Category Archives: News

By Readers First. January 23, 2023 On Friday January 20th, Ruth Balser of the 12th Middlesex district filed “An Act empowering library access to electronic books and digital audiobooks.” Click here to continue reading

By Anne Sandoli, Newton Patch. November 18, 2022 NEWTON, MA — The $3.76 billion Massachusetts Economic Development Bill that was approved last week includes a total of $2,095,000 for Newton projects, Mayor Ruthanne Fuller said Thursday. Click here to continue … Continue reading →

by Paula Moura, WBUR. November 18, 2022 “It is a tool for meeting the climate crisis. We need open space to mitigate against flooding. We need it to absorb carbon,” said representative Ruth Balser, a Democrat from Newton and co-sponsor … Continue reading →

By Martina Jackson, Fig City News. November 15, 2022 On November 10th, the Massachusetts Legislature voted to pass the Public Lands Preservation Act (PLPA, H.5381), designed to preserve open space in the Commonwealth. For Rep. Ruth Balser (D, Newton) it … Continue reading →

New law mandates detailed reporting of COVID-19 cases but governor is moving to scale it back By Todd Wallack and Robert Weisman Globe Staff,Updated June 23, 2020, 11:52 a.m. State public health officials say they need more time to comply with a new law requiring … Continue reading →

Commonwealth Magazine: More information sought on race, individual nursing homes SHIRA SCHOENBERG Jun 8, 2020 THE MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH will need to publish more transparent data about the number of COVID-19 cases in individual long-term care facilities, and will also need … Continue reading →

If the Baker administration won’t publicize nursing home COVID-19 information, it falls to the Legislature to step in. By The Editorial BoardUpdated May 21, 2020, 11:11 a.m. As public policy goes, it’s pretty simple. Families with loved ones in nursing homes and … Continue reading →

By Katie Lannan / State House News ServicePosted Apr 15, 2020 at 3:05 PMUpdated Apr 15, 2020 at 3:05 PM    A virtual hearing is planned for Thursday on legislation that would require assisted living residences, elderly housing facilities and long-term care facilities to file daily reports with public health officials … Continue reading →

TAUNTON DAILY GAZETTE – BOSTON – March 21, 2019 – Advocates on Thursday marked Purim by delivering hamantaschen — the Jewish holiday’s traditional baked good — to state lawmakers, asking them to honor the spirit of the occasion by passing … Continue reading →

Commonwealth Magazine, February 27, 2019 LOOKING AT RECENT HEADLINES, one sees that climate change—and the call for pioneering solutions to combat it—are now front and center in the public consciousness. We are at the forefront of an opportunity to truly modernize … Continue reading →