State House News Service Top Ten Stories of 2024

Here’s a look back at how the year 2024 unfolded, as captured in the Story of the Week in the State House News Service Weekly Roundup.

Jan. 5: Healey orders review of all possible budget-cutting options as revenues fall
Jan. 12: Gorzkowicz announces $375 million in 9C budget reductions
Jan. 19: Healey’s State of the State features vows to increase spending despite tightening revenues
Jan. 26: Revelations of major financial problems at Steward Health Care trigger fears of system’s stability
Feb. 2: Use of Roxbury community center for migrant shelter brings backlash
Feb. 9: State reports revenues failed to hit new, lower benchmarks in January
Feb. 16: Substation failure halts T subways, underscores Healey’s T budget increase request
Feb. 23: Milton penalized for rejecting MBTA Communities Act obligations
Mar. 1: Lawmakers signal inclination to change emergency shelter program guidelines
Mar. 8: House passes shelter-funding bill with length-of-stay limits
Mar. 15: Healey pardons all misdemeanor marijuana offenses
Mar. 22: Chamber of Commerce survey finds talented young people inclined to exit state
Mar. 29: MBTA board votes to “reset” disastrous CRRC subway-car provision contract
Apr. 5: Healey announces limited state-governement hiring freeze to reduce budget gap
Apr. 12: Gorzkowicz cheers March revenues, which exceeded benchmark for first time in eight months
Apr. 19: House and Senate out of action during school vacation week as shelter costs mount
Apr. 26: Branches reportedly close to agreement on shelter-funding approach and appropriations
May 3: April revenues reported at $1 billion above benchmark, shifting budget atmosphere
May 10: Steward Health Care files for bankruptcy; Healey vows to keep hospitals open
May 17: House passes 102-page hospital-ndustry oversight reform bill
May 24: Senate approves $57.9 billion FY ’25 budget
May. 31: House passes measure creating 205 new liquor licenses to boost Boston hospitality industry
Jun. 7: House unveils $6.5 billion housing bond bill
Jun. 14: Senators send Healey measure making Mass. 49th state to criminalize “revenge porn”
Jun. 21: Fattman’s tabling motion stalls Senate climate-change mitigation bill
Jun. 28: Healey administration launches leaflet campaign to discourage migration here
Jul. 5: Healey reportedly tells Biden’s chief of staff his position is “irretrievable” after debate
Jul. 12: Senate passes economic development bill, setting up conference committee negotiations
Jul. 19: Budget and gun-recontrol enhancement come out of conference and pass both branches
Jul. 26: Vineyard wind turbine blade disintegration latest setback for wind-power progress
Aug. 2: Legislative session wrapup process collapses in silence and failure to compromise
Aug. 9: Governor circumspect in bemoaning legislative inaction on major bills
Aug. 16: Steward turnover of hospitals dragging on as admin assists search for new owners
Aug. 23: Healey takes brief turn in national spotlight, touting Harris at Democratic National Convention
Aug. 30: Time about to run out for Nashoba Valley and Carney Hospitals, as communities protest
Sep. 6: Primary day, with few incumbents challenged, features closest of calls for Rep. Marjorie Decker
Sep. 13: Governor files clean-energy closeout language as closeout-budget amendment
Sep. 20: State launches 250th-anniversary celebration of Revolutionary War’s start in Mass.
Sep. 27: Mariano says July 31 deadline may have outlived its purpose, Legislature will press on with work
Oct. 4: Sale of Steward hospitals completed at last, commencing challenging phase of oversight
Oct. 11: Milton’s lawsuit against the MBTA Communities Act heard by SJC
Oct. 18: Roy and Barret announce compromise on climate bill and House passes closeout budget
Oct. 25: Clean-energy bill springs back to life with compromise and Senate approval
Nov. 1: Republicans block climate bill; Mariano says it will be powered though when jobs bill is ready
Nov. 8: Fallout from Trump re-election, multifaceted defeat for Healey agenda
Nov. 15: Kraft soccer stadium one highlight of 319-page economic bill sent to Healey’s desk
Nov. 22: Healey signs clean energy and economic development bills before joining Celtics’ White House moment
Nov. 29: Mayor Wu’s property-tax rate shifting bill passes the House but stalls in Senate
Dec. 6: DiZoglio and Legislature argue over timing, implementation of voter-approved auditor-empowerment law
Dec. 13: Wu’s property tax bill declared dead in Senate after release of new citywide valuations
Dec. 20: Addiction-treatment improvement bill comes out of conference committee on farewell-speeches week
Dec. 27: (Top 10 Stories) – Hospital-finance reform bill and prescription-drug measures emerge unexectedly for passage