| | | | |  | | By Kelly Garrity | SHOTS FIRED — The fight over the wide-ranging gun control law the Legislature passed this summer is only just beginning. Gun rights activists are looking to challenge the law, including new restrictions on “ghost guns” and expanded the state’s red flag laws, in the courtroom and at the ballot box. Toby Leary, one of the owners of Cape Gun Works in Hyannis, began forming a coalition to repeal the new legislation through a ballot question shortly after it passed. Dubbed “The Civil Rights Coalition,” the group was pushing to pause implementation of the law until Gov. Maura Healey added an emergency preamble last week, enacting it on the spot. That threw a wrench in Leary’s plans to put the new law on ice, but it didn’t kill the effort. The coalition is holding a press conference at the State House at noon to give an update on their signature gathering campaign, Leary told Playbook. Organizers have previously said they collected more than the roughly 49,000 they would’ve needed to halt implementation of the law (They only need around 37,000 to get on the ballot.). Collecting extra is the safe way to go — the signatures still have to be filed with local clerks before they’re shipped to the secretary of state’s office for review. It’s not the only plan that opponents have in place to try to kill the new law. A Bellingham gun store filed a federal lawsuit last Friday, the State House News Service reported Monday. That’s in addition to the one Gun Owners Action League brought in early August. Expect more federal lawsuits to emerge this week, Leary said. Gun safety groups are keeping an eye on the repeal efforts as the legislation is implemented. “Obviously there are more steps that need to happen in terms of certifying the signatures,” Ruth Zakarin, the CEO of the Massachusetts Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence, told Playbook. “We're watching everything very closely.” The legal battles brewing in Massachusetts are the latest challenges brought after the 2022 Supreme Court decision in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen. That decision found that gun restrictions are only valid if they adhere to historical practices from early American history — setting off a frenzy of lawsuits across the country. Keep an eye out for more challenges to pop up here soon. GOOD TUESDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. TODAY — Gov. Maura Healey has no public events. Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll speaks at a conference hosted by the Massachusetts Association of Regional Planning Agencies and the Division of Local Services at 9 a.m. in Worcester. Attorney General Andrea Campbell makes an announcement about her office’s social media work at 1 p.m. in Boston. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu is on GBH’s Boston Public Radio at noon and speaks at the reopening of the remodeled BCYF Johnson Community Center at 1:15 p.m. in Mission Hill. Rep. Lori Trahan announces funding for GAAMHA’s mental health and recovery services at 2 p.m. in Gardner. Sens. Ed Markey and ELizabeth Warren and Rep. Bill Keating attend a ribbon cutting for the New Bedford Port Authority’s North Terminal expansion project at noon in New Bedford alongside state local officials. Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for the Playbook? Drop me a line: kgarrity@politico.com.
|  | DATELINE BEACON HILL | | — “Mass. ranked dead last in legislative competitiveness,” by Christian M. Wade, The Eagle-Tribune: “The 2024 State Legislative Competitiveness report by Ballotpedia, a nonprofit website that bills itself as an "encyclopedia" of American politics, ranked the Bay State 44th out of 44 states with legislative elections in November. The state has been the least competitive nationwide in six of the last eight even-year elections, according to the report. … Ballotpedia ranked the 44 states with general elections this year based on legislative competitiveness: open seats, incumbents in contested primaries, and races with major party competition where Democrats and Republicans meet head-to-head in the general election.”
| | FROM THE HUB | | — “Is Boston really America’s safest major city? Wu says yes. But the numbers aren’t so clear,” by Adam Reilly, GBH News: “Over the past year, Mayor Michelle Wu has spoken with striking confidence about public safety in Boston. If those claims sound familiar, it could be because they echo assertions then-Mayor Marty Walsh made back in 2017 as he ran for reelection — at least, until GBH News noted that data from the Federal Bureau of Investigation told a more ambiguous story. Which raises a question: Does the idea that Boston is America’s safest city, or its safest big city, pass muster now in a way it didn’t under Walsh’s watch? The answer is: not necessarily.” — “Boston Water and Sewer Commission unions press for investigation, suspension of HR director embroiled in two lawsuits,” by Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald: “Three unions representing Boston Water and Sewer Commission employees are urging the agency to investigate and suspend its human resources director while the ‘severe’ allegations leveled against her in two civil lawsuits play out in court. The unions, SEIU Local 888, IAM Local 100, and OPEIU Local 6, sent a letter to the commission’s executive director Henry Vitale on Friday after receiving ‘multiple comments and complaints from members related to charges’ filed in two Suffolk Superior Court lawsuits against the agency’s HR director Marie Theodat.”
| | ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR | | — “Tufts University suspends SJP chapter after anti-Israel group calls for students to ‘Join the Student Intifada!’,” by Rick Sobey, Boston Herald: “A Tufts University student group that was under fire a year ago for supporting Hamas’ terrorist attack on Israel has been suspended after the pro-Palestine group used images of assault rifles to promote an Oct. 7 protest as they called for students to “Join the Student Intifada!’ Tufts recently placed the Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) group on interim suspension due to multiple violations of university policies, according to a Tufts spokesperson.”
| | THE RACE FOR CITY HALL | | — “Methuen's mayoral election set for Dec. 10,” by Teddy Tauscher, The Eagle-Tribune: “Voters will choose their next mayor Dec. 10. The City Council authorized a special election during their meeting Monday night in response to the recent death of Mayor Neil Perry. Starting at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, candidates will be able to pull nomination papers, according to City Clerk Anne Drouin.”
| | BALLOT BATTLES | | — “Mass. voters overwhelmingly back Harris over Trump, eliminating MCAS graduation requirement, Suffolk/Globe poll finds,” by Matt Stout and Anjali Huynh, The Boston Globe: “Facing a ballot brimming with potentially seismic choices, Massachusetts voters overwhelmingly want to eliminate the MCAS as a graduation requirement, allow the state auditor to investigate the Legislature, and, perhaps least unsurprising, make Kamala Harris the country’s next president, a Suffolk University/Boston Globe poll shows. But they’re torn on a range of other issues, including whether to make Massachusetts the third state to legalize psychedelics, including mushrooms.”
| | YAHD SIGNS AND BUMPAH STICKAHS | | — “Neal is up against a challenger who knocks him as a 'career politician.' But he says his tenure helps gets things done,” by Heather Bellow, The Berkshire Eagle: “It’s less than five weeks to Election Day, but incumbent U.S. Rep. Richard Neal appears calm, and with humor intact. He’s been at this a long time — 35 years, in fact. For the Springfield Democrat running for another two-year term, the rodeo of politics is just part of his job earmarking a lot of taxpayer money. Many billions of it.” — “Without corporate cash, can Nadia Milleron beat Rep. Richard Neal? Here's why,” by Heather Bellow, The Berkshire Eagle. — “Haddad, Thurber in state rep rematch. Here's where they stand on the area's biggest issues,” by Emily Scherny, The Herald News. — “Leigh Davis, running for 3rd Berkshire District, touts a ‘creative mindset’ in tackling region's challenges,” by Clarence Fanto, The Berkshire Eagle.
| | DAY IN COURT | | — “Mass. high court hears arguments over Milton's defiance of the MBTA Communities Act,” by Alexi Cohan, GBH News: “Massachusetts’ highest court heard arguments on Monday in the ongoing battle between the town of Milton and the state over whether Milton needs to abide by the MBTA Communities Law. Supreme Judicial Court Justices questioned two main points as each side made their case — whether Attorney General Andrea Campbell has the authority to enforce compliance of the law, and whether the guidelines behind the law were created properly.”
| | IT'S NOT EASY BEING GREEN | | — “Holyoke pump stations switch gears,” by Aprell May Munford, MassLive: “Plans are underway to switch gears, replace motors, and make electrical upgrades and repairs to pump stations and water gates in the city. The city of Holyoke recently was awarded a grant from the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs’ dam and seawall program for the design and permitting phase of the project.”
| | MARIJUANA IN MASSACHUSETTS | | — “Cannabis commission nearing end on two-driver changes,” by Bhaamati Borkhetaria, CommonWealth Beacon.
| | FROM THE 413 | | — “Tent camp stand-down: Situation defused after protest greets police, city officials at deadline for unhoused encampment,” by Alexander MacDougall, Daily Hampshire Gazette.
| | THE LOCAL ANGLE | | — “Could Worcester ban sale of cigarettes? A city councilor wants to know,” by Marco Cartolano, Telegram & Gazette: “Could Worcester move toward eliminating the purchase of cigarettes and other nicotine products within the city? A city councilor is requesting a feasibility report on that very matter. District 4 City Councilor Luis Ojeda is set to request the report during Tuesday's City Council meeting.” — “New senior housing in Quincy? Mayor has a new zoning plan for Eastern Nazarene College,” by Peter Blandino, The Patriot Ledger: “Mayor Thomas Koch has again introduced legislation restricting future development at Eastern Nazarene College's Wollaston campus to low-density senior housing. Koch said he intends to preserve the residential character of the neighborhood and fill a void in the city's housing stock.”
| | HEARD ‘ROUND THE BUBBLAH | | TRANSITIONS — Former climate envoy and Secretary of State John Kerry has joined the energy transition investment firm Galvanize Climate Solutions as co-executive chair. The firm was founded in 2021 by Katie Hall and Tom Steyer. HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to Samantha Riemer, Ryan Markham and Don Seiffert, managing editor of the Boston Business Journal. 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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