WASHINGTON (AP) — Congressional Republicans are racing to avert a government shutdown next week when the budget year ends and a temporary funding bill is required to keep agencies operating.
But the once-routine job of passing a stopgap measure known as a continuing resolution has been drawn into a battle over Planned Parenthood and its involvement in the practice of procuring tissue from aborted fetuses for research purposes.
Gov. Charlie Baker made expanded access to charter schools a major theme of his campaign last year but has failed to file legislation to accomplish that goal.
Now, on the heels of the filing of a lawsuit by charter advocates, the governor is personally getting behind an effort by ballot activists who hope to ask voters next November to authorize the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education to approve up to 12 new public charter schools or expansions of existing charters each year.
