Policy
The Great Massachusetts Beer Garden Backlash Has Arrived
Everyone loves a good beer garden. When it comes to combining the trends in after-hours imbibing, they’re right in the sweet spot: sought-after brews, fresh air, […]
You Can Secretly Record Officials and Police in Massachusetts, a Judge Ruled
In a victory for two very different groups of people, a federal judge has ruled that a Massachusetts law against secretly recording police officers or government officials in […]
The “Sanctuary State” Amendment Is No More
A “sanctuary state” proposal in the budget, which would have prevented local law enforcement from spending limited time and resources helping ICE, has been removed after legislators […]
A City Council Idea Could Slow the Starbucks-ification of Boston
Sick of chains like Starbucks pushing out small businesses and swapping local character for squeaky clean corporate sheen? Boston’s City Council has an idea that would […]
Massachusetts Senate Passes Bill to Add Third Gender Option to State IDs
For some, the stressful part of getting a driver’s license ends as soon as they manage to parallel park a vehicle. But for others, the […]
Massachusetts House of Representatives Passes Automatic Voter Registration Bill
Your reward for waiting in line at the RMV may soon get a whole lot bigger. On Wednesday, the Massachusetts House of Representatives passed an […]
Charlie Baker Just Signed Off on a $15 Minimum Wage
A $15 minimum wage has long been a goal of activists around the country and in Massachusetts, a hard number to strive for in an […]
Massachusetts Legislature Passes Bill for $15 Minimum Wage
With the flick of Gov. Charlie Baker’s pen, Massachusetts could join New York and California to become the third state in the country with a […]
Protesters Disrupted Kirstjen Nielsen’s Dinner at a Todd English Restaurant in Washington, D.C.
Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen fled a restaurant led by Boston based-chef Todd English on Tuesday night—but it had nothing to do with his […]
The Supreme Judicial Court Just Killed the Millionaire’s Tax
So that’s that. After a long wait for a decision that will have widespread political consequences in the state, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court has ruled against […]
Poll: Preserving the Transgender Protections Law Is No Sure Thing
Activists for transgender rights had a lot to celebrate in 2016 when they successfully fought for a bill that would shield the trans community from discrimination […]
Poll: Massachusetts Wants the Millionaire’s Tax
Looks like Massachusetts really wants millionaires to pay more in taxes. A new poll out from WBUR and the MassINC Polling Group today finds that support […]
New Report Finds Cost of Boston Harbor Wall Outweighs Benefits
Build the wall, they chanted. It will solve the problem, they believed. Price tag, shmice tag, they smirked. Not so fast, the researchers said. A […]
To Bet or Not to Bet? Massachusetts Is Weighing Sports Gambling
We legalized casinos, paving the way (eventually) for three licensed casinos in the state. We let the same-day fantasy industry thrive in the home of Draft Kings. We may soon […]
Airbnb Is Calling App Users in Boston to Rally Support
As the battle over Airbnb regulations rages in Boston, the room-sharing service has begun calling users of its app directly, several people reported over the weekend. During […]