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    A rally attendee holds up a sign in support of using state dollars to fund SNAP benefits outside the State House on October 28, 2025.   Our top five Beacon Hill stories of 2025   December 26, 2025 By  Chris Lisinski No single word better encapsulated the sentiment on Beacon Hill in 2025 than “uncertainty.” From the near-daily hand-wringing about the Trump administration’s latest actions to the prospect of voters seizing massive policymaking power in 2026 through a raft of ballot questions, state leaders spent much of the year sighing deeply and staring up at the ceiling. ADVERTISEMENT Sure, there was some action, like banning renter-paid broker fees. But with most lawmaking decisions expected in the second year of the two-year term, and statewide officeholders up for reelection in 2026, this year featured far more sowing than reaping. Here’s a look at the top five storylines that dominated the politics and policy landscape in 2025. READ MORE   Latest from  Common...

  New from  CommonWealth Beacon BUILDING CHARGE:  Bay State officials announced Friday they are  entering contract negotiations  with four companies to procure nearly 1,300 megawatts of battery storage. More than half of the storage would come from the largest bidder, the Trimount project in Everett. Jordan Wolman has the details. excerpt:  The Trimount battery storage project in Everett would be built on an old Exxon oil storage field, with the Boston skyline in the distance.  (Photo by Jordan Wolman/CommonWealth Beacon) A FORMER EXXON OIL  storage facility on an industrial plot of land just four miles from downtown Boston could be Massachusetts’s ticket to a green energy future — and lower utility bills. Bay State officials announced Friday they are entering contract negotiations with four companies to procure nearly 1,300 megawatts of battery storage. More than half of the storage would come from the largest bidder, the Trimount project in Eve...