Beacon Hill in 5 is a weekly check-in at the Massachusetts Statehouse from New England Public Media. Get a quick look at the week ahead in state politics and government with Carrie Healy, NEPM’s Morning Edition host, and a journalist from the State House News Service.
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From immediate primary matchups in Western Mass. to sweeping November ballot initiatives, state voters face critical choices that highlight the dynamic between local representation and direct policy fights.
A Boston Fed report highlights severe wealth inequality in Mass., prompting lawmakers to evaluate housing reforms and estate tax policies to address the divide.
State House News Service reporter Colin Young deep dives into home rule petitions and how they're aimed at addressing local communities issues.
All 160 Massachusetts legislative districts are electing members this fall, while new operating rules keep the current Legislature in session.
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, after the end of July.
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.
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.
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.
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 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 budget and other timely matters.
Lawmakers debate the "Mass Wins Act" containing tech and business investments, amid tight deadlines, assessing consequences of a decreased income tax and state budget talks.
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 religious groups.
Pressure from the Trump Administration to share voter data has Mass. lawmakers concerned.
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 year, June 30th.
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 rejecting override votes to raise taxes.
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 one of the state’s most high-stakes and debated proposals.
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 clashes ahead of negotiations.
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.
Population growth is important for a thriving community. A recent UMass Donahue Wayfinders report projected population declines in all four WMass counties between 2020 and 2035.
A Legislative budget hearing focused on the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, Executive Office of Transportation and the Registry of Motor Vehicles will be held this week.
