Governor Charlie Baker and a group of business owners suing to overturn his emergency orders amid the coronavirus pandemic are asking the state’s highest court to hear the lawsuit, arguing it could provide clarity about his authority during this unprecedented time. The petition to the Supreme Judicial Court comes more than a month after the…

Feel like taking a chance? Or taking in an art show? Or taking up a set of weights? Well, good news. Gov. Charlie Baker announced Thursday that casinos, museums, movie theaters and fitness centers, among other venues, can open Monday under Phase 3 of his lifting of the shutdown orders imposed in March to curb…

Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker and a group of business owners suing him for closing them down during the COVID-19 pandemic have asked the state’s top court to weigh in on whether the governor overstepped his authority during the crisis. In a joint petition to the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court on Thursday, Baker and the plaintiffs agreed the case…

On Monday, June 29, the Supreme Court ruled the structure of Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) to be unconstitutional. In the 5-4 ruling, Chief Justice John Roberts delivered the majority opinion, arguing that “the structure of the CFPB violates the separation of powers,” but noting that “the CFPB Director’s removal protection is severable from the other statuary…

Lee County is expanding the ability of law enforcement to use license plate readers along local roadways. The Lee County Board of County Commissioners this week OK’d allowing the Cape Coral and Fort Myers police departments to use poles along county roads for the readers. The move follows a unanimous vote in February to allow…

Several small businesses will get more time to apply for Paycheck Protection Program loans after a Maryland district court partially granted a preliminary injunction against the Small Business Administration. The businesses were originally restricted from applying for government-backed, forgivable PPP loans due to an SBA policy on loan applicants with criminal records. The SBA reined in…