News: Beacon Hill's rising stars

Wednesday, August 3, 2022

Beacon Hill's rising stars

Aug 03, 2022

COMING ATTRACTIONS — By now, Beacon Hill watchers are pretty familiar with power brokers like budget writers Aaron Michlewitz and Michael Rodrigues . But the last few months of formal sessions and the Supreme Court decisions that rocked them have produced another crop of lawmakers to watch going forward:

STATE REP. MICHAEL DAY — Day, the House chair of the Judiciary Committee, worked on his chamber's post-Roe abortion legislation and has been a major player in the battle over Gov. Charlie Baker's proposal to change the state's criminal dangerousness statute. House Speaker Ron Mariano also made the Stoneham Democrat the chamber's point person on gun legislation when he announced plans for an omnibus gun safety bill next session in response to the Supreme Court's Bruen ruling.

STATE SEN. JULIAN CYR — If you didn't already know this Truro Democrat for his advocacy for the Cape and Islands throughout the pandemic, you've likely seen his name attached to legislation on reproductive and gender-affirming care in response to Roe's fall (along with state Sen. Cindy Friedman, a confidante of Senate President Karen Spilka). He's also the Senate's lead on the bill expanding mental health access that's now on Baker's desk. Cyr broke into leadership in his second term and is poised to continue his rise should he defeat his challengers this fall.

STATE SEN. BRENDAN CRIGHTON — Crighton is popping up all over the place since taking over as the Senate chair of the transportation committee after Joe Boncore's departure. The Lynn Democrat was a point person on passing driver's licenses for undocumented immigrants and is assuming that role again in response to the feds' safety investigation into the beleagured MBTA.

STATE SEN. LYDIA EDWARDS — Edwards replaced Boncore in January and has already moved legislation to seal eviction records and help mitigate the Sumner Tunnel closure. The chamber's newest and only Black female lawmaker has been unafraid to buck leadership, speaking and voting in favor of the Senate's pared-down dangerousness amendment that's now back with the House. Plus, the former Boston city councilor is a key ally of Mayor Michelle Wu, who will need buy-in from Beacon Hill to advance policies like rent control next session.

STATE SEN. ADAM GOMEZ — Gomez recently said he was "scared to death" when he walked into the State House following his election in 2020. But the Afro-Latino lawmaker from Springfield helped shepherd two notable bills — driver's licenses for undocumented immigrants and, alongside Edwards and Black and Latino Caucus Chair state Rep. Chynah Tyler, the CROWN Act to ban discrimination over natural or protective hairstyles — into law in his first term, though the MassGOP is now trying to repeal the former.

STATE REP. ANDY VARGAS — The Latino lawmaker, who succeeded former House Ways and Means Chair Brian Dempsey in a Haverhill-based seat, continues to catch the eye of key Democrats in his chamber by helping deliver on universal free school meals and for his focus on early education.

GOOD WEDNESDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. Baker and transportation officials are expected to make an "update regarding accelerated infrastructure upgrades to the MBTA" at 12:30 p.m. at Wellington Station amid reports that the MBTA is "strongly considering" shutting down the Orange Line for 30 days for overdue maintenance. Several lawmakers whose districts include Orange Line stops told Playbook the news caught them off guard, including one who learned about it on social media.

TODAY — Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito chairs a Governor's Council meeting at noon. Rep. Jim McGovern is on WAMC at 4 p.m. and joins a panel on housing at Worcester City Hall at 5:30 p.m. New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu joins governor hopeful Chris Doughty for a fundraiser at 6 p.m. at the Peabody Marriott. Rep. Ayanna Pressley joins Plymouth DA candidate Rahsaan Hall for a fundraiser at 6:30 p.m. at Brockton Beer Company. Wu visits the Mildred Avenue K-8 School at 1:30 p.m. Democrats running for auditor debate on WBUR at 11 a.m.

PROGRAMMING NOTE: Massachusetts Playbook will not publish next week. I'll be back in your inbox on Aug. 15.

Tips? Scoops? Any other lawmakers I should highlight? Email me: lkashinsky@politico.com .

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DATELINE BEACON HILL

— "Mass. House speaker accuses Baker of keeping key tax info from lawmakers before tax relief package stalled," by Matt Stout, Boston Globe: "A day after state lawmakers failed to pass a sweeping tax relief package, the leader of the House of Representatives accused Governor Charlie Baker's administration of keeping lawmakers in the dark for months about the potential of the state triggering a 1980s-era tax cap law that could require it to send $3 billion back to taxpayers. … The accusation also exposed deep rifts, not only between the House and the Republican governor, but between the legislative chambers as well. Senate leaders did not lay blame at Baker's feet Tuesday, and said they felt there still was a way forward on an economic development bill that promised $1 billion in rebates and tax breaks to residents but collapsed in talks with the House during the predawn hours Monday."

— More: "Candidates for Massachusetts governor blast Legislature for not passing tax relief package," by Sharman Sacchetti, WCVB: "Attorney General Maura Healey, the lone Democratic candidate on the primary ballot with an active campaign, is calling on the Legislature to come back from break and pass a tax relief bill. 'People need relief now, so I really urge the Legislature to come back and get this done and get this tax relief provided to families,' Healey said. … Geoff Diehl, one of two Republican gubernatorial candidates on the primary ballot, said he is glad the 1986 law will give taxpayers something. … Chris Doughty, the other Republican candidate for governor, said the state can afford to pass tax relief and give out the rebates."

— And more: Democratic candidates for lieutenant governor all said they would keep the 1986 tax-cap law during their GBH News debate last night. State Rep. Tami Gouveia called for a special session to get tax relief and other forms of economic development legislation to put "dollars back into the pockets of hardworking people." But Gouveia and Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll , who also called for a special session, both passed on the opportunity to hit rival state Sen. Eric Lesser, one of the six negotiators who worked on the economic development bill, over its failure. Lesser, for his part, said the Legislature needs to "step back" and get the "overall picture" before moving forward.

GBH and the Boston Globe's Samantha J. Gross have more on the debate , in which the candidates made their pitch as the best partner for Attorney General Maura Healey and were put on the spot over their knowledge of the Governor's Council it would be their job to oversee. Playbook reported in January that Driscoll was the only LG candidate to attend a Governor's Council meeting in person prior to this campaign.

— "Chiefs of Police Association says 'we're glad' lawmakers approved license to carry law changes in light of Supreme Court decision," by Chris Van Buskirk, MassLive: "The head of the state's chiefs of police association said a proposal to bring Massachusetts' license to carry laws into compliance with a recent Supreme Court ruling 'makes sense' and still allows chiefs to reasonably regulate licenses in their communities."

— "State to expand taxpayer-subsidized health coverage," by Christian M. Wade, Eagle-Tribune: "The state's subsidized health insurance system is slated for its largest expansion in nearly a decade after lawmakers brushed aside Gov. Charlie Baker's objections to approve the plan. Approved by the Legislature in the final days of its two-year session, the plan calls for a two-year pilot program expanding eligibility for ConnectorCare, the state's subsidized health insurance program."

FROM THE HUB

— "Unionized Starbucks workers ready for legal battle with coffee giant over ongoing strikes," by Tori Bedford, GBH News: "After 16 days of picketing outside their Starbucks location in Brookline, recently unionized baristas are preparing for a legal battle with the corporation over the strike. … Employees in Brookline say they have been meeting with officials from the National Labor Relations Board this week to prepare for what could become an unprecedented legal battle. Baristas argue that the strike was launched over unfair labor practices, which would mean replacing striking workers would be illegal. Starbucks disagrees."

— "Boston city councilors file ordinance to require council or mayoral approval for flags," by Jeremy C. Fox, Boston Globe: "The ordinance, which has the support of Mayor Michelle Wu, is intended to enable the city to celebrate flag raisings supported by city officials while bringing Boston into compliance with the high court's unanimous decision in early May that officials had violated the First Amendment rights of a Christian group by refusing to fly a flag bearing a cross in 2017, according to a statement from Wu's office."

— "NOAA predicts up to 18 days of high-tide flooding for Boston next year," by Barbara Moran, WBUR: "NOAA predicts 11-18 days of high-tide flooding for Boston next year, even though the city had fewer-than-predicted flood days last year, according to an annual report released Tuesday. Boston saw just seven days of high-tide flooding from May 2021 to April 2022, instead of the predicted 11-18 days."

YAHD SIGNS AND BUMPAH STICKAHS

— FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: Rep. Ayanna Pressley is endorsing Katrina Huff-Larmond for Second Plymouth and Norfolk state senator against incumbent state Sen. Mike Brady . Pressley called Huff-Larmond a "trailblazer, a change-maker and a valued partner" on advancing health equity and other matters.

— The American Federation of Teachers Massachusetts has endorsed state Rep. Jake Oliveira for Hampden, Hampshire and Worcester state senator.

— CASH DASH: Taxpayer funds through the state's public campaign financing program gave state Rep. Tami Gouveia her best fundraising haul in six months in the Democratic primary for lieutenant governor. With an initial installment of $148,262, Gouveia reported $180,089 in receipts for July and $196,711 in cash on hand. Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll will report raising $114,370 in July and $300,207 in her bank account, her campaign said. State Sen. Eric Lesser will report raising $72,767 in July and more than $1 million in cash on hand. On the Republican side, former state Rep. Kate Campanale raised $2,416 and has $9,564 in her bank account. Rival and former state Rep. Leah Cole Allen raised $25,000, her campaign said. Her cash on hand was not immediately available.

— "Two Democratic candidates for attorney general lacked state-mandated workers' comp insurance for months," by Emma Platoff, Boston Globe: "Two of the three Democratic candidates competing to be the state's next attorney general have been campaigning for months without paying for state-mandated workers' compensation insurance for their campaign staff, in apparent violation of Massachusetts state law. In response to inquiries from the Boston Globe, the campaigns of Andrea Campbell and Quentin Palfrey both confirmed Tuesday that they did not currently have the coverage in place. Both campaigns said they would immediately obtain it and expected to be in compliance within 24 hours."

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PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES

— MORE TEA ON THE T: "MBTA said to be considering 30-day shutdown of Orange Line to perform maintenance," by Taylor Dolven, Boston Globe: "The MBTA is strongly considering shutting down the Orange Line for 30 days beginning later this month, according to people familiar with the plan. The shutdown, which would stretch into September, would allow the T to perform long overdue maintenance, according to the sources. It would also mean inconveniencing hundreds of thousands of people who rely on the Orange Line. The MBTA's board of directors scheduled a last-minute meeting for Wednesday morning to review a contract with A Yankee Line, Inc., a company that often provides shuttle service buses when the MBTA shuts down parts of its subway lines."

MARIJUANA IN MASSACHUSETTS

— "Pediatric association against allowing medical pot in Massachusetts schools," by Matthew Medsger, Boston Herald: "The use of medical marijuana by students, the subject of a study waiting for Gov. Charlie Baker's signature, is not being backed by the American Academy of Pediatrics."

FROM THE 413

— "Democratic candidates DiZoglio, Mark press for full PILOT funding," by Dusty Christensen, Daily Hampshire Gazette: "Standing in front of Hallockville Pond in the Kenneth Dubuque Memorial State Forest on Tuesday, state Sen. Diana DiZoglio, D-Methuen, and state Rep. Paul Mark, D-Peru, called on the state to stop 'shortchanging' smaller rural communities with its PILOT program. 'With an extremely limited and almost all-residential tax base, the failure to fully fund PILOT creates severe financial hardships on these small towns as they struggle to pay their share of regional school budgets and keep their roads maintained,' DiZoglio said."

— "Amherst College takes lead on Supreme Court brief backing race as factor in admissions," by Scott Merzbach, Daily Hampshire Gazette: "Citing a compelling interest in having a racially diverse student body, Amherst College on Tuesday filed an amicus curiae brief with the U.S. Supreme Court supporting the legality of a race-conscious admissions process."

THE LOCAL ANGLE

— "Gun sales hit record levels in Massachusetts over past two years," by Saurabh Datar, WBUR: "In Massachusetts — a state not known for its gun enthusiasm — firearm sales hit record levels over the past two years, with handguns dominating the purchases. A WBUR analysis of state data found that gun dealers here sold almost 276,000 firearms from 2020 through 2021. Of those, 64% were handguns, which people tend to buy for self protection. Another 23% were rifles, including the controversial AR-15 style weapons of the sort used in high-profile mass shootings."

— "Nearly 2 million Massachusetts residents have skipped meals due to inflation," by Marie Szaniszlo, Boston Herald: "More than 1.9 million people — 36% of Massachusetts adults — have eaten less because inflation has hit a 40-year high, leading to a 12% surge in the cost of groceries, compared to prices in May of 2021, according to CouponBirds, a real-time, coupon and deals discovery engine, which surveyed 3,500 adults."

— "Massachusetts school district pushes back start date due to supply-chain issues," by Tristan Smith, MassLive: "[The Gardner Public School] district is extending its students' summer vacation after supply-chain issues disrupted summer school maintenance projects."

— IN MEMORIAM: Elaine Schuster, a prominent Democratic activist and philanthropist, died Aug. 1 of complications from pneumonia. She was 90. Schuster served on the national finance committees for Hillary Clinton and John Kerry's presidential campaigns, was appointed a public delegate to the UN General Assembly by then-President Barack Obama and founded the Schuster Institute for Investigative Journalism at Brandeis University with her late husband, among her myriad accomplishments.

HEARD 'ROUND THE BUBBLAH

HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to Joe McCarthy, Andrea Battle, WBZ NewsRadio's Nichole Davis and former Patriots/current Bucs QB Tom Brady, who is 45.

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