Latest Massachusetts State General Court News
Ex-Trump backer wins Massachusetts House special election
BOSTON (AP) — A Massachusetts attorney who served on Winthrop’s Town Council and School Committee won a special election Tuesday to fill the seat left vacant by the departure of former Democratic House Speaker Robert DeLeo. Democrat Jeffrey Turco, who voted for Donald...
Anti-Asian attacks prompt call for updated hate crimes law
BOSTON (AP) — A national spike in anti-Asian hate crimes — including a recent mass shooting in Atlanta that left eight people dead, six of them women of Asian descent — is prompting state lawmakers to push a bill they say would expand and clarify hate crime laws in Massachusetts. ...
Democratic state senator weighing run for governor in 2022
BOSTON (AP) — State Sen. Sonia Chang-Diaz, a critic of Republican Gov. Charlie Baker’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic, is weighing a bid for Massachusetts governor next year. In a written statement Monday, the Boston Democrat said the state needs “someone...
Anti-Semitic play calling renews push for genocide education
BOSTON (AP) — Massachusetts lawmakers are renewing a push for mandatory genocide education after a high school football coach was fired following reports that the team used anti-Semitic language, including a mention of Auschwitz, in its on-field play calling. The...
Massachusetts governor to sign sweeping climate change bill
BOSTON (AP) — Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker said Thursday that he plans to sign a sweeping climate change bill, ending months of shuttling the legislation back and forth between the Democratic-controlled Legislature and the Republican governor. Asked at the end of an...
More than a million state residents now fully vaccinated
BOSTON (AP) — More than 1 million Massachusetts residents have now been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, Gov. Charlie Baker announced in a tweet Friday. The number is a major milestone in the state’s efforts to ramp up vaccinations in an effort to slow the spread of...
Massachusetts lawmakers again approve climate change bill
BOSTON (AP) — Massachusetts lawmakers on Thursday again sent back to Gov. Charlie Baker a sweeping climate change bill that has bounced between the Democratic-controlled Legislature and the Republican governor for the past several months. The Massachusetts House voted...
Massachusetts looks to push back tax filing deadline
BOSTON (AP) — Massachusetts legislative leaders are moving to push back the state's tax filing deadline to match up with a decision by the federal government to move the deadline from April 15 to May 17 this year. Senate President Karen Spilka and House Speaker Ronald...
Massachusetts Senate again OKs sweeping climate bill
BOSTON (AP) — The Massachusetts Senate on Monday again approved a sweeping climate change bill that has ping-ponged between lawmakers and Gov. Charlie Baker for the past several months. The 39-1 vote follows a decision last month by the Republican governor to return the...
Massachusetts Senate weighing bill to extend voting options
BOSTON (AP) — The Massachusetts Senate is planning to meet in a formal session on Monday and could vote on a bill that extends mail-in and early voting options until June 30. The options were originally approved last year as part of the state's effort to make voting...
