On Wednesday, September 1st, Attorney General Maura Healey certified 17 out of 30 ballot proposals filed in August to continue on the path to securing a spot on the 2022 ballot. Of the 17 proposals certified, 16 were...more
Only a handful of states have sought to tax digital advertising, and the path forward is murky at best due to practical considerations, federal preemption and constitutional questions. However, there are at least 4 bills...more
During his annual State of the Commonwealth address, Governor Charlie Baker highlighted the heroic work of frontline workers and first responders throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, while reminding the Commonwealth that though...more
On Friday, May 25, 2018, the Senate unanimously approved a $41.49 billion budget for FY2019. The Senate’s passage of its annual spending plan follows Governor Charlie Baker’s budget proposal made in January and the House...more
On April 27, the Massachusetts House of Representatives passed a $41.55 billion FY2019 budget by a vote of 150-4. Over four days of debate, the House considered 1,400 amendments to pass a final budget that authorizes $158.6...more
With the end of the 2017-2018 legislative cycle fast approaching, Beacon Hill’s agenda for the coming months has begun to take shape. All major policymaking will need to be concluded by the end of formal sessions on July 31,...more
Massachusetts lawmakers have returned from summer recess and are preparing to tackle a robust legislative agenda this fall. Legislators will meet formally through the third Wednesday in November, at which point formal...more
Senate President Stan Rosenberg and House Speaker Robert DeLeo announced this week their leadership teams and committee appointments for the 2017-2018 legislative session.
Retaining the core of his leadership team for...more
On Tuesday, December 6, Governor Charlie Baker, under his Section 9C authority, ordered $98 million in mid-year cuts from the $39.25 billion FY17 state budget. The administration has warned of budget imbalances for months and...more
In the final weeks before the end of the legislative session, the Massachusetts House and State both addressed major pieces of labor and employment legislation. However, although the legislature passed S.2119, an Act to...more
8/11/2016
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Credit Checks ,
Equal Pay ,
Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) ,
Gender-Based Pay Discrimination ,
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Pay Equity Act (PEA) ,
State and Local Government ,
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Wage and Hour ,
Wage Theft
After a mad scramble to take action before their midnight deadline, Massachusetts lawmakers closed the 20152016 legislative session by passing five of the “Big Six” bills on their agenda. Beacon Hill saw a flurry of activity...more
8/9/2016
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Economic Development ,
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Garden Leave ,
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Innovation ,
Job Creation ,
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Municipalities ,
Non-Compete Agreements ,
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State and Local Government ,
State Budgets ,
Uber ,
Wage and Hour ,
Wind Power
Just before the close of the fiscal year, the House and Senate reached an agreement on a $39.146 billion state budget for FY17. Due to a recently identified $750 million drop in projected state revenue, the budget, which was...more
7/7/2016
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Health and Safety ,
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State and Local Government ,
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State Health Plans ,
Substance Abuse
The Massachusetts Senate voted unanimously to pass its FY2017 state budget just before midnight on Thursday, May 26. The spending plan, which totals $39.558 billion, spends $60 million more than Governor Baker’s proposal and...more
In a unanimous vote of 156-0, the Massachusetts House of Representatives approved a $39.56 billion spending plan for FY2017 on April 27. Over three days, the House considered more than 1,300 amendments to pass a final budget...more
With Beacon Hill off and running in the new year, Governor Charlie Baker and House Speaker Robert DeLeo this week unveiled key parts of their policy agendas for 2016. As part of his second budget proposal since assuming...more
On Friday, January 8, Governor Charlie Baker ordered $49 million in emergency spending cuts aimed at erasing a projected state budget shortfall. In a letter to state lawmakers, Baker said his administration had identified a...more