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CAMPBELL CHARTS HER COURSE — Andrea Campbell spent her first five months as attorney general laying the groundwork to fulfill some of her signature campaign promises. Now she’s about to get the legislative sign-off she needs to bring those plans to fruition.

Lawmakers are putting the finishing touches on a state budget that will help stand up Campbell’s elder justice, reproductive rights, gun violence prevention and police accountability units and pay for the directors she’s already in the process of hiring.

And the sweeping firearms legislation top House Democrats introduced this week included several reforms Campbell has been advocating for to help crack down on ghost guns and illegal firearms trafficking.

“There are some legislative changes that we need in order to be able to do our enforcement aggressively and to remain progressive when it comes to our gun laws,” Campbell told Playbook in an interview, adding that she’s “grateful” for lawmakers taking the first step.

But as Campbell forges ahead in some areas, the federal government is stymieing her in another: enforcing the state’s automotive “right-to-repair” law that’s been tied up in court since voters passed it in 2020. Campbell got the green light this month to start requiring automakers selling cars here to give customers and independent repair shops wireless vehicle data. But the feds are now telling manufacturers to ignore the law because it could violate federal car safety legislation — and Campbell said they didn’t warn the attorney general’s office first.

“I along with the team were extremely disappointed and shocked,” Campbell said. “We hope we can resolve this so that we can actually implement the will of the voters and not allow a letter to essentially preempt our state law where there was no process or input from Massachusetts residents.”

Here are more excerpts from Playbook’s chat with Campbell, edited for length and clarity:

How is your office preparing for Supreme Court rulings that could possibly curtail affirmative action and student loan forgiveness?

We are forming partnerships with the governor’s administration, as well as others who are participating in [the governor’s] advisory council, so that we are prepared to always be promoting diversity when it comes to education. The same thing with student debt relief. What we’re finding is we still have a lot of work to do to make sure that folks are aware of the [existing] initiatives and the public interest loan forgiveness programs that they may be eligible for.

How are you differentiating your attorney general’s office from that of your predecessor, now-Gov. Maura Healey?

As we continue to build the team and establish our strategic plan, folks will see that it builds upon the work of those who came before, but also continues to establish my lane when it comes to certain types of issues, including government accountability work [and] criminal legal reform.

What do you think of the indictments against former President Donald Trump?

We’ve all seen enough where folks should ask the question: if you want someone to serve in an elected role, I would like them to not only be one of tremendous character, but also integrity and honesty. And that’s what the constituents and public deserve. And I don’t think, based on a long record of things we’ve seen publicly or heard firsthand, that he is one of good character.

GOOD WEDNESDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. Campbell said her office is still “actively reviewing” the referral from campaign finance regulators to investigate possible violations by GOP state Sen. Ryan Fattman and former MassGOP Chair Jim Lyons, among others.

TODAY — Healey marks the anniversary of President John F. Kennedy’s state visit to Ireland at 9 a.m. in Dublin. Acting Gov. Kim Driscoll tours Pryde LGBTQ Senior Housing at 10 a.m. in Boston and chairs a Governor’s Council meeting at noon at the State House. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu holds a press conference on the Sumner Tunnel Closure at 9:30 a.m. at Wonderland Station in Revere. Sen. Ed Markey tours Kennedy Community Health at 11:30 a.m. Rep. Jake Auchincloss visits Mass General Brigham’s CSPAR at 12:30 p.m. in Foxborough.

Tips? Scoops? Email me: [email protected].

— “In historic speech to Irish Senate, Healey lauds LGBTQ+ rights as bond between countries,” by Adam Reilly, GBH News: “In a landmark address Tuesday to the Irish Senate, or Seanad Éireann, Gov. Maura Healey lauded recent LGBTQ+ triumphs in Ireland and the United States as a unifying force and a source of political and economic strength moving forward. ‘It was not so long ago when the story of Irish American unity and the story of gay liberation would never have been told together,’ Healey said. ‘I’m here to say they are the stories of the same people — threads of the same fabric that have forever bound us and will bind us across time, and strengthen our mutual futures.’”

— WHEELS IN MOTION: Sen. Elizabeth Warren fought to get federal funding for electrifying school buses. Now she wants Massachusetts cities and towns to apply for the EPA’s $400 million Clean School Bus grant program by its August deadline because “electric school buses are an important investment in our children’s future.” Read the letter to the Massachusetts Municipal Association and local communities.

— “Elizabeth Warren to Janet Yellen: You’re wrong on bank mergers,” by Zachary Warmbrodt, POLITICO.

— “In ‘historic’ moment, MCI-Framingham prisoners testify live at moratorium hearing,” by Sarah Betancourt, GBH News: “A group of 20 women incarcerated at MCI-Framingham testified live on Zoom at a hearing on Monday — for the first time in legislative history. Clad in green uniforms, each woman sat in front of a camera in a white room and spoke in favor of a prison moratorium bill. The legislation would put a five-year pause on planning or building new prisons and renovating current prisons ‘beyond maintenance or building code requirements.’”

— “State education board approves changes to educator licensure regulations,” by Adria Watson, Boston Globe: “In an effort to combat educator shortages in classrooms throughout Massachusetts, the state education board on Tuesday approved changes to make it easier for existing educators to teach special education and English as a second language, two fields that have long required additional licensing.”

— “House Wants Fresh Numbers On Senate Tax Relief Plan,” by Alison Kuznitz, State House News Service (paywall): “House Ways and Means Chairman Aaron Michlewitz and Rep. Mark Cusack, the House chair of the Joint Committee on Revenue, sent a letter to Department of Revenue Commissioner Geoffrey Snyder asking him to calculate the ‘fiscal impact’ of a bevy of relief measures in both branches’ bills.”

— “DiZoglio Seeks More Leeway For MBTA Audits,” by Alison Kuznitz, State House News Service (paywall): “Bills that DiZoglio filed with Rep. Christopher Worrell and Sen. Liz Miranda (H 3132 / S 2032) would allow the auditor’s office to conduct audits of the MBTA once every two years and ‘as often as the state auditor determines is necessary.’”

— “Councilor Ricardo Arroyo admits to ethics violation, pays penalty in connection with representing his brother,” by Danny McDonald, Boston Globe: “Boston City Councilor Ricardo Arroyo has admitted to a conflict of interest violation and paid a $3,000 penalty for continuing to represent his brother in a sexual harassment lawsuit after Arroyo became a member of the City Council, according to the State Ethics Commission.”

— “‘Blindsided’: State slams BPS over O’Bryant plans,” by Lance Reynolds, Boston Herald: “Education Commissioner Jeff Riley blasted the proposal by Boston Public Schools to move the highly rated O’Bryant School to West Roxbury, saying state officials were ‘blindsided’ by the announcement.”

— “One year into school improvement plan, state official grades Boston’s progress ‘incomplete’,” by Max Larkin, WBUR.

— “Here’s what to expect at the NAACP convention in Boston, the first in four decades,” by Tiana Woodard, Boston Globe.

— FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: Boston City Councilor Gabriela Coletta is endorsing Sharon Durkan in the special election for District 8 city councilor.

— “Short circuit at fault in dragging death of Red Line passenger last year, NTSB finds,” by Laura Crimaldi and Taylor Dolven, Boston Globe: “Federal investigators on Tuesday said a short circuit was to blame for the failure of a safety system designed to prevent a Red Line train from accelerating and dragging a passenger to his death last year after his arm became stuck between car doors.”

— “McGovern backs constitutional amendment to strip big money from elections,” by Alexander MacDougall, Daily Hampshire Gazette: “The proposed joint resolution, known as The Free and Fair Elections Amendment, would limit the amount a person could contribute to any individual political congressional or presidential campaign to $100, and the limit the amount of total spending in an election cycle by an individual to $1,000. In addition, it would ban any corporation or related entity from spending any amount of money to influence an election.”

— “Interim superintendent in Easthampton officially on board, inks $157K deal,” by Emily Thurlow, Daily Hampshire Gazette: “The School Committee’s decision to hire a temporary leader follows several tumultuous months this spring, which included the resignation of two School Committee members, in the failed permanent superintendent search.”

— “Candidates in Agawam begin race for open mayoral seat,” by Aprell May Munford, Springfield Republican: “Town Council President Christopher C. Johnson said he is among the handful of candidates seeking to become the next mayor of Agawam. … Rosemary Sandlin and Cecilia P. Calabrese, who both sit on Town Council, and newcomer William Clark, a local business owner, have pulled papers with the town clerk in order to begin the process to run.”

— “‘Epitome of divisiveness': City councilor blasts Chamber letter on encampment sweeps,” by Marco Cartolano, Telegram & Gazette: “In an extended statement Tuesday, District 4 City Councilor Sarai Rivera blasted the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce for releasing a letter Friday afternoon against a proposed moratorium on clearing homeless encampments.”

— “Truck from Conn. company hired by MassDOT displayed Confederate flag in Fitchburg,” by Darren Botelho, NBC10 Boston: “MassDOT says it prohibits these kinds of displays and it told the company it would not be allowed to do any more work until the flag was taken down.”

— “Council budget cuts target fixed costs; ‘How does that make any sense?’ asks mayor,” by Arthur Hirsch, New Bedford Light.

— SPLIT SCREEN: Donald Trump and Ron DeSantis escalated their rivalry in dueling events in New Hampshire yesterday, against the backdrop of a new Saint Anselm poll showing the former president rising to 47 percent support and the Florida governor running far behind at 19 percent.

— FROM THE ASSOCIATED PRESS: “Addressing a town hall in Hollis, DeSantis vowed to ‘actually’ build the U.S.-Mexico border wall that Trump tried but failed to complete as president. He also pledged to tear down Washington’s traditional power centers in ways that Trump fell short. Speaking later at a Republican women’s luncheon in Concord, Trump countered that DeSantis was being forced to settle for second place in the primary.

… DeSantis took extensive audience questions — a trademark in New Hampshire politics that he eschewed during his previous visit to the state … Trump, meanwhile, offered a free-wheeling speech for more than [an] hour. He didn’t take questions in Concord.”

— CHRISTIE CORNER: Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who’s running a New Hampshire-focused campaign, came in third in the Saint Anselm poll with 6 percent. He also told POLITICO’s Kelly Garrity that Trump is “the cheapest S.O.B. I’ve ever met” for steering donations from his presidential campaign to pay his legal fees.

TRANSITIONS — Mark William Bracken has been named executive director of the Massachusetts State Lottery after serving as its interim head.

— The Massachusetts Dental Society has appointed Daniel DiTullio as the organization’s director, government affairs and dental practice.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to Erin McPike, Moses Marx and Nick Mitchell.

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