By Mr. Lewis, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 2027) of Jason M. Lewis and Sal N. DiDomenico for legislation to provide for settlements of tax liability. Revenue.
This bill prohibits family and juvenile courts from considering a parent's disability or its manifestations as a negative factor in custody, parenting time, or child removal decisions, unless specific evidence proves harm that accommodations cannot prevent. It defines "disability" broadly (per the ADA Amendments Act), "adaptive parenting equipment" (e.g., tools to support parenting), and "supportive parenting services" (e.g., specialized training or interpreters). Courts must provide written findings if disability is considered, detailing the harm, its impact on the child's best interests, and whether accommodations could alleviate the issue. The law directly affects parents with disabilities navigating family court cases and requires courts to prioritize accommodations over assumptions about disability.
This bill creates a new legal framework to address abusive lawsuits between family or household members where one party has been found to have committed abuse. It defines "controlling and abusive litigation" as legal actions primarily intended to harass, intimidate, or maintain contact with a victim, often involving repetitive claims or lacking legal merit. Victims can request court orders restricting such litigation, which would require courts to verify abuse history and litigation patterns before imposing penalties. If found abusive, the case is dismissed with prejudice, and the perpetrator must pay all costs, attorney fees, and faces a 48-72 month ban on filing new lawsuits.
This bill (HD 3510) creates new criminal penalties for "check washing," defined as altering a check's payee name, amount, or both to fraudulently cash or deposit it. It directly affects individuals who commit this specific type of check fraud. The law imposes penalties based on the amount stolen: up to 10 years in prison or a $50,000 fine for fraud exceeding $1,200, or up to 2 years in jail or a $3,000 fine for fraud under $1,200. The bill also clarifies where legal action can be filed (in the jurisdiction where the check was used or the bank's main office is located).
HD 2894 creates a new legal process for victims of economic abuse - defined as debts incurred due to identity theft, fraud, or coercion by family/household members (per G.L. c. 209A) or caretakers of elders/disabled individuals (per G.L. c. 265, §13K) - to challenge debts. Victims can submit a "Statement of Debt incurred through Economic Abuse" with supporting documentation (e.g., police reports, court orders, or verified statements from qualified third parties like healthcare providers or law enforcement). Upon receipt, creditors must immediately stop collection efforts, remove negative credit reports, return any payments made, and notify victims in writing within 10 business days. This law directly affects victims of abuse and their creditors, requiring clear, bilingual (English/Spanish) communication and streamlined resolution of disputed debts.
This bill (HD 3973) creates a legal privilege protecting individuals who share truthful reports about sexual assault, harassment, or discrimination without malice from defamation lawsuits. It specifically shields communications related to these incidents (including workplace harassment, housing discrimination, or retaliation for reporting them) from being sued over, whether a formal complaint was filed or not. If a defendant successfully defends against such a lawsuit under this privilege, they can recover their attorney fees, triple the damages they suffered from the lawsuit, and additional punitive damages. The law directly affects people reporting these incidents and those sued for sharing such information, while also applying to fair reports of official proceedings like court or legislative hearings.
HD 3947 changes how two court clerk positions in Suffolk County are elected. The clerk for the Supreme Judicial Court and the clerk for the Appeals Court in Suffolk County will now be elected by all Massachusetts voters statewide, rather than by Suffolk County residents alone. For all other counties, the clerk of the courts (who serves as clerk for the supreme judicial court, superior court, and county commissioners) will continue to be elected by county voters. The bill also standardizes all court clerk terms to six years. This affects only the statewide election method for these two specific Suffolk County clerk roles.
HD 3826 creates a commission to study how sensitive personal information (like addresses, Social Security numbers, medical details, and child custody terms) is handled in Massachusetts court documents. The commission, composed of judges, court officials, domestic violence experts, public records specialists, and advocacy representatives, will recommend whether such data should be publicly accessible online, available only through in-person requests at courthouses, or kept private. It must submit its findings and recommendations to courts and lawmakers by January 1, 2026. This bill itself does not change current access rules but sets up a process to review and potentially reform court document privacy practices.
This bill designates the Chelsea District Courthouse in Chelsea, Massachusetts, as the "Kevin G. Murphy Judicial Center" to honor Clerk Magistrate Kevin G. Murphy's service to the Massachusetts Judiciary, Chelsea, Revere, and the Commonwealth. It requires the state's Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance to install appropriate signage bearing the new name. The designation takes effect 90 days after the bill is passed.
This bill (HD 810) amends Massachusetts law to broaden animal cruelty citations from specifically applying to "dogs" to covering all "animals." It replaces every instance of "dog" or "a dog" with "animal" in existing citation provisions (Section 174E, subparts f, g, and i). The bill also requires the Commissioner of Agricultural Resources to create regulations implementing these changes, in consultation with animal welfare organizations like MSPCA and the Animal Rescue League. This change directly affects animal control officers issuing citations and owners of all animals subject to cruelty charges.
HD 295 allows federally recognized Indian tribes in Massachusetts to have non-lawyer tribal representatives appear in state courts on behalf of the tribe itself. The bill amends Massachusetts law to clarify that such tribal representatives do not violate statutes prohibiting unauthorized practice of law (M.G.L. c. 221, §§ 41 and 46A), provided they submit a court affidavit stating they are not licensed attorneys. This access applies only to tribal matters, not to individual tribe members representing themselves. The law ensures tribal representatives can advocate for their tribe within the legal system while maintaining clear boundaries against misrepresenting legal qualifications.
The bill HD 429, titled "An Act increasing the dispute limit for small claims court," is currently a draft under development by House Counsel with no finalized text provided. As a procedural draft, it does not yet specify concrete policy changes, affected parties, or key mechanisms. Without completed bill language or a substantive summary, no factual details about its provisions or impact can be confirmed. We cannot generate a summary until the draft is finalized and the text is available for review.
