Massachusetts Housing & Permitting: Boston’s latest push for targeted tax abatements aims to jump-start stalled projects, but critics say the real bottleneck is process—local review delays and hard-to-navigate online permitting can still choke “missing middle” housing even after zoning wins like the MBTA Communities Act. Police Surveillance Fight: As more Massachusetts towns move to end Flock license plate readers, some chiefs argue the tech is an investigative tool while civil liberties groups warn about data-sharing and misuse—keeping the debate front and center in local governance. Election Integrity & Enforcement: The DOJ charged 16 people across multiple states, including Massachusetts, in alleged illegal voting and election-related crimes, as election enforcement ramps up ahead of the midterms. Lindsay Clancy Trial Fallout (MA): After a mistrial, the lone holdout juror in the Lindsay Clancy case says he never doubted his decision, reigniting scrutiny of how juries deliberate in high-profile Massachusetts criminal trials. First Amendment & Federal Courts: The U.S. Supreme Court blocked Trump’s mail-ballot restrictions, setting up a fresh legal fight over election rules as the administration continues to challenge voting access. Tech & Data Centers: Massachusetts is issuing new guidance for data center development under an executive order, amid ongoing political pressure from residents and advocates worried about growth, impacts, and transparency.