Metro Politics - The Boston Globe

Kayla Ford hugged her son, Memphis, while playing in their front yard with her three sons. Ford was in recovery and taking Suboxone when she was reported to the Department of Children and Families following the birth of each of her children.

Pregnant patients can be reported for neglect solely for taking addiction medication. A new federal bill would change that.

New federal legislation being pushed by Senator Edward Markey and others would shield pregnant or postpartum mothers from child abuse and neglect investigation solely for taking prescribed medication to treat substance use disorder.

AG Campbell launches reproductive justice unit, appoints Sapna Khatri as director
Campbell said she intends for the unit to become a national leader, collaborating with attorneys general in other states to respond to national attacks on reproductive rights, reduce racial disparities in maternal care, and combat abortion misinformation that prevents access to care.

Following crucial vote, Mass. Democrats call for Ukraine funding
"This vote is the last time I will support a GOP compromise that does not provide clear, credible, and concrete terms for supporting Ukraine,” said US Representative Jake Auchincloss.

For Boston’s police intelligence gathering operation, more barbed questions

Councilors and civil rights advocates have for years demanded more details about BRIC’s gang database.

In Boston’s council election, Mayor Michelle Wu tries to flex her influence
By backing certain candidates, she is trying to build a power structure that makes it easier for her to deliver on her agenda.

Dean Tran, former state senator, accused of using Senate staff for campaign work
The charges come three months after Tran’s Fitchburg home was raided by the FBI.

Faneuil Hall should be renamed, some say. But the process and support for a name change are hazy.
A coalition called the New Democracy Coalition has been pushing to rename Faneuil Hall over the last five years because of Faneuil’s enslavement of and trading of human beings.

Massachusetts Republican Party settles campaign finance allegations with state, to pay $15,000
The MassGOP will pay $15,000 in three installments under the deal, which party chair Amy Carnevale signed Wednesday with Attorney General Andrea Campbell’s office, according to a copy provided to the Globe.

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Latest Headlines in Politics

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu spoke to a resident at a press conference near Mass. and Cass last fall. The mayor has pushed for a city ordinance her administration says would make it easier to remove homeless encampments in a legal and humane way

Wu’s Mass. and Cass plan meets skepticism from both ends of the council’s political spectrum

Administration officials were peppered with questions about the efficacy of Mayor Michelle Wu’s proposal, which is aimed at giving police increased authority to clear tents and ramshackle street shelters. 6:02 p.m.

Top Mass. cannabis regulator sues to lift suspension; treasurer says ‘several serious allegations’ prompted discipline

Shannon O’Brien, a one-time Democratic nominee for governor, argued that Treasurer Deborah Goldberg “willfully side-stepped” the law when she suspended her as the chair of the Cannabis Control Commission. 3:01 p.m.

Governor Maura Healey announced a $742 million tax relief package while visiting the Demakes Family YMCA in Lynn.

The $1 billion tax reform package is a big win for Governor Maura Healey

It’s been more than two decades since the last significant tax cut, when voters — not legislators — approved a measure to slice the state’s income tax to 5 percent. 1:40 p.m.

A rendering of the proposed Long Island Bridge replacement.

City seeking to hire project manager to build Long Island Bridge linking Boston to recovery campus

Mayor Wu’s administration is looking to hire a project manager for the long-stalled replacement of the Long Island Bridge connecting Boston to a 35-acre recovery campus that’s gone unused since 2014. 9:49 a.m.

U.S. Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) speaks to reporters in Statuary Hall at the U.S. Capitol September 26, 2023 in Washington, DC. McCarthy said he hopes to bring a House vote on a continuing resolution to fund the government this Friday.

Tell us: What questions do you have about the looming government shutdown?

The federal government will shut down at 12:01 a.m. on Sunday morning unless Congress reaches an agreement before then to continue funding 2:38 p.m.

The Boston City Council on Wednesday unanimously approved a new collective bargaining agreement between the city and firefighters union.

Boston City Council approves firefighters contract that results in about 10.6 percent pay hike

The contract requires the city to provide firefighters with base wage increases of 3 percent, 3 percent, and 2.5 percent in July of each fiscal year of the contract, which covers 2021-2024. 12:52 p.m.

Senate President Karen E. Spilka and House Speaker Ronald J. Mariano unveiled a $1 billion tax relief deal on Tuesday.

What’s in Massachusetts’ $1 billion tax relief package for you?

Massachusetts lawmakers will begin voting Wednesday on a $1 billion tax relief package that would boost tax breaks for families, seniors, renters, and others while slashing how much the state taxes profits on short-term investments. 8:00 a.m.

Senate President Karen E. Spilka and House Speaker Ronald Mariano (right) unveiled the tax relief deal during a press conference in the Senate Reading Room.

Massachusetts lawmakers unveil $1 billion tax relief deal, with vote this week

The tax package is estimated to save taxpayers $561 million this fiscal year, and will eventually climb to just over $1 billion once it goes into full effect, according to legislative officials. 4:45 p.m.