Healey stands up for vaccines, lowers flags, and confronts flag reform

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In her crusade against U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr., Gov. Maura Healey waved her battle flag again this week as state officials unveiled COVID-19 vaccination guidance and signaled more independent recommendations for children's immunizations could be coming.

Just don't ask Healey how she feels about the actual state flag and redesign efforts.

At Healey's direction, the Department of Public Health declared Wednesday that children ages six months to 23 months should be vaccinated against COVID, as should all adults ages 65 and older. The guidance says that other adults, adolescents and children "may" receive COVID shots, while DPH more firmly recommended vaccinations for those with serious medical conditions.

DPH's maneuver put Massachusetts on the offensive one day ahead of the closely anticipated meeting of the federal Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices. Healey and DPH Commissioner Robbie Goldstein have already moved to sever the state's immunization policy from decisions made by ACIP, a panel whose membership RFK has uprooted and reshaped.

"We're the health care leader in this country, and we're not going to let Donald Trump or RFK Jr. stand between patients and the care that they need and want," Healey said at a press conference, later labeling Kennedy a "conspiracy theorist."

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When a reporter stood in the way of the public health topic of the day, Healey laughed and quickly apologized. It seems the work of the Massachusetts Seal, Flag and Motto Advisory Commission -- which recently unveiled (some disliked) finalists -- is not top of mind for Healey amid federal turmoil.

Healey, who said she didn't "mean to laugh" when asked if she supports changing the state flag and seal, expressed appreciation for the "interest or endeavors" by others. The governor also swiveled around in her office to glance at the existing state flag, considered offensive to Native Americans.

The advisory commission is co-chaired by Education Secretary Pat Tutwiler, who's also leading a panel to redesign high school graduation standards after voters scrapped the MCAS requirement, and Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism Executive Director Kate Fox. Beyond planning for World Cup matches, the 250th anniversary of American independence and the return of tall ships, Fox is also spending her time debating graphic design choices involving turkey feathers, blue hills, right whales, chickadees, stars and mayflowers.

Healey did order flags to be lowered to half-staff in memory of conservative political figure Charlie Kirk, aligning with a presidential proclamation in the wake of his assassination. The action sparked some debate, including from Governor's Councilor Mara Dolan who contended on social media that Kirk didn't deserve to be honored.

In a radio appearance Tuesday, Attorney General Andrea Campbell said Healey should have offered an "explanation publicly" on why the flags were lowered, and she suggested the Legislature consider tweaking state law to honor public employees who die on the job.

The House on Monday held a moment of silence for Kirk, at the request of Minority Leader Brad Jones, who framed it as an opportunity to "reset."

Uncomfortable with a reboot of their own, a contingent of Massachusetts Democrats at the party's platform convention last Saturday garnered enough support to maintain the 2021 platform. Frustrated progressives had complained the proposed 2025 rewrite watered down or omitted specific policy planks.

Alex Crowley, a Weymouth delegate and founder of Our Revolution Massachusetts, said keeping the 2021 platform "protects decades of grassroots work."

"We don't grow the tent by cutting out protections for the people holding it up; the workers, immigrants, people of color, veterans, LGBTQ+ community, and people with disabilities," Crowley said in a statement.

Boston is at an economic crossroads. The vitality of its downtown business district, drained by the COVID-19 epidemic, continues to slowly rebound but has yet to return to pre-pandemic levels. Commercial property values have declined, creating the potential for major budget challenges for the most property-tax dependent big city in America. With Boston’s financial underpinnings at risk, what is the strategy and vision for Boston’s future, particularly for its major business districts? Join business and community leaders to explore challenges and opportunities ahead. Register here!

Treasurer Deb Goldberg also put up her symbolic white flag this week, surrendering her legal quest to block Shannon O'Brien from returning to the Cannabis Control Commission. A day after a judge said the treasurer was unlikely to succeed in her appeal, Goldberg told Campbell's office that "continuing with an appeal will further harm the Cannabis Control Commission and impede their ability to focus on their critical priorities."

The Legislature this week turned its focus to the state's flailing health care system, as lawmakers appeared to more fully emerge from their unofficial August-into-September break. House and Senate negotiators struck a deal funneling $234 million to fiscally strained hospitals and community health centers.

The House passed the package without debate, though the lawmaker who introduced it caught onlookers' attention. Rep. John Lawn, chair of the Health Care Financing Committee, was back in the spotlight after his arrest in July on misdemeanor charges of driving under the influence and leaving the scene of a crime.

During Senate floor debate Thursday, Ways and Means Chair Michael Rodrigues divulged that "many hospitals" are very close to defaulting on their bond covenants.

At around this time last year, the state committed more than $400 million to keep Steward Health Care hospitals open. Some of the latest relief will flow to those hospitals and their new owners, including Lawrence General Hospital, Morton Hospital, Holy Family Hospital, Saint Anne's Hospital, Boston Medical Center-South and BMC-Brighton, according to the Center for Health Information and Analysis.

Lawmakers may also have a problem with gambling revenue, which they count on to fund public programs.

A new MassBudget report warns the balance between gambling industry "harms" and "public benefits" may be skewed if sports betting cannibalizes casino revenue, which has plateaued in response to the newest wagering option. Casinos and slot parlors are subject to a higher tax than sports betting, and MassBudget suggests Beacon Hill can recoup some losses by raising taxes and fees on licensed gambling companies.

Meanwhile, the state's top two licensed sports betting platforms are being outperformed by Kalshi, a derivatives trading company that Attorney General Campbell claims in a new lawsuit uses a workaround to illegally offer sports wagering. Kalshi, which sells "event contracts" to bettors, contends Massachusetts is trying to quash the company's innovations.

THE SUNDAY SHOWS

KELLER AT LARGE: 8:30 a.m., WBZ-TV. Political analyst Jon Keller's guest is Diane Hessan, author of "Our Common Ground: Insights from Four Years of Listening to American Voters." They discuss the feedback from the 500 voters she keeps in email contact with about the current political climate.

@ISSUE SIT DOWN: 9:30 a.m., NBC 10. Reporter Matt Prichard interviews Dr. Kiame Mahaniah, Gov. Maura Healey’s health and human services chief.

ON THE RECORD: 11 a.m., WCVB. The guest is MBTA General Manager Phil Eng.

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