DHS sent a Washington man a $1.82M civil penalty for failing to leave after a removal order, his lawyer says. Rule changes in 2025 and legal challenges raise due‑process questions.

Union 32BJ and four Logan airport workers sued DHS after Customs and Border Protection revoked "customs seals," alleging roughly 80 employees were blocked from secure areas. The suit seeks reinstatement and clearer appeals rules.

Court filings and watchdog records show agency downsizings slowed FOIA responses, with lawyers in 26 cases blaming staff cuts for delays in public records. The trend has prompted new lawsuits and oversight.

Senate leaders advanced S.2157 to the Rules Committee; the bill would set Massachusetts on Atlantic Standard Time year‑round but requires neighbor states and DOT approval.

State records overseers have set a new deadline to decide whether Lowell must release internal police files tied to a misconduct probe. The ruling could shape how much the public learns about the case.

The SJC unanimously held that Commonwealth charter schools must obey Massachusetts' public‑records law, ending a yearslong fight with Mystic Valley Regional Charter School in Malden.

An external power-line failure left parts of the Massachusetts State House on generator power, knocking out internet, the LAWS system and session livestreams.

The DPU will hold hearings after National Grid filed to raise gas distribution revenue by about $144M (12%). Hearings run March–April and written comments are due April 30.

Gov. Maura Healey wants to scale Massachusetts’ Early College so high‑schoolers can earn tuition‑free credits, pairing a 10‑year 100,000‑student goal with new grants and budget asks. Supporters praise the payoff; some colleges warn of funding gaps.

The state will rebid family shelter contracts to about 3,200 units even as occupancy hovers near 50%, a move that has lawmakers and providers sparring over access and cost.

A divided Cambridge City Council approved a $400,000 settlement with retired Lt. Thomas Ahern tied to a 2019 P320 discharge. The decision settles claims of retaliation and renews scrutiny of police equipment and transparency.

A film about Lowell’s mill workers was pulled from the park theater, prompting local letters and joining a national legal fight over how parks present history.

Brookline’s home‑rule petition to authorize local rent caps advanced to the Massachusetts Senate; a vote is scheduled for April 8, 2026. The draft ties allowable hikes to CPI plus 3% with exemptions for new builds and owner‑occupied homes.