| | | | |  | | By Lisa Kashinsky | COVERING THEIR TRACKS — The next frontier in the abortion-rights fight: data privacy. The ACLU of Massachusetts and reproductive-rights groups are launching a new lobbying effort to support legislation that would prevent companies from selling or leasing cell phone location data without permission. While the companion bills filed by Senate Majority Leader Cindy Creem and state Rep. Kate Lipper-Garabedian aim to crack down on data brokers more broadly, advocates are pushing them as another way to protect people seeking abortion care in Massachusetts from possible harassment and prosecution by states that have criminalized the procedure. And they’re touting polling that shows overwhelming and bipartisan support for such a bill. A January Beacon Research survey of 1,003 registered voters in the state showed 92 percent support for banning companies from selling location data, with 93 percent of Democrats and independents and 88 percent of Republicans in favor of it. The question pollsters posed to get those results didn’t mention abortion. But 63 percent of respondents separately said they were “extremely concerned” that other states could use location data to target people who travel to Massachusetts for reproductive care. “People want our lawmakers to protect our rights and the right to personal autonomy and the right to travel without being tracked,” said Carol Rose, executive director of the ACLU of Massachusetts, which worked with lawmakers on the bills and is partnering with Reproductive Equity Now and the Planned Parenthood Advocacy Fund of Massachusetts on the “Your Location: It’s None of Their Business” campaign. The bills are part of a broader push among blue states since the fall of Roe v. Wade to protect reproductive health data. Washington state passed a law in April that prohibits companies from collecting and sharing private health information without consent and bans them from geofencing locations — like abortion clinics — to obtain that data. California passed a law last fall that bars health care providers from releasing an abortion patient’s medical information in response to out-of-state subpoenas or requests. Minnesota’s new law requires patient consent to release their reproductive health records, even in response to a subpoena. The proposal on Beacon Hill would be more in line with Illinois’ longstanding privacy law regulating how companies collect and store biometric information, such as fingerprints and facial recognition scans, Rose said. But it would still be “first-of-its-kind legislation in the country,” Lipper-Garabedian told Playbook. “Data brokers can gather your information and sell it for a variety of reasons. This is basically saying: no more of that.” Abortion-rights groups are ramping up their lobbying efforts nearly a year to the day after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. The bills have already racked up a few dozen cosponsors between them, but have yet to be scheduled for a hearing. GOOD WEDNESDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. Asked whether having the Senate majority leader’s backing could help the bills progress this session, Creem replied: “I hope so.” TODAY — Gov. Maura Healey attends Embrace Boston’s inaugural Juneteenth concert at 10:30 a.m. on the Boston Common. Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll makes a MassTrails grant announcement at 10:30 a.m. in Billerica. Secretary of State Bill Galvin hosts a Flag Day celebration at 10:30 a.m. at the State House. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu is on “Java with Jimmy” at 9 a.m., attends a West Roxbury coffee hour at 9:30 a.m., performs with the Embrace choir at 11:15 a.m. on the Common and hosts a press conference on a city homeownership program at 2:45 p.m. in Dorchester. Sen. Ed Markey reintroduces the “Right to Contraception Act” at 12:30 p.m. at the U.S. Capitol. AG Andrea Campbell speaks at The Dimock Center's annual meeting at 5:30 p.m. in Boston. Tips? Scoops? Email me: lkashinsky@politico.com.
| | | | 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. | | | | | |  | DAY IN COURT | | |  People rally outside the Wilkie D. Ferguson Jr. U.S. Courthouse, Tuesday, June 13, 2023, in Miami. Former President Donald Trump appeared in federal court Tuesday on dozens of felony charges accusing him of illegally hoarding classified documents and thwarting the Justice Department's efforts to get the records back. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell) | AP | | — DEMS SKIP DUNKING ON TRUMP: Donald Trump pleaded not guilty to federal criminal charges that he hoarded classified documents and hampered the government’s attempts to get them back, Kyle Cheney, Josh Gerstein and Andrew Atterbury report from the former president’s historic court appearance in Miami. As Trump’s indictment dominated the news (again), members of the state’s all-Democratic congressional delegation were at the U.S. Capitol casting votes on gas stove legislation. And the 37 felony counts Trump is facing were far from top of mind, Mia McCarthy writes in from D.C. President Joe Biden ordered the national Democratic Party and his reelection campaign to stay silent on Trump’s latest indictment. And a reluctance to address the latest case against the former president appears to be taking hold among congressional Democrats as Republicans attack the charges as politically motivated. Rep. Jake Auchincloss closed his eyes and let out an audible sigh when asked about the indictment. “No one is above the law … especially the former president,” Auchincloss said. But, he cautioned, "I don’t think we should be politicizing it.” Rep. Richard Neal said he doesn’t think Democrats are being more “reserved” about this indictment so much as “there’s a common regard that most of us would have for our legal system … [that] both sides get to present their cases.” Rep. Ayanna Pressley said she’s “glad that there’s finally some accountability” but “I can’t be too gleeful here, because these are the sorts of things that sow distrust from the American people when it comes to government.” And Democrats are also getting tired of talking about Trump. “There are so many investigations going on,” Rep. Stephen Lynch said. “I think it’s sort of a fatigue out there to keep up with everything he's doing wrong.”
| | | DATELINE BEACON HILL | | | — “Eliminating tax cap law among 70-plus amendments to Senate’s $586M tax relief plan,” by Chris Van Buskirk, Boston Herald: “State Sen. Jamie Eldridge said he wants to scrap the voter-passed tax cap law known as Chapter 62F because it creates a layer of unpredictability with state spending.” Business leaders are urging the Senate to include a reduction to the short-term capital gains tax rate in their final package after Democratic leaders left it out of their initial proposal, the Eagle-Tribune’s Christian M. Wade reports. Republican-led amendments would add that and other elements of the House and Gov. Maura Healey’s proposed tax changes that the Senate left out. — “Salem marketing czar, who helped rebrand the Witch City, tapped by Healey to lead state’s tourism office,” by Samantha J. Gross and Matt Stout, Boston Globe: “Governor Maura Healey’s administration has appointed Kate Fox, who led marketing for the city of Salem through the COVID-19 pandemic and countless enormous Halloween celebrations, to lead the state’s Office of Travel and Tourism.” — "The push to reimagine mandated reporting increasingly has a new question: Is less, not more, better?" by Matt Stout, Boston Globe: "A pair of legislative proposals that has the backing of doctors, the state-appointed child advocate, and others would end the mandate that medical professionals automatically report a mother to DCF for suspected child neglect because a baby is born exposed to an 'addictive drug,' a list that includes medication to help treat addiction."
| | | | GET READY FOR GLOBAL TECH DAY: Join POLITICO Live as we launch our first Global Tech Day alongside London Tech Week on Thursday, June 15. Register now for continuing updates and to be a part of this momentous and program-packed day! From the blockchain, to AI, and autonomous vehicles, technology is changing how power is exercised around the world, so who will write the rules? REGISTER HERE. | | | | | | | FROM THE HUB | | — “Negotiations between Wu administration and city’s largest police, fire unions move closer to arbitration,” by Sean Cotter, Boston Globe: “Since her campaign, Mayor Michelle Wu placed a heavy focus on public safety contracts as a vehicle to deliver reform, but increasingly the state’s labor committee is getting involved at the unions’ requests.” — “Two decades later, public housing is once again coming to Boston,” by Andrew Brinker, Boston Globe.
| | THE RACE FOR CITY HALL | | — FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: Attorney General Andrea Campbell is endorsing Somerville Mayor Katjana Ballantyne for a second term, saying "there is no one better to advocate" for the city's residents. Ballantyne was previously endorsed by Gov. Maura Healey and Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll. Ballantyne is heading for a rematch of sorts against William “Billy” Tauro, a self-proclaimed Democrat-turned-Republican-turned-independent who previously supported former President Donald Trump, and who plans to launch his campaign next week, per Facebook. Tauro ran for mayor in 2021 but didn’t advance past the preliminary election. — “DiLisio bows out of Attleboro mayor's race,” by George W. Rhodes, The Sun Chronicle: “City Council President James J. DiLisio has decided not to make a second run for mayor in the fall. He will instead run again for his at-large city council seat. … DiLisio lost the February special election for mayor to Cathleen DeSimone, then also a city councilor, by 8 percentage points, 49% to 41%.”
| | IT'S NOT EASY BEING GREEN | | — SEED MONEY: Gov. Maura Healey said she’s launching the nation’s first “green bank” that’s dedicated to affordable housing as she looks to chip away at the state’s housing shortage and accelerate building decarbonization projects. The governor is seeding the Massachusetts Community Climate Bank with $50 million from the Department of Environmental Protection to start, as she looks to attract private-sector investments and compete for federal funding for more climate-friendly housing retrofits and new construction. Read more from the Boston Globe’s Sabrina Shankman and GBH’s Katie Lannan. — “Mass. offshore wind developers could forfeit more than $100m,” by Bruce Mohl, CommonWealth Magazine: “The two wind farms seeking to terminate their Massachusetts power purchase agreements may have to forfeit tens of millions of dollars, according to the House’s energy leader. Rep. Jeffrey Roy of Franklin, the House chair of the Legislature’s Telecommunications, Utilities, and Energy Committee, said Commonwealth Wind would forfeit $48 million and SouthCoast Wind would lose $60 million. The money would go to the state’s three major utilities, and likely be rebated to customers.” — “'One step closer.' Vineyard Wind begins laying foundations for offshore wind turbines,” by Heather McCarron, Cape Cod Times.
| | PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES | | — “Chinese contractor submitted unfinished Orange Line cars to MBTA,” by Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald: “Problems have continued to plague the production of new Orange and Red Line trains, the latest of which involved the Chinese contractor submitting unfinished cars to the MBTA for final inspection and delivery. The condition of these cars was described as ‘unacceptable’ by one MBTA manager in a June 7 email to CRRC MA representatives, obtained by the Herald.”
| | FROM THE 413 | | — “State's highest court rules Hume New England can move forward with RV park in Monterey,” by Amanda Burke, Berkshire Eagle: “A religious organization will be permitted to establish an RV park as part of its evangelical Christian camp over the objection of town officials, the state’s highest court has ruled.”
| | | THE LOCAL ANGLE | | | — “Study suggests up to 320 hospitalized for heat in Worcester every year,” by Henry Schwan, Telegram & Gazette: “The study done by Urban Climate Consulting LLC used statistical analysis to estimate that Worcester experiences approximately eight deaths and 120 to 320 hospital visits yearly for heat-related conditions.” — “Worcester moving $4M in ARPA funding to address food insecurity, housing,” by Kiernan Dunlop, MassLive.
| | MEANWHILE IN RHODE ISLAND | | — “Governor McKee criticized for ‘totally inadequate and offensive’ response to ‘sexist, racist’ behavior of top officials,” by Edward Fitzpatrick, Alexa Gagosz and Brian Amaral, Boston Globe.
| | HEARD ‘ROUND THE BUBBLAH | | TRANSITIONS — Peter Andruszkiewicz, Andrea Gelzer, Larry Neiterman and Karen Shields have joined Commonwealth Care Alliance’s board of directors. — Jeff McCue will become commissioner of the Department of Transitional Assistance on July 17. He is currently assistant secretary for human resources and chief human resources officer for the state’s Human Resource Division and served as DTA commissioner from 2015 to 2019. — Brooke Thomson will succeed John Regan as president and CEO of the Associated Industries of Massachusetts. Regan will remain CEO through the end of the year; Thomson, the organization’s chief government affairs executive, starts immediately as president. — Douglas McGarrah has been appointed general counsel for MassDOT and the MBTA. He has served as a partner at Foley Hoag LLP. HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to Hannah Rehm and Danny Gaynor. 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 | | | | Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook | Playbook PM | California Playbook | Florida Playbook | Illinois Playbook | Massachusetts Playbook | New Jersey Playbook | New York Playbook | Ottawa Playbook | Brussels Playbook | London Playbook View all our politics and policy newsletters | | Follow us | | | | |
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