Karen Spilka also talks about the emergency shelter crisis, the state's budget, free community college and Steward Health's bankruptcy.
Read MoreIt'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 MoreCommonWealth 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 MoreEvery 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 MoreThe Massachusetts senate is rolling out its plan to make community college free for all students in the Bay State.
Read MoreWBZ-TV political analyst Jon Keller talks to Massachusetts Sen. President Karen Spilka and breaks down the top issues facing Massachusetts.
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The Senate's $150 million outlay, according to a spokesperson for Senate President Karen Spilka, includes dollars for the municipal pavement program, focused on state-numbered routes owned by municipalities; the municipal small bridge program; complete streets funding program, aimed at expanding options for pedestrians, cyclists and public transit as well as vehicles; municipal bus enhancement program; mass transit access grant program, which provides grants for improvements to commuter rail stations and other mass transit stations; and the municipal RTA/EV grant program, providing grants to Regional Transit Authorities and municipalities for electric vehicles and charging equipment.
Read MoreSenate President Karen Spilka congratulated Hopkinton on its 100th year of hosting the start of the Boston Marathon during a reception Thursday night at the Hopkinton Center for the Arts.
Read MoreSenate President Spilka sits down with Peter and Jimmy from the HopTake, a local news podcast in Hopkinton, to talk about early childhood education, the immigration, and memories of the Boston Marathon.
Read MoreThe Senate last Thursday passed a “compromise” version of legislation affecting debt collection practices in Massachusetts, and according to its sponsor, the bill has a shot at final passage thanks to industry representatives collaborating on the rewrite.
Read MoreA decade after two firefighters died when they became trapped in a brownstone in Boston’s historic Back Bay neighborhood by a fire caused by sparks from welders working next door, the Massachusetts Senate passed a bill Thursday aimed at toughening oversight of so-called “hot work."
Read MoreA Massachusetts bill that bars someone from sharing explicit images or videos without consent was approved unanimously Thursday by the Massachusetts Senate.
Read MoreSenate President Spilka joins Governor Healey as she announces pardons for misdemeanor marijuana convictions.
Read MoreIt’s well past time to argue the merits and necessity of a robust early education and care infrastructure in Massachusetts and get to work on implementing a solution. That’s why this week the Senate is taking up the EARLY ED Act, comprehensive early education and care reform that will help teach our youngest learners and stabilize this crucial sector of our economy.
Read MoreSenate President Karen E. Spilka put out a statewide call for nominations; the winning trailblazer will join a lineup of currently all-male busts in the Senate Chamber.
Read MoreLittle feet and little hands tried their hardest to stay still as state senators read to children in Head Start classrooms in Malden on Thursday. They were there to introduce a bill they said would make child care programs like this largely more accessible for families, realistic for providers and sustainable for teachers.
Read More“Today, I could not be more excited to have Abigail join our space here in the Senate and I look forward to knowing that thousands of women are going to walk down the hall full of men, walk into our lobby, and be greeted by a woman– Abigail Adams,” Spilka said.
Read MoreSenate President Spilka addresses members and community leaders before the Senate unveiled a bust of Frederick Douglass in the Senate Chamber.
Read MoreHonoring Frederick Douglass, the bust was unveiled in the recently renovated Senate chamber in a well-attended ceremony held on the abolitionist, orator and newspaper owner's birthday nearly 130 years after he addressed state lawmakers himself.
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