By Kelly Garrity and Lisa Kashinsky

HOGWASH — Other states are starting to squeal over Massachusetts’ new animal-welfare law that bans the sale of pork from pigs housed in too-cramped conditions.

Thirteen states are pig-piling onto a lawsuit from pork-processor Triumph Foods fighting the rules that took effect in late August. They filed an amicus brief this week that claims Massachusetts is “imposing a detrimental and overly burdensome regulatory scheme” on companies selling pork or shipping it through the Bay State. Keep in mind that Massachusetts gets nearly all of the pork sold here from other states.

Massachusetts voters overwhelmingly supported improving living conditions for livestock in a 2016 ballot measure. But the law, which wasn’t set to take effect until 2022, was delayed further as industry groups challenged California over a similar regulation. The Supreme Court eventually ruled 5-4 in favor of the Golden State, saying that companies that sell products in various states “must normally comply with the laws of” those states.

The Massachusetts law is “functionally identical to the California measure,” Jonathan Lovvorn, one of the lawyers who backed Prop. 12 in the California case and who is now advising the Massachusetts attorney general’s office on the legal battle here, told Playbook.

“The basic function of saying that the state is not going to allow the sale of pork from cruel confinement methods appears in both laws, and that's the crux of what the challengers are upset about,” Lovvorn said.

But pork-producing states argue in their amicus brief that the Massachusetts law will carry "enormous compliance costs" for out-of-state farmers that will drive up prices for consumers and "harm agricultural states."

The legal squabble is serving New Hampshire gubernatorial hopeful Kelly Ayotte some red-meat rhetoric to campaign on.

The Republican, whose campaign has leaned into Massachusetts mudslinging from the start, took a swipe at the Bay State shortly after her state’s attorney general signed onto the brief. “Hey Mass, hands off our bacon!” she posted on X.

GOOD FRIDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. Tips? Scoops? Email us: [email protected] and [email protected].

TODAY — Gov. Maura Healey meets with Ambassador of Chile to the U.S. Juan Gabriel Valdés at 11:30 a.m. in her ceremonial office. Healey and Boston Mayor Michelle Wu speak at a Terminal E modernization celebration at 1 p.m. at Logan Airport. Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll addresses the Boston Harbor Coastal Resiliency Cruise at 9 a.m. and the Gloucester 400+ Legacy Gala at 6 p.m. Auditor Diana DiZoglio speaks at the Massachusetts AFL-CIO conference in Everett.

THIS WEEKEND — Rep. Lori Trahan is on WBZ’s “Keller @ Large” at 8:30 a.m. Sunday. House Speaker Ron Mariano is on WCVB’s “On the Record” at 11 a.m. Sunday. Rep. Jake Auchincloss is on NBC10’s “At Issue” at 11:30 a.m.

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.

— “iLottery still a treasurer priority as online betting evolves,” by Jennifer Smith, CommonWealth Magazine: “Legislators ultimately opted against bringing the Massachusetts State Lottery online in their compromise budget for this fiscal year, but state Treasurer Deb Goldberg is still aggressively pushing for it. With the lottery and its $1 billion of annual profits churning through local corner stores and retailers, efforts to attract new customer bases and compete with online gambling have run headlong into a debate about addictive gambling. But the online gambling space has evolved, with or without state sign-off.”

— "State lawmakers look into idea of governing body for youth sports," by Esteban Bustillos, GBH News.

— “Facing little competition, Warren raised $1 million for reelection bid last quarter,” by Matt Stout, Boston Globe: “Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren raised a little more than $1 million over the last three months, continuing a string of relatively light quarters for the often-prodigious fund-raiser as she prepares to seek a third Senate term in 2024. The $1.04 million Warren’s campaign said she raised between July and September falls far short of her pace six years ago when she faced a growing set of Republican opponents. She’s now raised about $3.05 million so far in 2023; she pulled in nearly $3 million in the third quarter of 2017 alone.”

SHOW OF SUPPORT — Beacon Hill lawmakers passed a resolution yesterday supporting Israel and condemning Hamas' attack on the country. The Senate resolution, sponsored by Majority Leader Cynthia Stone Creem, called on the White House and Congress to “continue to stand with the people of Israel in their time of need,” and “work towards the safe return of those who are being held hostage.” Read the resolution here.

— “Conservative group publicizes photos, names of Harvard students linked to controversial statement on Israel,” by Mike Damiano and Hilary Burns, Boston Globe.

— "Mass. law enforcement to step up security as Hamas calls for a ‘global day of rage’ Friday," by Tonya Alanez and Adam Sennott, Boston Globe.

— “Hundreds gather in the heart of Pittsfield, heartbroken and searching for healing as the Israel-Hamas war rages on,” by Meg Britton-Mehlisch, Berkshire Eagle.

— “North Andover to raise Israeli flag in solidarity,” by Monica Sager, The Eagle-Tribune.

— “'Totally united': Jewish faith leaders hold joint service,” by Dustin Luca, The Salem News.

— “Mass. law enforcement to step up security as Hamas calls for a ‘global day of rage’,” by Tonya Alanez and Adam Sennott, Boston Globe: “Massachusetts law enforcement officials on Friday plan to increase visibility, particularly near Jewish institutions, after Hamas leaders called for Muslims around the world to hold a global day of rage to support its terrorist attack on Israel. State Police and Boston police, as well as the Anti-Defamation League New England, said they knew of no credible or specific threats to Massachusetts, but still advised the public to take precautions and report any suspicious activity.”

THE REVIEWS ARE IN — And federal Homeland Security officials’ visit to Massachusetts “was a bit of a letdown.” That’s according to Woburn Mayor Scott Galvin, who met with the DHS team at a local Comfort Inn hosting about 25 migrant families. “There wasn’t a whole lot of substance at that meeting,” he told the Boston Herald’s Chris Van Buskirk, who has more details from DHS’ visit.

The Healey administration said it had productive meetings on how to maximize federal resources and reduce the strain on the shelter system. The DHS team visited a few shelters and a family “welcome center" over two days here.

Yet the state is going to run out of out of room for newly arriving asylum-seekers “very, very soon," Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll said yesterday during an interview on El Mundo’s “La Hora del Café.” Driscoll didn’t completely shut down the idea of suspending the longstanding "right-to-shelter" law that compels the state to offer immediate housing to certain families. That decision, she said, would be “up to the Legislature. … So I think we’ll see going forward.”

— “Boston Mayor Wu offers discounted bike passes ahead of MBTA Red Line shutdown,” by Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald: “Boston Mayor Michelle Wu pushed Bluebikes as an alternative travel option for residents during this month’s Red Line shutdown, when rolling out a new initiative that cuts the cost of those annual bike-share memberships by more than 50%."

— “Boston researchers have compiled what may be the country’s first city-commissioned database of enslaved people,” by Tiana Woodard, Boston Globe.

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.

FIRST IN PLAYBOOK — Progressive West Roxbury/Roslindale is endorsing Enrique Pepén for Boston’s District 5 city councilor and Ben Weber for District 6 city councilor after the group’s initially endorsed candidates, embattled incumbents Ricardo Arroyo in D5 and Kendra Lara in D6, lost in last month’s preliminary election.

The Progressive Massachusetts chapter held interviews with Pepén and Weber after the preliminary and took a new vote, which included the option not to endorse in either race. “In their votes and comments, our members showed that they believe Pepén and Weber are responsive, progressive, and worth endorsing,” Progressive West Roxbury/Roslindale organizer Rachel Poliner told Playbook.

— “Fire displaces residents, damages Revere, Massachusetts, mayoral candidate's campaign office,” by Veronica Haynes, WCVB: “A fire that damaged a building with apartments, retail space and the campaign office for a mayoral candidate is under investigation in Revere, Massachusetts. The fire broke out midday Thursday at a building at 375 Broadway. On the first floor of the building is Eddy's Market and the campaign office for Revere mayoral candidate Patrick Keefe.”

— “Boston Council candidates face off on housing issues,” by Trea Lavery, MassLive.

— “Candidates for Worcester at-large City Council seats debate in Mechanics Hall,” by Marco Cartolano, Telegram & Gazette.

— “No timeline yet for details on Green Line Extension defective track investigation,” By Chris Van Buskirk, Boston Herald: “The MBTA does not yet have a timeline for when it will release findings from an investigation into defective Green Line Extensions tracks that forced trains to slow down to walking speeds, the agency’s top safety official said at a Thursday meeting.”

— “Job Applications Spiked After New MBTA Wage Pact,” by Chris Lisinski, State House News Service (paywall): “The T has received a flood of applications for bus operator positions in the two months since officials ratified a collective bargaining agreement that increases pay to $30 per hour, and about four in five workers eligible for retirement have expressed interest in remaining on board in exchange for a bonus, agency data presented Thursday show.”

— “The strange case of the disappearing MBTA podcast,” by Adam Reilly, GBH News.

— “Boston’s new voice on MBTA board knows the ‘pain points’,” by Bhaamati Borkhetaria, CommonWealth Magazine

— “Department of Justice awards Massachusetts $118M+ in public safety grants,” by Flint McColgan, Boston Herald: “Massachusetts has been awarded a nearly $120 million slice of a U.S. Department of Justice’s $4.4 billion public safety grant program that aims to, among other initiatives, reduce crimes and expand public access to justice system service.”

— "Capitol Police brief the Squad, prominent progressives on security amid uptick in threats," by Nicholas Wu and Holly Otterbein, POLITICO.

— “Amherst bylaw protecting abortion, gender care access expected to clear council,” by Scott Merzbach, Daily Hampshire Gazette: “The Town Council is nearing adoption of a bylaw protecting access to reproductive and gender-affirming care in Amherst, ensuring those who seek those health care services in town will not have their identities and information disclosed in ways where they might be prosecuted or face criminal charges elsewhere.”

— “FEMA to assess Leominster flood aftermath, as storm recovery drags on,” by Oscar Margain, NBC Boston.

— “Could Joint Base Cape Cod help solve the housing crisis? Officials say it's a possibility,” by Paul Gately, Cape Cod Times: “Over the past five decades, there has been a long list of proposed non-military uses for the sprawling 22,000-acre Joint Base Cape Cod on the Upper Cape, including a jet port and marine research center. Now, there is a new proposal. Base officials propose the suitable segregation of 600 acres from the military installation to help the state and the Healey-Driscoll administration deal with a persistent housing crisis, saying a swath within the town boundary could serve as an affordable housing village.”

HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to Corinne Falotico, EEA comms director Maria Hardiman and Boston City Councilor Ricardo Arroyo. Happy belated to Linda Gerstle and Seth Harris, who celebrated Thursday.

HAPPY BIRTHWEEKEND — to the Boston Globe’s Victoria McGrane, Natasha Silva and Pierce J. Haley, who celebrate Saturday; and to Sunday birthday-ers former Playbook helper extraordinaire Anne Brandes, Alexis Krieg of the Omidyar Network, Stat’s Rick Berke, Darby Bukowski and Jim St. George.

NEW HORSE RACE ALERT: CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE SENATE KIND — Axios Boston’s Steph Solis joins hosts Steve Koczela and Jennifer Smith to discuss the Israel-Hamas conflict and local reaction to it. Brent Benson models the special Senate election for Anne Gobi’s old seat. Subscribe and listen on iTunes and SoundCloud.

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