Good morning. The Healey administration just made e-bikes, mopeds, and scooters a lot easier to regulate — and harder to ride recklessly. Meanwhile, immigrant commercial drivers across Massachusetts are losing their livelihoods over a Trump administration rule, and the Senate race is getting tighter than anyone expected.

THE LEAD

Massachusetts is finally catching up to the e-bike boom — with rules that riders actually want.

Governor Maura Healey filed the Ride Safe Act this week, a sweeping set of regulations that would classify e-bikes, mopeds, and scooters by speed capability rather than device type. High-speed devices would be banned from sidewalks and bike lanes. Moped riders would need to be at least 16. And here's the surprising part: many cyclists and e-bike enthusiasts are thrilled about it.

Christopher Schmidt, who runs a 30-bike "lending library" in Boston, told the Globe he's "happy to see Massachusetts taking the bull by the horns." That's not your typical response to new government regulations. But after years of watching delivery riders barrel down sidewalks and close calls multiply, there's a growing consensus that the current free-for-all isn't working. The new rules build on recommendations from a statewide commission and aim to bring clarity to a market that's exploded without much oversight.

Healey says the current rules are "unclear and inconsistent," and she's right. What happens next: the Legislature will need to pass the bill, which could take months. In the meantime, expect more local communities to push for their own rules. This is one of those rare moments when regulation might actually make people safer and happier. Full story at Boston Globe →

WHAT ELSE YOU SHOULD KNOW

Federal student loan cuts are about to blow a $6.85 billion hole in college budgets. Starting in July, the Trump administration is capping parent borrowing at $20,000 per year and eliminating the Plus loan program for graduate students entirely. Graduate students studying law or medicine will be capped at $200,000 in total borrowing; everyone else gets $100,000. Schools and families are scrambling to figure out how to bridge the gap. The White House says it's trying to control the debt crisis. Critics say it'll just price people out of college altogether. Boston Globe →

Immigrant commercial drivers in Massachusetts are losing their licenses — and their jobs. The Trump administration is blocking non-domiciled commercial drivers licenses for refugees, asylees, and immigrants with temporary protected status. That includes school bus drivers, MBTA operators, and truckers who haul everything from vegetables to electronics. "I've lost my driver license. I lost everything," one Boston Public Schools driver told GBH. Massachusetts is following the federal rule, and roughly 200,000 immigrant CDL holders nationwide are affected. The impact on schools and transit systems could be massive. GBH News →

The Markey-Moulton Senate race is getting tight. A new Emerson College poll has Ed Markey leading Seth Moulton by just 5 points — 37% to 32% — with 29% of voters still undecided. That's a significant tightening from earlier polls, which showed Markey with double-digit leads. Markey is still strong among registered Democrats, women, and younger voters. Moulton is doing better with unenrolled voters and men. The Moulton campaign is already celebrating and treating this like a general election race. Primary day is September 1. GBH News →

The Supreme Judicial Court just gave Attorney General Andrea Campbell 30 days to decide if she'll represent Diana DiZoglio. The justices are clearly tired of watching Campbell and DiZoglio fight over whether the auditor can sue the Legislature to force an audit. During arguments Wednesday, Justice Scott Kafker told both sides: "You're both battling each other to exhaustion, and we're going nowhere." Voters approved DiZoglio's audit authority in 2024 by a 72% margin, but lawmakers say it violates separation of powers. Now the SJC wants Campbell to file a status report and say whether she's in or out. Boston Globe →

Data centers just got their 20-year tax break — right as public backlash is mounting. The state finalized regulations Thursday that exempt qualified data centers from the 6.25% sales tax on equipment, software, electricity, and construction costs. To qualify, facilities must be at least 100,000 square feet, create 100 jobs, and invest $50 million. The timing is awkward: Lowell residents sued state regulators last week over a large data center approval, and the city enacted the state's first data center moratorium in March. These AI facilities are resource hogs, and communities are pushing back. CommonWealth Beacon →

Mike Minogue wants Brian Shortsleeve to drop out of the GOP primary. Shortsleeve is not cooperating. Minogue won the party's endorsement at the GOP convention and is already running "general election" ads against Maura Healey. More than 60 Republican state committee members signed a letter urging unity behind Minogue. But Shortsleeve, a Barnstable County commissioner, isn't going anywhere. This is the Republican Party's latest round of internal dysfunction, and it's playing out in public. The primary is September 1. Boston Globe →

WORTH YOUR ATTENTION

Dangerousness hearing scheduled. Shawana Ann Leslie and Douglas A. Norris, charged with fentanyl trafficking and firearm possession after Taunton police allegedly found 140 grams of fentanyl and a loaded handgun, have dangerousness hearings coming up following their not-guilty pleas. Boston Globe →

Ballot question deadline approaching. Massachusetts could see 11 ballot questions this November — a state record — if they all survive court challenges and signature gathering. Campaigns face a July deadline to collect additional signatures. Four measures are already facing SJC scrutiny. CommonWealth Beacon →

Dignified transfer for Trooper Kevin Trainor. A solemn procession Thursday night honored Massachusetts State Police Trooper Kevin Trainor, 30, who was killed Wednesday by a wrong-way driver on Route 1 in Lynnfield. His fiancée laid flowers on his cruiser at the Danvers barracks. Funeral arrangements are pending. WBZ / CBS Boston →

Yesterday's Biggest Contributions

Data from the MA Office of Campaign & Political Finance

Full hearing schedule →

Recent filings with the Massachusetts Office of Campaign and Political Finance:

Candidates

• James Seibel — House, 35th Middlesex — Filed: 5/4/2026

Change of Purposes

• Charles Delaney — City Councilor, Boston → House, 4th Suffolk — Filed: 5/7/2026

OCPF →

ONE MORE THING

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