Advertisement
Boston's Morning Newsletter
Where the Mass. delegation stands on the TikTok ban bill
Editor's Note: This is an excerpt from WBUR's daily morning newsletter, WBUR Today. If you like what you read and want it in your inbox, sign up here.
Happy Pi Day, a very important holiday here at WBUR. Tune in to Radio Boston today at 11 a.m. for some sweet — and possibly savory — pie-making tips. (Or, if you’re feeling really ambitious, watch last year’s CitySpace demonstration on next-level pie design.).
To the news:
The delegation’s TikTok dance: Massachusetts’ all-Democratic congressional delegation is often in lockstep when voting on issues. But potentially banning TikTok? That’s not one of them. The House’s 352-65 passage of a bill yesterday that would likely ban the popular Chinese-owned social media app in the U.S. divided the Bay State’s representatives into two camps.
- All those in favor: Reps. Lori Trahan, Jake Auchincloss, Seth Moulton, Stephen Lynch and Bill Keating. (Auchincloss and Moulton also signed on last week as co-sponsors.) “We just don’t want the Chinese Communist Party owning TikTok, owning all of Americans’ private data on TikTok and manipulating the feeds that they get,” Moulton said on CNN after the vote.
- All those against: Reps. Richard Neal, Jim McGovern, Katherine Clark and Ayanna Pressley voted no, arguing the “rushed” bill raises free speech concerns and would hurt Americans who used TikTok to make a living. “America should be doing way more to protect data privacy & combatting misinformation online,” McGovern tweeted. “Singling out one app isn’t the answer.”
- Catch up: The bill isn’t technically a 100% ban. It would require TikTok’s parent company ByteDance to sell the platform within six months — something ByteDance says it won’t do. If such a sale doesn’t happen, TikTok would be banned in the U.S.
- What’s next: President Biden has suggested he would sign the bill. But first it must clear the Senate, where the bill faces the most uncertainty (and lobbying), as NPR reported yesterday. That includes opposition from Massachusetts’ senators Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey, both of whom prefer “across the board” social media regulations over a TikTok ban.
- Go deeper: The House passed a TikTok ban bill. But is the app really a national security threat?
Child care cuts: More than half of the state’s child care providers have been told to prepare for reduced state grant payments this spring. As WBUR’s Carrie Jung reports in this story, some could see cuts ranging from 55% to 75% from the pandemic-era C3 grant program.
- Why? Officials say the C3 program is a victim of its own “success.” While the grants are supporting new programs and classrooms, the “larger than expected growth” means the program’s $475 million in funds needs to be spread out among more centers.
- Meanwhile: The news comes as the state Senate plans to vote today on a big early education and child care bill, which would (among other things) make the C3 grants permanent.
Pardon me: Gov. Maura Healey says her plan to pardon all people convicted of misdemeanor marijuana possession in Massachusetts could affect “hundreds of thousands.” Click here for more details and reactions to what Healey says would be a “nation-leading” plan.
- What’s next: It still needs approval from the Governor’s Council, which meets later this month (and is getting a lot of attention lately). As WBUR’s Walter Wuthmann reports, some members of the body are already signaling they’ll vote in favor. “I do know that I’m not the only one who’s enthusiastic about this,” said member Paul DePalo.
- FYI: The pardons (if approved) will automatically apply to all eligible convictions, meaning “most people” don’t have to do anything. However, some still may want to request a pardon certificate for housing, job or educational opportunities. Healey’s office has a helpful FAQ page on the entire process.
Just in time for Opening Day: Mighty Squirrel Brewing’s giant new brewery in Boston’s Fenway neighborhood officially starts pouring beers (and much more) today. Located around the corner from Fenway Park, the 13,000-square-foot, two-floor taproom’s grand opening is at 5 p.m. Take a sneak peek inside here.
- Where to find it: The new Fenway spot is at the corner of David Ortiz Drive and Maitland Street, next to the Lansdowne commuter rail station and — just like Mighty Squirrel’s original Waltham brewery — a Central Rock climbing gym.
- What’s on the menu? In addition to beer, you’ll find a new line of Mighty Squirrel hard seltzers and hard smoothies (yes, it’s a thing). There’ll also be pizza, salad and tacos — and a coffee bar that opens at 6 a.m. daily.
P.S.— “Bad Blood,” the third episode of Beyond All Repair, is officially out. Listen to all three episodes here or wherever you get your podcasts.
