News : POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: BAKER hints at NEW RULES — SENATE compromises on POLICE REFORM

Tuesday, December 22, 2020

POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: BAKER hints at NEW RULES — SENATE compromises on POLICE REFORM — Mass. joins TRANSPORTATION PACT

Dec 22, 2020

Presented by Transportation for Massachusetts

GOOD MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS.

PROGRAMMING NOTE: The last newsletter of the year comes out tomorrow! Massachusetts Playbook will not publish Dec. 23 to Jan. 1. I'll be back in your inbox on Jan. 4. In the meantime, send tips and scoops to smurray@politico.com.

WHAT COMES AFTER CHRISTMAS — A holiday-related economic shutdown is looking more and more inevitable.

Gov. Charlie Baker is pleading with residents to keep Christmas and New Year's Eve gatherings small, as coronavirus cases continue to rise in Massachusetts. Making matters more difficult: The state is still battling a surge in cases in the wake of Thanksgiving, and hospitals are filling up.

"We're basically begging everyone to stay within their immediate household over the course of this holiday season. We're not asking people to do this forever, we're asking them to do it for the next 10 or 12 days," Baker said during a press briefing Monday. "We simply can't afford to have another spike, one of the largest in the United States, take place after the Christmas holiday, while we're still dealing with the spike that came from Thanksgiving."

And the governor hinted he could impose new rules to prevent spread of the virus. More than 200 lawmakers, health experts and others recently penned a letter calling on the governor to roll back the state's reopening.

"With respect to what else we might be able to do, we're certainly discussing that. We'll probably have more to say about it later this week," Baker told reporters.

There's precedent for how the state might react to the holiday. In the weeks after Thanksgiving, Baker moved Massachusetts from step two of its third reopening phase to step one of phase three, essentially reducing capacity at restaurants, stores and gyms, and closing some venues. Baker pointed to "disturbing" data as the reason for the rollback, but did not offer specific benchmarks for when communities should move forward or back a step. Two sectors to keep an eye on in the weeks ahead: Indoor dining and public schools.

Some cities and towns took coronavirus-related closures into their own hands last week. Boston, Somerville and Lynn were among a group that opted to move back to a modified version of the state's second reopening phase. In those communities, gyms were forced to close but indoor dining remained open. At least one community is likely to join. The city manager of Cambridge is eyeing a rollback to phase two. And officials in Attleboro have already planned to move schools online for the first weeks of January, citing an expected increase in cases, among other issues.

Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for the Playbook? Get in touch: smurray@politico.com.

TODAY — Boston Mayor Marty Walsh briefs reporters on Covid-19 at Faneuil Hall, and attends a gift bag drop in South Boston. Attorney General Maura Healey is a guest on GBH's "Boston Public Radio."

A message from Transportation for Massachusetts:

By embracing a bipartisan, multi-state solution to transportation emissions, Governor Baker is showing real leadership on our climate crisis. Thank you for this important step, Governor! The Transportation & Climate Initiative limits pollution from transportation based on a proven model from the electricity sector that has reduced costs for consumers and businesses while growing the economy. It's a smart approach to a big problem, and will improve quality of life for residents across the Commonwealth. Learn More.

THE LATEST NUMBERS

— "Massachusetts reports 3,760 new COVID cases, 41 deaths on Monday," by Tanner Stening, MassLive.com: "State health officials confirmed another 3,760 coronavirus cases on Monday, bringing the number of active statewide infections to 84,368. New cases reported on Monday are based on 61,067 molecular tests, according to the Department of Public Health. Officials also announced another 41 COVID-related fatalities, bringing the total number of deaths since the start of the pandemic to 11,506."

DATELINE BEACON HILL

— "Senate leaders agree to Baker's demands for key changes in policing bill," by Matt Stout, Boston Globe: "Facing the governor's veto threat, Massachusetts Senate leaders on Monday proposed scaling back several measures in a bill overhauling how the state holds police accountable, including loosening limits on the use of facial recognition and leaving a police-dominated panel with oversight over training."

— "Speaker Mariano? Western Massachusetts lawmakers line up behind Quincy Democrat as likely successor to House Speaker Robert DeLeo," by Steph Solis, MassLive.com: "Several Western Massachusetts lawmakers committed to backing Majority Leader Ron Mariano's bid for House speaker should Robert DeLeo step down."

—"Will the state's economic development bill get done in time?" by Jon Chesto, Boston Globe: "It has quickly become the craziest of Decembers on Beacon Hill, and a long-awaited economic development bill could end up getting lost in the shuffle as a result. Yes, help is apparently on the way from Washington. Factions in Congress have reached a compromise on a federal economic relief package that totals nearly $900 billion. Meanwhile, in Boston, municipal officials and small-business advocates eagerly await a smaller economic stimulus bill from the State House."

— "1,158 Massachusetts small businesses to receive nearly $50 million in COVID relief, Gov. Charlie Baker announced," by Tanner Stening, MassLive.com: "Gov. Charlie Baker on Monday announced that nearly $49 million in grants will be awarded to 1,158 small businesses struggling during the coronavirus pandemic. All of the businesses receiving funds are owned by under-represented groups: women, veterans, members of the LGBTQ community, individuals with disability and minorities, state officials said."

— "DOC tightens visitor policy to stop spread of coronavirus in prisons," by Deborah Becker, WBUR: "With coronavirus outbreaks spiking at Massachusetts correctional facilities over the past two months, officials are taking a further step to try to stop the spread of the virus behind bars."

— "Doctors, lawmakers and public health leaders calling on Gov. Charlie Baker to close indoor dining, implement more protections amid COVID surge," by Tanner Stening, MassLive.com: "Hundreds of doctors, lawmakers and public health leaders are demanding more public health protections amid a continued rise in coronavirus infections across Massachusetts. Nearly 20 organizations and more than 200 individuals have signed an open letter urging Gov. Charlie Baker to, among other things, close indoor dining, reinstate the evictions moratorium and use remaining CARES Act funds to help small businesses."

EVERYONE IS TALKING ABOUT TRANSITION PLAYBOOK, SUBSCRIBE TODAY: A new year is quickly approaching. Inauguration Day is right around the corner. President-elect Joe Biden's staffing decisions are sending clear-cut signals about his priorities. What do these signals foretell? Transition Playbook is the definitive guide to the new administration and one of the most consequential transfers of power in American history. Written for political insiders, this scoop-filled newsletter breaks big news daily and analyzes the appointments, people and emerging power centers of the new administration. Track the transition and the first 100 days of the incoming Biden administration. Subscribe today.

FROM THE HUB

— "Some Boston police officers have been on medical leave for years, costing the city millions," by Ally Jarmanning and Saurabh Datar, WBUR: "Nearly 300 officers in Boston are with the department, but they're not working. And the city is spending millions of dollars each year, to pay both the officer at home — who often earns a paycheck tax-free — and the overtime to another cop working to fill that staffing hole."

— "Amid mounting criticism, Mayor Walsh says police department is working to build community's trust," by Milton J. Valencia and Dugan Arnett, Boston Globe: "As investigations mount and criticism surrounding the conduct of Boston police sharpens, Mayor Martin J. Walsh on Monday defended the department while acknowledging that it has a ways to go in building trust within the community."

— "Boston city councilors urge Marty Walsh to OK restrictions on police use of pepper spray, tear gas, rubber bullets," by Rick Sobey, Boston Herald: "Eight Boston city councilors and two members of the State House delegation are urging Mayor Martin Walsh to sign an ordinance that would heavily limit the Boston Police Department's use of pepper spray, tear gas and rubber bullets. This push from the councilors comes as BPD body-cam videos recently surfaced from the department's response to protests earlier this year."

— "'Victory.' Health care workers in East Boston among the first in Massachusetts to get Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine," by Jessica Rinaldi and Amanda Kaufman, Boston Globe: "Health care workers at East Boston Neighborhood Health Center were believed to be among the first in Massachusetts to receive a vaccine developed by Moderna, a biotech company based across the river in Cambridge."

— "Glitches, supply cuts, and grumbling over priorities dog Massachusetts vaccine rollout," by Robert Weisman and Kay Lazar, Boston Globe: "The state's COVID-19 vaccination rollout is less than a week old. Yet it's already facing computer glitches, supply cuts, and complaints about people cutting in the vaccine line. Mass General Brigham is racing to fix faulty software that crashed its vaccine enrollment website, leaving thousands of frustrated employees unable to sign up."

— "Mass General Brigham Workers: Staff vaccine program became a 'free for all,'" by Gabrielle Emanuel, GBH News: "Days after the Mass General Brigham hospital network began vaccinating its employees, healthcare staff have raised concerns the distribution system has been chaotic and inequitable. The problems, they said, stem partly from scheduling challenges and allowing hospital personnel to 'self-police.'"

— "CVS to begin vaccinating Mass. senior living facilities days after Christmas," by Jessica Bartlett, Boston Business Journal: "CVS Health Corp. says it will roll out coronavirus vaccines to 1,995 senior living facilities in Massachusetts starting Dec. 28, as part of a nationwide distribution at more than 40,000 senior living facilities throughout the country."

— "Study Finds Permanent, Supportive Housing Reduces MassHealth Costs For People Who Were Homeless," by Lynn Jolicoeur, WBUR: "Providing permanent housing with support services to people who've been chronically homeless reduces health care costs in the first year, according to a new study released Tuesday."

YOU'VE GOT MAIL

— "Looking back, looking forward: Clerks, legislators weigh the future of mail-in voting," by Jessica Hill, Cape Cod Times: "Driven by the COVID-19 pandemic, mail-in voting was at an all-time high in 2020. More than 1.5 million ballots were cast by mail in the November general election in Massachusetts, accounting for nearly 42% of the nearly 3.7 million ballots cast across the state Although universal mail-in voting was a popular alternative in November, it is not yet clear that it will become a permanent option in the future."

DAY IN COURT

— "Highest court asked to nullify sheriff's office agreement with ICE," by Shelley Murphy, Boston Globe: "Lawyers for a group of taxpayers are asking the state's highest court to nullify agreements with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement that allow local sheriffs' offices to identify, arrest, and transport undocumented immigrants. A lawsuit filed Monday against Plymouth County Sheriff Joseph McDonald Jr. alleges that his office's agreement with ICE is unlawful because it devotes state resources to federal civil immigration enforcement."

TUNE IN TO NEW EPISODE OF GLOBAL TRANSLATIONS: Our Global Translations podcast, presented by Citi, examines the long-term costs of the short-term thinking that drives many political and business decisions. The world has long been beset by big problems that defy political boundaries, and these issues have exploded over the past year amid a global pandemic. This podcast helps to identify and understand the impediments to smart policymaking. Subscribe for Season Two, available now.

THE PRESSLEY PARTY

— "Ayanna Pressley: Officials must 'earn the trust of communities of color' for COVID-19 vaccine," by Christopher Gavin, Boston.com: "As the COVID-19 vaccine rollout begins, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley says officials, researchers, and medical experts have an important task before them: earning the trust of communities of color, who disproportionately face health care inequities."

DATELINE D.C.

— "New COVID stimulus deal: Not 'perfect' but will deliver 'desperately needed support,' Rep. Richard Neal says," by Benjamin Kail, MassLive.com: "Rep. Richard Neal of Massachusetts on Monday said the recently-struck COVID-19 stimulus deal is not perfect, but will offer 'desperately needed support' to Americans grappling with the economic fallout of the pandemic."

— "Gas safety bill in memory of Leonel Rondon expected to pass," by Christian M. Wade, Eagle-Tribune: "A proposal to require monitors to supervise work on natural gas pipes is expected to be approved by Congress as part of a year-end government spending bill. The measure named after Leonel Rondon, the Lawrence teenager killed in the Sept. 13, 2018, Merrimack Valley gas disaster, calls for other safety measures such as the installation of pressure monitoring devices so that utility employees can quickly shut off gas flow in an emergency."

IT'S NOT EASY BEING GREEN

— "Mass. among few states to join transportation emissions pact," by Adam Vaccaro, Boston Globe: "Massachusetts will join two other New England states and Washington, D.C. in a major effort to reduce transportation emissions, the nation's largest source of greenhouse gases, officials said Monday. The agreement marked the latest step in a long-considered plan to limit and put a price on carbon emissions, and invest in clean technology and infrastructure, but at its outset will include far fewer states than initially expected."

A message from Transportation for Massachusetts:

Governor Baker is providing regional leadership on climate by joining with Governor Lamont and Governor Raimondo to address pollution from transportation. Vehicle tailpipe emissions cause lung disease and asthma. Recent research has shown that air pollution increases morbidity rates of COVID-19. At a time of uncertainty and gridlock in the federal government, states like Massachusetts are leading. The Transportation & Climate Initiative puts a cap on transportation emissions, requires polluters to contribute to the solution, and gives us all better and cleaner options for getting around. By participating in TCI, Governor Baker is supporting good-paying jobs upgrading our region's infrastructure -- and getting our economy back on track. Learn more at www.t4ma.org/tci.

ABOVE THE FOLD

— Herald: "FUELING ANGER," — Globe: "Walsh backs police amid new criticism, investigations," "Glitches bedevil vaccine rollout."

FROM THE 413

— "Hundreds call on Amherst school officials for open meeting," by Scott Merzbach, Daily Hampshire Gazette: "More than 200 residents, many of them parents and guardians of Amherst public school students, are calling on the Amherst School Committee to hold a special public meeting focused on how to safely reopen buildings for in-school education."

— "'I've asked him to resign': Chicopee leaders look to implement changes in city charter after city councilor Lucjan Galecki writes Facebook posts about sexual assault," by Heather Morrison, MassLive.com: "Chicopee leaders are looking to make permanent changes to the city charter after a city councilor wrote insensitive remarks about sexual assault survivors online last week."

TRANSITIONS — Mike Bloomberg will be leaving his role as chief of staff to Holyoke Mayor Alex Morse and joining the Urban Tech Hub at Cornell Tech.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to Scott Spencer and Bernie Lynch Jr.

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