Spilka rallies the resistance
WE WILL ‘ALWAYS’ RESIST — Senate President Karen Spilka wasn’t going to let President Donald Trump’s return to the White House rain on her Galentine’s Day soirée.
So, to kick off the event last night, “Senate President Karen Spilka” (played by drag queen TaDonna) opened with a “Drag Queen Story Hour,” reminding the sea of red-and-pink-clad women leaders from politics, business and philanthropy, that Massachusetts, “the birthplace of equal marriage and anti-discrimination legislation,” would “not change who we are,” as Gov. Maura Healey recently pledged.
Read More
Spilka talks economy with Jon Keller
Senate President Karen Spilka sits with WBZ’s Jon Keller for a discussion about the economy, the state’s budget, and the state Auditor.
Read More
‘Whiplash’: Mass. Senate President weighs in on Trump’s funding freeze chaos
“I think if this keeps up, we’ll be all walking around with neck braces from whiplash,” Spilka, D-Middlesex/Norfolk, quipped during a wide-ranging interview Thursday with MassLive in her office at the State House.
Read More
Frame by Frame: Framingham's Regional Justice Center
Karen Spilka speaks with Access Framingham about the latest step towards a new Regional Justice Center in Framingham.
Read More
On the Record: SP Spilka on the Senate's Efforts on Crumbling Concrete, Federal Immigration Reform
Massachusetts Senate President Karen Spilka says the federal government needs to take action on immigration.
Read More
On the Record: SP Spilka Discusses Last Session, Transparency, and Her Agenda
Massachusetts Senate President Karen Spilka speaks about the accomplishments of last session, her plans to make the Legislature more transparent, and her agenda for the new session.
Read More
Framingham is one step closer to getting a regional justice center. Here's what happened.
The plan has been a key project for state Senate President Karen Spilka, D-Ashland. It calls for the closing of the existing Framingham courthouse at 600 Concord St, with those operations moving to a new regional justice center to be constructed at the former Danforth Museum site at 123 Union Ave.
Read More
Spilka takes aim at the transparency narrative
Spilka wants to move up the deadline for joint committees to determine the fate of the bevy of bills that end up before them from the second year of the session to the first, a move that could help avoid the last-minute crunch to push bills through with limited debate at sparsely attended sessions…
Read More
With New Term Dawning, Spilka Eyes K-12 Funding Reform, Primary Care Overhaul
Senate President Karen Spilka won another term leading the chamber with no speedbumps Wednesday and quickly set her sights on a combination of new and old priorities.
Read More
Senate President Spilka's 2025 Inaugural Address
Senate President Spilka outlines her priorities and initiatives at the outset of the 194th General Court.
Read More
Senate President Spilka's Remarks Celebrating the Launch of Free Community College in Massachusetts
Senate President Spilka delivers remarks celebrating the launch of free community college, alongside Governor Healey and state leaders.
Read More
In Massachusetts, a Push for Free Community College for All
Democrat Karen Spilka, the president of the Massachusetts State Senate, is spearheading the effort. In an interview with Inside Higher Ed, she said she believes MassEducate will encourage students who didn’t previously see college as a pathway to enroll. The program might even help reverse the trend of Massachusetts’s young people leaving the state, she added.
Read More
On the Record: Mass. Senate President discusses a 21st century transportation system
Karen Spilka says no options should be ruled out, including tolls for the Cape Cod bridges and congestion pricing in Greater Boston.
Read More
On the Record: Mass. Senate president discusses latest on housing bill
Karen Spilka also talks about the emergency shelter crisis, the state's budget, free community college and Steward Health's bankruptcy.
Read More
Senate focuses on improving regional transportation in budget
It's often the feeling from anyone outside the Greater Boston area that most of the talk on Beacon Street is focused on Boston-based issues. But the Senate’s budget expressly adds funding for regional transportation.
Read More
Senate leadership breaks down the budget
CommonWealth Beacon's Jennifer Smith is joined by Massachusetts Senate President Karen Spilka and Senate Ways and Means Chair Michael Rodrigues to discuss the Senate's budget proposal. They get into differences between the Senate and House proposals, potential revenue measures, transit and shelter funding, programs supporting families and youth, and more.
Read More
Every Mass. resident could go to community college tuition-free under a new plan pushed by state Senate
Every resident could attend a Massachusetts community college tuition-free under a $118 million plan state Senate leaders unveiled Monday, promising to expand efforts to slash costs for students seeking two-year degrees or certifications.
Read More
Mass. state senate unveils free community college plan
The Massachusetts senate is rolling out its plan to make community college free for all students in the Bay State.
Read More