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Bipartisan group pushing Legislature to rein in generous leadership pay structure – The Boston Globe

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Bipartisan group pushing Legislature to rein in generous leadership pay structure – The Boston Globe


A bipartisan group of good-government advocates is pushing to overhaul the Massachusetts Legislature’s generous stipend system, which currently provides additional “leadership pay” to roughly three-quarters of the state’s 200 lawmakers, including some committee leaders whose panels do not consider bills or hold hearings.

A proposal filed this week by the Coalition to Reform our Legislature would drastically reduce the number of stipends on offer for legislators, and also link pay to performance, ensuring lawmakers receive additional pay only for positions that “involve significant work,” according to a summary proponents provided. It would reduce the amount spent on lawmaker pay by more than $500,000 a year, the summary said.

Currently, the Democratic leaders of the state House and Senate each have about $2 million in extra leadership pay to dole out among their party members for roles as high-profile as majority leader and as modest as vice chair of a committee. Critics of the system say it centralizes power in the hands of the Senate president and House speaker; those leaders effectively control the salaries of their colleagues, a power structure that discourages dissent.

Not all of those paid legislative leadership positions require much legislating. The Globe found last year that 12 of the Legislature’s committees — more than 20 percent — had not held a single hearing or considered a single bill during the legislative session. Committee leaders defended their records, arguing their panels were meant to support and advise.

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No other full-time state legislature relied so heavily on leadership stipends to compensate its members or gave out as many stipends of such generous size, a Globe investigation found last year.

The amount of additional pay for leaders ranges widely, from $7,776 for committee vice chairs to $119,632 for top legislative leaders. The stipends come on top of legislators base pay of $82,044 and a stipend for travel and expenses that every lawmaker gets. That travel subsidy ranges from $22,431 and $29,908, depending on how far a lawmaker lives from the State House.

Jeanne Kempthorne, a former state ethics commissioner and federal prosecutor who is advocating for the measure, said the stipend system is “probably the most important feature of control of rank and file by leadership.”

“It makes it very, very hard for legislators to stand up to leadership, even when their constituents are super clear about what they want,” she said.

The proposal faces a steep uphill battle in a Legislature where the vast majority of lawmakers benefit from the leadership pay system — and where leadership would seem to have few incentives to change it either. For one thing, as of now, not a single lawmaker has agreed to put their name on the measure. Under the Massachusetts Constitution, citizens are empowered to file their own proposals with the Legislature, but those measures are not assigned to committees or considered at legislative hearings unless a current member of the Legislature is willing to take them up. Lawmakers can do that through a process known as filing a bill “by request,” which allows lawmakers to put forward a constituent’s idea for consideration without sponsoring it, which could signal a stronger endorsement.

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Lawmakers traditionally sign and file those measures on behalf of constituents who ask, according to a state guide on the process. In this case, though, no one has been willing to put their name on the measure yet.

Jonathan Hecht, a former Democratic state representative from Watertown who is pushing for the change, said his group asked a handful of Democrats to put the measure forward so that it could get a hearing, but they declined.

The measure deserves “a careful look,” he argued.

“The fact that legislators are too scared to take the small step of helping a serious idea to get a public hearing tells you how undemocratic and frankly toxic a place the Legislature is,” Hecht said.

House and Senate leaders launched the current legislative session by promising greater transparency, Hecht noted. “My hope is that leadership will step up and send a signal of openness, saying, ‘Hey, let’s take a look at this.‘”

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In response to inquiries from the Globe, neither the Senate President nor the House Speaker took a position on the measure or even whether it merits a hearing.

Separately, the coalition is also pushing a measure to create offices of legislative research and fiscal analysis. That proposal has been filed by State Representative Tricia Farley-Bouvier, a Pittsfield Democrat, at the request of the coalition.


Emma Platoff can be reached at emma.platoff@globe.com. Follow her @emmaplatoff.





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Massachusetts

French-Mediterranean Eatery Charts Opening In Boston

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French-Mediterranean Eatery Charts Opening In Boston


BOSTON, MA — An international restaurant group with locations across the globe is preparing to open its first Massachusetts restaurant this year.

LPM Restaurant & Bar, a French Riviera-inspired restaurant founded in London, is set to open on the second floor of the Four Seasons Hotel One Dalton Street in Back Bay, according to Four Seasons. The hotel lists the restaurant as “Opening Summer 2026,” while the Boston Business Journal reported the restaurant plans to open in September.

The Boston restaurant will mark LPM’s debut in the Northeast and its third U.S. outpost, following locations in Miami and Las Vegas, according to a Four Seasons announcement.

LPM, also known as La Petite Maison, was founded in London in 2007 and is known for French-Mediterranean food, Mediterranean ingredients and dining rooms influenced by Belle Époque design.

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The business operates locations in London, Dubai, Miami, Abu Dhabi, Hong Kong, Riyadh, Limassol, Doha, Mykonos, Kuwait, Boston, Maldives and Bangkok.

Four Seasons said LPM will take over the space that formerly housed One Dalton’s breakfast concept, One + One. The restaurant will join other dining options at the hotel, including Zuma and Trifecta.

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Massachusetts high school under investigation after teachers diagnosed with breast cancer

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Massachusetts high school under investigation after teachers diagnosed with breast cancer


A Massachusetts high school is under investigation after “several” teachers have been diagnosed with breast cancer or precancerous conditions.

The state Department of Public Health is set to visit Uxbridge High School on Thursday to “conduct a series of air quality tests,” to determine whether the multiple cases are potentially connected.

Superintendent David Ljungberg and Principal Michael Rubin alerted families and district staff on Monday of the “sombering news,” after Uxbridge High School’s graduation over the weekend.

“We are writing to inform you about a concern we are investigating at Uxbridge High School,” Ljungberg and Rubin stated in the letter. “Several female teachers have been diagnosed with breast cancer or precancerous conditions over the past few years.”

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“It is, of course, possible that these multiple cases are not connected to one another,” the leaders added, “but out of abundance of caution, we are looking into any environmental factors at the school that may be a factor in their diagnoses.”

The 123,000-square-foot school, with an enrollment of roughly 600, was constructed in 2012 at a cost of $45 million, including a $22-million state reimbursement.

Uxbridge school leaders say they notified the state Department of Health and local health board as soon as they became aware of the cases, seeking “counsel about how best to proceed.”

“Massachusetts DPH officials have indicated that there is no evidence of immediate danger in the building and no reason to limit access to or use of the facility at this time,” they wrote in their letter. “In fact, the public health officials have commended our decision to approach them with these concerns, our readiness to partner with them in support of the evaluation process.”

Health officials are assessing the school’s interior and exterior to “ensure there are no issues with the infrastructure that would present risks (including electrical, plumbing, mechanical, HVAC, and other systems)” and the indoor and outdoor air quality on campus.

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The superintendent and principal said that state officials have ruled out water supply as a “risk factor” after “thorough testing.”

“The team has reached out to the women who have been diagnosed, requesting data to evaluate whether there may be a connection among their cases,” Ljungberg and Rubin wrote. “We are grateful for their cooperation.”

They added that the state has said discovering an environmental “smoking gun” is “rare” in workplace investigations.

“However, even if a direct causal link is not established,” the leaders wrote, “the administration is utilizing this process to rigorously test the building and guarantee that it meets all safety standards moving forward.”

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Gov. Healey backs bill to keep Mass. bars open until 3 a.m. this summer

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Gov. Healey backs bill to keep Mass. bars open until 3 a.m. this summer


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The legislation would allow licensed establishments to sell alcohol one hour later than their normal closing time, up to 3 a.m., between June 1 and Aug. 31, 2026.

The proposal has received support from Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and most recently Gov. Maura Healey, who submitted written testimony Monday to the Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies urging lawmakers to advance the measure. (Jessica Rinaldi/Globe Staff)

Massachusetts lawmakers are considering a measure that would allow cities and towns to temporarily extend bar and restaurant hours during the summer, as the state prepares to host FIFA World Cup matches and celebrations marking the nation’s 250th anniversary.

The legislation (H.5465) filed by state Rep. Carole Fiola, would allow licensed establishments to sell alcohol one hour later than their normal closing time, up to 3 a.m., between June 1 and Aug. 31, 2026. The bill would also allow communities to establish designated public consumption districts where alcohol could be consumed in approved public spaces.

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In a press release announcing the bill, Fiola said the summer’s threefold events lineup — the World Cup, Tall Ships, and July 4th — is an economically significant moment that the state should take advantage of.

“We should capitalize on these events that will generate economic benefits for small businesses and the state as a whole. It’s a local opt-in idea worth exploring that’s being done in other states,” Fiola said.

The proposal has received support from Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and most recently Gov. Maura Healey, who submitted written testimony Monday to the Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies urging lawmakers to advance the measure.

“Massachusetts is planning for a once-in-a-generation summer,” Healey wrote, according to the Boston Globe. “In 2026, we will celebrate the 250th anniversary of our nation’s founding, welcome tall ships from around the world to Boston Harbor for Sail Boston, and host seven FIFA World Cup matches in Foxborough, along with watch parties across the Commonwealth.”

The governor argued that the added flexibility could help local economies benefit from an influx of visitors.

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“That flexibility can help communities capture more visitor spending, support jobs, keep downtowns active, and strengthen Massachusetts’ image as a dynamic destination ready to host the world and a place our residents, including our young professionals, are proud to call home,” Healey wrote.

She also urged lawmakers to move the legislation forward, saying it will “help Massachusetts meet the full economic and cultural opportunities for the summer ahead.”


  • Rhode Island bill proposes 24-hour bar hours during World Cup

In Rhode Island, a similar bill to allow bars and restaurants to remain open until 4 a.m. during the World Cup was signed into law on Friday.

Fiola’s bill remains before the Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies. Any final version would require approval from both the House and Senate before reaching Healey’s desk.

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Annie Jonas is a Community writer at Boston.com. She was previously a local editor at Patch and a freelancer at the Financial Times.

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