State House News Service - NewBostonPost (Page 144)

Massachusetts

House passes $39.6 billion Mass. budget bill

BOSTON – The Massachusetts House of Representatives unanimously passed a $39.6 billion fiscal 2017 budget bill Wednesday afternoon, shipping its spending plan to the Senate where a debate is planned in May to shape its vision of what state outlays should look like beginning July 1. The budget bill was

Massachusetts

Speliotis sees momentum for handheld cellphone ban for drivers

When the House finishes its deliberations on the state budget this week, the Legislature will have 13 weeks left to finish its formal business for the two-year session. A ban on using a hand-held devices while driving appears to be among the select items on the House's agenda

Massachusetts

GOP succeeds with surprise bid for ‘secure’ Mass. IDs

BOSTON – Lawmakers in the House of Representatives attached to the annual state spending bill a section sponsored by the Republican leadership that would bring Massachusetts into compliance with the federal Real ID Act, over the objections of some Democrats who were caught off guard Wednesday by the major policy decision.

Massachusetts

Youthful protest over job funding disrupts budget debate

BOSTON – Protesters backing an amendment to increase funding for youth jobs programs were escorted out of the gallery in the House of Representatives during the budget debate Tuesday after they began chanting at lawmakers and displayed a banner reading, "What you fund can build or ruin lives." The

Massachusetts

Chairs agree accord on charter schools ‘unlikely’

STATE HOUSE — It's unlikely that the Massachusetts House and Senate will be able to agree on a charter school expansion bill that would prompt charter school proponents to drop a proposed ballot question, key lawmakers told school committee members on Tuesday. The ballot question calls for the addition

Massachusetts

Sales tax roll-back proposal runs into Democratic wall

BOSTON – Saying state spending has risen 50 percent since 2006, state Rep. James Lyons appealed to his colleagues in the House of Representatives Monday to roll back the Massachusetts sales tax to 5 percent from 6.25 percent. Rep. Stephen Kulik, a Worthington Democrat, argued for an amendment to study

Massachusetts

House rejects film credit cap, gas tax increase

BOSTON – The Massachusetts House of Representatives on Monday shot down proposals to increase the state gas tax and to cap the state's film tax credit program as they began to dispense with more than 1,300 amendments to a state budget bill. The House swiftly took care of

Massachusetts

Poll suggests wide support for ‘millionaire’ tax proposal

BOSTON – More than three quarters of Boston residents polled said they would support a surtax on incomes of $1 million or more, assuming the revenue would be used to increase spending on transportation and education, according to survey results released Monday. But critics have pointed out that revenue raise by