| | |  | BY LISA KASHINSKY | With help from Anne Brandes WHAT A RELIEF — A new Covid-19 aid package is on the move on Beacon Hill and more testing is on the way to schools, as Gov. Charlie Baker says Massachusetts is “ on the backside of the Omicron surge.” House lawmakers will take up a $55 million Covid spending bill today that would put $25 million toward expanding testing sites, another $25 million toward buying and distributing high-quality masks like N95s and KN95s to students and school staff, and $5 million toward boosting vaccinations among kids ages 5 to 11. Masks must be distributed by Feb. 28, and the state will seek reimbursement from the feds for the cost. The Senate is expected to take up the bill next week as lawmakers look to fast-track the legislation to Baker’s desk. The bill comes a week after lawmakers grilled Baker on all three of those issues at an oversight hearing on the Omicron surge. And it dropped right before the governor rolled out a new rapid-test program for schools. Baker told reporters yesterday that the “biggest challenge” with testing “is much more about staff than it is about either supplies or dollars.” He’s set to make another Covid testing announcement at an early learning center in Boston this afternoon. Teachers union leaders cheered the day’s developments, but they called the rapid-test program “reactive” rather than “proactive.” Massachusetts Teachers Association President Merrie Najimy told Playbook “we lack clarity” on how schools already overwhelmed by Omicron’s challenges are supposed to implement the program. Beth Kontos, president of the American Federation of Teachers Massachusetts, urged Beacon Hill to “get going” on the mask and vaccination legislation. “Quality masks for kids should have been on the docket in September,” Kontos told Playbook. “It’s especially important in cities with high poverty rates.” Lawmakers, union leaders and school staff are already looking ahead to how the state will handle the next surge. The Massachusetts Education Justice Alliance is holding a virtual press conference today calling on Baker for a statewide “protection plan” for schools. GOOD WEDNESDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. House Majority Leader Claire Cronin will become U.S. Ambassador to Ireland Claire Cronin today. The Easton Democrat will deliver her farewell speech and will be sworn in as ambassador after the House gavels into session at 11 a.m. It’s not clear when House Speaker Ron Mariano will appoint a new majority leader — Speaker Pro Tempore Kate Hogan and Assistant Majority Leader Mike Moran’s names are being floated in State House circles as potential replacements — or whether the House will schedule a special election to fill the rest of Cronin’s term. TODAY — Baker, Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito and state education officials make a Covid testing announcement at Ellis Early Learning at 1 p.m. Polito presides over a Governor’s Council meeting at noon. |  | THE LATEST NUMBERS |
| — “Massachusetts reports 56,489 coronavirus cases after the long weekend, hospitalizations decline,” by Rick Sobey, Boston Herald: “State health officials reported more than 56,000 new coronavirus cases after the long weekend, as infection rates dip amid the extremely contagious omicron variant. … The state’s positive test average is now 17.44 percent — down from 23 percent earlier this month. The positive test rate for Tuesday’s report was 15.45 percent.” | |
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| — ON THE MOVE: The Covid relief bill would also set the state primary for Sept. 6, in response to Secretary of State Bill Galvin’s request to move up the primary date to get absentee ballots out in time. And it would extend pandemic-era policies including remote public meetings, notarization and reverse-mortgage counseling through mid-July. — “Massachusetts created a commission to study qualified immunity. Reform advocates aren’t happy with the result,” by Nik DeCosta-Klipa, Boston.com: “[A]fter a five-month study, the commission tasked with specifically studying qualified immunity held off on any additional reforms. Instead, the 15-member group recommended last week that legislators wait another two years while the rest of the police reform bill is implemented. The group also suggested two changes be made to the state’s civil rights laws. … Rep. Ayanna Pressley, one of the country’s leading qualified immunity critics, went so far as to call the commission’s recommendations ‘dangerous,’ arguing that communities of color will continue to be disproportionately affected.” — “Massachusetts bill would mandate notifications before leased vehicles are repossessed,” by WCVB: “Lease companies are not required to let you know before they take back your vehicle. … [State Sen. Paul Feeney] is now sponsoring a bill that would change that, requiring notice before a leased vehicle is repossessed, similar to what is necessary for cars that are financed.” | | VAX-ACHUSETTS |
| — “Mass. relaxes contact tracing in schools that offer rapid tests to students and staff,” by Travis Andersen and Naomi Martin, Boston Globe: “Governor Charlie Baker announced Tuesday his administration would allow schools to stop ‘test-and-stay’ and contact-tracing efforts if they join a new state initiative offering weekly rapid at-home COVID-19 tests to staffers and students. The move, which was praised by school leaders and the state’s largest teachers’ union, was aimed at relieving overburdened school nurses and other employees at a time of high COVID cases and data showing low spread in schools.” — “Tensions rise as Mass. changes school COVID measures for ‘current state of pandemic’,” by Jenna Russell and Naomi Martin, Boston Globe: “A vocal contingent of experts say the time has come for schools to prioritize pre-pandemic routines over arduous measures to contain an illness that has, so far, caused few children serious symptoms. And schools have begun to change their practices.” — “Municipalities wrangle with how to keep rapid tests in residents’ hands without excluding undocumented immigrants,” by Sarah Betancourt, GBH News: “Some towns and cities are changing their approaches to distributing tests — asking for an ID or a piece of mail with their address to prove their residence when they didn’t before, or giving tests to local nonprofits or churches that are trusted by local undocumented residents — in an effort to meet both needs.” — “Boosters roll out unevenly, as worker shortages hamper outreach,” by Felice J. Freyer, Boston Globe: “Gladys Vega was out sick with COVID-19 the first week of January, bedridden for seven days. And like millions of others, Vega hadn’t gotten the booster shot that might have prevented her illness, or made it milder. Vega wanted the shot — she even runs an agency that provides vaccines, the renowned Chelsea community service group called La Colaborativa. But, Vega explained on Friday, her voice still hoarse, she had gone three times to a vaccine clinic, only to find lines so long she knew supplies would run out before she could get to the front.” — "'Health care heroes really got the shaft': Some workers with COVID had to fight for pay," by Beth Healy and Saurabh Datar, WBUR: "[Susan Crowell] is one of thousands of Massachusetts workers exposed to the virus on the job during this pandemic — and one of hundreds who’ve had to fight to be compensated for medical care and lost wages when they got sick." | | FROM THE HUB |
| — JANEY’S NEXT MOVE: Former Boston city councilor and acting mayor Kim Janey is joining Harvard Kennedy School’s Institute of Politics as a resident fellow for the spring semester. “I had the honor of leading my city during a time of unprecedented challenges,” Janey said in a statement. “I am excited to join the Harvard community in discussions on how we move U.S. cities forward as we tackle the twin pandemic of Covid and systemic racism.” Maya Rupert, a former senior advisor to Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s presidential bid; Gerald Seib of The Wall Street Journal; former Peace Corps director Jody Olsen; APIAVote Executive Director Christine Chen and Seven Letter partner Brendan Buck round out the fellows. — "How Omicron ruined new mayors’ honeymoons," by Lisa Kashinsky, POLITICO: "Michelle Wu wakes up nearly every morning to protesters outside her home demanding the new Boston mayor call off her vaccine mandate for city workers. In Atlanta, Omicron-fueled staffing shortages are wreaking havoc on everything from Mayor Andre Dickens’ public-safety plans to residents’ trash pickup. ... The Omicron surge didn’t just upend mayors’ inaugural fetes. It’s overtaken their first days and weeks in office." — “Wu touts smooth vaccine mandate rollout, says protests at home reflect ‘fragile state of democracy’,” by Zoe Mathews, GBH News: “Boston saw a jump in COVID-19 vaccinations the week before the city’s new proof of vaccination mandate went into effect, with 81 percent of residents now having received at least one dose, Mayor Michelle Wu told Boston Public Radio on Tuesday.” — “Protestors depart from Michelle Wu’s house — and end up at Ed Flynn’s,” by Sean Philip Cotter, Boston Herald: “There’s been some peace and quiet for a couple of days outside Mayor Michelle Wu’s Roslindale home — because the protestors who’ve been screaming at her about the vaccine mandate trekked across town and began doing so outside Council President Ed Flynn’s house.” — “2021 set records in Boston’s housing market. What now?” by Tim Logan, Boston Globe: “Greater Boston’s housing market had a record-setting year in 2021, hitting all-time highs for both prices and number of sales. And local real estate groups predict more of the same in 2022, as long as there are enough houses to buy.” | | ON THE STUMP |
| — FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: Lawrence City Councilor Pavel Payano will run for the First Essex state Senate seat that includes Lawrence, Methuen and part of Haverhill. Payano, a former school committee member who has run for the Senate before, says he’ll focus on expanding access to high-quality education and tackle the region’s housing, transportation, environmental and economic challenges. Methuen City Council Vice Chair Eunice Zeigler is also running for the First Essex seat. — “Cruz formally launches rep campaign, Dominguez joins race,” by Julie Manganis, Salem News: “Less than two weeks after announcing his intent to replace his former boss as 7th District representative, Manny Cruz has picked up a major endorsement. Cruz announced Tuesday that he’s received the backing of Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll — who has announced her own candidacy for lieutenant governor. … On Monday, Salem Councilor-at-Large Domingo Dominguez announced on Twitter that he would also be entering the race to replace Rep. Paul Tucker.” — “Keller @ Large: Voter Rights Debate Isn’t Just On The National Level, It’s Happening In Massachusetts,” by Jon Keller, WBZ: “It’s the issue propelling Boston NAACP President Tanisha Sullivan to run for secretary of state. … The Massachusetts House let pandemic-era voting changes like mail-in and expanded early voting expire last month, despite their apparent popularity with the voters. Sullivan doesn’t see why.” | | BALLOT BATTLES |
| — “Lyft makes largest one-time political donation in Massachusetts history, fueling gig worker ballot fight,” by Matt Stout and John Hilliard, Boston Globe: “The rideshare giant Lyft gave a whopping $14.4 million to a committee supporting the petitions, most of which came in a $13 million donation on Dec. 30, newly released records show. … The committee also enlisted Conan Harris & Associates, a management consulting firm run and founded by the husband of Representative Ayanna Pressley. Harris’s work appears to put him at direct odds with Pressley’s own stance on the issue.” | |
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| — “Boston appears headed for Supreme Court loss over refusal to fly a Christian flag,” by Pete Williams, NBC News: “The Supreme Court on Tuesday seemed prepared to rule that the city of Boston was wrong when it refused to let an organization fly a Christian flag in front of city hall. … Conservative justices also said Boston was wrong to conclude that allowing the Christian flag to fly would be an unconstitutional government endorsement of religion.” — “Mass. woman and N.H. woman are arrested in connection with Jan. 6 attack on US Capitol,” by Jeremy C. Fox, Boston Globe: “A 36-year-old woman from Dracut and her girlfriend, a 33-year-old New Hampshire woman, were arrested Tuesday by the FBI Boston’s Joint Terrorism Task Force in connection with the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the US Capitol building in Washington, D.C., officials said.” — “Harvard immigration clinic sues for records on ICE detention,” by The Associated Press: “A Harvard Law School clinic has sued federal immigration officials for failing to release records about the use of solitary confinement in immigration detention facilities.” | | PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES |
| — “State to get $1.12B fed funds to fix bridges,” by Christian M. Wade, CNHI/Eagle-Tribune: “The U.S. Department of Transportation is sending $1.12 billion to the Bay State over the next five years for bridge upgrades as part of the state's share of funding from the $1 trillion infrastructure and jobs law, signed by President Joe Biden in November. Initially, the state will get more than $225 million in the current fiscal year.” — “Emirates Airlines suspends flights to Boston Logan because of 5G mobile ‘operational concerns’,” by Rick Sobey, Boston Herald: “Emirates Airlines is suspending flights to Boston Logan International Airport, the Dubai-based airline announced Tuesday as concerns swirl about the impact of 5G mobile network services at airports.” — "Making riders tap their CharlieCard to leave could reduce expected fare evasion surge, new analysis finds," by Taylor Dolven, Boston Globe: "Having MBTA riders tap their CharlieCards, phones, or credit cards while exiting the Green Line could reduce an anticipated increase in fare evasion when the MBTA’s new fare collection system is expected to be completed in 2024, a new report suggests." | | WARREN REPORT |
| — FILI-BUSTING: Sen. Elizabeth Warren is yet again calling to abolish the filibuster to pass voting-rights legislation. This time, she did it by delivering a filibuster-length speech from the Senate last night in which she read excerpts from articles chronicling restrictive voting laws. “These efforts to subvert our democracy cannot be allowed to stand,” Warren said. — “Warren dodges on whether Sinema, Manchin should be challenged in primaries,” by Caroline Vakil, The Hill: “Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) on Tuesday dodged a question on whether Democrats should pose primary challenges in 2024 to either Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) or Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.), the two Senate Democrat holdouts on getting rid of the filibuster.” | | FROM THE 413 |
| — IN MEMORIAM: “East Longmeadow Town Council member Thomas C. O’Connor dies,” by Patrick Johnson, Springfield Republican. — “Northampton health officials end vaccine passport debate,” by Brian Steele, Daily Hampshire Gazette: “City health officials have no plans to implement a COVID-19 vaccine requirement for customers and employees of indoor businesses, putting to rest the controversial idea that drew hundreds of public comments over the course of several weeks.” — “Communities continue contact tracing, without state support,” by Bera Dunau, Daily Hampshire Gazette: “Last month, the state’s COVID-19 Community Tracing Collaborative (CTC) ceased operation, and its existence is missed in Easthampton. ‘They could cover us,’ said Bri Eichstaedt, Easthampton’s public health director. ‘We’re struggling right now to even call all of our cases.’” | | THE LOCAL ANGLE |
| — “Rachael Rollins, FBI special agent meet with Massachusetts Jewish community after synagogue hostage crisis, security trainings highlighted,” by Rick Sobey, Boston Herald: “The Texas synagogue hostage crisis hit home for Jewish communities all across the world over the weekend, including for Bay State Jewish people who heard from the FBI and U.S. Attorney on Tuesday in the wake of the horrifying incident.” — “MGM Springfield reports higher gambling take in December,” by Jim Kinney, Springfield Republican: “MGM Springfield took in $22.2 million in slot machine and table game revenue in December, according to figures released Tuesday by the Massachusetts Gaming Commission. All three of the state’s casinos reported increases in the monthly report.” — “Framingham principal who went on leave in March may still be on payroll. What we don’t know,” by Zane Razzaq, MetroWest Daily News: “A former school principal is apparently still on the district’s payroll months after she stopped working, but the district has refused to turn over any records that may shed light on her absence.” | | MEANWHILE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE |
| — “N.H. governor questions Mass. court’s handling of Harmony Montgomery case,” by Dugan Arnett and Elizabeth Koh, Boston Globe: “New Hampshire Governor Christopher T. Sununu offered a scathing rebuke Tuesday of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, demanding to know why a judge in 2019 awarded custody of Harmony Montgomery to her father, a man with a violent history who is now jailed and eyed in her disappearance.” | | MEANWHILE IN RHODE ISLAND |
| — “R.I. Congressman James Langevin won’t seek reelection,” by Dan McGowan and Edward Fitzpatrick, Boston Globe: “It’s rare for one of Rhode Island’s two House seats to open up — the last time was 2010, when David Cicilline won the race to replace former congressman Patrick Kennedy — so Langevin’s retirement is sure to set off a flurry of speculation about who [will] run for the job.” SPOTTED — Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and former Boston city councilor Matt O’Malley on an MBTA shuttle bus because of an Orange Line power outage. Pols, they’re just like us. TRANSITIONS — Jessica Morris, who served as chief of staff to O’Malley, joins Benchmark Strategies as assistant vice president of public affairs. — Boston Business Journal’s Catherine Carlock joins the Boston Globe in February to cover real estate and development. The Miami Herald’s Samantha Gross joins the Globe’s politics team next month as well. — Beacon Communities has hired Diana DiPreta as SVP of development finance. HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to state Sen. Julian Cyr 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.
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