Even in times of economic uncertainty, some investments are worth making, according to state Senate President Karen Spilka. That was the message Spilka shared on Monday after she appeared at Middlesex Community College’s Lowell campus to announce the upper chamber’s plan to provide a free college education to every Massachusetts resident who wants one. “We … Read more
With an unusually high number of initiative petitions to consider this year, leaders in the Legislature have announced they will tackle the long list of potential ballot questions through the creation of a new special joint committee. The offices of House Speaker Ron Mariano and Senate President Karen Spilka issued a joint statement on Monday, … Read more
Top Senate Democrats released a long-promised gun reform bill Thursday that updates state ghost gun laws, codifies Massachusetts’ existing ban on assault weapons, and makes illegal devices that convert semi-automatic firearms into fully automatic weapons. Senate President Karen Spilka pitched the legislation as an omnibus proposal that “would help make residents safer,” cracks down on … Read more
House Speaker Ron Mariano cast doubt on efforts to funnel more state dollars to the shelter system, which is housing thousands of local and migrant families, including a plan to shuttle surplus revenues to the struggling support network. The Quincy Democrat did not directly address whether he agreed with Gov. Maura Healey’s plan to cover … Read more
Gov. Maura Healey knew coming into office at the start of 2023 that Massachusetts’ emergency shelter system was already experiencing issues as more people sought refuge in state-funded temporary housing. But an influx of migrants fleeing unstable home conditions and rising housing costs hurting vulnerable residents already here pushed the shelter network to the brink, … Read more
