Aaron Michlewitz

House Democrats advanced a bill to remove restrictions on late-term abortions, replacing a four-pronged framework from the 2022 shield law with a provision allowing abortions based on a physician's professional judgment. The bill cleared the House Ways and Means Committee on a 23-6 vote and is set for a full House vote, with Republican representatives opposing its advancement.

House Speaker Ron Mariano expressed skepticism about the Senate’s primary care bill and indicated a focus on prescription drug reforms. The Senate passed primary care legislation (S 3141) with a 15% spending target for the sector, while the House aims to negotiate improvements before the July 31 deadline for conference committee bills.

Lawmakers sent Governor Maura Healey a $63.4 billion annual budget bill with a 3.9% increase over the previous year's spending. The budget allocates $2.7 billion from a surtax on high-income households, split between education and transportation, and avoids tax or fee increases. Officials highlighted the budget's alignment with Healey's proposal and its sustainable spending growth.

Massachusetts legislators are prioritizing an annual state budget, energy affordability measures, housing reforms, and campaign finance transparency during the final month of the 2025-2026 lawmaking term. A $63.4 billion fiscal 2027 budget deal was announced, though it will not be signed before the July 1 fiscal year start, continuing a trend of delayed budgets.

The House Ways and Means Committee reduced the Senate's $3.94 billion environmental borrowing bill to $3.078 billion, removing policy riders like the Plastics Reduction Act and other provisions. The revised bill aligns closer to Governor Maura Healey's original $2.9 billion proposal, focusing on environmental protections while streamlining permitting for infrastructure projects.

The Massachusetts House approved a bill allowing bars to extend last call to 3 a.m. through July 31 with local approval. The Senate is expected to follow suit, and the bill includes provisions for 'social consumption districts' where alcohol can be consumed in public spaces. The legislation aims to support local businesses during summer events, including the FIFA World Cup.

The Massachusetts House passed a data privacy bill allowing consumers to sue large data collectors and opt out of data collection, while permitting sale of sensitive data with consumer consent. The bill, a revised version of a Senate proposal, aims to limit data collection by tech companies and ensure transparency, but faces criticism for being less restrictive than the Senate's original draft.