Lots of bills land on Baker’s desk
"IN THE EARLY HOURS of Wednesday morning, the Massachusetts Legislature wrapped up its two-year session with a flurry of last-minute lawmaking that didn’t end until 4:41 a.m.
Major compromise bills on transportation and economic development emerged from conference committees after midnight and were swiftly passed. The transportation bill included new state fees on rides provided by ride-hailing apps. Some bills that had been stalled for months were also passed, while others were left on the drawing room floor."
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Mass. tax revenues continue resilient run
"MASSACHUSETTS TAX REVENUES continued to be remarkably resilient in December, as collections were up 8.8 percent over the same pre-COVID month a year ago and up 2.7 percent in the first six months of the fiscal year.
Total collections in December were $2.8 billion, up $230 million over December 2019. December is typically the fifth largest revenue month of the year, bringing in 9.5 percent of the state’s annual revenues on average.
Collections for June through December 2020 were $14.3 billion, up 2.7 percent compared to the same six-month period a year ago when COVID-19 was not ravaging the economy. The $14.3 billion represents just over 50 percent of the $28.4 billion the state is forecasting to take in during fiscal 2021, which ends June 30."
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Mariano elected speaker again; Spilka, too
REP. RONALD MARIANO of Quincy was sworn in as House speaker on Wednesday promising honesty and straight talk, a leadership team that reflects the chamber’s diversity, and strong oversight of the state’s vaccine plan and COVID-19 recovery.Continue reading the article online
The latter pledge was notable only because Mariano earlier in the week was asked how he thought the state’s vaccine rollout was going. “I have no idea,” he said, adding that he had just assumed the speaker’s position.
Mariano was elected speaker with 127 votes. House Minority Leader Bradley Jones Jr. received 30 votes from his fellow Republicans and two Democrats – Reps. Tami Gouveia of Acton and Erika Uyterhoeven of Somerville – voted present. Mariano won the speaker’s job by a similar margin last week – 126 votes in support, 31 for Jones (there is one less Republican this session), and three Democrats (Gouveia and two retiring lawmakers) who didn’t vote or voted present.
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