Massachusetts Bills

The committee on Health Care Financing to whom was referred the Senate Bill protecting patient safety regarding non-FDA approved drugs (Senate, No. 1497), - reports, recommending that the same ought to pass with an amendment substituting a new draft with the same title (Senate, No. 3068).

This bill formally places on file a report submitted by the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities regarding the Crumbling Concrete Stakeholder Working Group. The document outlines final recommendations designed to address the issues identified in the Massachusetts crumbling concrete commission report, which focuses on the safety and cost implications of deteriorating concrete infrastructure. By submitting this report, the bill ensures that the working group's findings on repair strategies and cost estimates, such as the noted increase of $600 to $900 per cubic yard for certain projects, are officially recorded for future legislative consideration. The measure does not enact new laws but rather serves as a procedural step to archive the study's conclusions for potential future action.

This bill serves as a procedural document that submits a report to the legislature detailing how the Civics Project Trust Fund was used during fiscal year 2024. The report explains that the fund supported civics education in Massachusetts by providing grants to local school districts, creating free curriculum materials, offering teacher training, and hosting student project showcases. The document outlines specific activities such as funding for professional development, the release of new history curriculum, and regional events where students presented their civic projects to community members and officials.

SD 3928 is a procedural bill that places the 2025 annual report of the Property and Casualty Initiative on file. The report documents the initiative's investments in affordable housing and community services across Massachusetts, along with audited financial statements and compliance certifications. It details specific loan investments in various locations and lists capital contributions from member insurance companies. No new laws or policy changes are enacted by this bill.

This bill serves as a procedural document that submits the second annual report on Rural School Aid funding for fiscal year 2025 from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. It details the specific financial allocations distributed to various rural school districts across the state, listing the dollar amounts assigned to each entity over a five-year period. The document functions as an official record of these funding decisions rather than proposing new policy changes or legislative actions.

This bill requires businesses in Massachusetts to round transaction amounts to the nearest five cents when customers pay with cash and cannot provide exact change. The rounding rule generally rounds down amounts ending in one, two, six, or seven cents, while rounding up amounts ending in three, four, eight, or nine cents, with a specific exception allowing small transactions of one or two cents to round up to five cents. Sellers must calculate and remit taxes based on the original price before rounding occurs, and they must clearly disclose this rounding policy to customers. The legislation also mandates that the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation issue guidance to help businesses implement these new cash payment rules.

This bill is a procedural document that formally submits the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's first annual report on Rural School Aid for fiscal year 2026. The report details financial allocations to various rural school districts and regional school units across the state, including specific funding amounts for each entity. It also includes additional recommendations for future consideration regarding rural school support programs. As a communication from the state department, the bill does not create new policy but rather documents existing funding distributions and program updates.

This bill serves as a formal record of a biweekly report submitted by state executive offices regarding an emergency housing assistance program. The document provides data updates as of April 2, 2026, detailing information such as the number of families sheltered and exits from the program during a specific period. As a procedural filing, the bill does not create new laws or policies but instead documents existing administrative activities for public review.

This bill serves as a formal submission of the Alternative Housing Voucher Program's financial and operational report for fiscal year 2025 to state legislators. The document details that the program assisted over 850 disabled households with an average monthly subsidy of $1,459, totaling expenditures of approximately $16.3 million for that year. It further outlines ongoing efforts to expand housing options through mobile vouchers and project-based awards, noting that most participants are single adults living in small units. The report provides specific data on leased units, outstanding vouchers, and future funding projections without proposing new policy changes.

Bill HD 6078 is a procedural document that formally submits the annual report for fiscal year 2025 from the Juvenile Justice Policy and Data Board (JJPAD) to the state legislature. This report provides data and analysis on youth involved in the Massachusetts juvenile justice system, including information on arrests, court cases, and outcomes. The bill does not create new laws or policies but serves as a record-keeping measure to ensure the board's findings are officially filed for public review.

This bill authorizes the town of Marion to issue a special license for selling alcohol for off-premises consumption to a specific business, J. Sull Wine. The license is restricted to this single location and cannot be transferred to a different address, though it can be renewed or reassigned to a new applicant at the same spot if tax and unemployment records are current. If the business stops operating or fails to renew the license, the permit must be returned to the town and can only be reissued within three years under the same conditions. The town retains the authority to impose all standard conditions required by state law, except for the specific section this act overrides.

This bill allows the town of Oxford to issue two new licenses for businesses that sell alcohol for off-premises consumption, such as takeout or delivery. The new licenses will follow standard state rules but cannot be transferred to a different location, and they require proof that the business has paid all taxes and fees before approval. If a business stops using the license or fails to renew it, the town can reissue it to a new applicant at the same spot within three years. The town must issue these licenses within three years of the bill becoming law.