Beacon Hill Archives

GOVERNING IN DARKNESS: Part 1

For centuries, critics have questioned whether the Governor’s Council, rife with conflict, should exist. In 2024, is the body obsolete?

JEAN TROUNSTINE July 25, 2024

THE POWER OF BIG PAPI

Commonwealth seeks no-bid contract with David Ortiz-tied EV charger company

DAN ATKINSON July 24, 2024

“STOLEN VALOR” ROCKS MASS PSYCHEDELICS COMMUNITY

Veteran impersonation act outrages Bay State activists, further muddies grassroots waters

JACK GORSLINE June 20, 2024

FACIAL ANIMOSITY

As Massachusetts lawmakers weigh new facial recognition rules, their own guards shop for AI-enhanced surveillance that privacy advocates call “chilling,” “unlawful,” and “racially biased”

DAN ATKINSON May 20, 2024

THE ANTI COALITION

Advocates decry “shadow campaign” subverting ballot initiative to legalize psychedelics in Massachusetts

JACK GORSLINE May 8, 2024

From generating buzz around their cause to getting heard on Beacon Hill, psychedelics advocates had a big March. But underneath the wins, fractures in the movement as well as external opposition could undermine legalization efforts.

JACK GORSLINE April 3, 2024

PSYCHEDELIC STANDOFF

One side is behind the ballot initiative to regulate access to psychedelics. The other side has been advocating and organizing grassroots efforts across New England.

JACK GORSLINE February 8, 2024

Protestors cheer at June 15, 2023 indigenous rights rally in front of the Mass State House as Jean-Luc Pierite gives a speech. Photo by Yaakov Aldrich. Copyright 2023 Yaakov Aldrich.

MASS ACTIVISTS AND LAWMAKERS RALLY AROUND INDIGENOUS LEGISLATIVE AGENDA

The raft of five bills is years in the making, and has revitalized community advocacy despite facing an uphill battle in the State House

YAAKOV ALDRICH August 3, 2023

UNPRECEDENTED TESTIMONY

Prisoners Are Front And Center At Historic Legislative Hearing “It has been proven that these life without parole sentences aren’t improving anything in our communities and continue to cause harm to families as people are incarcerated.” The packed room at the State House on Tuesday, July 25, was not unusual.

JEAN TROUNSTINE July 31, 2023

IMPUNITY SERVICE

The state’s police oversight commission only publicizes cops who have been punished, but there’s a back door to discovering the dirty details of departments that let problematic officers linger “The public deserves to see allegations of police misconduct in real time, because officers have tremendous powers and responsibilities in our

DAN ATKINSON June 28, 2023