With help from Lisa Kashinsky

CHARLIE ON CAPITOL HILL — Charlie Baker is bringing a new sport to the NCAA: the game of politics.

The NCAA turned to the longtime bureaucrat to help navigate the numerous legal and regulatory challenges it’s facing both in Washington and amid a players’ rights movement largely centered on pay and collective bargaining.

Five months in, Baker’s already making progress. Before Congress broke for August recess at the end of last week, three groups of lawmakers had introduced guidelines for how college athletes make money off their name, image and likeness. Every member behind each of the three proposals — Rep. Lori Trahan included — said they had spoken with Baker since he took over as NCAA president in March.

And, true to Baker’s bipartisan brand, the former Republican governor is being well received on both sides of the aisle.

“If Charlie Baker would have been here two, three years ago, we wouldn’t have this problem now,” Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) told Playbook. Out of the three recently filed NIL bills, Baker was quoted as supporting the one Manchin sponsored alongside former Alabama football coach Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.).

Baker has become a fixture on Capitol Hill since ending his time on Beacon Hill. One of his latest visits involved a meeting with Nevada Democrat Dina Titus, who had sent a letter to the NCAA looking for transparency on sports betting policies.

“I was real pleased with it because he came uninvited,” Titus told Playbook. Baker had already responded to Titus’ inquiry, but he still “took the initiative to come and see us.”

Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), who cosponsored a different NIL bill with Sens. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and has worked with the NCAA on legislation for years, said Baker also came by his office after starting his new role.

“We’ve had a good relationship with his predecessor,” Moran said. But Baker brings a “newness” to the NCAA, Moran said. “It was just a fresh start for everybody.”

Trahan, a former Division 1 volleyball player and Lowell High School Athletic Hall of Fame member, is also sponsoring a bill to produce a national NIL standard instead of the current patchwork of state laws. She said Baker has “done all the right things” so far on Capitol Hill.

“The NCAA has had their head in the sand for decades,” Trahan said. “But I’ve seen Charlie work with Democrats and a lot of different stakeholders to get things done. And so I’m optimistic that he’s going to transform the NCAA.”

While they’ve put forward competing bills, the various lawmakers involved said they’re just hoping to set a national NIL standard. And members on both sides of the aisle feel they have an ally in Baker.

“He knows a lot of the players in the political world,” Titus said. “So certainly, that doesn’t hurt.”

GOOD FRIDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. The NCAA didn’t just hire Baker for his political skills. They also liked his track record turning around big organizations. Now he’s released his game plan for the NCAA. Dive deeper with Sports Illustrated and the Associated Press.

TODAY — Gov. Maura Healey and Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll sign the Chapter 90 road repair funding bill at 9 a.m. at the Beaver Street Bridge in Lowell and hold another Chapter 90 event at 11 a.m. at Amesbury’s Heritage Park. Sen. Ed Markey announces federal funding to renovate Boston’s Old South Meeting House at 10:30 a.m. Sen. Elizabeth Warren is on GBH’s “Boston Public Radio” at 11 a.m.

THIS WEEKEND — Senate President Karen Spilka is on WBZ’s “Keller @ Large” at 8:30 a.m. Sunday. Boston City Councilor Ruthzee Louijeune is on WCVB’s “On the Record” at 11 a.m. Sunday. Rep. Jake Auchincloss is on NBC10 Boston’s “At Issue” at 11:30 a.m. Sunday.

Tips? Scoops? Talked to Charlie Baker on Capitol Hill? Let us know how it went: [email protected] and [email protected].

— “Pharmacists could prescribe hormonal contraceptives under FY24 budget language,” by Chris Van Buskirk, Boston Herald: “Registered pharmacists in Massachusetts could prescribe and dispense hormonal birth control patches or self-administered oral pills to any person, regardless of whether they have evidence of a previous prescription, under language included in the pending state budget.”

— “Regulators asked to block storm cost recovery,” by Christian M. Wade, Eagle-Tribune: “The state’s utility regulators are being urged to update rules that allow companies like National Grid and Eversource to pass along the costs of storm cleanups to their customers.”

— DOMINO EFFECT: With Governor’s Councilor Eileen Duff running for Southern Essex register of deeds, Methuen City Councilor Eunice Zeigler says she’s running for Duff’s Governor’s Council seat. Zeigler ran unsuccessfully for state Senate last year.

— OPPOSITION FORMING: The Massachusetts Business Alliance for Education and the Massachusetts High Technology Council are lining up against the state’s largest teachers union over a proposed ballot question that would end the use of MCAS as a high school graduation requirement and instead have districts certify students’ academic skills.

“This proposal would jeopardize the futures of Massachusetts high school graduates, endanger the state’s standing as a national leader in education, and put the state’s economy at a further competitive disadvantage,” High Tech Council President Chris Anderson, a former state Board of Education chair, said in a statement.

— SO WE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT THAT SLIDE: Apparently, the metal slide a cop flew down outside of Boston City Hall is now a tourist attraction for adults with daredevil inclinations or injury wishes, according to the Boston Globe’s Spencer Buell and WBZ NewsRadio’s Matt Shearer, who got “stuck” in the tube while attempting to carry out his reporting duties. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu told reporters she’d look into whether the city needs even more signs around the slide saying it’s not for adults.

— “City to focus on criminals as Mass. and Cass violence increases,” by Sean Cotter, Boston Globe: “In an interview Thursday, [Wu administration Mass. and Cass coordinator Tania] Del Rio said the city will continue to offer services, including transitional housing to people who have been living without a home and on the streets, as well as those who are battling substance addiction. But she also insisted Boston must confront criminals who are making the area so unsafe.”

A group of South Boston and Dorchester-area elected officials are demanding a warrant sweep of the area, per the Boston Herald’s Flint McColgan. Newly elected state Rep. John Moran, who represents the troubled corridor, also called for a warrant sweep “specifically targeting those individuals with a history of violence, sexual assault, drug distribution, and human trafficking.”

— “Ed Flynn is Boston’s acting mayor while Michelle Wu takes 10-day break,” by Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald.

— FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: District 8 Boston City Councilor-Elect Sharon Durkan is endorsing Henry Santana for city councilor at-large.

— “New Bedford’s mayoral candidate pool has shrunk. Here’s who’s running now,” by Matthew Ferreira, Standard Times: “Mayor Jon Mitchell and challengers Nathan Almeida and Michael Janson are the only three mayoral candidates to have returned their nomination papers, have signatures certified and accept their nominations.”

— “T unions look to do much better under Healey,” by Bruce Mohl, CommonWealth Magazine: “The relationship between the MBTA and its largest union appears to be undergoing a sea change under Gov. Maura Healey. … Privatization has gone missing from the T’s vocabulary. Instead of contract negotiations taking a year or longer, the T and the Carmen’s Union wrapped up talks in less than seven months.”

— “First lawsuit over new Mass. housing law targets town of Holden,” by Andrew Brinker, Boston Globe: “A Worcester-based housing advocacy group on Thursday sued the Town of Holden for defying the state’s new multifamily housing law — MBTA Communities — a move that may tee up a court battle over Massachusetts’ most critical tool for tackling the housing crisis.”

— “Inside the courtroom: Donald Trump, Jack Smith and a historic glance,” by Kyle Cheney, POLITICO: “Even before Donald Trump entered a federal courtroom and declared himself ‘not guilty’ on four felony charges related to his effort to derail the transfer of presidential power, the weight of history was evident in Washington, D.C.’s federal courthouse.”

Small groups of activists protested Trump in Boston and Northampton hours after his court appearance in D.C.

— “Mass. lawyer representing unindicted co-conspirator in Trump indictment,” by Mary Markos, NBC10 Boston.

— THERE’S ALWAYS A MASSACHUSETTS CONNECTION: Elizabeth Warren‘s “dynamic duo” of fundraising directors from her 2012 Senate campaign are now finance co-chairs for President Joe Biden‘s reelection bid. Colleen Coffey and Michael Pratt join finance chair and former U.S. Ambassador Rufus Gifford. They’re also Ed Markey campaign alums. POLITICO’s Holly Otterbein first reported the hiring moves.

— “Easthampton crisis pregnancy center ordinance dies at City Council meeting,” by Maddie Fabian, Daily Hampshire Gazette: “City Council President Homar Gomez, who had previously voted in favor of the ordinance, voted against overriding the mayor’s veto — a move that angered some of the ordinance’s supporters.”

— “Easthampton health director flags violations during city hall repairs; staff reported symptoms a week before building closed,” by Maddie Fabian, Daily Hampshire Gazette.

— “Sarno First to Hit Airwaves in Springfield Mayoral Prelim,” by Matt Szafranski, Western Mass Politics & Insight.

— “Transhealth in Mass. grows out-of-state patient base amid surge in anti-trans laws,” by Liesel Nygard, MassLive.

— IN MEMORIAM: “Former state Rep. Thomas C. Wojtkowski Sr., a champion of public education, is remembered as ‘the ultimate extrovert’,” by Jane Kaufman, Berkshire Eagle.

— “This New England neo-Nazi group is getting bigger and scarier, experts say. Most troubling: Military vets fill its ranks,” by Hanna Krueger, Boston Globe: “At least 10 military veterans have been linked to NSC-131, according to Globe analysis of media reports, court documents, and independent research. … The group’s firearms training is run by a former Air Force staff sergeant — who has expressed admiration for mass shooters. And a former Massachusetts National Guardsman — who maintained security clearance after leaving the force — has been spotted posting racist recruitment fliers.”

— “‘Ill-advised': Quincy asks US senators, congressman to help fight Long Island Bridge plan,” by Peter Blandino, Patriot Ledger: “State Rep. Bruce Ayers and Ward 6 Councilor Bill Harris have asked members of the Massachusetts congressional delegation to intervene in a project they called ‘hasty’ and ‘ill-advised.’”

— “Ambassador Caroline Kennedy retraces swim to honor JFK’s heroism in World War II in the Pacific,” by Travis Andersen, Boston Globe.

— “Charles River cleanup improvements ‘stalled,’ says annual EPA report card,” by Barbara Moran, WBUR.

— THE STATE OF THE STATE GOP: Turns out Massachusetts isn’t the only cash-strapped state GOP. Michigan’s Republican party is broke. Minnesota’s was, until recently, down to $53.81 in the bank. And the Colorado GOP is facing eviction from its office because it can’t make rent. Dive deeper into the dysfunction and its consequences.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to former President Barack Obama, who is 62; Dorchester Reporter founder and Boston Irish Reporter publisher Ed Forry; Jordan Maynard, Jennifer Clark, Alexis Vaillancourt and John McNeil, a Doughty for governor alum.

HAPPY BIRTHWEEKEND — to former ambassador, MA-03 candidate and Biden-Harris 2024 finance chair Rufus Gifford, Christina Pacheco and Jim Puzzanghera of the Boston Globe’s D.C. bureau, who celebrate Saturday; and to Sunday birthday-ers Maeve Duggan of MassINC; Rick Mikulis and former Amherst town councilor Evan Ross.

NEW HORSE RACE ALERT: BUDGET BALLOT BATTLES — Budgets and ballot questions, oh my! Hosts Steve Koczela, Jennifer Smith and Lisa Kashinsky break it all down. Subscribe and listen on iTunes and Sound Cloud.

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