News: Spilka takes aim at the transparency narrative

Friday, January 3, 2025

Spilka takes aim at the transparency narrative

Jan 03, 2025

SHINING A LIGHT — Summer gridlock and a battle for more transparency stole the show on Beacon Hill last session.

But after lawmakers continued to chip away at the lengthy to-do list they left unfinished on Aug. 1, Senate President Karen Spilka wants to adjust the spotlight — and proposed a slate of changes to the lawmaking process to do just that.

“I really do believe that this two year session was one of the most historically productive legislative sessions, and that is not getting out,” Spilka told Playbook, pointing to the policy-packed economic development bill, the hospital oversight and pharmaceutical costs legislation that recently passed, and bills covering maternal health, long-term care, veterans services and climate and energy that landed on Gov. Maura Healey’s desk after the Legislature’s self-imposed end-of-July deadline for formal lawmaking.

That deadline, however, could soon be a thing of the past. House Speaker Ron Mariano hinted at tweaks to the legislative calendar during his speech kicking off the new session Wednesday, saying his chamber would consider a “number of rules reforms, from potential changes to the legislative calendar, to reforms aimed at bolstering public confidence in the legislative process.”

“July 31, it to some extent is an artificial deadline,” Spilka said.

It’s not the only rule that could see adjustment. Spilka wants to move up the deadline for joint committees to determine the fate of the bevy of bills that end up before them from the second year of the session to the first, a move that could help avoid the last-minute crunch to push bills through with limited debate at sparsely attended sessions (though historically it’s been common for lawmakers to bypass that deadline too, by asking for extensions when they reach what’s known as Joint Rule 10 day).

Spilka also called for votes and testimony before joint committees to be made public, pledged to post summaries of bills that emerge from the Senate Ways and Means Committee online, and urged conference committee negotiators to open up early meetings to the public.

What exactly would those meetings look like? “I would let the senators sort of have flexibility as to what they felt comfortable with,” Spilka said. “But I certainly believe that, especially the first session, that there can be some discussion about what's before the conference committee. What are some of the issues, what are the topics, the subjects at hand?”

One change she hedged on: opening up the Legislature to public records requests. “I would have to look at the language … and talk to my colleagues in the Senate,” she said, asked if she would support a bill to do so.

The ideas already have some buy-in from those who have long pushed for more transparency on Beacon Hill, per GBH News. Still, Spilka’s proposed reforms haven’t convinced everyone — including in her own chamber.

State Sen. John Keenan, the sole Democrat who didn't back another term for Spilka as Senate president, told reporters Wednesday he chose to vote present because he wants to see the chamber “do better in terms of transparency.”

“I appreciate what she does as Senate president,” the Quincy Democrat said. “I just have a disagreement as to how as an institution, business should be conducted.”

GOOD FRIDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. The ballot question that will let state Auditor Diana DiZoglio audit the Legislature officially goes into effect today (per Secretary of State Bill Galvin’s office).

Spilka sidestepped a question about whether her proposed reforms have anything to do with the question’s implementation, saying that the Senate “has led on transparency” in recent years.

“We are evolving. … We're trying to listen to what we're hearing. And that's why I want to do a listening tour for the Senate as well, to hear from constituents from across the state,” she said.

TODAY — Gov. Maura Healey has no public events. Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll speaks at the unveiling of the new Framingham flag alongside state and local officials at noon at the State House.

THIS WEEKEND — CommonWealth Beacon’s Gintautas Dumcius is on WBZ’s “Keller @ Large” at 8:30 a.m. Sunday. Senate President Karen Spilka is on WCVB’s “On the Record” at 11 a.m. Sunday.

You read POLITICO for trusted reporting. Now follow every twist of the lame duck session with Inside Congress. We track the committee meetings, hallway conversations, and leadership signals that show where crucial year-end deals are heading. Subscribe now.

DATELINE BEACON HILL

2026 WATCH — Former Housing and Economic Development Secretary Mike Kennealy is "seriously considering" a run for governor as a Republican in 2026, the Boston Herald reported last night.

Kennealy, who’s long been rumored to be eyeing the governor's office, served as a Cabinet secretary for four years under former Gov. Charlie Baker, and is now a senior advisor and chief strategy officer at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston.

Also weighing a GOP bid for the corner office, per sources: Brian Shortsleeve, who was tasked with untangling the MBTA’s finances as the agency's chief administrator and later as its interim general manager under Baker. Shortsleeve, who couldn't immediately be reached for comment, left the administration to found Boston-based venture capital firm M33 Growth in 2017.

— “Governor Healey gives Lawrence City Council the power to appoint some School Committee members,” by James Vaznis, The Boston Globe: “As Lawrence prepares to regain control of its schools from the state, Governor Maura Healey on Thursday gave the City Council the power to appoint some School Committee members instead of having them elected by voters under a home rule petition that she signed.”

— “Healey OKs plan to halt trucker license revocations,” by Christian M. Wade, Newburyport Daily News: “Hundreds of Massachusetts-based truck drivers who were at risk of losing their commercial drivers licenses for previous violations are getting a reprieve under a bill signed into law by Gov. Maura Healey on Thursday. The measure, approved by state lawmakers on the final day of the two-year session, prevents some motor vehicle offenses committed before Sept. 30, 2005 — including felonies and drug and alcohol-related driving offenses — from counting toward commercial license ineligibility.”

— “Reformists sense momentum as new state legislative session begins,” by Alexi Cohan and Adam Reilly, GBH News: “Beacon Hill lawmakers and watchdogs are sensing momentum for reform in the new year following comments from House Speaker Ron Mariano and Senate President Karen Spilka about potentially changing the legislative calendar and other rules.”

— “Moving on is bittersweet for former state representative William 'Smitty' Pignatelli,” by Clarence Fanto, The Berkshire Eagle.

FROM THE HUB

— “Boston city councilor says New Orleans attack highlights ‘pressing need’ for Hub event safety updates,” by Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald: “Boston City Councilor Erin Murphy said there’s a ‘pressing need’ for enhanced public safety measures at large public events in the Hub in light of the terrorist attack that occurred during a New Year’s Eve celebration in New Orleans. Murphy filed a hearing order Thursday to discuss ways to ‘proactively’ enhance protocols, given the abundance of large-scale public events, including parades, festivals and open-street activities, that draw large crowds to the city each year. She plans to introduce the measure at next week’s City Council meeting.”

FROM THE 413

— “Springfield School Committee extends controversial camera pact with police for 45 days,” by Jeanette DeForge, The Springfield Republican: “The School Committee extended an expiring agreement that gives the police department access to live footage from school cameras in an emergency until late February. The 7-0 vote on Thursday extended the memo of understanding with the police department for another 45 days to buy the School Committee extra time to revamp the controversial policy, said School Committee Vice Chairwoman LaTonia Monroe Naylor.”

— “Another North Adams Airport Commission member has resigned amid hangar controversy,” by Sten Spinella, The Berkshire Eagle: “The North Adams Airport Commission is looking to fill a vacant seat. Again. One week before the North Adams Airport Commission rescinded its decision to rent a refurbished airport hangar to Michael Milazzo, commissioner Michael McCarron resigned. McCarron, who was the commission’s secretary, submitted his resignation letter to Mayor Jennifer Macksey and the commission on Nov. 29 of last year. The move comes after the commission at first approved Milazzo’s bid to lease the hangar and run a business out of it in October.”

— “City of Easthampton asks federal judge to toss lawsuit filed by former superintendent prospect,” by Namu Sampath, The Springfield Republican: “An attorney for city officials is asking a judge to toss a lawsuit from a former school superintendent prospect who claims a rescinded job offer violated his constitutional rights. … [Vito] Perrone lost the three-year contract for the superintendent position 24 hours after it was offered to him. He said the offer was rescinded after his use of the word “ladies” as a greeting in an email he sent to two female school officials in 2023. One of the women was the chairperson of the committee searching for a new superintendent.”

— “'Judges come and go, but clerks remain the backbone of the court.' New clerk of Berkshire Superior Court takes oath of office in Pittsfield,” by Amanda Burke, The Berkshire Eagle.

THE LOCAL ANGLE

— “A promise fulfilled: mother launches ‘overdose awareness’ license plate after son’s death,” by Chris Serres, The Boston Globe.

HEARD ‘ROUND THE BUBBLAH

WEDDING BELLS — State Rep. John Moran married his longtime partner, Michael Wood, Thursday in a private ceremony officiated by Rosaria Salerno, a former Boston clerk and former at-large city councilor.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to former MA-03 candidate and former state Sen. Barbara L’Italien, Liberty Square Group’s Tim Sullivan, Ralph R. Isberg, Taylor Bolton and Ana Victoria Morales. Happy belated to Andrew M. Weiss, who celebrated Thursday.

HAPPY BIRTHWEEKEND — to Doris Kearns Goodwin, Shawnee Tannenbaum; Chris Huntley, VP of strategic comms at Blue State and a former Warren speechwriter; Wendy Spivak of The Castle Group; and Emily Polston of Boston City Councilor Ruthzee Louijeune’s office, who celebrate Saturday; and to Sunday birthday-er Holly Morse.

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