Middleboro Review 2: POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: Baker’s a bump in the road to driver’s license reform

Tuesday, May 10, 2022

POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: Baker’s a bump in the road to driver’s license reform

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AGREE TO DISAGREE — Secretary of State Bill Galvin says Gov. Charlie Baker’s latest argument against legislation that would let undocumented immigrants obtain driver’s licenses is ripped right from the Republican playbook.

The GOP governor, who’s previously expressed concern that the legislation doesn’t go far enough to ensure undocumented people don’t unlawfully register to vote, told reporters after an unrelated hearing Monday that “if it passes, we will have huge numbers of provisional votes, which will then make it harder for people to figure out who actually won elections.”

Galvin, a Democrat, dismissed that claim in an interview with Playbook. “The license issue has nothing to do with voting,” the veteran secretary of state said. “Maybe the governor misspoke. But I can’t ignore the reality that this is part of the Republican Playbook, even though [Baker] is sort of a non-traditional Republican.”

Provisional ballots only come into play when a person isn’t on the list at their polling location, if their party enrollment is incorrect or if they’re unable to provide proof of identification when asked. Each provisional ballot is sealed and separated from others until a voter’s eligibility can be determined, and is only counted if that person is registered. Otherwise, the ballot is destroyed.

Both the House and Senate versions of the bill took steps to clarify that an undocumented person would not be registered to vote if they seek a driver’s license. Galvin had proposed allowing his office to review RMV records to verify voter registration, but the amendment, filed by Democratic state Sen. John Keenan, was withdrawn.

State Sen. Brendan Crighton, a Democrat who sponsored his chamber’s version of the bill, piled on the criticism, telling the Boston Globe yesterday that “the governor is living in a fantasy world if he thinks [voter fraud] will happen in Massachusetts.”

Baker has several options if and when a bill reaches his desk, including vetoing or trying to amend it. The governor wouldn’t reveal his plans Monday — he typically doesn’t. But both the House and Senate passed their bills, which now need to be reconciled into one before proceeding to Baker, with veto-proof majorities.

GOOD TUESDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. Politicians really love their tea. And I’m not talking about the gossip kind.

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu doesn’t drink coffee, she told WBUR yesterday, but the former tea shop owner does enjoy a good hot or iced tea.

She’s not alone. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Wu’s former Harvard Law School professor, doesn’t drink coffee. Neither does state Rep. Jay Livingstone, or Boston City Councilors Kenzie Bok and Ruthzee Louijeune, so they say on Twitter. Former congressional hopeful Jesse Mermell says she hasn’t had caffeine outside chocolate since the late 1990s, a fact utterly baffling to your Playbook scribe. But never fear, coffee lovers, a Very Unscientific Twitter Poll of 712 respondents conducted yesterday shows 58 percent of us #mapoli tweeps can’t live without coffee.

TODAY — Baker and Karyn Polito highlight clean energy investments at noon at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy. Polito attends a Local Government Advisory Commission virtual meeting at 1 p.m. Wu makes an announcement about early college education programs at 10:30 a.m. at One Lincoln Street and speaks at a press conference announcing increased Fairmount MBTA line service at 1:30 p.m. in Dorchester. Gubernatorial hopeful and state Sen. Sonia Chang-Díaz is on GBH’s “Boston Public Radio” at noon. Warren joins Small Business Majority for a virtual conversation about child care and small businesses at 3 p.m. Danielle Allen hosts a virtual fundraiser for secretary of state candidate Tanisha Sullivan at 5:30 p.m.

Tips? Scoops? Have opinions on beverages? Email me: lkashinsky@politico.com.

A message from PhRMA:

Thousands of scientists in Massachusetts are creating ground-breaking treatments to fight everything from the common cold to cancer. Gov. Charlie Baker’s bill would let the government set prices on medications, limiting the amount of research scientists can do to create cures. More importantly, it might make some medications harder to get. Gov. Baker: let the scientists do their jobs, don’t discriminate against patients, and stop threatening access to medications. Go to SupportMassCures.com to learn more.

ON THE STUMP

— FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: The Environmental League of Massachusetts Action Fund has endorsed former Boston City Councilor Andrea Campbell for state attorney general, her campaign said. The ELM Action Fund has also endorsed AG Maura Healey for governor.

—FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: State Sen. Julian Cyr, a Truro Democrat, has endorsed NAACP Boston Branch President Tanisha Sullivan for secretary of state.

— SIGNATURE MOVES: Republican former state Sen. Dean Tran said he’s submitted more than enough certified signatures to get on the ballot this fall against Democratic Rep. Lori Trahan in MA-03. Congressional candidates need 2,000 signatures.

— GOP governor hopeful Chris Doughty and his running mate, former state Rep. Kate Campanale, said they’ve obtained more than the 10,000 certified signatures needed to make the ballot in their respective races. They also announced endorsements from Beth Lindstrom and state Reps. Steve Howitt and David Muradian, per their campaign.

— #FAMILYROOMPOLITICS: Last summer, then-Boston City Councilor and mayoral hopeful Annissa Essaibi George welcomed council candidates into her home for a series of voter conversations. Now she’s hosting candidates for lieutenant governor. Essaibi George kicked off her latest “Family Room Politics” series with Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll last night.

“The lieutenant governor will have the ear of the governor, and we’ve seen how important of a role it can and should be,” Essaibi George told Playbook, adding that she'll likely endorse in the race. “I’m excited to engage these candidates and invite regular, everyday people to hear from them, but, more importantly, to ask them about the issues that are central to their lives.”

— “Mayor Michelle Wu defends Arroyo endorsement,” by Emma Platoff, Boston Globe: “Boston Mayor Michelle Wu on [WBUR] Monday reiterated her support for City Councilor Ricardo Arroyo’s campaign for Suffolk County district attorney, dismissing critics who say he’s too inexperienced. Wu said politicians who pitch ambitious change are often attacked as underqualified. And she praised Arroyo, a former public defender known as an advocate for police reform, for advancing a platform that is ‘exactly what we need.’”

THE LATEST NUMBERS

— “Massachusetts reports highest weekend COVID case count since January,” by Rick Sobey, Boston Herald: “The state Department of Public Health reported a daily average of 2,875 COVID cases over the weekend, which was up 37% from the daily rate of 2,097 infections during the previous weekend. … The state’s positive test average has been rising. The average is now 6.77% — significantly up from 1.6% two months ago.”

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DATELINE BEACON HILL

— “Baker, Polito press hard for economic development bill,” by Shira Schoenberg, CommonWealth Magazine: “Gov. Charlie Baker and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito made a strong political push on Monday for their administration’s $3.5 billion economic development bill, warning that time is running short to spend federal funds and telling members of a legislative panel how much money their individual communities stand to receive if the measure becomes law. … While Polito highlighted projects in committee members’ districts, she said the bill has something for everyone. ‘We want to make sure every community receives at least $250,000 in ARPA funds,’ Polito said, using an acronym for the federal American Rescue Plan Act.”

— "Spilka: 'I Did Not Know I Was Having A Stroke'," by Colin A. Young, State House News Service (paywa ll): “Senate President Karen Spilka never expected she would be the keynote speaker for a stroke awareness event, but about six months removed from being diagnosed with a stroke herself Spilka is calling attention to less-discussed symptoms and is hopeful her colleagues might advance stroke care legislation.”

— COVID EXPOSURE: Four more people working in the State House last week have tested positive for Covid-19, according to an email sent to senators, Senate staffers and the press last night. One person was in the Senate chamber last Thursday, the day the senators passed their version of the Work and Family Mobility Act, and three others were in Senate offices that day. The message in the email: “mask usage remains a good way to protect yourself and others from possible exposure.”

VAX-ACHUSETTS

— “Dr. Anthony Fauci hopes 'tragic landmark' of 1 million COVID deaths will spur action,” by Aidan Connelly, GBH News: “For those still feeling cautious about in-person gatherings, Fauci pointed to the need for an increased reliance on individual choice-making. That extended to his own decision last month not to attend the White House Correspondents Dinner.”

— More: “In GBH interview, Fauci criticizes ‘growing anti-science attitude,’ vaccine conspiracy theories,” by Martin Finucane, Boston Globe.

— “Arlington, Belmont, Cambridge schools urging students to mask up after rise in COVID-19 cases,” by Travis Andersen, Boston Globe: “School officials in Arlington, Belmont, and Cambridge are recommending that students wear masks indoors, following the CDC’s classification of Middlesex County as having a high level of COVID-19 transmission.”

— “As COVID levels rise across Massachusetts, Gov. Charlie Baker ducks question about new mask mandates,” by Alison Kuznitz, MassLive: “As vast swaths of Massachusetts experience high levels of COVID-19 transmission, Gov. Charlie Baker on Monday would not say whether his administration is considering new masking guidance that would align with federal public health recommendations.”

A message from PhRMA:

FROM THE HUB

— “North End restaurant owners file $1.5M lawsuit against Michelle Wu for $7,500 outdoor dining fee,” by Rick Sobey, Boston Herald: “North End restaurateurs still have a beef — or Bolognese — with the city’s ‘unconstitutional’ $7,500 outdoor dining fee, as four Italian restaurant owners filed a $1.5 million lawsuit against Mayor Michelle Wu on Monday. … The owners from the four restaurants are all paying the ‘unconstitutional’ outdoor dining fee ‘under protest’ to compete with other dining spots, they wrote in the U.S. District Court lawsuit.”

— “Wu says Engagement Center near 'Mass. and Cass' will operate on 'limited basis',” by Deborah Becker, WBUR: “Although it’s been open for just a few months, Boston's Engagement Center in the so-called ‘Mass. and Cass’ area of the city will now be operating on a limited basis, according to Mayor Michelle Wu. … Last month, the center was closed for five days after reports of a series of stabbings and other crime in the area. No one was seriously hurt. The center has not operated at full capacity since then.”

— “Wu unveils new programs to reduce carbon emissions,” by David Abel, Boston Globe: “At a news conference in East Boston, [Boston Mayor Michelle] Wu announced a pilot project that aims to boost the use of solar panels in the neighborhood’s triple-deckers and other homes. She also announced that East Boston, Roxbury, Dorchester, and Mattapan have been selected for a state program that provides benefits to help reduce energy bills.”

— "In a frenzied home-buying market, rushed and unregulated inspections are rising," by Laura Kraegel, WBUR: "Greater Boston's red-hot real estate market has fueled a controversial, and potentially illegal, practice among the licensed professionals who inspect homes. ... For a discounted fee, inspectors spend as little as 20 minutes at a home, examine just a few key areas, and produce no written report. Critics say these shortcuts leave consumers vulnerable during one of their most important financial decisions — and may violate state law."

PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES

— “‘Extremely concerned’ with MBTA safety, federal agency recently started inspection of transit system,” by Taylor Dolven, Boston Globe: “Following passenger deaths and injuries on the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority system, the Federal Transit Administration said it is ‘extremely concerned with the ongoing safety issues’ at the T and will take on an ‘increased safety oversight role’ of the transit system, according to a letter the federal agency sent to the T last month, obtained by the Globe. An FTA spokesperson confirmed Monday that the agency has begun inspecting safety at the MBTA but did not produce a copy of the letter or address questions about it.”

— LISTEN: “Spill the T: An MBTA NFT’s origin story,” by Jeremy Siegel, Paris Alston and Lisa Wardle, GBH News.

— “‘It’s going to have a major impact’: Boston neighborhoods brace for Sumner Tunnel construction, closures,” by Emily Sweeney, Boston Globe: “Upcoming repairs and closures of the Sumner Tunnel will not only affect Boston motorists but residents and businesses in the North End, East Boston, and South Boston, state officials said.”

THE CLARK CAUCUS

— “A potential successor to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has quietly stopped trading stocks as her colleagues debate whether to ban lawmakers from playing the market,” by Dave Levinthal, Insider: “Assistant House Speaker Katherine Clark has quietly stopped trading stocks in the months since she violated the Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge (STOCK) Act, a federal financial conflicts-of-interest and transparency law. Federal records indicate that Clark — a Massachusetts Democrat and potential successor to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi as Democratic leader — last disclosed stock trades in September 2021.”

WARREN REPORT

— "Elizabeth Warren grabs center stage," by Alexi McCammond and Sophia Cai, Axios: “Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) is eclipsing President Biden with endorsements and, at times, as the Democrats’ leading voice on major issues, including abortion and canceling student debt. The progressive’s prominence is pressuring the incumbent president and White House to move left. It’s also raising questions about her ambitions, especially as the Democratic Party faces electoral apocalypse this fall and questions about whose voice — and issues — are best to rebound.”

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MARIJUANA IN MASSACHUSETTS

— "Former Mass. deputy treasurer to be interim chair of Cannabis Control Commission," by Alexander MacDougall, Worcester Business Journal: “Massachusetts State Treasurer Deborah Goldberg appointed Sarah Kim as the interim chairman of the state Cannabis Control Commission, one week after former CCC Chairman Steven Hoffman abruptly resigned from the state body.”

THE LOWELL CONNECTOR

— “Julie Chen makes history as next chancellor of UMass Lowell,” by Cameron Morsberger, Lowell Sun: “Julie Chen, vice chancellor for research and economic development at UMass Lowell, was selected Monday by the UMass board of trustees to serve as the university’s next chancellor. Chen makes history as the first Asian American, second woman and first LGBTQ+ person to become chancellor of the school. She will succeed outgoing Chancellor Jacquie Moloney, who will go into semi-retirement at the end of the current school year.”

FROM THE 413

— “After years of litigation, Springfield Police Commission off to a slow start — a really slow start,” by Stephanie Barry, Springfield Republican: “After years of litigation, the much-heralded and newly anointed Police Commission is sputtering to life. The five-person commission whose members are solely appointed by Mayor Domenic J. Sarno met via Zoom with the City CouncilChloe Gotsiss public safety subcommittee Monday afternoon to report on its progress and answer questions from councilors. On the progress front, the result was, in a word: underwhelming.”

— “Amherst advocates want psychedelic plants decriminalized,” by Scott Merzbach, Daily Hampshire Gazette: “Plant medicine treatment helped University of Massachusetts student Adam Finke overcome the depression he battled in high school. … Finke is among the local advocates working with councilors to craft a resolution stating that what advocates refer to as plant medicines are not harmful or addictive drugs, that arrests and other punishments for possession are a poor use of resources, and that law enforcement should deprioritize arrests and the state should decriminalize their possession.”

A message from PhRMA:

Massachusetts is a booming biotech ecosystem. Its scientists and researchers are developing ground-breaking treatments to fight everything from the common cold to cancer.

Gov. Charlie Baker’s bill imposes government prices on medications, which would then limit the amount of research scientists can do to create lifesaving treatments. By setting medication prices, it also means politicians decide which patients and diseases are more important than others.

State bureaucrats should not be playing doctor. When the government imposes artificial prices from the top-down, some patients can lose access to their medications. Seniors, the disabled, and the chronically ill are most vulnerable to these policies.

Gov. Baker: let the scientists and doctors do their jobs, don’t discriminate against patients, and stop threatening access to medications. Go to SupportMassCures.com to learn more.

THE LOCAL ANGLE

— “Worcester police officers on way to Washington (by foot) in honor of Officer Familia,” by Mike Elfland, Worcester Telegram & Gazette: “In a long-distance tribute to a fallen colleague, Worcester police officers are making a 425-mile journey — on foot — to Washington, D.C., for National Police Week. A group of 20 officers left the city Monday morning.”

— “Report: Child abuse and neglect cases rising,” by Christian M. Wade, Eagle-Tribune: “District attorneys are fielding an uptick in child abuse and neglect cases, but the lingering impact of the pandemic on the state’s court system means fewer investigations are being brought before state judges for prosecution. That’s according to a new report from the Massachusetts District Attorneys Association, which cited 12,818 reports of child abuse or neglect in the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2021, an increase of 4.3% from the prior fiscal year.”

— "Massachusetts gas prices hit record high of $4.42 a gallon, AAA says," by WBZ: "The average price for a gallon of gasoline in the state is now $4.42 a gallon. That’s up 3 cents in a day and 20 cents in just the last week. A year ago at this time it was $1.56 lower at $2.86 a gallon."

HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to Andrew Card, Carter Foxgrover, Linnea Walsh, comms director for the state Department of Veterans’ Services; Amy Russes, Chloe Gotsis, press secretary to AG Maura Healey; The New York Times’ Jaclyn Reiss, Alex Milne, Elise Italiano, Brad Bannon, the Boston Herald’s Bruce Castleberry, and Gary Dzen, deputy digital sports editor for Boston.com and the Boston Globe.

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