Massachusetts Education & Culture Policy: The Legislature passed the “Freedom to Read” bill (S.3241), setting new rules for how schools and libraries handle book challenges as formal censorship efforts rise 50% since FY2023. Reproductive Rights: The Senate also approved a bill removing Massachusetts’ 24-week abortion limit, allowing abortions through all nine months based on physician judgment; it now heads to Gov. Healey for a fast decision. Public Health & Community: Healey-Driscoll announced nearly $905,000 in grants for local infrastructure, including a fish passage at Horn Pond in Woburn, aimed at helping towns compete for federal funding. Arts & Activism: Uncommon Productions and Citizen56 announced a 7-city national tour of “The Poisoner,” a neo-noir thriller inspired by the Flint water crisis, with a Boston-area stop in the fall run. Sports & Local Pride: Bruce Springsteen saluted Pan-Mass Challenge riders at a Worcester event, reinforcing the Massachusetts cancer-fundraising tradition. Tech, Privacy & Surveillance: States sued the Trump administration over TANF data-sharing with immigration authorities, arguing it unlawfully expands access to sensitive personal information. Higher Ed Leadership: Brown University President Christina H. Paxson will step down at the end of the 2026-27 academic year, launching a national search.