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GOOD MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. Happy Monday!
SENATE EYES BALLOT ACCESS RULE — Candidates running for federal office got a lifeline from state lawmakers late Friday afternoon when Senate President Karen Spilka's office rolled out a bill to cut the number of required signatures to get on the ballot in half. Senate lawmakers plan to take up the bill today, which comes as the coronavirus pandemic turns what's usually a box-checking exercise for campaigns into a potential health hazard.
The bill is a big deal for Sen. Ed Markey, who was about 3,000 signatures short of making it on the ballot as of last week. He's facing a time-consuming and costly effort to collect signatures by mail under a fast-approaching May 5 deadline, while his primary opponent Rep. Joe Kennedy III turned in 15,000 signatures last month. It's also welcome news to almost everyone running to replace Kennedy in the House. Newton City Councilor Jake Auchincloss is the only one out of 11 candidates to meet the 2,000 signature threshold so far.
The bill was released by the Senate Committee on Rules, and came not long after a bipartisan group of campaigns filed a lawsuit against Secretary of State Bill Galvin, citing public health concerns. Those campaigns were Republican running for Senate Kevin O'Connor, Rep. Stephen Lynch, Democratic challenger Robbie Goldstein and state representative hopeful Melissa Bower Smith.
But the Senate bill leaves out an entire group of candidates who are running for seats in the legislature. To be sure, those campaigns don't need to gather nearly as many signatures as their federal counterparts — state representative campaigns need 150 signatures to get on the ballot, and state senate hopefuls need 300 signatures. Papers for those seats are due April 28, almost a week before the state's order to close schools and business lifts on May 4, and eight days after the state's projected peak in coronavirus cases.
Under the proposed legislation, Senate candidates would need to collect 5,000 signatures instead of 10,000, and House candidates would need 1,000 signatures. The bill would also cut down signature requirements for candidates running for governor's council and county offices.
HAPPENING TODAY: I'm talking with Rep. Richard Neal about the coronavirus pandemic, his work as the chair of the House Ways and Means Committee and what the next economic stimulus may look like during a virtual forum hosted by the Kennedy Institute today. Join us on Zoom at 1 p.m. It's free and open to the public, just sign up ahead of time. Register here.
Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for the Playbook? Get in touch: smurray@politico.com.
TODAY — Gov. Charlie Baker speaks with Senate President Karen Spilka and House Speaker Robert DeLeo. Boston Mayor Marty Walsh is a guest on WBUR's "Radio Boston." Sen. Ed Markey, AFSCME President Lee Saunders and Executive Director of AFSCME Council 93 Mark Bernard hold a livestream. Rep. Joe Kennedy III holds a Middlesex-focused livestream.
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HAPPENING TODAY: Join Playbook co-authors Anna Palmer and Jake Sherman and DNC Chairman Tom Perez for a discussion about what is next for Democrats now that former Vice President Joe Biden is the presumptive nominee, the upcoming DNC convention in August, and the challenges of waging campaigns in the midst of a global health and economic crisis. Register here.
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 | THE LATEST NUMBERS |
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- "Health officials announce 70 more deaths and 2,615 new COVID-19 cases in Massachusetts on Easter Sunday," by Douglas Hook, MassLive.com: "The number of coronavirus-related deaths in Massachusetts increased to 756, with 70 new deaths reported this Easter Sunday. Statewide, there are now 25,475 new positive cases of the virus, according to the latest figures, up from 22,860 on Saturday. Altogether, 116,730 COVID-19 tests have been carried out by state and commercial labs."
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| DATELINE BEACON HILL |
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- "Mask-wearing Baker warns of 'invisible' carriers," by Bruce Mohl, CommonWealth Magazine: "Gov. Charlie Baker sported a mask on Saturday while taking a tour of a mask-cleaning facility in Somerville and said one of the reasons why he and his administration have embraced face-coverings is because a significant number of people are walking around as COVID-19 carriers and don't know it. Baker said estimates of the size of the population of invisible carriers run from 20 to 40 percent; an aide said later the percentage was of the total infected population."
- "Coronavirus and MCAS: Gov. Charlie Baker signs bill that waives standardized testing requirements for school year," by Steph Solis, MassLive.com: "Gov. Charlie Baker on Friday signed a bill that would make Education Commissioner Jeff Riley waive the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System testing requirements for the 2019-20 school year. The MCAS bill went to Baker's desk on Thursday after the Legislature passed the legislation. Baker said during Friday's news conference at the Massachusetts State House that he signed it ."
- "Baker: Surge peak to hit nearer April 20," Bruce Mohl, CommonWealth Magazine: "Gov. Charlie Baker said on Friday that he thinks the peak of the upcoming COVID-19 surge is now going to hit closer to April 20, suggesting the curve is flattening a bit. Baker has said the peak would probably come sometime between Friday and April 20. On Friday, he said the trend lines in confirmed cases and deaths continue to move upward but at a slower pace, which would having the peak coming closer to April 20."
- "Report: States' unemployment funds depleting," by Christian M. Wade, Eagle-Tribune: "Amid a crush of coronavirus-related jobless claims, the state's unemployment fund could be tapped out in a few weeks, according to the new report. The nonpartisan Tax Foundation reports that Massachusetts only has about six weeks of unemployment benefits funding available before they run out."
- "Unemployment site now available in Spanish," by Sarah Betancourt, CommonWealth Magazine: "After three weeks of questions on the issue, Gov. Charlie Baker announced Saturday that the state unemployment benefits portal is now available in Spanish. Baker announced the launch of the portal in an interview with El Mundo Boston Saturday afternoon. In a statement, his office said the Department of Unemployment Assistance will make language applications available in Portuguese, Haitian Creole, Chinese, Vietnamese and additional languages in the coming days."
- "Mass. legislators focus on aid for seniors during pandemic," by Anju Miura, MetroWest Daily News: "Several area legislators are expressing concern over senior citizens who could struggle not only with social isolation, but also with financial issues such as new tax filing deadlines and scams during the coronavirus pandemic. State Sen. Rebecca Rausch, D-Needham, chair of the Committee on Elder Affairs, said one of her top priorities is addressing concerns of senior citizens as well as other residents."
- "As coronavirus cases rise, some healthcare workers urge Mass. to change ventilator guidelines," by Andy Rosen, Boston Globe: "State guidelines to help hospitals decide who would get a ventilator if the medical system becomes overwhelmed by COVID-19 patients could disproportionately leave people from already disadvantaged groups to die, according to a letter from hundreds of front-line health care workers."
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| FROM THE HUB |
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- "How a Premier U.S. Drug Company Became a Virus 'Super Spreader,'" by Farah Stockman and Kim Barker, The New York Times: "On the first Monday in March, Michel Vounatsos, chief executive of the drug company Biogen, appeared in good spirits. The company's new Alzheimer's drug was showing promise after years of setbacks. Revenues had never been higher. Onstage at an elite health care conference in Boston, Mr. Vounatsos touted the drug's 'remarkable journey.' Asked if the coronavirus that was ravaging China would disrupt supply chains and upend the company's big plans, Mr. Vounatsos said no."
- "Racial disparities laid bare as coronavirus hits Boston minorities hard," by Sean Philip Cotter and Lisa Kashinsky, Boston Herald: "There's no way around it: Orlando Pena has to go to work. A Hispanic local union leader who works in a group facility for the developmentally disabled, Pena doesn't have the luxury of working from home ... And he's one of many minority activists and officials in Boston who say the coronavirus crisis is exposing the longstanding inequities in access to food, housing, health care and transportation that are rife in the city's poorest and most diverse neighborhoods — and are disparities now laid bare by the higher infection rates in neighborhoods from Mattapan to East Boston."
- "Coronavirus infection in state prisons more than two times statewide rate," by Sarah Betancourt, CommonWealth Magazine: "The coronavirus infection rate among inmates in the state prison is more than two times than the statewide rate, according to new figures from the Department of Correction. Prisoners' Legal Services sent out an analysis on Friday analyzing the rate of infection among the 64 prisoners out of 7,841 Department of Correction inmates who have contracted the virus, finding a rate of 0.82 percent. That is more than two-and-half times the statewide rate of 0.3 percent."
- "Coronavirus outbreak in Chelsea is 'life or death' crisis, official says," by John Hilliard, Boston Globe: "Chelsea city leaders, who have compared the coronavirus's impact on their community to some of the hardest hit boroughs of New York City, renewed Saturday calls to state officials for help, just as a predicted surge in cases began to reach hospitals in Boston. Roy Avellaneda, Chelsea's city council president, said they've repeatedly asked for more help, including more testing of residents, assistance segregating COVID-19 patients to avoid spreading the infection, and greater unemployment aid, he said."
- "The BPDA: Paved and Confused," by Rachel Slade, Boston Magazine: "Across Boston, critics of the city's billion-dollar real estate bonanza viewed that single 2018 photo of a bribe given and received as indisputable proof that the city still runs by J.M. Curley-style rules. But for those who know how city planning happens here, it was merely the tip of an iceberg of troubles at the BPDA, arguably Boston's most powerful agency. Whether or not cash is changing hands, Bostonians should be outraged at how the BPDA functions—or doesn't."
- "Nursing homes account for 41% of state's COVID-19 deaths," by Bruce Mohl, CommonWealth Magazine: "Two-fifths of the COVID-19 deaths in the state have occurred at long-term care facilities for the elderly, according to information released by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health on Friday. The agency said 247 people have died at nursing homes, rest homes, and skilled nursing facilities."
- "Volunteer shortages, surging demand: Mass. food banks say this is unlike any other point in history," by Janelle Nanos and Victoria McGrane, Boston Globe: "The first Thursday of every month typically brings about 250 to 300 families to the Watch City Market, a Waltham food pantry that distributes fresh fruit and veggies and other healthy staples to those in need. On April 2, the first time the pantry opened after the COVID-19 crisis struck, a line of cars began queuing up an hour and a half before distribution began."
- "Medical workers share concerns about masks delivered by Patriots plane," by Dugan Arnett, Boston Globe: ""It was a rare moment of celebration in a season of misery: The New England Patriots team plane touching down at Logan Airport April 2 with a massive cargo of scarce respirator masks for front-line health care workers who were trying to save lives. But like so much else in this global pandemic, the ensuing reality has proven to be more complex."
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| PRIMARY SOURCES |
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- FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: "Outgoing Newton Dems Chair and Longtime Democratic Activist Shawn Fitzgibbons Endorses Jesse Mermell for Congress," from the Mermell campaign: "Jesse Mermell today secured the endorsement of Shawn Fitzgibbons, outgoing chair of the Newton Democratic City Committee (NDCC) and longtime Democratic activist. Fitzgibbons recently ended his term as the Chair of the NDCC, a position he held since 2012."
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| DAY IN COURT |
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- "When going to the grocery store can put you in harm's way, more people are writing wills," by Deirdre Fernandes, Boston Globe: "Massachusetts estate attorneys say that since the pandemic hit they have seen a surge in new clients interested in drawing up their final wishes and families and existing clients who want to update health care proxies or finalize documents that they've procrastinated signing for months and sometimes years."
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| TRUMPACHUSETTS |
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- "Trump wants to reopen the economy May 1. What's the plan for Massachusetts?" by Tim Logan, Larry Edelman and Shirley Leung: "As Massachusetts approaches its peak of the pandemic, it's hard to see a scenario anytime soon in which stay-at-home orders are relaxed and commerce comes roaring back, according to business owners, economists, and public officials. And they say it would be folly to circle any date on the calendar — Trump is aiming for May 1 — before the virus shows signs of subsiding, and some national coordination is broadly agreed upon."
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| KENNEDY COMPOUND |
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- "Kennedy calls on Beacon Hill to pass vote-by-mail law," by Victoria McGrane, Boston Globe: "Representative Joseph P. Kennedy III is asking top state lawmakers to pass legislation creating a vote-by-mail program in Massachusetts for the rest of the 2020 election season. Kennedy, who is challenging incumbent US Senator Edward J. Markey in the Sept. 1 primary, noted that New York, New Hampshire, and Maryland have all moved in recent weeks to ensuring voters can casts ballots by mail during the pandemic."
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| ABOVE THE FOLD |
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— Herald: "INSIDE MGH," — Globe: "A May 1 reboot? Unlikely, experts say," "Debate arises over guideline on ventilators." |
| FROM THE 413 |
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- "How two Massachusetts cities worked with an immigrant community on public health messaging," by Stephanie Barry, Springfield Republican: "For weeks, elected officials and public health experts have stood at podiums day after day, offering updates on the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic and urging residents to heed their latest warnings. It's not a given that those potentially life-saving messages reach everyone who needs to hear them."
- "Hampshire County jail inmate and staff member test positive for COVID-19," by Michael Connors, Daily Hampshire Gazette: "One inmate at the Hampshire County Jail & House of Correction has tested positive for COVID-19, Hampshire County Sheriff Patrick J. Cahillane said Friday. One staff member has also reportedly tested positive for the novel coronavirus, according to the sheriff."
- "Feds Launch Civil Rights Investigation Into Holyoke Soldiers' Home Deaths," by Isaiah Thompson, WGBH News: "Federal law enforcement officials have launched an investigation into possible violations of the civil rights of senior veterans living at the Holyoke Soldiers' Home, where 32 residents had died after contracting the COVID-19 virus as of Friday. The U.S. Department of Justice announced the investigation in a statement, saying investigators from its Civil Rights Division will be working with the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Massachusetts."
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| THE LOCAL ANGLE |
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- "Lynn begins mandatory curfew ordering residents to stay home at night during COVID-19 outbreak," by Scott J. Croteau, MassLive.com: "Beginning Sunday, all residents and visitors to the city of Lynn must stay home between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m., Mayor Thomas McGee ordered. The mayor issued two executive orders on Saturday after consulting with the city council, department of public health and the city solicitor's office. The stay-at-home order does not apply to people providing or receiving COVID-19 essential services."
- "Towns on Cape Cod differ on releasing coronavirus data," by Beth Treffeisen and Doug Fraser, Cape Cod Times: "As the COVID-19 pandemic enters what many are calling the critical weeks of the disease — where the number of those testing positive and those who die will rapidly accelerate and likely peak — all but two Cape Cod towns have decided to release to the public the number of cases in their municipality."
- "Worcester has backup plans in case high winds Monday knock out power to COVID-19 field hospital, shelters," by Kim Ring, Telegram & Gazette: "With winds over 60 miles per hour predicted for Monday, the city is planning for power outages, with a focus on facilities where COVID-19 patients are being cared for. The Worcester DPW is working with UMass Memorial Medical center and the DCU Center to mitigate the impact of wind and potential flood rain, according to a press release issued Sunday evening."
- "Must adhere to social distancing, other measures to prevent spread of COVID-19," by Bill Kirk, Eagle-Tribune: "Grocery stores, bodegas, liquor stores, gas stations, construction sites — and any other businesses deemed 'essential' by Gov. Charlie Baker — are being watched. If business owners and their employees don't follow strict directives on social distancing, disinfecting surfaces and a myriad of other measures meant to stop the spread of coronavirus, they face a $300 fine for every infraction."
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| MEDIA MATTERS |
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- "My Life in the Age of COVID: NBC 10 Anchor Phil Lipof," by Spencer Buell, Boston Magazine: "As a veteran journalist and TV news anchor of two decades, Phil Lipof is used to being close to the action. But due to concerns about the health of his family—particularly his wife and former co-anchor Juli, who has an autoimmune disorder—he has found himself sheltering in place in the midst of what may well be the story of the decade. Last month, he traded his chair at NBC 10 Boston for a makeshift studio in a home office, where he now leads the 5 p.m., 6 p.m., and 11 p.m. news."
HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY - to Milo Zanecchia and Ilya Jacob Rasner, who celebrated Sunday.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY - Courtney Lewis and Laura Chester.
NEW EPISODE: FLOUR POWER - On this week's Horse Race podcast, hosts Steve Koczela, Jennifer Smith and Stephanie Murray speak with Northampton Mayor David Narkewicz about the coronavirus pandemic. Subscribe and listen on iTunes and Sound Cloud or watch the Zoom video.
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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