By Associated Press - Wednesday, July 25, 2018

BOSTON (AP) - The Latest on efforts by Massachusetts lawmakers to approve bills with just days left in the Legislature’s formal session (all times local):

7:05 p.m.

Massachusetts Democrat Harriette Chandler is serving her final full day as president of the Senate.

Chandler, a state Senator from Worcester, took over that post after former Democratic Sen. Stan Rosenberg stepped down as president in December amid an ethics investigation related to sexual abuse allegations against Rosenberg’s husband, Bryon Hefner.

Hefner has since pleaded not guilty to criminal charges. Rosenberg later resigned from the Senate.

Sen. Karen Spilka, an Ashland Democrat who chairs the powerful Senate Ways and Means Committee, is expected to be elected president Thursday.

Chandler she doesn’t believe changing leadership during the final frenzied days of the legislative session will be disruptive.

She also said in final address to the Senate as president that the chamber has succeeded in doing its work despite the distractions posed by Rosenberg’s troubles.

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6:25 p.m.

Republican Gov. Charlie Baker has signed a bill that would impose a $2 fee on all car rentals in Massachusetts, helping raise $10 million for municipal police training programs.

Baker said the new law will let the Municipal Police Training Committee conduct additional recruitment and trainings that will give local police the tools needed to ensure the safety of Massachusetts residents.

The committee is responsible for training and setting training standards for local police, University of Massachusetts police, and state environmental police.

Baker signed the bill Wednesday. He noted the recent shooting deaths of Weymouth police Sgt. Michael Chesna and Sean Gannon, a Yarmouth K-9 officer.

The bill signing comes as House and Senate lawmakers are racing to pass bills before the end of their formal session Tuesday.

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3:10 p.m.

Massachusetts shoppers are one step closer to enjoying a sales tax holiday next month.

The state Senate voted 31-6 on Wednesday to suspend the state’s 6.25 percent sales tax on most consumer items during the weekend of Aug. 11-12. The provision was added to an economic development bill that was being debated in the Senate.

The House has also approved a sales tax holiday but it won’t be officially scheduled until the two chambers settle differences over broader legislation, and the bill is signed by Republican Gov. Charlie Baker.

A separate bill Baker signed last month requires a sales tax holiday be held each summer beginning in 2019, but did not address whether one would be scheduled this summer.

The last sales tax holiday in Massachusetts was in 2015.

The sales tax exemption would not apply to items above $2,500, or to tobacco or marijuana products.

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2:30 p.m.

Massachusetts Democratic House Speaker Robert DeLeo said lawmakers are making progress on a number of bills.

The House unanimously approved a compromise bill Wednesday aimed at protecting consumers from data breaches. The bill came after the credit reporting company Equifax announced last year that 143 million Americans, including nearly three million Massachusetts residents, had their information exposed.

The House also unanimously approved a final compromise bill designed to enhance civics education.

DeLeo said House and Senate conference committees are working to release other final compromise bills, including one that would address short term rental companies like Airbnb.

DeLeo said Republican Gov. Charlie Baker told him he expects to sign the state budget and issue vetoes by Thursday. That would give lawmakers several days to consider any veto overrides.

The Legislature’s formal session ends Tuesday.

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1:20 p.m.

Massachusetts lawmakers are expected to take votes on several measures including an August sales tax holiday as they begin the final week of the legislative session on Beacon Hill.

The House and Senate both plan formal meetings on Wednesday, along with a joint meeting to consider any proposed constitutional amendments. Legislators face a Tuesday deadline to complete action on dozens of major bills.

The Senate will consider adding language to an economic development bill that would suspend the state’s 6.25 percent sales tax on most items during the weekend of Aug. 11-12. The House has approved a similar amendment.

Both chambers could also vote Wednesday to send Republican Gov. Charlie Baker compromise legislation to better protect consumers against data breaches, and a compromise bill promoting civics education in public schools.

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