Erin Tiernan

There is “more work to do” to protect the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and other queer people, Gov. Maura Healey says — even in Massachusetts, a pioneer in recognizing LGBTQ communities. At a time when LGBTQ rights are under siege nationally, the country’s first openly gay person elected governor told MASSterList she generally “supports efforts” […]

The state’s first standalone housing secretary in more than three decades, Ed Augustus, is on the job. And advocates say focused leadership on housing needs can’t come soon enough. High housing costs took the spotlight at the Legislature’s Joint Committee on Housing this week during two days of listening sessions. The committee has yet to hold hearings on any […]

It’s a women’s world today — on Beacon Hill at least. They are taking to the State House to demand action on a slate of bills at a time when women’s reproductive rights are under siege on the national scale. Abortion access, care and health insurance coverage expansion will dominate the dialogue as supporters advocate for a […]

Boston’s two special elections today may be a mere formality for candidates running now-uncontested for open seats in the state House of Representatives, but heated races taking shape for city council seats up later this year have the potential to invigorate voters in a city seeing less and less participation in local elections. One wonders who […]

Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr passed a note to Democrat budget chief Michael Rodrigues as budget debate wrapped yesterday that spelled out in bold letters “I.O.U. $575 million.” It was a symbolic nod to one of the biggest still-lingering questions on next year’s spending: What kind of tax relief will state lawmakers deliver to Bay Staters? Senators […]

More than a year after police departments from Cape Cod to Boston began issuing warnings about rising reports of drink spiking at local bars, state senators have taken a first step toward addressing the issue. But advocates say to stop people from getting “roofied,” officials still need to grasp the full scope of the crisis. Boston […]

Budget watchdogs bent on shining a little light on a budget process that’s conducted largely out of public view on Beacon Hill are bringing Bay Staters a debate recap in real-time as the Senate digs in this week. Senators added $29.1 million in spending on Tuesday as they began to wade through 1,049 proposed amendments after introducing […]

Of the 1,049 amendments tacked onto the Senate budget, one that aims to legalize online state lottery sales appears dead on arrival as debate opens on Tuesday. But iLottery is still in the cards for Massachusetts, lawmakers said. House Democrats already approved online lottery sales as part of a $56.2 billion state budget proposal. Gov. Maura […]

We’re still waiting on cannabis cafés in Massachusetts  Seven years after voters legalized recreational cannabis — including social consumption — there’s still no public place to smoke, vape or consume pot in a state where it can be legally bought. But Massachusetts may be inching closer to opening its first cannabis cafés — think bars but […]

Taylor Swift plus thousands of fans plus the MBTA. What could possibly go wrong? The Swift Express leaves the station starting tonight. In Massachusetts, the MBTA has completely sold out of special-event train tickets for added commuter rail trains scheduled around the concerts to get attendees back and forth from Gillette. Foxboro has been preparing for […]