News: The 'people's house' will finally reopen to the people

Tuesday, February 15, 2022

The 'people's house' will finally reopen to the people

Feb 15, 2022

COME ONE, COME ALL — The last time the State House was open to the public, Robert DeLeo was still the House speaker.

More than 700 days and a new speaker later, the last state Capitol in the continental United States to remain completely closed to the public will reopen next Tuesday.

Masks and either proof of vaccination or a negative test within 24 hours of entry will be required to gain access to the building. Boosters won't be necessary. The decision to allow a testing option is, in part, because four representatives remain out of compliance with the House vaccine mandate, Speaker Ron Mariano said in response to a POLITICO reporter's question.

Other details, including who will be checking people's vaccine records at the door, remain murky as the House and Senate continue to work out logistics.

— Mask enforcement could be an issue. Your Playbook scribe encountered five unmasked people within 10 minutes of arriving at the State House yesterday. Senate President Karen Spilka said they'll "remind people" to mask up.

— Legislators plan to reevaluate their rules weekly. But what metrics they'll use are unclear, beyond vague "transmission rates."

— Rules for legislative staff could vary. Mariano told reporters he wants to have "every office staffed." An internal email from the House HR department shared with Playbook mentioned "hybrid scheduling." Spilka said it'll be up to each individual senator in her chamber.

The grand reopening could be a bit of a soft reopening. Feb. 22 falls during school vacation week, a typically quiet time at the State House. Hybrid work options and virtual committee hearings mean lawmakers and staffers likely won't be stampeding back to Beacon Hill.

Truro state Sen. Julian Cyr told Playbook that "for those of us who represent far-flung corners of the commonwealth, I expect we'll continue to work from both [our districts] and the State House." Still, he said, "it's about time" the building reopens.

GOOD TUESDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. GOP Gov. Charlie Baker may be heading for the door, but he's still putting the Democratic-controlled Legislature through its paces on his way out.

Baker vetoed "unrealistic" deadlines around mask distribution and vaccine equity in the $101 million Covid-19 spending bill lawmakers sent to his desk. Spilka told reporters yesterday that "we're taking a look at them."

The threat of a Baker veto also looms over legislation that would allow undocumented immigrants to obtain driver's licenses, which the House is expected to debate and vote on this week. Baker has opposed similar measures in the past and said yesterday that he supports the "current position."

Baker stopped short of saying yesterday whether he would veto a bill if it lands on his desk. But Mariano is preparing for the possibility by working to secure enough votes to override one.

TODAY — Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito visits Randolph at 11 a.m., New Bedford at 1 p.m. and Taunton at 2:30 p.m. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu delivers remarks at a MassWorks grant press conference in Roxbury at 11 a.m. and visits "Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience" in Dorchester at 12:30 p.m. Assistant House Speaker Katherine Clark is on GBH's "Boston Public Radio" and highlights ARPA investments at the Charles River Community Health Center at 10:30 a.m. and the Waltham Department of Public Works at noon. Rep. Ayanna Pressley and Boston City Councilor Julia Mejia hold a virtual youth town hall at 6 p.m.

PROGRAMMING NOTE — Massachusetts Playbook will not publish this Friday or next Monday. I'll be back in your inbox on Tuesday.

Tips? Scoops? Email me: lkashinsky@politico.com. Also, we're aware that some links may be missing from Playbook when we publish. Our engineers are still working on it.

BECOME A GLOBAL INSIDER: The world is more connected than ever. It has never been more essential to identify, unpack and analyze important news, trends and decisions shaping our future — and we've got you covered! Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, Global Insider author Ryan Heath navigates the global news maze and connects you to power players and events changing our world. Don't miss out on this influential global community. Subscribe now.

THE LATEST NUMBERS

— "Massachusetts reports 3,863 coronavirus cases over the weekend, hospitalizations down," by Rick Sobey, Boston Herald: "The 3,863 infection total was significantly down from 6,725 cases last weekend — a 43% decline."

— "New Massachusetts data on boosters and coronavirus breakthrough cases: 180 boosted people have died, 586 hospitalized," by Rick Sobey, Boston Herald: "The Massachusetts Department of Public Health's data reveals that 180 boosted people in the state have died from the virus, and 586 boosted people have been hospitalized for COVID."

DATELINE BEACON HILL

— "Lawmakers urge pause on collections on Massachusetts unemployment overpayments amid pandemic," by Erin Tiernan, Boston Herald: "Top lawmakers heading the state Legislature's labor committee are urging Gov. Charlie Baker's administration to 'pause' collections on overpaid unemployment benefits through July, calling for more time to untangle a complicated financial situation."

— "Protester on Boston Common jeers at Mayor Michelle Wu; but he had the wrong person," by Alison Kuznitz, MassLive: "A voting rights press conference on the Boston Common Monday afternoon — featuring Rep. Nika Elugardo rallying support for election-day registration to boost turnout among Black and Latinx communities across Massachusetts — was derailed by a protester jeering at the wrong person. 'You're a political puppet ... Why don't you look into it, Mayor Wu?' the protester said, erroneously believing Boston Mayor Michelle Wu was standing on the steps of the Common, leading to the Massachusetts State House. … But to the surprise of the protester, Wu did not attend the press conference Monday. He had misdirected his anger toward Beth Huang, the executive director of the Massachusetts Voter Table."

— "Schools, businesses want early college program greatly expanded for underrepresented students — but will Mass. do it?" by Naomi Martin, Boston Globe: "Seemingly everyone from school superintendents to Governor Charlie Baker agrees that Massachusetts' program should grow, but a debate swirls around how much the state should spend on expansion. Baker's administration recently proposed a $7.3 million increase, to total $18.3 million next year, though advocates are calling for more. A legislative bill would create a program trust fund with public dollars and donations from businesses clamoring for a more skilled, more diverse workforce."

— "Nearly 540,000 Participating In At-Home Testing Program For Schools," by Michael P. Norton, State House News Service (paywall): "About 537,000 staff and students from participating public schools and districts have opted into the at-home COVID-19 testing program so far, according to the state education commissioner."

— "Protesters call for 5-year halt on prison construction in Massachusetts," by Jake Freudberg, GBH News: "A group of over 50 people gathered on the steps of the Massachusetts State House [Monday] in support of a bill that would place a five-year moratorium on jail and prison construction and expansion."

VAX-ACHUSETTS

— "Report finds a 'workforce crisis' is behind long waits for mental health care in Massachusetts," by Deborah Becker, WBUR: "A new report suggests a "workforce crisis" is affecting mental health care in Massachusetts, resulting in longer waits for outpatient treatment and fewer people getting care. The Association for Behavioral Healthcare report released Tuesday said the average wait time in the state for an initial mental health assessment by a licensed clinician is longer than two months. It found that more licensed clinicians are leaving positions than are being hired."

WU TRAIN

— "Michelle Wu has raised over $1 million for her inaugural festivities, most of it from Boston's power brokers," by Emma Platoff, Boston Globe: "Mayor Michelle Wu has raised more than $1 million for her inaugural festivities, the bulk of it from Boston's traditional power brokers, including big business, lobbyists, and real estate developers with projects before the city, campaign finance data show. … The event, originally set for January, was postponed until sometime this spring because of the pandemic, and the fund has not taken in any money since the first week of the year."

FROM THE HUB

— "Early exit could mean big payout for Boston Public Schools superintendent Brenda Cassellius," by Sharman Sacchetti, WCVB: "Brenda Cassellius, the outgoing superintendent of Boston Public Schools, could be expecting a substantial payout as a result of her decision to leave at the end of the school year. The district has not yet released the terms of a separation agreement with Cassellius but if the terms of her existing contract stand, Boston would need to cut her a check for approximately $450,000 as she leaves office."

— "Wu promises 'urgency' in search for next Boston Public Schools superintendent," by Paris Alston and Jeremy Siegel, GBH News: "'We don't have any names as of right now. The search committee hasn't been formed and I know the school committee will be very diligent in how that reflects the representation of our communities,' [Boston Mayor Michelle Wu said.]"

— "Police removed 600-plus names from a Boston gang database. For some councilors, it's not enough," by Danny McDonald, Boston Globe: "Police removed more than 600 names from a Boston gang database last year as authorities purged 'inactive' individuals from the system's rolls, but with more than 3,000 people still listed in the controversial database, calls for the program's dismantling persist."

STEP INSIDE THE WEST WING: What's really happening in West Wing offices? Find out who's up, who's down, and who really has the president's ear in our West Wing Playbook newsletter, the insider's guide to the Biden White House and Cabinet. For buzzy nuggets and details that you won't find anywhere else, subscribe today.

PARTY POLITICS

— ON THE MOVE: MassDems Executive Director Veronica Martinez will join the DNC as deputy director of party affairs and delegate selection at the end of the month, state party Chair Gus Bickford told members in an email Monday afternoon that was obtained by POLITICO. Bickford credited Martinez with helping Democrats flip 10 seats in the state Legislature, where the party already holds a supermajority, and overseeing "transformational changes" to the state party's caucus and convention process.

Martinez faced scrutiny in 2020 after allegations of misconduct surfaced against then-congressional hopeful and Holyoke mayor Alex Morse. A party investigation faulted both Martinez and Bickford for their handling of the situation, though the report said there was "nothing nefarious" about Martinez's actions.

THE LOCAL ELECTIONS ROUNDUP

— "Norfolk select board member running for state rep," by Stephen Peterson, Sun Chronicle: "Select board member Kevin Kalkut has announced his candidacy for the state representative seat now held by Republican Shawn Dooley, who is running for state Senate. Kalkut, 39, a Democrat, is in his fourth year on the Norfolk Select Board and previously served two years as its chairman. Dooley's wife, CiCi Van Tine, is currently chair of the Norfolk Select Board."

— FEELING '22: Agawam City Councilor Cecilia Calabrese , who had been floated in Republican circles as a potential candidate for lieutenant governor, has filed paperwork with OCPF to run for state Senate. Calabrese declined comment last night.

— Althea Garrison, a perennial candidate and former Boston City Councilor who ran unsuccessfully to rejoin the body last year, has filed paperwork to run for the 5th Suffolk District House seat she held in the 1990s. Christopher Worrell, the younger brother of Boston City Councilor Brian Worrell and a Boston Planning and Development Agency staffer, has also filed to run and is fundraising for the 5th Suffolk seat being vacated by state Rep. Liz Miranda, who's running for the Second Suffolk state Senate seat.

PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES

— "Amid questions about cost and continued diesel use, T breaks ground on the new Quincy bus garage," by Taylor Dolven, Boston Globe: "Governor Charlie Baker, Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority General Manager Steve Poftak, Senator Elizabeth Warren, and other state and local officials gathered inside the abandoned Lowe's in Quincy to celebrate the groundbreaking of the $372 million facility they said marks a new era of electrified bus transit. But transportation and environmental advocates are raising questions about the eye-popping cost of the facility and the T's decision to use diesel components for its electric buses there."

— "'Better transit services not free service': Springfield and PVTA support subsidized busing rather than free fare, as Boston makes three routes free," by Cassie McGrath, MassLive: "While Boston and Worcester both currently offer free fare on public bus transportation, Springfield is taking a different route: subsidized riding."

DAY IN COURT

— "First jury trials of 2022 underway after COVID-19 winter surge," by Tonya Alanez, Boston Globe: "Jury trials resumed Monday at courthouses across the state after a winter surge in COVID-19 cases prompted a six-week postponement that has kept jurors at home and trials off courtroom dockets so far this year."

FROM THE 413

— "Town fines Amherst restaurant for violating mask mandate," by Scott Merzbach, Daily Hampshire Gazette: "A South Amherst restaurant is being fined for its employees not wearing face coverings on multiple occasions this year, becoming the first business to accrue penalties for failing to comply with the town's mask rules. But Mission Cantina owner Sam Kochan told the Board of Health Thursday that he is appealing the fines, that the town's regulations have been onerous and that he has lost half of his business, and 80% of employees, during the course of the nearly two-year-long pandemic."

THE LOCAL ANGLE

— "Tufts University president Anthony Monaco is latest higher education leader to step down," by Laura Krantz, Boston Globe: "The president of Tufts University on Monday became the latest longtime leader of a New England academic institution to announce plans to retire, following two of the most difficult years in the history of higher education. In recent weeks and months, the veteran presidents of MIT, Amherst College, Dartmouth College, WPI, and Emmanuel College have announced they would retire or depart for new positions."

— "Report: A year after executive order, work continues dismantling structural racism in Worcester," by Steven H. Foskett Jr., Worcester Telegram & Gazette: "A year ago this week, City Manager Edward M. Augustus Jr. signed an executive order and offered up several recommendations aimed at dismantling structural and institutional racism in the city. A subsequent report Augustus submitted to the City Council that is expected to be up for discussion at Tuesday's meeting, shows roughly half the recommendations have been carried through to completion, and about half remain in progress."

— "Beverly clerk seeks pay increase for election workers," by Paul Leighton, Salem News: "In a letter to the City Council, City Clerk Lisa Kent proposed nearly doubling the pay for election workers. Kent said the city had a hard time finding workers last year in the midst of a pandemic and new rules regarding mail-in and early voting that make the job more demanding."

— "Hundreds rally to support grad students in Title IX lawsuit against Harvard University," by David Bienick, WCVB: "Hundreds of people marched across the snowy Harvard campus while chanting and carrying signs in support of three graduate students who are suing the university. The lawsuit alleges a pattern of sexual misconduct within the university's Anthropology Department."

— "Newton School Had Toddlers Make, Wear Blackface Masks in Black History Month Lesson," by Brian Burnell, Mike Pescaro and Michael Rosenfield, NBC10 Boston: "A Massachusetts Montessori school is under fire after instructing young children to make and wear Blackface masks as a Black History Month project. The incident, which happened in a classroom with toddlers, took place last Tuesday at IC Kids in Newton."

TRANSITIONS — Susan Elsbree joins Benchmark Strategies as a senior vice president.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to Law 360's Chris Villani.

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: jshapiro@politico.com.

Follow us on Twitter