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Back to bickering on Beacon Hill

Presented by Delta Dental of Massachusetts: Lisa Kashinsky's must-read rundown of what's up on Beacon Hill and beyond.
Oct 06, 2023 View in browser
 

By Kelly Garrity and Lisa Kashinsky

Presented by

PROGRAMMING NOTE: Massachusetts Playbook won’t publish on Monday for Indigenous Peoples Day. We’ll be back in your inbox on Tuesday.

GOODWILL HUNTING — It looks like the detente is over.

One day after Senate President Karen Spilka affectionately laid her hand on House Speaker Ron Mariano’s arm as he praised their partnership in passing tax cuts and credits that were 20 months in the making, the two top Democrats were back to battling over gun legislation.

Talk about short-lived goodwill.

House leaders unveiled a revamped gun bill yesterday that reworks several aspects from their first pass — from narrowing serialization requirements to easing limits on where firearms can be carried in public — after intense criticism from gun-rights groups.

The new version updates the state’s assault weapons ban but adds a “legacy” clause that would let people keep their legally owned firearms. Guns would be banned in "sensitive places" like schools, government buildings and polling places. A person wouldn't be able to bring a firearm into someone else's home without their permission. But businesses would be able to make their own decisions on allowing guns, state Rep. Michael Day, the chamber's point person on firearms legislation, told reporters at the State House.

This time around, House lawmakers aren’t asking for senators' permission up front. Top Democratic representatives plan to muscle the bill through the powerful House Ways and Means Committee rather than attempt to go through the traditional joint committee process again. They've scheduled a hearing for the bill on Tuesday and are planning a vote later this month.

We all remember what happened last time: The House wanted the first draft of its gun bill before the joint Judiciary Committee. The Senate wanted to steer it through the joint Public Safety Committee. The ensuing procedural squabble — along with concerns from within his caucus — led Mariano to shelve the legislation he originally wanted to ram through before lawmakers’ August recess.

Spilka told WBUR yesterday that she’s “happy” to see the House moving forward with gun regulations once more. But senators are still drafting their own bill.

The one thing Spilka and Mariano seem to agree on when it comes to guns: getting new rules to Gov. Maura Healey’s desk this session.

“Will it be done before the holidays? Unlikely,” Mariano told reporters. “But hopefully before the session is over.”

GOOD FRIDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. Gun-rights advocates who fought the first version of the House bill are already slamming the second. Dive deeper with the Boston Globe's Samantha J. Gross.

TODAY — Healey and Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll speak at BECMA’s Mass Black Expo at 9:30 a.m. at the BCEC and at a Korea Day celebration at 11:45 a.m. at the State House. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and Sen. Ed Markey announce a forestry grant at 9:30 a.m. at Franklin Park.

Rep. Lori Trahan addresses The New England Council at 10 a.m. at The Hampshire House in Boston. AG Andrea Campbell is on GBH’s “Boston Public Radio” at 11 a.m. Rep. Ayanna Pressley is on WBUR’s “Radio Boston” at 11 a.m.

THIS WEEKEND — Wu is on WBZ’s “Keller @ Large” at 8:30 a.m. Sunday. State Sen. Lydia Edwards is on WCVB’s “On the Record” at 11 a.m. Sunday. Pressley is on NBC10’s “At Issue” at 11:30 a.m. Sunday.

Tips? Scoops? Thoughts on the House gun bill? Email us: [email protected] and [email protected].

 

A message from Delta Dental of Massachusetts:

Delta Dental of Massachusetts is committed to educating communities around the state about how a healthy smile is a powerful thing. There are a multitude of connections between your oral and overall health, making it imperative to take care of your mouth. Healthy oral habits can help prevent more serious health concerns such as diabetes, heart disease, and depression later in life. Speak with your dentist or visit ExpressYourHealthMA.org for more information.

 
DATELINE BEACON HILL

ALMOST HERE — Housing Secretary Ed Augustus told Playbook to expect the Healey administration’s much-anticipated housing bond bill to land “probably in the next week or two.”

— “Federal officials question Mass. oversight of special education,” by Niki Griswold, Boston Globe: “The federal government is launching an inquiry into whether Massachusetts’ education department is failing to uphold the rights of special education students by not adequately monitoring local school districts to ensure they’re in compliance with federal law regarding students with disabilities.”

— “Amid lawsuit, state treasurer sets November hearing for suspended cannabis regulator,” by Matt Stout, Boston Globe: “Shannon O’Brien, the one-time Democratic gubernatorial nominee abruptly suspended last month as the state’s top cannabis regulator, said she is dropping her request to a judge to be immediately reinstalled after state Treasurer Deborah B. Goldberg agreed to give her a hearing to challenge the disciplinary measure.”

— “Do Democrats support DiZoglio’s push to audit the Legislature? It depends who you ask,” by Samantha J. Gross, Boston Globe: “More than a dozen leaders of local Democratic town committees — including some who voted for [Diana] DiZoglio in the 2022 Democratic primary and some who didn’t — told The Boston Globe they’ve long wanted more transparency from the Legislature, including insight into how decisions are made, who is making those decisions, and how their state representatives and senators are voting.”

— "Archdiocese of Boston opposes Mass. bill to amend statute of limitations," by Alvin Buyinza, MassLive: "A Massachusetts bill that aims to eliminate the time limit of when people can sue for sexual abuse is being met with opposition from the Archdiocese of Boston, an institution that could face numerous legal challenges if the proposed law passes."

VAX-ACHUSETTS

NEW TRACKER JUST DROPPED — The Department of Public Health launched a new dashboard to track Covid-19, the flu and RSV.

 

GO INSIDE THE CAPITOL DOME: From the outset, POLITICO has been your eyes and ears on Capitol Hill, providing the most thorough Congress coverage — from political characters and emerging leaders to leadership squabbles and policy nuggets during committee markups and hearings. We're stepping up our game to ensure you’re fully informed on every key detail inside the Capitol Dome, all day, every day. Start your day with Playbook AM, refuel at midday with our Playbook PM halftime report and enrich your evening discussions with Huddle. Plus, stay updated with real-time buzz all day through our brand new Inside Congress Live feature. Learn more and subscribe here.

 
 
MIGRANTS IN MASSACHUSETTS

— “Big 3 confer with congressional delegation on migrants,” by Bruce Mohl, CommonWealth Magazine: “The Big 3 on Beacon Hill met via Zoom on Thursday morning with the state’s representatives in Congress, enlisting their help in seeking federal dollars and regulatory changes to help ease the shelter crisis in Massachusetts. … ‘We stressed to them that we need help,’ said House Speaker Ron Mariano, who disclosed the meeting with the congressional delegation at a State House press conference dealing with a different matter. ‘Unless we get help, we’re going to have some difficulties.’”

— "As migrants overwhelm state shelter system, Auchincloss asks Biden to send team to ‘assess’," by Samantha J. Gross, Boston Globe: "Representative Jake Auchincloss is calling for the Biden administration to send an assessment team of federal Homeland Security officials to Boston to 'see with their own eyes that this is not a sustainable scenario.'”

— “The politics of Biden’s border U-turn,” by Calder McHugh and Charlie Mahtesian, POLITICO: “On Wednesday evening, the Biden administration put out the call: Build The Wall. … And [Thursday], senior administration officials announced that they would resume deportation flights to Venezuela, with 240,000 Venezuelans expected to be deported. The actions are a sudden change in direction for Biden, who vowed on the campaign trail that there would ‘not be another foot’ of border wall built. They’re also a tacit acknowledgment that the administration is getting swamped on the politics of border security.”

 

A message from Delta Dental of Massachusetts:

 
THE RACE FOR CITY HALL

FIRST IN PLAYBOOK — The Environmental League of Massachusetts Action Fund is endorsing John FitzGerald for District 3 Boston city councilor.

ENDORSEMENT CORNER — Gardner Mayor Michael Nicholson is following up recent endorsements from Democratic Gov. Maura Healey and Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll with two more big names: Republican former Gov. Charlie Baker and former Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito.

He’s not the first mayor up for reelection to win the backing of both the Democratic governing team and their Republican predecessors. All four are also supporting Fall River Mayor Paul Coogan.

PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES

— “The MBTA’s revolving door,” by Dan Atkinson, BINJ: “The MBTA pays former T workers millions to fix longstanding problems, but transit advocates say inside hiring isn’t getting riders or the system where they need to go.”

 

Enter the “room where it happens”, where global power players shape policy and politics, with Power Play. POLITICO’s brand-new podcast will host conversations with the leaders and power players shaping the biggest ideas and driving the global conversations, moderated by award-winning journalist Anne McElvoy. Sign up today to be notified of new episodes – click here.

 
 
FROM THE DELEGATION

BATTLE OF THE BAY STATERS — Rep. Lori Trahan is throwing her hat in the ring for the open leadership seat on the Democratic Policy and Communications Committee. Just one problem: Rep. Jake Auchincloss wants it, too.

Auchincloss last week floated a trial balloon for the co-chair position on the committee that creates policy proposals and messaging for House Democrats that opened up with Rep. Dean Phillips (D-Minn.) stepping down.

But Trahan got ahead of him by sending a letter to her colleagues yesterday declaring her intent to run for the seat. “I have remained committed to ensuring a strong Democratic front against the most harmful proposals brought to the floor by the majority. I believe our Democratic Caucus is strongest when we are united — against extremism, for progress, and in pursuit of a better future,” she wrote.

Trahan is already a senior member of Democratic Whip Katherine Clark’s whip team, a member of Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries’ Regional Leadership Council and a member of the Democratic Steering and Policy Committee. More from POLITICO’s Katherine Tully-McManus.

— “Busted: Dem lawmaker with military oversight is playing the market with a military supplier,” by Dave Levinthal and Alexandria Jacobson, Raw Story: “Rep. Bill Keating (D-MA) is the latest member of a congressional armed services committee to personally invest in one of the nation’s top defense contractors while also overseeing the nation’s military affairs. Keating disclosed purchasing between $15,001 and $50,000 worth of Boeing Co. corporate notes, according to a U.S. House financial document filed Sept. 28.”

FROM THE 413

— “Amherst council backs single-payer health care,” by Scott Merzbach, Daily Hampshire Gazette: “Single-payer health care is being endorsed through an Amherst Town Council resolution, which follows similar resolutions that were twice passed by Amherst Town Meeting and a nonbinding ballot vote that earned nearly 90% support from town voters five years ago.”

— “Holyoke Mayor Joshua A. Garcia announces plan to take back the streets,” by Aprell May Munford, MassLive.

THE LOCAL ANGLE

— “How Mass. won the competition to host a 'NASA for health care',” by Priyanka Dayal McCluskey, WBUR.

— “Brockton school deficits and layoffs leave some students without a teacher,” by Peter Roby, Bay State Banner.

— “Cambridge officer will not be prosecuted in shooting of Sayed Faisal,” by Hannah Reale and Esteban Bustillos, GBH News.

 

A message from Delta Dental of Massachusetts:

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Your dentist can help provide you with a wide array of plastic appliances, similar to mouthguards or orthodontic retainers, which can be worn while sleeping and assist with snoring. Some appliances reposition the lower jaw forward which, as a result, helps maintain an open, unobstructed airway in the throat. Speak with your dentist for more information on how to alleviate snoring or visit ExpressYourHealthMA.org to learn more.

 
HEARD ‘ROUND THE BUBBLAH

SPOTTED — Former Chicago mayor and Harvard fellow Lori Lightfoot at Delux in the South End last night, per a Playbook tipster.

TRANSITIONS — Dominique Lee is the new president and CEO of the Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to Tara DiJulio, Jonny Levenfeld and Gian DeFilippis.

HAPPY BIRTHWEEKEND — to GBH’s Peter Kadzis, MassINC CEO Joe Kriesberg and Mark Orlowski, who celebrate Saturday; to Samantha Riemer, finance director and senior adviser to Rep. Ayanna Pressley; Ryan Markham and Don Seiffert, managing editor of the Boston Business Journal, who celebrate Sunday; and to Monday birthday-ers Paolo DiFabio, Pon Hunter, Peter Billerbeck, Kristin Palpini Hale, Olivia Paulo, Victoria Danberg and Amy Dacey.

NEW HORSE RACE ALERT: TRANSIT-ORIENTED DEPRESSION — Hosts Steve Koczela and Jennifer Smith are joined by the Boston Globe’s Taylor Dolven to take a trip through the myriad problems facing the MBTA. Host Lisa Kashinsky breaks down the MassGOP’s latest legal and financial woes. Subscribe and listen on iTunes and Sound Cloud.

Want to make an impact? POLITICO Massachusetts has a variety of solutions available for partners looking to reach and activate the most influential people in the Bay State. Have a petition you want signed? A cause you’re promoting? Seeking to increase brand awareness among this key audience? Share your message with our influential readers to foster engagement and drive action. Contact Jesse Shapiro to find out how: [email protected].

 

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