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By Zichang Liu

BOSTON — A day ahead of World Pancreatic Cancer Day, which fell on Nov. 21, lawmakers and advocates gathered to bring hopes to a promising bill aimed at improving survival rates and treatments for pancreatic cancer patients.Pancreatic cancer ranks as...

By SAM DRYSDALE

The state’s emergency assistance shelter system cannot insist that families provide third-party verification of certain information – like proof of their family ties or whether at least one of them is a Massachusetts resident – before immediately...

By ALISON KUZNITZ

BOSTON — Gov. Maura Healey’s office intends over the next roughly 19 months to phase out the use of hotels and motels for emergency shelter, seek a legislative change to boost rental assistance for needy families, create a reserve account for shelter...

By CHRIS LISINSKI

Gov. Maura Healey spent months clamoring for lawmakers to finish work on a sweeping jobs package she filed in March, and she wound up needing only about 60% of the time allotted for her review before making it law.Healey on Wednesday signed her...

By COLIN A. YOUNG

BOSTON – There is a clean energy bill sitting on Gov. Maura Healey’s desk and Beacon Hill’s calendar for this week includes an array of energy-related events and reports. But there are also mounting indications that the federal government could change...

By MICHAEL P. NORTON

State officials characterized the drought in Massachusetts as being in a “critical” stage across most of the state Tuesday.The state environmental affairs secretariat said precipitation was “at an unprecedented low over the last three months,” and...

By CHRIS LISINSKI

BOSTON — The House on Thursday moved to overhaul audits of the chamber’s business after voters overwhelmingly said the state auditor has the power to audit the Legislature. Representatives voted 135-10 to adopt a House rule change that provides...

By ALISON KUZNITZ

Massachusetts should slash its reliance on hotels and motels used as shelters, invest in rental assistance and rehousing support, offer more tailored resources for homeless families, and more clearly communicate policies, according to a draft report...

By ADA DENENFELD KELLY

PHILLIPSTON—Brush fires continue to be an issue after October’s striking increase in blazes.According to the Department of Fire Services, the state saw a 1,200% increase in the number of fires compared to the average for the month, higher even than...

By CHRIS LISINSKI

Democrats plan next week to finish their work on a stalled jobs bill designed to supercharge the state’s economy, especially the life sciences and climate technology industries.More than three months after they ended scheduled formal sessions for the...

By SAM DRYSDALEand ALISON KUZNITZ

BOSTON – Massachusetts students will no longer have to pass the MCAS exam to earn a diploma here.Question 2, which advanced with a hard push by the Massachusetts Teachers Association, prevailed in Tuesday’s election. The measure was favored by 59% of...

By STEVE LeBLANC

BOSTON (AP) — Massachusetts voters said yes to auditing the Legislature but rejected increasing the hourly wage for workers who collect tips.Those were among five measures on Tuesday’s ballot, including giving union rights to drivers for ride-hailing...

By COLIN A. YOUNG

Gov. Maura Healey cast her ballot at an Arlington elementary school Tuesday morning, and after dropping off Dunkin’ coffee and donuts for poll workers turned north to spend most of Election Day in her native — and more electorally active — New...

By ZICHANG LIU

Massachusetts voters will decide on Election Day whether ride-hailing drivers working for companies like Uber and Lyft should be allowed to unionize, an initiative that if approved would make Massachusetts the first state in the nation to grant such...

By SAM DRYSDALE

BOSTON — The University of Massachusetts is simplifying its message for prospective in-state students and their families: If you make under $75,000, you can come to any one of the system’s campuses for free.There’s been a surge in state funding for...

By ALISON KUZNITZ

At their first meeting last week, members of a new state panel tasked with combating the scourge of antisemitism in Massachusetts outlined priority issues, as well as the vitriol they have personally experienced over the past year.The commission,...

By AVA BERGER

Some of the financial contributions to the committees behind the MCAS question on the November ballot follow unfamiliar practices or lack transparency, experts say.Question 2 on the Nov. 5 ballot seeks to end the MCAS as a graduation requirement. The...

By Mike RocheThe Silverado pulled into the driveway Monday at dinnertime, returning from northern New York and the third leg of my odyssey.It began with a drive to Jay, Vermont, to join good friend Dean Scudder for the opening day of grouse and...

By CHRIS LISINSKI

BOSTON — Auditor Diana DiZoglio on Monday escalated her long fight with the Legislature, publishing a report slamming lawmakers for a lack of transparency that the top House Democrat derided as “pure political self-promotion and...

By COLIN A. YOUNG

Another significant piece of legislation is ready to spring from protracted negotiations and onto the House and Senate floors for possible votes before the Nov. 5 elections.House and Senate Democrats announced a breakthrough Thursday morning on...