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Thursday, March 28, 2024

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Pulling back the curtains on wage-theft enforcement in MN; Trump's latest attack is on RFK, Jr; NM LGBTQ+ equality group endorses 2024 'Rock Star' candidates; Michigan's youth justice reforms: Expanded diversion, no fees.

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Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg says rebuilding Baltimore's Key Bridge will be challenging and expensive. An Alabama Democrat flips a state legislature seat and former Connecticut senator Joe Lieberman dies at 82.

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Historic wildfires could create housing and health issues for rural Texans, a Kentucky program helps prison parolees start a new life, and descendants of Nicodemus, Kansas celebrate the Black settlers who journeyed across the 1870s plains seeking self-governance.

MA: Family/Father Issues

More than 75% of Massachusetts mothers with infants also work. For those who rely on child care facilities, the majority require parents to supply a week's worth of diapers at a time or find alternative care. (Adobe Stock) <br />
MA diaper distribution program helps families make ends meet

Supporters of a federal pilot program to distribute diapers to low-income families in Massachusetts hope to build upon its success. More than 1 …

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The Greater Boston Food Bank reports one in three households in Massachusetts experienced child-level food insecurity in 2022. That means a child was hungry, skipped a meal or did not eat for<br />a whole day because there wasn't enough money for food. (Adobe Stock)
Stalled Farm Bill puts pressure on MA food banks

Massachusetts food banks are struggling to keep up with demand as the Farm Bill remains stalled in Congress. The bill is renegotiated every five …

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There were 45 book challenges in Massachusetts in 2022 affecting 57 titles, however no books have been banned in the state, according to the American Library Association. (Adobe Stock)<br /><br />
Legislation aims to classify book bans as federal civil rights violations

New federal legislation would classify discriminatory book bans as violations of federal civil rights law. The Books Save Lives Act would ensure …

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Massachusetts had almost 5,000 fewer early educators, on average, in 2021 than before the COVID-19 pandemic, with roughly one in three child-care centers unable to serve their full capacity statewide, according to a report from The Boston Foundation. (Adobe Stock)
MA family child care providers ease shortage, seek greater state backing

Advocates in Massachusetts say increasing the pay of smaller, family child care providers could help ease the shortage and provide economic benefits …

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Wages for low- and middle-income workers in Massachusetts have not risen substantially since the late 1970s, while wages for upper-income workers have increased fourfold, making it difficult for<br />people with low incomes to cover basic needs, according to to a study by MassBudget. (Adobe Stock)<br />
MA 'baby bonds,' expanded tax credits aim to end racial wealth divide

Legislation introduced in Massachusetts aims to reduce the racial wealth gap by creating a statewide "Baby Bonds" program. It is a publicly-funded…

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The Massachusetts community action agency Citizens for Citizens prepares to distribute the first shipment of diapers and other necessary supplies to low-income families through the federal government's first diaper distribution pilot program. (MASSCAP)
Diaper Pilot Program Aims to Keep Families Healthy, Working

Massachusetts groups will be part of a new federal pilot program to help low-income families ensure they have the diapers they need to keep both babie…

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The 2023 Kids Count Data Book from the Annie E. Casey Foundation shows 31% of Latino children and 18% of African-American children in Massachusetts live in poverty, compared to 7% of white children.<br />(Adobe Stock)
MA Part of Growing State Movement for Expanded Tax Credits

Massachusetts is on track to become the eighteenth state this year to enact targeted tax credits to help alleviate childhood poverty. New polling …

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Families receiving advanced Child Tax Credit payments were nearly three times more likely to catch up on rent after falling behind early in the pandemic, according to the group Children's HealthWatch. (Adobe Stock)
MA Lawmakers Work to Enhance Tax Credits for Working Families

As state lawmakers in Massachusetts debate the final details of tax legislation, community groups are urging them to include refundable tax credits …

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Rates of severe maternal morbidity for people with disabilities -- including intellectual, vision, and mobility-related disabilities -- were found to be significantly higher between 2011 and 2020 than those for people without disabilities, according to the Department of Public Health. (Adobe Stock)
Report Shows Steep Decline in MA Maternal Health

Racial and gender inequities in Massachusetts have contributed to a steep decline in maternal health, according to a new report. The Department of …

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The child care crisis is costing the American economy $122 billion a year in lost earnings, productivity and tax revenue and putting great stress on parents, according to a new report. (Adobe Stock)
Inaccessible, Unaffordable Child Care Hurts MA Families

Massachusetts ranks first in the nation for education and children's health but a lack of quality child care poses great challenges for families…

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Research shows children who live in households that receive the Earned Income Tax Credit have better school performance, greater college enrollment and increased work and income in adulthood. (Adobe Stock)
Advocates Push for 'Tax Fairness' with Expanded Child Tax Credits

As Massachusetts lawmakers work to finalize tax-relief measures, advocates for low-income families are calling for an expansion of tax credits proven …

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Fewer than half of transition-age young people received one or more of the federally funded foster-care services meant to prepare them for success as adults between 2013 and 2021, according to a report by the Annie E. Casey Foundation. (Adobe Stock)
Report: Fewer Youth Transition Out of MA Foster Care System

The number of children transitioning out of the foster care system has dropped significantly in Massachusetts, according to a new report. The number …

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