One in three Massachusetts residents say they can't reliably get basic primary care — and that's in a state that practically invented the modern hospital system. Today, the state Senate is expected to vote on a bill that would force insurers, hospitals, and clinicians to more than double what they spend on primary care, pushing it from 6.7 percent of total health care spending to at least 15 percent. The kicker: they'd have to do it without raising premiums or overall costs.

That's a heavy lift, and it's going to put the health care industry in an uncomfortable position. The money currently flows toward high-margin specialty care — think dermatology and gastroenterology — and redirecting it means those sectors take a hit. Senate President Karen Spilka, the Ashland Democrat who's made this her signature push, is betting that the political will is there. And after years of constituents being told the next available primary care appointment is in four months, she's probably right.

What happens next: the bill is widely expected to pass the Senate today, but the House will have its own ideas. A conference committee fight is likely, and the health care lobby will be watching every word. If it survives, Massachusetts could become a national model — or a cautionary tale about legislative ambition meeting industry resistance.

U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren threw her weight behind Daniel Lander, a former Michelle Wu aide and Warren campaign volunteer, in his primary challenge against incumbent state Senator William Brownsberger — a Belmont Democrat and Senate leader who hasn't had a serious opponent since 2012. It's a proxy war between Wu's City Hall and Beacon Hill, wrapped in a progressive bow, and it just got a lot more interesting.

A conference committee reached a deal on legislation that would require K-3 classrooms statewide to use research-backed, phonics-based literacy instruction. Right now, 60 percent of third graders aren't reading at grade level — a number State Sen. Sal DiDomenico called a crisis. The bill heads to Governor Healey's desk, where it's expected to be signed.

A second Brockton family has accused Mayor Moises Rodrigues of inappropriate behavior toward their daughter, according to GBH News. This follows a very public accusation at the city's high school graduation earlier this month, where a mother interrupted Rodrigues mid-speech to confront him. Brockton Public Schools has been notified of the second complaint. Rodrigues has not responded to GBH's requests for comment.

Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno called for replacing the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority's universal fare-free bus program with a voucher system after a brawl involving 50-plus teenagers at Union Station. State transit advocates say that's the wrong lesson to draw — and in a city where nearly a quarter of residents live in poverty, gutting free transit access could hurt the very people the system is meant to serve. The debate lands squarely in the middle of state budget negotiations.

Thomas Clasby Jr., who ran Quincy's Department of Elder Services for nearly 30 years, was sentenced Wednesday to six months in federal prison for embezzling public funds to cover personal expenses including 153 pounds of bourbon steak tips, a Toyota Prius for his girlfriend (and repairs after she crashed it), and a lacquered self-portrait. The man also billed the city nearly $9,000 for a Weymouth recording studio to capture his singing voice — labeled, naturally, "Senior Musical Workshop."

Michael Vandenbroeke, 41, of Jamaica Plain, is the first person charged under Massachusetts' new law making assault on a transit worker an automatic felony. He allegedly sexually assaulted a female Silver Line operator in March. He didn't show up to court Tuesday. A judge revoked his bail and issued an arrest warrant. The Carmen's Union Local 589 is calling for his swift arrest.

Lindsay Clancy pretrial hearing, today at 2 p.m. The Duxbury mother accused of killing her three children in 2023 is scheduled to appear in person at Plymouth Superior Court for the first time — previous hearings were held remotely from Tewksbury Hospital where she remains a patient. Boston Globe →

Boston City Council must act on Mayor Wu's revised budget proposal, which restores $1.4 million in transportation staff funding the council had cut — the clock is ticking as the city approaches its budget deadline. Boston Globe →

The House is expected to take up a $3 billion environmental bond bill — a slimmed-down version that strips out the Senate's proposed statewide ban on single-use plastic bags and cuts overall borrowing authority by more than 20 percent. CommonWealth Beacon →

Full budget details →

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

• Katherine Putnam (Unenrolled) — County Commissioner, Dukes County — Filed: 6/17/2026
• Melanie Layden (Unenrolled) — Register of Probate, Bristol County — Filed: 6/17/2026

OCPF →

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