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Boston's Morning Newsletter
A breakdown of Beacon Hill's proposed deal to bar advocates
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.
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Now, to the news:
Deal or no deal? Massachusetts lawmakers have agreed to a deal — among themselves — intended to end the disruptive work stoppage by bar advocates. As WBUR's Deborah Becker reports, top Democrats on Beacon Hill announced a plan yesterday that would raise hourly rates for bar advocates, the private attorneys who have stopped taking public defense cases while pushing for pay raises. However, the deal is less than the attorneys have been asking for. Here's a breakdown of the situation:
- How much do bar advocates currently make? In Massachusetts, they receive $65 an hour in district court, $85 an hour in superior court and $120 an hour for murder cases. That's less than neighboring states pay. Maine and New York both pay $158 an hour, New Hampshire pays $125 to $150, and Rhode Island pays $112 to $142.
- How much have they been asking for? An across-the-board raise of $35 an hour.
- What are lawmakers offering? An across-the-board raise of $20 an hour, over two years. It starts with a $10-an-hour raise that would take effect this Friday for all case types, followed by a second $10 raise in August 2026.
- What else is in the deal? The proposal would up the budget of the state's Committee for Public Counsel Services by $40 million, allowing the public defense agency to double its staff with an additional 320 public defenders.
- Is it enough? Senate President Karen Spilka thinks so. "Nobody else that I'm aware of in the state is getting a 30% salary increase," Spilka said yesterday. "So I urge them to get back to work." The Committee for Public Counsel Services also urged bar advocates to take the deal. But many bar advocates disagree. In a statement, the group of lawyers leading the effort said the proposal would keep Massachusetts "as the lowest paid public defense system in New England," despite the state's high living costs. "I will not go back if it's under the $35 and there are a great deal of attorneys like me who will not go back unless it's $35 — or at least a promise of a phase in with $35," attorney Jennifer O'Brien told Deb.
- Strings attached: The Legislature's plan also includes language that says if bar advocates refuse to take cases over pay in the future, it would be a violation of state anti-trust laws.
- What's next: The State House could vote on the plan as soon as today, but that doesn't mean everyone decides to just start taking cases again. Boston University law professor Shira Diner told Deb that " individual bar advocates are going to need to decide if the provisions of the agreement are sufficient to address the concerns that brought them to the point of not taking cases in the first place."
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Meanwhile on Beacon Hill: The Senate is expected to vote today on its bill to ban students from using cellphones (and other personal electronic devices) in schools, starting in the fall of 2026. Spilka told reporters the bill would crack down on distractions, cheating and cyberbullying so that students can focus on learning. You can read the details of the Senate's revised legislation here.
- What's next: A vote indicates Senate leaders expect the bill to pass, in their chamber at least. While Gov. Maura Healey also supports banning cellphones in schools, House Speaker Ron Mariano's position on the issue remains unclear.
In Rhode Island: Brown University has struck a deal with the Trump administration to restore federal research funding and end the government's antisemitism allegations. Under the terms of the deal, Brown will pay $50 million to workforce development organizations in Rhode Island over 10 years, adopt the Trump administration's definition of “male” and “female,” and remove any consideration of race from its admissions process. But otherwise, Brown President Christina Paxson said the deal preserves the Ivy League schools' academic independence.
- When it comes to Harvard, the Trump administration is pressing for a fine that is "far more" than the $200 million paid by Columbia, the Associated Press reports.
While you were sleeping: The Red Sox are trading for St. Louis Cardinals relief pitcher Steven Matz, in exchange for a minor league prospect. The 34-year-old lefty helps beef up the Sox bullpen, as they push to make the playoffs.
- Are they done dealing? WBZ News has a roundup of other possible Red Sox targets ahead of tonight's MLB trade deadline.
P.S.— Today is the last day to submit your ideas for Boston's second annual round of participatory budgeting. The city is collecting project ideas from residents for how to spend $2 million, and then will narrow them down to hold a citywide vote next February. Submit your idea, or browse what others have already proposed, here.
