Carrie Healy

Beacon Hill In 5

Beacon Hill in 5 is a weekly check-in at the Massachusetts Statehouse from New England Public Media. Get a quick look at the week ahead in state politics and government with Carrie Healy, NEPM’s Morning Edition host, and a journalist from the State House News Service.

Author

Carrie Healy

Category

Government

Podcast website

www.nepm.org

Latest episode

Jun 16, 2026

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Episodes

Mass. farm wage battles and a school tax credit fight are set to collide on Beacon Hill 16.06.2026

Lawmakers face no strict deadlines to advance the bills in conference other than the end of this two-year session on Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2027.

Massachusetts lawmakers eye a new child welfare bill as a high-stakes rent control showdown looms 08.06.2026

The deadline for Mass. lawmakers to enact a law related to rent control, in order to remove the question from November's ballot, is swiftly approaching.

Massachusetts political minefields: shelter crises, sludge bans and the Red Sox 01.06.2026

A preview of Mass. political strategies on immigration, upcoming gig worker regulatory battles, a sewage sludge ban, and why state lawmakers won't target the Red Sox.

Massachusetts lawmakers serve up immigrant shields, killer bots & $63B 'eggless omelets' 26.05.2026

Massachusetts hosts the first of seven World Cup matches on June 13, 2026, but before then, Mass. lawmakers want to shore up immigrant laws, begin reconciling the state budget and other timely matters.

Massachusetts leaders pitch tech growth as a shield against tax cuts 18.05.2026

Lawmakers debate the "Mass Wins Act" containing tech and business investments, amid tight deadlines, assessing consequences of a decreased income tax and state budget talks.

The fight for fair aid, rent caps in Massachusetts 12.05.2026

The Mass. Senate’s $63.3B budget adds $53M in local aid via a new per-capita formula, and the state's highest court weighs if a rent control ballot bid illegally exempts religious groups.

Beacon Hill takes on critical decisions around data, the census and the budget 04.05.2026

Pressure from the Trump Administration to share voter data has Mass. lawmakers concerned.

Massachusetts lawmakers begin the sprint to the finish on Beacon Hill 27.04.2026

It'll be May at the end of the week. Massachusetts lawmakers are aiming to have a balanced budget process complete and signed by the Governor before the end of the fiscal year, June 30th.

Mass. college campuses get a $3 billion facelift while local schools and libraries look for help 27.04.2026

A look at how lawmakers frame their funding, as Mass. plans for a $3-billion higher education infrastructure upgrade. At the same time towns are hitting tax limits, and rejecting override votes to raise taxes.

Beacon Hill seeks a tax deal; Some lawmakers want to strike one before the November vote 13.04.2026

House Speaker Ron Mariano, traditionally a fierce critic of the ballot initiative process, signaled a major shift last week by expressing a willingness to negotiate on one of the state’s most high-stakes and debated proposals.

Massachusetts lawmakers eye a $1.8B supplemental budget 06.04.2026

Mass. Senate advances a $1.8B supplemental budget splitting surtax funds differently than the House, with less for the MBTA and more for regional aid. Lawmakers brace for clashes ahead of negotiations.

Massachusetts lawmakers wrestle with budget, Fed rates, November tax vote 23.03.2026

House Speaker Ron Mariano expects voters to pass an income tax cut this year. He warns that if it passes, the state may have to hike other taxes or slash spending.

WMass is losing population; Does Beacon Hill have a plan to stop the region's slow drain? 16.03.2026

Population growth is important for a thriving community. A recent UMass Donahue Wayfinders report projected population declines in all four WMass counties between 2020 and 2035.

Healey’s proposed budget forces a choice between transit and trees 09.03.2026

A Legislative budget hearing focused on the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, Executive Office of Transportation and the Registry of Motor Vehicles will be held this week.

Mass vs. the Feds: Beacon Hill dares a Trump clash while dodging a voter backed audit 03.03.2026

Mass. lawmakers this week take up immigration enforcement. This comes as the Feds continue to sharply restrict legal immigration, and deport legal residents in mass deportation initiatives.

Beacon Hill weighs big spending as the GOP tests voters 23.02.2026

The so-called Bright Act, is a $3 billion bond bill aiming to put at least $2.5 billion of that back into campuses across Massachusetts.

Mass. legislators look at high energy costs, before diving into budget 16.02.2026

Massachusetts lawmakers propose to move an energy measure forward amid high bills, winter chill and a looming budget.

Mass. tax revenue jumps in January, but future budgets could wobble if markets falter 09.02.2026

Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey’s budget boosts spending 3.8% over last year, even as tax revenue growth slows to 2.9%, federal aid is uncertain, and reserves have already been tapped.

Gov. Healey funds federal enforcement while taxpayers wait for a $1.5B fiscal crash 03.02.2026

In her proposed budget released last week, the Mass. governor included a multi million-dollar "down payment" that will staff up and investing in infrastructure that could be used to kick thousands of residents off Medicaid programs like MassHealth, next year.

Healey's agenda meets local reality: Is Charlemont the test case for Beacon Hill? 26.01.2026

A proposal to tax recreation in the Franklin County town of Charlemont will be heard this week on Beacon Hill.

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