wu during a break of the opening session of the "From Climate Crisis to Climate Resilience" three-day summit at The Vatican. (Domenico Stinellis/AP)

What Massachusetts' top leaders are doing to bring down housing prices

As the Boston area continues to lag behind in its construction goals, Massachusetts officials have focused on a wide range of strategies to spur new housing.

Local Coverage

Jul 8, 2024

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The Massachusetts State House. (Jesse Costa/WBUR)

The Massachusetts state budget is late (again). Should we care?

July 1 marks the start of the 2025 fiscal year, and once again, the Massachusetts state budget is once again late. Top lawmakers say it’s not a big deal, but...

Local Coverage

Jul 1, 2024

FILE - Massachusetts Senate President Karen Spilka speaks inside the Statehouse, Jan. 3, 2019, in Boston. The Massachusetts Senate unveiled its version of a major housing bill Monday, June 24, 2024, following up on similar proposals by Gov. Maura Healey and the Massachusetts House. Spilka said the Senate bill is designed to a to help spur production and preserve and promote access to housing. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer, File)

What to know about the Mass. Senate's version of Gov. Healey's housing bill

The Massachusetts Senate is expected to vote Thursday on a $5 billion housing bond bill aimed at boosting housing production. Here's a look at the notable policies that did and...

Local Coverage

Jun 26, 2024

Kelly Ayotte, a former U.S. senator and 2024 Republican gubernatorial candidate in New Hampshire, speaks at a campaign rally at Lanconia Municipal Airport in 2020. (Robert F. Bukaty/AP)

Why is Massachusetts taking hits in the New Hampshire governor’s race?

As she runs for governor of New Hampshire, much of Republican Kelly Ayotte's campaign messaging seems to focus on Massachusetts. But why? According to some experts, it's part of a...

Local Coverage

03:52Jun 17, 2024

A bill aimed at outlawing “revenge porn” was approved by lawmakers in the Massachusetts House and Senate and shipped to Gov. Maura Healey, a move advocates say was long overdue. (Elise Amendola/AP)

What to know about the revenge porn bill on Gov. Healey's desk

Following years of failed efforts, Massachusetts is on the verge of banning revenge porn. Here's a look at how the compromise bill sent to Gov. Maura Healey would address the...

Local Coverage

Jun 14, 2024

Gov. Maura Healey

What the House kept, added and cut from Healey's housing bill

The Massachusetts House of Representatives passed a $6.5 billion version of Gov. Maura Healey’s five-year housing bond bill. And while the House's bill is 50% larger than Healey’s original proposal,...

Local Coverage

Jun 6, 2024

Families without without anywhere to stay settle down for the night at Boston's Logan Airport in January. (Robin Lubbock/WBUR)

Immigration is hitting home for Mass. voters. Will it impact elections?

A poll this spring found that Bay Staters now say the “single biggest issue facing state government” is immigration. While this could prove to be a crucial part of national...

Local Coverage

Jun 3, 2024

A “For Rent” sign outside the front of a house in Cambridge. (Jesse Costa/WBUR)

What was the point of Massachusetts' new tax break for renters?

Thanks to an increased deduction included in last year's tax cut package, Massachusetts renters can claim an extra $50 on their tax returns in 2024 and beyond. But some experts...

Local Coverage

Apr 17, 2024

The John Adams Courthouse in Boston, home of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court. (Robin Lubbock/WBUR)

What we know about the SJC nominating process

Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey is defending the process that led her to pick Judge Gabrielle Wolohojian — her former longtime partner — to fill the newly open seat on the...

Local Coverage

Feb 8, 2024

The Massachusetts State House. (Jesse Costa/WBUR)

3 key differences between the Mass. House and Senate gun bills

The two sweeping gun bills have a lot of overlap, but there are some key differences that House and Senate negotiators will need to work out before anything is sent...

Local Coverage

Feb 2, 2024

U.S. Sen. Maggie Hassan, Democratic candidate running for re-election in New Hampshire, and Don Bolduc, the Republican challenger. (AP Photo)

Massachusetts politicians campaign in New Hampshire with the balance of power at stake

In recent weeks, U.S. Senate and House races in New Hampshire have narrowed. And with just hours to go until Election Day, they are very much in play.

Local Coverage

05:35Nov 7, 2022

Mayor of Salem Kim Driscoll, outside WBUR's CitySpace. (Robin Lubbock/WBUR)

Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll wins Democratic lieutenant governor primary

Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll clinched the Democratic primary nomination for lieutenant governor Tuesday, setting up a historic ticket in the general election this fall to replace outgoing Republican Gov. Charlie...

Local Coverage

Sep 6, 2022

Patrons visit the sports betting area of Twin River Casino in Lincoln, Rhode Island. (Steven Senne/AP)

Everything you need to know about Massachusetts' new sports betting law

Massachusetts officially became the 36th state in the U.S. to legalize sports betting on Wednesday. Here's what's allowed, where you'll be able to bet and what's next before wagers can...

Business

Aug 11, 2022

(Getty Images)

What to know about the second round of $500 checks for low-income workers in Massachusetts

Gov. Charlie Baker's administration will begin mailing the second, larger round of $500 automatic, direct payments to low-income workers in Massachusetts on Monday, as part of a $4 billion COVID...

Business

Jun 6, 2022

Rep. Katherine Clark shares safety tips on Facebook as she prepares for grocery shopping April 9. (Screenshot via Facebook)

Livestreams Replace Floor Speeches As Lawmakers Make Their Cases From Home

Policy and constituency work has moved online like so much else amid the pandemic.

Local Coverage

03:55Apr 21, 2020

Gov. Charlie Baker (Jesse Costa/WBUR)

Without A Strong Partner In Washington, Charlie Baker And His Fellow Governors Are On Their Own

Gov. Baker has received praise for his efforts to secure equipment for hospitals and health care workers, in spite of counter moves by the federal government. But Baker's decision making...

Local Coverage

04:34Apr 8, 2020