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GOOD MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS.
FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: A NEW LEGISLATIVE MAP — We know there are more women legislators coming to Beacon Hill than ever in January. But how is that representation spread across the commonwealth next session?
Maps coded by a Cambridge-based political risk analyst give a look at how each House and Senate district are represented by gender. The maps were created by Chris Oates, CEO of political risk analysis firm Two Lanterns Advisory. Senate map. House map.
Overall, women will make up just under 30 percent of the Legislature in 2019, according to the Center for Women in Politics and Public Policy at UMass Boston. And although that's an all-time high for the state, Massachusetts is far from reaching gender parity. On the other side of the country, Nevada is making national history with its first-ever female-majority Legislature.
In the Senate, the map shows women lawmakers are spread across the state, but don't represent any districts on Cape Cod. And in the House, the map shows districts with women lawmakers are clustered across the state but still don't hold as much ground on Cape Cod.
Oates also created two maps that show how lawmakers are dispersed across the state by party. The maps are largely blue, but show how some Republican districts are concentrated on the Cape and South Shore, the North Shore and in some parts of Western Mass. "We shouldn't view the state as a monolithic Democratic place even though it is obviously heavily Democrat," Oates told me yesterday.
Oates created the maps by using a software package that takes files from the U.S. census. He used an algorithm to shape the districts into hexagons and checked for geographic accuracy. One caveat: Hex maps don't give an entirely accurate picture when districts vary in size. For example, Boston is small in a geographic sense but has a high population, while a district in a low population area like the Berkshires covers many more miles. If you want to take a stab at coding your own map, here's what he used.
PROGRAMMING NOTE: The Massachusetts Playbook will not publish from Dec. 24 to Jan 1. I'll be back in your inbox Jan. 2.
Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for the Playbook? Get in touch: smurray@politico.com.
TODAY - Gov. Charlie Baker visits 908 Devices, Inc., rings the Salvation Army bell in Downtown Crossing, and later meets with Treasurer Deborah Goldberg. Attorney General Maura Healey is a guest on "Radio Boston." State Rep. Geoff Diehl is a guest at the Massachusetts Young Republicans holiday party. The Massachusetts Gaming Commission meets. The Massachusetts Family Instituteholds a Christmas celebration at the State House.
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 | DATELINE BEACON HILL |
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- "Geoff Diehl has decided not to run for state GOP chairman after all," by Frank Phillips, Boston Globe: "State Representative Geoff Diehl, this year's failed GOP candidate for the US Senate, has decided not to seek the chairman's post of the Massachusetts Republican Party — but may end up on its payroll anyway. His decision is a major boost for Governor Charlie Baker's efforts to retain control of the party in the face of a conservative move to elect a pro-Trump candidate as its new leader."
- "BAKER ECONOMIC CHIEF ASH MAKING LEAP TO BUSINESS GROUP," by Matt Murphy, State House News Service: "Housing and Economic Development Secretary Jay Ash, who is exiting his Cabinet role next week, expects to take over as the next president of the influential business group known as the Massachusetts Competitive Partnership, according to someone familiar with Ash's plans and the hiring process. The announcement of Ash's new job could come as soon as Wednesday, pending the ironing out of final details on the job offer, according to the source."
- "MONTIGNY PRESSES SPILKA TO ACT IMMEDIATELY ON LOCKOUT BILL," by Michael P. Norton, State House News Service: "Unable since Nov. 1 to shake his popular bill out of the Senate Ways and Means Committee, Senate Rules Committee Chair Mark Montigny on Tuesday took his case directly to Senate President Karen Spilka, urging her to help advance legislation ensuring benefits to workers locked out by their employers. A New Bedford Democrat, Montigny asked Spilka in a letter Tuesday to force action on a bill providing extended unemployment benefits to locked out workers, such as the more than 1,200 gas workers who have been engaged in a labor dispute with National Grid since June."
- "GOP CHAIR CONTEST GETTING MORE FRACTIOUS AS LYONS ENTERS FRAY," by Matt Murphy, State House News Service: "Despite Republican Party Treasurer Brent Andersen claiming sufficient support to become the next chair of his party, the leadership race within the MassGOP appears to be more fluid than ever with one candidate disputing Andersen's count and another jumping into the race."
- "STATE READYING CAMPAIGN HIGHLIGHTING HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS," by Katie Lannan, State House News Service:"State officials are poised to launch their first public awareness campaign around sexual assault and domestic violence in nearly 20 years, an effort Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito said will look to help teens learn about respect and healthy relationships."
- "Secretary Bill Galvin fines MetLife $1 million for denying pension payments to retirees," by Shira Schoenberg, Springfield Republican: "Secretary of the Commonwealth William Galvin has fined insurance company MetLife $1 million for not paying pension checks to retirees it wrongly presumed were dead. Galvin announced in June that his office's securities division filed a complaint against the company, charging MetLife with fraud for failing to make the payments."
- "Attorney General Maura Healey: McLean Hospital lost info on patients, brain bank donors," by Jonathan Ng, Boston Herald:"McLean Hospital apparently lost personal and health information of more than 1,500 patients, employees and brain donors, according to a lawsuit filed by Attorney General Maura Healey's office. Healey's office announced Wednesday that the Belmont-based psychiatric hospital agreed to pay $75,000 in fines after it allowed an employee to 'regularly take home eight unencrypted back-up tapes' containing personal information such as names, Social Security numbers, diagnoses and family histories from the Harvard Brain Tissue Resource Center, which McLean Hospital oversees."
- "Ex-lobbyist reveals how the House really works," by Phillip Sego, CommonWealth Magazine: "There are those who argue that increased political divisiveness has created the need for more powerful leaders, and they may be correct. But Massachusetts has a Democratic supermajority (more than 66 percent); there's no need to have Democratic Party unity when state Republicans represent only 20 percent of the House. In order to understand how the system has devolved, it's important to understand how the system works in theory and practice."
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| FROM THE HUB |
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- "Boston School Committee votes to close two high schools in West Roxbury," by James Vaznis and Jackson Cote, Boston Globe: "Over the objection of outraged students, teachers, and parents, the Boston School Committee voted Wednesday night to close two high schools in West Roxbury over the next two years. The committee voted 5-0 in favor of the closing, but member Regina Robinson abstained, saying 'There are still unresolved questions.'"
- "Speculation builds as Newbury College announces it will sell its campus," by Tim Logan, Boston Globe: " It's not often that 10 acres of prime real estate in Brookline go on the market. But that's what will happen when Newbury College closes next spring. That already has people wondering what will take the college's place on Fisher Hill. Questions about the future of the campus — a collection of grand old homes and mid-century college buildings — began swirling within hours of Friday's news that the liberal arts college of about 700 students will shut its doors after the spring semester."
- "Moratorium on National Grid gas hookups lifted," by Jon Chesto, Boston Globe: "The state Department of Public Utilities on Wednesday lifted the moratorium on natural gas work in National Grid's territory, a move that could provide a boost to developers whose projects have been stalled for months. But don't expect the floodgates to open right away. The state agency has issued a directive requiring that all pipeline work by National Grid crews receive a certified professional engineer's stamp of approval. The order also requires that the utility's employees have certain levels of experience to work on gas lines, ranging from five years for low-pressure lines to 15 years for high-pressure lines."
- "Depression shadows old age for nearly a third of Mass. residents," by Robert Weisman, Boston Globe: "For nearly a third of Massachusetts residents, and more than a quarter in New England, old age is shadowed by depression. A report released this month by the Gerontology Institute of the John W. McCormack Graduate School of Policy and Global Studies at the University of Massachusetts Boston shows the share of state residents over 65 who've been treated for depression has climbed to 31.5 percent from 28.6 percent three years ago."
- "Everett official shot to death, allegedly by estranged husband," by Emily Sweeney, Boston Globe: "A member of the Everett Board of Assessors and second cousin to the city's mayor was fatally shot, allegedly by her estranged husband, as she sat in her car in the driveway of her parents' home Wednesday morning while she prepared to leave for work, authorities said. Ersilia Cataldo Matarazzo, 50, was found in her vehicle in the driveway of the home on Central Avenue, according to Middlesex District Attorney Marian T. Ryan."
- "Cambridge Startup Says It Will Take $500M From Saudi-Backed Investor Despite Khashoggi Murder," by Callum Borchers, WBUR: "A co-founder of Cambridge Mobile Telematics says the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi was a 'crime against humanity,' but the local startup nevertheless felt comfortable accepting $500 million from a venture fund whose largest backer is the Saudi government."
- "Dorchester resident Julia Mejia announces Boston City Council At-Large race," from the Mejia campaign: "I want to share with you an important step I'm taking...and I would like to bring you along. I'm running for Boston City Councilor At-Large. Like many residents in the City of Boston, immigration is part of my story. Born in the Dominican Republic, I arrived in the neighborhood of Dorchester when I was five years old. Raised by a single mother who was undocumented for most of my childhood, I was forced at an early age to speak up on behalf of my mother and others who felt ignored by the very institutions that were suppose to serve them."
- "Somerville first municipality in Commonwealth to pass new retail, age restrictions on e-cigarettes," Somerville Journal:"Citing concerns over health impacts on youth, the Somerville Board of Health voted on Dec. 13 to restrict the sale of electronic nicotine delivery systems (e-cigarettes) and menthol cigarettes in Somerville. The new regulations will end the practice of allowing such products to be sold in retail establishments open to youth. Starting April 1, 2019, the sale of both menthol and e-cigarettes will be restricted to 21-plus, adult-only tobacco retail stores. Somerville is the first municipality in the Commonwealth to pass such regulations."
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| THE OPINION PAGES |
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- "Ocean plot auctions reap windfall for future," by House Speaker Robert DeLeo and Rep. Thomas Golden, Boston Herald:"Offshore wind grew up overnight right off the coast of Massachusetts last week, with a federal auction for ocean plots fetching lucrative prices from developers competing for the right to build among the first commercial-scale offshore wind farms in the nation."
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| WARREN REPORT |
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- "Elizabeth Warren trails Joe Biden, other potential 2020 Democrats in favorability, poll finds," by Shannon Young, Springfield Republican: "Although U.S. Sen. Elizabeth has yet to announce whether she will pursue a 2020 White House run, a new poll suggests that voters like former Vice President Joe Biden and other possible Democratic candidates better than the Massachusetts Democrat. A Quinnipiac University national poll released Wednesday found that American voters see Biden as the most favorable 2020 contender."
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| FROM THE DELEGATION |
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- "Q&A with U.S. Rep Richard Neal, chairman of a key committee in Congress," by Matt Berg, Amherst Wire: "To pass legislation, Trump must cooperate with the Democrat-controlled committee come January. However, Democrats have been outspoken about pursuing a public examination of Trump's tax information, a subject the president has sidestepped multiple times since his presidential campaign. The Ways and Means Committee has the power to request these documents, and the future chairman is expected to lead the charge. I spoke to Massachusetts Congressman Richard Neal, the ranking member on the committee, about topics ranging from Trump's unreleased taxes to the border wall."
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| DATELINE D.C. |
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- "Democrats seek cease-fire in voter data wars," by Alex Thompson, POLITICO: " Top Democratic National Committee and state party officials met privately Tuesday to quell the public fighting and find a path forward on a contentious voter data plan that has put the two sides at odds. They were only partly successful. Tempers have cooled, but the future of the party's voter data, arguably its most precious asset, is no closer to resolution. 'I think getting to the final conclusion, we'll get there, I'm optimistic,' said Gus Bickford, chair of the Massachusetts Democratic Party. 'You leave the largest sticking points to the end, and that's why we're at this point right now.'"
- "Sens. Marco Rubio and Ed Markey team up to deny Saudi Arabia nuclear energy," by John Siciliano, Washington Examiner: "Sens. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., and Ed Markey, D-Mass., joined forces on Wednesday to introduce a bipartisan bill that would ban the U.S. from entering into a nuclear energy deal with Saudi Arabia unless it comes clean about the death of U.S. resident and journalist Jamal Khashoggi."
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| MARIJUANA IN MASSACHUSETTS |
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- "Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission opening applications for marijuana social equity program," by Shira Schoenberg, Springfield Republican: "The Cannabis Control Commission on Wednesday will start accepting applications for its social equity program, which will provide training and technical assistance for people who want to enter the marijuana industry from communities that were disproportionately affected by marijuana enforcement."
- "Shouting match erupts at New Bedford cannabis committee meeting," by Michael Bonner, Standard-Times: "Heated exchanges hijacked three entrepreneurs hoping to open cannabis businesses in the city, as they spoke of obstacles they're dealing with in front of the Committee on Licensing and Zoning for Cannabis on Wednesday. The common theme throughout the meeting, which lasted more than 90 minutes, was a lack of possible locations that met the city's zoning requirements."
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| ABOVE THE FOLD |
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— Herald: "FEAR IN SYRIA," "'JUST STARTING TO LIVE LIFE,'" — Globe: "Seeking middle ground, Fed raises rates," "President orders troops out of Syria," "Santa shortage." |
| NO PLACE LIKE THE CITY OF HOMES |
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- "Questions raised about 5 Springfield narcotics officers could jeopardize drug prosecutions," by Dan Glaun, MassLive.com:"The Hampden District Attorney's Office has notified defense attorneys of potentially exculpatory information linked to five members of the Springfield Police Department narcotics unit, jeopardizing the results of an unknown number of drug cases. Officers Luke Cournoyer, Edward Kalish and Jose Robles, Lt. Alberto Ayala and Capt. Steven Kent are named in the notification, which DA Anthony Gulluni sent to Springfield's public defender agency and other attorneys on Tuesday."
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| HOLIDAY READING |
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- "We seem to be in the midst of a Santa shortage," by Dugan Arnett, Boston Globe: "Throughout New England and beyond, demand for professional Santas has skyrocketed. One popular gig website, where many Santa transactions occur, registered some 430 local Santa inquiries this year — up from 255 in 2015.And with schedules that have been filled, in some cases, since Halloween, many Santas have been forced to turn away would-be customers."
- "'Definitely a nice change': Commuter rail conductor decorates train car with Christmas cheer," by Steve Annear, Boston Globe:"Mechanical issues. Delays. Sitting in the dark. But riders on a commuter rail train bound for Boston this week had a much more cheerful experience — one that came with free candy canes."
THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH WANTS YOU TO KNOW:It's not too late to get your flu shot. From the DPH: "We've teamed up with the New England Revolution to remind you that while soccer season may be over, flu season is here."
HAPPY BIRTHDAY - to state Senate President Emeritus Harriette Chandler, writer and reporting virtuoso Megan Johnson and MassINC public affairs associate Maureen McInerney.
DID THE HOME TEAM WIN? No! The Suns beat the Celtics 111-103.
NEW: POLITICO is now accepting applications for its 2019 session of PJI, a 10-day intensive in journalism training with opportunities to publish on the POLITICO site. More than a dozen students are selected each year for this all expense-paid program, which is offered in partnership with American University and the Maynard Institute. At the conclusion of the program, two students are invited back for a full-time paid internship in the POLITICO newsroom. Apply online now!
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