What's ahead in state government this week
MA Dems canvassing for HC in NH; Trump and Howie
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House and Senate leaders head into February with opioid abuse, solar energy and a driver's license bill important to those with criminal backgrounds before conference committees, awaiting resolution. A fourth major bill, a planned overhaul of the public records law, may also be heading to conference in early February, since the House approved its records law bill last year and the Senate is ready to adopt its version on Thursday.
The week ahead also features Tuesday primary contests in House special elections in Brockton, Fitchburg and Peabody, a report on tax collections during January, and the reconvening on Wednesday of a Constitutional Convention, the forum where a citizens-backed millionaire's tax proposal will be considered if lawmakers agree to bring it up or manage to work through other items on the agenda.
Lawmakers are gearing up for public hearings around the state on Gov. Charlie Baker's $39.55 billion fiscal 2017 budget. The meetings give legislators a chance to probe administration officials about proposed spending levels and budgetary initiatives. According to a tentative schedule, the hearings will kick off on Tuesday at the State House where Administration and Finance Secretary Kristen Lepore, the primary architect of Baker's budget, is scheduled to testify, followed by constitutional officers and the inspector general. Members of the House and Senate Ways and Means committees will then hit the road for six mostly invite-only hearings around the state before letting everyone have their say on March 4 at the State House.
On the political front, the Massachusetts presidential primary is about a month out and the first votes of the election will be cast at the Iowa caucuses on Monday, followed by the first-in-the-nation New Hampshire presidential primary on Feb. 9. So expect a stampede of major party candidates to the Granite State in the coming days. Despite their strong views on public policy issues, two of the Bay State's most popular elected officials have opted against saying who they'd like as the next president. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a Democrat, and Republican Gov. Baker have kept out of the race to date.
BILLS ON THE MOVE
Newly before the House next week are bills updating the state's pay equity law (S 2107) and setting long-term carbon emission reduction benchmarks (S 2121). The Senate has also recently shipped over bills banning the use of handheld devices while driving (S 2110) and establishing a new paint disposal program and fee to pay for it (S 2109), which have both been referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means. Meanwhile, bills that have come over to the Senate include legislation creating a state office of health equity (H 3969). A bill to ban minors under the age of 18 from using or operating tanning beds (S 1994) made its way to the governor's desk this week, after passing the House on Wednesday. It had unanimously cleared the Senate in September. Both branches enacted the bill on Thursday.
SATURDAY, JAN. 30, 2016
CANVASSING FOR CLINTON: Attorney General Maura Healey, Treasurer Deb Goldberg, Congressman Seth Moulton, Michael Capuano, William Keating, Jim McGovern, Stephen Lynch, Niki Tsongas, Joseph Kennedy III and other elected officials from around the region will head north to canvas for Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. Actor Ted Danson and activist Gloria Steinem are also expected to join the effort, which comes before the Feb. 1 Iowa Caucus and Feb. 9 New Hampshire Primary. The Clinton surrogates will headline canvas kick-off events in communities throughout the state. (Saturday, New Hampshire)
BOSTON CITY COUNCILOR STUMPS FOR O'MALLEY: Boston City Councilor Matt O'Malley will spend his weekend in Iowa stumping for Democratic presidential candidate Martin O'Malley ahead of Monday's caucuses. According to a campaign spokesman, O'Malley will be speaking with voters in the cities of Dubuque and Davenport and will also help kick off phone banks and canvassing events for the former Maryland governor. (Saturday, Iowa)
SUNDAY, JAN. 31, 2016
CONGRESSMAN LYNCH GOES "ON THE RECORD" | Congressman Stephen Lynch will share details about his recent trip to the Middle East with "On the Record" moderators Janet Wu and Ed Harding. He will also share his insights on refugee vetting and terrorism. In November, the South Boston Democrat and Rep. William Keating voted in support of a bill that would have required additional screening procedures for refugees coming from Syria and Iraq. (Sunday, 11 a.m., WCVB-TV Ch. 5)
ROSENBERG ON NECN: Senate President Stan Rosenberg is a scheduled guest on NECN's "This Week in Business" with anchor Mike Nikitas where he will discuss the governor's budget and his 2016 goals. Rosenberg will also discuss the Senate's recent passage of the Pay Equity bill. (Sunday, 5:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 8 p.m., NECN)
KELLER WELCOMES BODY LANGUAGE EXPERT: WBZ'S Jon Keller welcomes body language expert Don Khoury to analyze and dissect the nonverbal messages of the leading presidential candidates.(Sunday, 8:30 a.m., WBZ-TV Ch 2)
POLITO CELEBRATE BOY SCOUT ANNIVERSARY: Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito offers remarks at the 100th anniversary of Boy Scout Troop 114. (Sunday, 12 p.m., 1st Congregational Church, 19 Church Road, Shrewsbury)
MONDAY, FEB. 1, 2016
HOUSE AND SENATE: Both branches meet in informal sessions at 11 a.m.
BAKER, LEGISLATIVE LEADERS MEET: Gov. Charlie Baker, Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito, House Speaker Robert DeLeo, Senate President Stanley Rosenberg, House Minority Leader Bradley Jones and Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr plan to meet. (CLOSED PRESS) (Monday, 2 p.m., Senate President's Office)
IOWA CAUCUSES: Republican and Democrat presidential candidates will face their first test Monday on the road to their respective party nomination in Iowa, where voters will caucus as part of a procedure to select delegates for the party's convention in July. The results will determine which candidates get a bounce heading into the New Hampshire primary scheduled for Feb. 9. Information on the Iowa Caucuses
PUBLIC COMMENTS ON BOSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY PRESIDENT SEARCH: The Boston Public Library Presidential Search Committee invites the public to attend a listening session for an open discussion about the qualities
the community is looking for in the next head of the library system. Comments may also be submitted via SearchChair@bpl.org .(Monday, 6:30 p.m., East Boston Branch Library, 365 Bremen Street, East Boston)
the community is looking for in the next head of the library system. Comments may also be submitted via SearchChair@bpl.org .(Monday, 6:30 p.m., East Boston Branch Library, 365 Bremen Street, East Boston)
AG SITS DOWN WITH ETHNIC MEDIA: Attorney General Maura Healey and her director of community engagement, Marcony Almeida-Barros, will welcome members of ethnic media outlets to discuss her first year in office, including outreach efforts to diverse communities. RSVP by emailingchloe.gotsis@state.ma.us. (Monday, 10 a.m., One Ashburton Place, 20th floor, Boston)
FORMER MASSGOP CHAIR TALKS IOWA CAUCUSES: Gene Hartigan, former chair of the Republican State Committee, is scheduled to handicap the Iowa caucuses as WBZ's Republican political analyst on "NightSide with Dan Rea." (Monday, 10 p.m., WBZ NewsRadio 1030)
HPC DIRECTOR AT ML STRATEGIES: Health Policy Commission Executive Director David Seltz will be the debut speaker at the 2016 Government Speaker Series hosted by ML Strategies, where he will give an outlook on the key trends driving activity in 2016 (Monday, 12, p.m., One Financial Center, 38th Floor Conference Center, Boston)
MIDDLE EAST DISCUSSION: Massachusetts Peace Action hosts a discussion titled "Syria, ISIS, Middle East Violence and the Next President." The discussion will feature Northeastern University Middle East studies program director Valentine Moghadam and Stephen Kinzer, a Boston Globe columnist and senior fellow at the Watson Institute for International Studies at Brown University. (Monday, 7 p.m., Suffolk Law School, 120 Tremont St.)
UMASS/7NEWS POLLING NEW HAMPSHIRE: The first round of results from a daily New Hampshire tracking poll by UMass-Lowell's Center for Public Opinion and 7NEWS will be released. The tracking poll intends to "show where each presidential candidate stands and how that changes leading up to the first-in-the-nation primary," according to UMass. The polling will be conducted via cellphone and landline by live interviewers every night from Jan. 29 through Feb. 7, with results released each day from Feb. 1 through Feb. 8. The results will include responses from 1,400 New Hampshire registered voters gathered over the previous three days. Results will be released live on 7NEWS "Today in New England" at 6:45 a.m. each weekday morning and will also be distributed by UMass-Lowell via email at 7 a.m. Results will also be available at www.uml.edu/polls. (Monday, 6:45 a.m., 7NEWS)
BOSTON T FARE HIKE HEARING: After hearings in Lynn, Brockton, Malden and Concord, the MBTA will hold its first public hearing on fare hikes in Boston, the heart of the system. The two proposals on the table would raise fares between $33.2 million and $49.4 million. (Monday, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., 10 Park Plaza, second floor, Boston)
FARE HIKE MEETING IN WORCESTER: The state's second-largest city will play host to a discussion on MBTA fare hikes and commuter rail schedule changes. (Monday, 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., Union Station, 2 Washington Square, Worcester)
MBTA CONTROL BOARD: The MBTA's Fiscal and Management Control Board will meet to discuss service delivery, including evaluation and service planning, and the T's existing debt obligations. The board will also meet in executive session to discuss pending litigation and labor negotiations. (Monday, 12 p.m., 10 Park Plaza, Suite 3830, Boston)
MEET THE CONSULS GENERAL: Housing and Economic Development Secretary Jay Ash attends a meet-and-greet with various consuls general. (Monday, 3 p.m., Great Hall)
RACE AND POLITICAL CORRECTNESS: Harvard Law School professor Randall Kennedy will address race in a talk that promises to pose the questions: "Does political correctness stymie our ability to address major racial issues of our time? Can political correctness and frank discussion coexist? How do we address the racial problems facing our country?" After his portrait was among those of black law school professors anonymously defaced with black tape, Kennedy wrote a New York Times op-ed raising doubts about perceived racist motivations behind the defacement. While writing that the presence of racist actors should not be a surprise on a large campus, Kennedy warned against "exaggerating the scope" of racism and "nurturing an inflated sense of victimization." The event is the first in a two-part series. (Monday, 6 p.m., Harvard Institute of Politics, Room L166, Cambridge)
TUESDAY, FEB. 2, 2016
FISCAL 2017 BUDGET HEARING: House and Senate budget chiefs Brian Dempsey and Karen Spilka join other members of the House and Senate Ways and Means committees Tuesday to launch public hearings on Gov. Charlie Baker's $39.55 billion state budget proposal. Up first is the primary author of Baker's bill, Administration and Finance Secretary Kristen Lepore. Lawmakers have also scheduled testimony from constitutional officers: Auditor Suzanne Bump, Treasurer Deb Goldberg, Attorney General Maura Healey and Secretary of State William Galvin. Inspector General Glenn Cunha is also on the list of invited to testify. (Tuesday, 10 a.m., Gardner Auditorium)
SPECIAL HOUSE PRIMARIES: Tuesday is primary day in three House districts with open seats. The Democratic primary will decide the race to succeed now-Sen. Michael Brady in the 9th Plymouth district, which represents Brockton. The candidates are Brockton City Councilors Shaynah Barnes and Shirley Asack, and Gerard Cassidy, a longtime aide to the late Sen. Thomas Kennedy, who Brady succeeded in the Senate. Other races will fill the seats formerly held by Leah Cole of Peabody and Fitchburg Mayor Stephen DiNatale. The 12th Essex race, for a district covering most of Peabody, features Democratic candidates James Moutsoulas, Craig Welton and former Rep. Thomas Walsh. On the Republican side are Stephanie Peach and Jaclyn Corriveau. In the 3rd Worcester district, which covers Fitchburg and a part of Lunenburg, three Democrats -- Kimatra Maxwell, Stephan Hay and Joe Byrne -- are seeking the nomination, with Dean Tran running as a Republican write-in. (Tuesday)
TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE: Seventeen bills come before the Joint Committee on Transportation for a hearing. A Sen. Anne Gobi bill would create distinctive license plates for veterans who participated in the early testing of atomic weapons. Legislation filed by Gobi and Rep. Carolyn Dykema (S 1832, H 2981) would ban motor vehicle safety checkpoints that target "a particular type of motor vehicle, decoration or adornment of the vehicle or rider." Two bills deal with the city of Quincy, one from Sen. John Keenan that calls for a highway noise study there (S 1842) and a Rep. Bruce Ayers bill calling for public safety improvements at the Furnace Brook Parkway (H 2944). Full agenda (Tuesday, 12:15 p.m., Room B-2)
OUTLOOK 2016: Governing magazine editors, reporters and analysts -- as well as governors, mayors, legislators, executives, economists and others -- will gather in Washington D.C. for Outlook 2016, a state and local government market forecast event. David Adkins, executive director and CEO of The Council of State Governments, will participate in a panel to discuss the state and local issues driving the nation's policy agenda. Other speakers include Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe, National Conference of State Legislatures Executive Director William Pound, Albuquerque Mayor Richard Berry, Chicago Chief Financial Officer Carole Brown, and Vermont House Speaker Shap Smith. (Tuesday and Wednesday, The National Press Club, 529 14th St., NW, Washington, D.C.)
GOLDBERG, BAKER MEET: Treasurer Deborah Goldberg has her monthly meeting with Gov. Charlie Baker. (Tuesday, 4 p.m., Governor's Office)
REGISTRATION IN PHARMACY: The Board of Registration in Pharmacy meets to receive its monthly update on pharmacists on probation, and to discuss an opioid misuse and abuse advisory. (Tuesday, 8:30 a.m., 239 Causeway St., Room 417 A/B, Boston)
PRIM BOARD: The Pension Reserve Investment Management Board Committee meets, with Treasurer Deborah Goldberg as chair. (Tuesday, 9:30 a.m., 84 State St., 2nd floor, Boston)
BOSTON BLACK HISTORY MONTH KICKOFF: The city of Boston and ArtsBoston will host a series of free events to celebrate Black History Month, starting with a kickoff celebration on Tuesday with Mayor Marty Walsh. (Tuesday, 12 p.m., Boston City Hall, third floor mezzanine)
MOULTON TALKS FOREIGN POLICY: Congressman Seth Moulton will give an address on "U.S. Foreign Policy for the Next President" at the Atlantic Council in Washington, D.C., as part of the council's strategy initiative and the Brent Scowcroft Center on International Security's flagship series on America's role in the world. Moulton will discuss a strategy for how the U.S. should act in an increasingly turbulent global environment, with an audience question session to follow. The Atlantic Council will livestream the event online. (Tuesday, 4:30 p.m., 1030 15th St. NW, 12th floor)
BOSTON FARE HIKE HEARING: The MBTA will conduct a public hearing on the two fare hike proposals, aimed at raising between $33.2 million and $49.4 million. (Tuesday, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., 10 Park Plaza, second floor Transportation Library, Boston)
TRANSPO CAPITAL $$$: The Massachusetts Department of Transportation's Capital Programs Committee and the MBTA's Fiscal and Management Control Board will convene to discuss the capital budget, which is under development. The meeting will touch on capital spending, money already committed to projects, priorities and a performance tool. (Tuesday, 10:30 a.m., MassDOT Boardroom, 10 Park Plaza)
ELDER AFFAIRS EXECUTIVE SESSION: The Joint Committee on Elder Affairs plans to meet for an executive session to take a vote to determine whether to give a favorable report to a Rep. John Fernandes bill (H 519) relative to the calculation of income for spouses of nursing home residents. (Tuesday, 10 a.m., Hearing Room A-2)
FIRST FIREFIGHTER CLASS TO GRADUATE AT SPRINGFIELD CAMPUS: The first class of career firefighter recruits will graduate from the Department of Fire Services' Springfield campus. The state recently completed a renovation project at the 6-acre campus after purchasing the former Springfield Fire Training Center from the city. Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno will speak and soon-to-retire State Fire Marshal Stephen Coan will be in attendance. There will be 16 graduates from seven fire departments. (Tuesday, 11 a.m., 100 Grochmal Ave., Springfield)
HOUSING COMMITTEE: The Joint Committee on Housing will accept testimony on 37 bills pertaining to Chapter 40B, the law that produces affordable housing using the comprehensive permit process in certain communities. Among them is a bill (H 1097) filed by Rep. John Fernandes that would add to the definition of low or moderate income housing "any single family housing unit or condominium unit which has an assessed value of $175,000 or less." The committee will also accept testimony on a bill (H 1103) filed by Rep. Susan Gifford to amend the definition of low or moderate income housing to include "mobile homes and group homes, manufactured homes, in-law apartments and any first-time home buyers participating in any state or federal assistance program." Committee Agenda(Tuesday, 10 a.m., Hearing Room B-1)
HOWIE AND TRUMP: Howie Carr will broadcast live from a Donald Trump rally in Milford, N.H. Following the event, Carr will moderate a voter forum. Doors open at 5 p.m. Tickets are free. Registration (Tuesday, 7 p.m., Hampshire Dome, 34 Emerson Rd., Milford, N.H.)
POLITICAL CORRECTNESS DEBATE: Harvard University students will debate the resolution that "Overall, political correctness is beneficial to society," the second in a series on race and political correctness. The debate is expected to touch on "social justice" placemats offering talking points for students visiting family for the holidays; the recent controversy over Yale University's role in advising students against offensive Halloween costumes; and Harvard's decision to ditch the title of "House master." The debate follows a talk by Harvard Law School professor Randall Kennedy. (Tuesday, 8 p.m., Sever Hall, Harvard Yard, Cambridge)
WEDNESDAY, FEB. 3, 2016
HOUSE FORMAL: The House meets in a formal session with roll calls not expected to occur until after the Constitutional Convention that starts at 1 p.m. Members were not notified of any specific bills they should be prepared to vote on. Democrats will caucus at noon. (Wednesday, 11 a.m., House Chamber)
CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION RETURNS: Members of both chambers will regather at the Constitutional Convention that recessed in October. Senate President Stanley Rosenberg will preside. A surtax on incomes above $1 million is one of the more high profile amendments expected to be on the agenda, but Rosenberg has noted that there are nine amendments to considered before the question. House members, who this week applauded DeLeo's call for no new taxes in this year's budget, outnumber senators at the convention. But senators, including many who lean to the left politically, play a significant role at the convention since Rosenberg wields the gavel and his office anticipates potential action being taken on items on the convention's calendar. The surtax amendment needs only 50 votes to advance to the 2017-2018 convention. Agenda (Wednesday, 1 p.m., House Chamber)
SENATE KIDS FIRST INITIATIVE: A group of nine senators, operating outside of the Legislature's formal committee structure, plans to study policy areas related to supporting children as part of the newly launched "Kids First" initiative. They plan to hold their first meeting, with Dr. Jack Shonkoff. Shonkoff is director of the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University, a Harvard Medical School pediatrics professor and chairman of the National Scientific Council on the Developing Child. The group, led by Sen. Sal DiDomenico of Everett, will research and seek input on best practices in areas including education, nutrition, public health, housing and workforce development, and ultimately make budget and policy recommendations based on their findings. "This is an initiative that's not just going to be, you know, pie-in-the-sky ideas," DiDomenico said. "We're making sure that we really have some ideas that we can kind of measure, data-driven procedures and initiatives that we're going to put together." The multi-year Kids First initiative is modeled after the "Work First" initiative that began in the Senate last year to create opportunities for people to move from public assistance to jobs. The Work First initiative led to more than $3.4 million in new, targeted funding for workforce training and development in this year's budget, according to Senate President Stanley Rosenberg's office. Rosenberg will attend the kickoff meeting. (Wednesday, 10 a.m., Senate Reading Room)
GOVERNOR'S COUNCIL MEETING: The Governor's Council holds its weekly meeting, with Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito presiding. The council could vote on the confirmation of Maria Theophilis, the governor's nominee for a Housing Court judgeship. (Wednesday, 12 p.m., Governor's Council Chamber, Room 360)
MPAC COMMUNITY COMPACT EVENT: Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito attends a community compact event at the Metropolitan Area Planning Council. (Wednesday, 3 p.m., 60 Temple Place, 6th floor, Boston)
BLUE TECH INNOVATION: Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito gives remarks at BlueTech Innovation & Entrepreneurship in Massachusetts and Beyond, part of Tufts University's Fletcher School's Innovation Week. (Wednesday, 5 p.m., 160 Packard Ave., Medford)
BAKER TALKS TO QUINCY CHAMBER: Gov. Charlie Baker offers remarks at the Quincy Chamber of Commerce annual meeting. (Wednesday, 6:30 p.m., Boston Marriott Quincy, 1000 Marriott Dr., Quincy)
SENATE CAUCUS: Senate Democrats caucus in Senate President Stanley Rosenberg's office. At a caucus this week, senators ratified leadership and committee assignment changes, a day before speedily passing bills dealing with pay equity, carbon emissions and lobstering. (Wednesday, 11 a.m., Senate President's Office)
LAW DAY BANQUET: U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts is the distinguished guest at the New England Law Boston's 2016 Law Day banquet. Attorney General Maura Healey will attend. Registration for the event is closed. (Wednesday, 6 p.m., Westin Copley Place, 10 Huntington Ave., Boston)
BOB SCHIEFFER TALKS FIRST IN THE NATION: CBS News journalist Bob Schieffer, Walter Shorenstein Media and Democracy Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School, discusses the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary. Schieffer has covered every presidential race since 1972 and has interviewed every president since Richard Nixon. (Wednesday, 12 p.m., Harvard Kennedy School Malkin Penthouse, 4th floor Littauer building, Cambridge)
CLEAN WATER TRUST: The Board of Trustees of the Massachusetts Clean Water Trust is scheduled to meet. No agenda was available as of Friday afternoon. (Wednesday, 1:30 p.m., Three Center Plaza, Suite 430, Boston)
BAKER ENDORSES O'CONNOR FOR STATE SENATE: Gov. Charlie Baker is scheduled to formally endorse Patrick O'Connor, a candidate for the open seat in the Plymouth, Norfolk State Senate district. O'Connor, a Republican, was an aide to former Sen. Bob Hedlund and serves as president of the Weymouth Town Council. Democrats Paul Gannon of Hingham, a former state representative, and former Hull Selectwoman Joan Meschino are competing for the party's nomination in the Senate contest. A special election is scheduled for May 10. (Wednesday, 5:15 p.m, Weymouth Town Hall, 75 Middle Street, Weymouth)
BROCKTON HOSPITAL: Health Policy Commission Executive Director David Seltz, staff and regional elected officials will join executives from Signature Healthcare Brockton Hospital to launch the hospital's Phase 2 initiative for the Community Hospital Acceleration, Revitalization, and Transformation (CHART) Investment Program. (Wednesday, 3 p.m., 680 Centre St., Brockton)
WOMEN'S BAR BREAKFAST: The Women's Bar Association holds its annual legislative breakfast and plans to discuss its 2016 priorities: pay equity bills (S 983, H 1733); the Massachusetts Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (H 1769); gender identity nondiscrimination bills (S 735, H 1577); civil and criminal penalties for female genital mutilation of minors (S 1116, H 1530); and civil legal aid funding in the 2017 budget. Treasurer Deborah Goldberg is scheduled to speak at 10:15 a.m. (Wednesday, 9:30 a.m., Great Hall)
BRAIN INJURY ADVOCACY DAY: The Brain Injury Association of Massachusetts will hold its annual advocacy day, hosted by Sen. Harriette Chandler and Rep. Kimberly Ferguson. Chandler and Ferguson will make presentations along with Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commissioner Nicky Osborne and BIA-MA Executive Director Nicole Godaire. BIA-MA will have an exhibit up for the week in Doric Hall. (Wednesday, 11 a.m., Grand Staircase)
MYRA KRAFT OPEN CLASSROOM: Housing and Economic Development Secretary Jay Ash participates in a panel discussion with Somerville Mayor Joseph Curtatone and the general manager of District Hall to discuss "sustaining and expanding the innovation economy" as part of the Northeastern University School of Public Policy and Urban Affairs's Myra Kraft Open Classroom series. (Wednesday, 6 p.m., Northeastern University, West Village F, Room 20, 40A Leon St., Boston)
DENTAL REGISTRY BOARD: The Board of Registration in Dentistry will meet to discuss a reactivation of its Complaint Committee, and to hold an executive session to discuss "the reputation, character, physical condition or mental health, rather than professional competence, of an individual." (Wednesday, 8:30 a.m., 239 Causeway St., Room 417, Boston)
COMMUTER RAIL MEETING IN NATICK: The MBTA will hold a public hearing on proposed commuter rail schedule changes in Natick. (Wednesday, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., Walnut Hill School, 12 Highland Street, Natick)
COMMUTER RAIL MEETING IN MANSFIELD: The MBTA will hold a public hearing on proposed commuter rail schedule changes in Natick. (Wednesday, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., Mansfield High School Auditorium, 250 East Street, Mansfield)
CHIEF EXECUTIVES CLUB LUNCHEON: Attorney General Maura Healey will attend Boston College's chief executives club luncheon. (Wednesday, 12 p.m., Boston Harbor Hotel, Wharf Room, 70 Rowes Wharf, Boston)
THURSDAY, FEB. 4, 2016
HOUSE SESSION: The House plans to meet in informal session. (Thursday, 11 a.m., State House)
SENATE FORMAL - PUBLIC RECORDS: The Senate plans a formal session to consider reforms to the state's public records law (S 2120). The House has already approved a version of the public records bill. (Thursday, 11 a.m., State House)
SPEAKER DeLEO 'PROGRESSIVE POWER HOUR' | The Alliance for Business Leadership hosts House Speaker Robert DeLeo for an "ABL Progressive Power Hour." The networking and Q&A event is "strictly limited to one hour." Organizers say press is not allowed to attend. Registration (Thursday, 12 p.m., Offices of David Belluck, 699 Boylston St. - 14th floor, Boston)
EVERETT COMMUNITY COMPACT: Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito meets with local officials and signs a community compact with Everett. (Thursday, 10 a.m., Everett City Hall, 484 Broadway, Everett)
TOWN CLERKS ASSOCIATION: Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito speaks to the Massachusetts Town Clerks Association annual conference. (Thursday, 12 p.m., Devens Common Center, 31 Andrews Parkway, Devens)
AYER, DUNSTABLE, SHIRLEY COMMUNITY COMPACTS: Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito visits with local officials from Ayer, Dunstable and Shirley to sign community compacts with those communities. (Thursday, 2 p.m., 1 Main St., Ayer)
HOLYOKE HUMAN SERVICES FORUM: Housing and Economic Development Secretary Jay Ash participates in a forum on human services. (Thursday, 8 a.m., Delaney House, 3 Country Club Road, Holyoke)
PARCEL 1B GROUNDBREAKING: Gov. Charlie Baker and Undersecretary for Housing and Community Development Chrystal Kornegay attend the groundbreaking at Parcel 1B, which is slated for development as affordable housing, including 239 residential units, 220 hotel rooms and 220 parking spaces, according to the Boston Redevelopment Authority. (Thursday, 11 a.m., Beverly and Causeway streets, Boston)
BOSTON PUBLIC RADIO - ROAD TO N.H.: Boston Public Radio co-hosts Jim Braude and Margery Eagan trek up to New Hampshire as state gears up for the first in the nation primary. The'll sit down with Manchester Mayor Ted Gastas to discuss the 2016 race. (Thursday, 11:30 a.m., WGBH-TV 89.7)
JAMES FOLEY DOCUMENTARY: Harvard University's Institute of Politics will host a pre-release screening of "Jim: The Jim Foley Story," an account of the late photojournalist whose beheading broadcast by the Islamic State in 2014 gave the terrorist group greater prominence. The film to be broadcast by HBO follows the perspective of Brian Oakes, Foley's close childhood friend. (Thursday, 6 p.m., JFK, Jr., Forum, Harvard Institute of Politics, Cambridge)
ST. FRANCIS HOUSE ADVOCACY DAY: St. Francis House hosts its annual advocacy event to engage legislators and the community about state funding to support its Moving Ahead Program, which enrolls over 200 students each year to help rebuild and transform their lives. St. Francis House is the largest day shelter in the state, serving more than 600 poor and homeless men and women a day. In the past year, SFH has provided 300,000 meals, provided 10,000 changes of clothes, 9,161 showers, 10,000 counseling sessions, 8,761 medical appointments, and provided 56 units of permanent housing, all in addition to providing ongoing life skills and vocational training for guests. (Thursday, 11 a.m., Nurses Hall)
SOLID WASTE ADVISORY COMMITTEE: The Solid Waste Advisory Committee, which advises the Department of Environmental Protection on solid waste regulations, policies and programs, holds its quarterly meeting. The agenda includes presentations on 2014 solid waste disposal data and new RecyclingWorks programs, as well as updates on MassDEP recycling market development and waste ban compliance and enforcement work. (Thursday, 1 p.m., One Winter St., second floor conference room, Boston)
PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE: Twenty-seven bills covering law enforcement issues will be the subject of a hearing of the Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security. They include bills dealing with the use of police body cameras (S 1257 and H 2170), training regarding people with autism and mental illnesses, uniform use of deadly force guidelines (H 2106), requiring microphones and audio recorders on tasers (H 2130) and establishing a pilot grant program using "emotional CPR" to decrease hostilities between police and citizens (H 2137). One bill (H 3480) filed by Rep. Carmine Gentile would establish an Independent Police Conduct Review Board within the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security to "investigate and adjudicate all instances in which a member of a law enforcement agency located within the commonwealth discharges a firearm and another person is shot, regardless of whether or not that person is killed or suffers serious bodily injury." The board would consist of seven members, including representatives from the American Civil Liberties Union, a retired Trial Court judge, an experienced criminal prosecutor and others. The committee will also hear testimony on legislation that would make it a violation of a law enforcement officer's sworn oath of office to use "language which cast a negative reflection toward an individual's race, color, ethnic origin, religion, economic status" while on duty. The bill (H 2182) was filed by Springfield Rep. Benjamin Swan. Committee Agenda (Thursday, 10 a.m., Hearing Room B-1)
FARE HEARING IN NEWTON: The MBTA will hold a public hearing on proposals to raise fares to generate an additional $33.2 million to $49.4 million in revenue. (Thursday, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., Bigelow Middle School, 42 Vernon Street, Newton)
BUILDING A BETTER BOSTON AWARD: The UMass Boston College of Management's Center for Collaborative Leadership presents its fourth annual Building a Better Boston Award to TD Garden President Amy Latimer. The award recognizes "individuals who have made significant contributions to advancing the region through their work as conveners and collaborators. Registration (Thursday, 7:30 a.m., Westin Copley Place, 10 Huntington Ave., Boston)
FRIDAY, FEB. 5, 2016
DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES IN NEW HAMPSHIRE: Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Clinton, Martin O'Malley, and Sen. Bernie Sanders will attend the 2016 McIntyre-Shaheen 100 Club Celebration in New Hampshire, four days ahead of the New Hampshire presidential primary. New Hampshire elected officials are also expected to attend, including Gov. Maggie Hassan, Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, Congresswoman Annie Kuster, and former Gov. John Lynch. Ticket Info (Friday, 5 p.m., Verizon Wireless Arena 555 Elm Street, Manchester)
SANE ANNOUNCEMENT: Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito makes an announcement relative to sexual assault nurse examiners at Newton Wellesley Hospital. (Friday, 2:15 p.m., Newton Wellesley Hospital, 2014 Washington St., Newton)
ASH NORTH OF BOSTON: Jay Ash, secretary of housing and economic development, will be the keynote speaker at the 10th Annual North of Boston Tourism Summit, sponsored by the North of Boston Convention and Visitor's Bureau. (Friday, 2 p.m., Double Tree Hilton, 50 Ferncroft Road, Danvers)
CABINET MEETING: Gov. Charlie Baker meets with Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito and other members of his cabinet. (CLOSED PRESS) (Friday, 10 a.m., Room 360)
ROSENBERG TOURS UMASS MEDICAL: Senate President Stanley Rosenberg attends a tour of the University of Massachusetts Medical School. (Friday, 9 a.m., 55 N. Lake Ave., Worcester)
GOV. HASSAN ON THE RADIO: New Hampshire Gov. Maggie Hassan is a scheduled guest on Boston Public Radio. Co-hosts Jim Braude and Margery Eagan will broadcast from the Granite State. (Friday, 1 p.m., WGBH-FM, 89.7)
HEALTH COST TRENDS AT AIM: Health Policy Commission Executive Director David Seltz will present on the HPC's 2015 Cost Trends Report and give an outlook on 2016 at the Associated Industries of Massachusetts Health Care Committee Meeting (Friday, 800 West Cummings Park, Suite 4750, Woburn)
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