Massachusetts Bills

Report of the Disabled Persons Protection Commission (pursuant to Section 15 (f) of Chapter 19C of the General Laws) submitting its FY25 annual audit of the abuser registry

Report of the Office of Climate Innovation and Resilience (pursuant to Section 4c of Chapter 239 of the Acts of 2024) submitting its current status of the Embodied Carbon Intergovernmental Coordinating Council

HD 5168 is a procedural bill submitting a report from the Executive Office of Health and Human Services. It transmits the "Report on the Plan to End Operations at the Massachusetts Alcohol and Substance Abuse Center (MASCAC)" as required under Section 30 of Chapter 285 of the Acts of 2024. This bill does not create new policy but formally delivers the agency's plan for closing MASCAC to the legislature. It directly affects legislative review of the closure plan, not the public or MASCAC operations themselves.

This bill (HD 5182) is a procedural submission requiring the Executive Office of Health and Human Services to transmit a report from the Massachusetts Health Policy Commission's Primary Care Task Force. The report, titled "A Dire Diagnosis: The Declining Health of Primary Care in Massachusetts," addresses challenges in primary care access and funding. It does not create new laws or policies but formally submits the task force's findings to the legislature for review. The bill references related legislation (Chapter 343 of 2024 and Chapter 177 of 2022) but focuses solely on reporting, not legislative action.

This bill (HD 5167) is a procedural measure requiring the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs to submit a supplementary report from the Department of Energy Resources' 2025 Solar Canopy Working Group. It does not create new laws or directly affect any individuals or entities; it simply transmits the group's findings to the legislature. The bill's sole purpose is to formally deliver the working group's report on solar canopy projects, which likely examines potential solar panel installations on structures like parking canopies. No policy changes or voting records are involved in this submission.

HD 5169 is a required status report from the Executive Office for Administration and Finance detailing how funds from the Oversight Reserve (line item 1599-2051) were used in the first quarter of 2025. The report describes transfers made to state agencies for oversight activities related to federal pandemic recovery funding, as mandated by Section 2A of Chapter 102 of the Acts of 2021. This procedural communication does not create new policy but fulfills a legal requirement for quarterly transparency. It directly affects oversight agencies and state departments receiving these funds.

This is a procedural bill (HD 5195) that transmits the Department of Environmental Protection's home heating oil release report for calendar year 2024 to the Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources, and Agriculture. It does not create new policy or affect any specific group; it simply fulfills a reporting requirement under Section 7 of Chapter 453 of the Acts of 2008. The bill was placed on file on October 2, 2025, as a routine submission of an existing annual report.

This is a procedural bill requiring the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities (DPU) to submit its Advanced Transmission Solutions Report, as mandated under Section 121(C) of Chapter 239 of the 2024 Acts. The report details grid-enhancing technologies (like dynamic line ratings and advanced power flow control) to improve transmission efficiency and capacity, directly affecting DPU and the legislature receiving the findings.

This bill increases penalties for deceptive practices targeting seniors (65+) and people with disabilities by adding up to $2,500 per violation. It creates a new Older Adults and Disabled Persons Abuse Prevention Fund, using excess consumer protection revenues to fund educational materials and seminars about scams targeting these groups. Courts must consider if defendants knew they were targeting vulnerable people or caused specific harms like loss of home, retirement funds, or essential health assets when imposing penalties. The bill directly affects businesses committing deceptive acts against these populations and aims to strengthen protections through education and enhanced fines.

By Mr. Fattman, a petition (accompanied by bill) (subject to Joint Rule 12) of Ryan C. Fattman for legislation to establish buffer zones for battery storage facilities. Public Safety and Homeland Security.

Report of the Norfolk District Attorney (pursuant to Section 47(d) of Chapter 94C of the General Laws) submitting its 2025 report relative to the use of monies in the law enforcement trust fund for the purposes of drug rehabilitation, drug education, and other anti-drug or neighborhood crime watch programs