Rep. Billy MacGregor

Maddy summaryThis bill allows Brookline to appoint retired Brookline police officers as special police officers for specific duties, provided they retired within 5 years due to superannuation and pass a medical exam before each detail. Special officers gain the same arrest powers as regular officers but are not subject to standard police laws (like pension rules) and must cover costs for training, uniforms, and medical exams themselves. They serve indefinitely but can be removed with 14 days’ notice, and their work hours/pay are limited by existing rules for retired town employees. The bill specifically excludes them from benefits and certain regulations applicable to regular officers.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Massachusetts tax law to create a state-level child and dependent care tax credit. It provides a credit equal to 25% of the federal credit amount, capped at $500 per dependent, for Massachusetts residents who paid for child or dependent care. To qualify, taxpayers must be Massachusetts residents for part of the year (with credit prorated by days lived in state), and married couples must file jointly or qualify as head of household. The credit directly affects Massachusetts taxpayers with eligible care expenses who meet the residency and filing requirements.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes the Town of Brookline to ban or restrict the use of second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides (pesticides that prevent blood clotting) within its borders through local bylaws. It directly affects Brookline residents and commercial pest control services operating in the town by allowing the municipality to regulate these specific pesticides. The bill overrides existing state laws (Chapter 132B) to grant Brookline this authority, which takes effect immediately upon passage.

Maddy summaryThis bill (HD 1743) increases tax exemptions for senior homeowners and primary residence owners in Massachusetts. It raises the qualifying age for senior exemptions from 35 to 50 years old, doubles the income threshold for primary residence exemptions from $4,000 to $8,000 annually, and increases the property tax exemption amount from $500 to $1,000. The bill also significantly expands income limits for married couples (from $7,000 to $90,000 combined) and raises tax rate exemptions from 5% to 10% and 20% to 40%. These changes directly affect Massachusetts homeowners aged 50+ or those meeting the new income thresholds, providing greater tax relief by expanding eligibility.

Maddy summaryHD 1242 requires employers on private construction projects exceeding $750,000 to post specific transparency information at job sites. It mandates that employers display a department-issued compliance certificate confirming registered status and payment of benefits, a notice with workers' compensation details, and maintain a sign-in log tracking all workers' names, contact info, trade licenses, and times. This applies to projects defined as private residential dwellings over 10 units or commercial/industrial developments over 5,000 square feet. The law directly affects employers and contractors working on qualifying large-scale construction sites, ensuring public visibility of compliance with labor benefit requirements.

Maddy summaryHD 2707 creates the "Nature for All Fund" to finance nature-based climate and conservation projects across Massachusetts. The fund, financed by specific sales tax revenues (codes 459110, 441210, and 713910), will support parks, trails, water protection, farm/forest conservation, and indigenous land access - prioritizing underserved communities and environmental justice areas. It establishes a 15-member board to oversee spending, requiring annual reports on funds directed to environmental justice populations. The fund will supplement, not replace, existing conservation programs and may issue bonds secured solely by its revenues.

Maddy summaryHD 3502 requires health care employers (including hospitals, teaching hospitals, certain correctional facilities, and other specific health care settings) to create and maintain workplace violence prevention programs. Each year, employers must conduct risk assessments with employee input, develop written prevention plans covering training and reporting systems, designate a senior manager for crisis response, and submit annual incident reports to the state. The law prohibits retaliation against employees who report safety concerns and imposes fines of up to $2,000 per violation for non-compliance. These programs aim to protect employees, emergency medical personnel, and others working in health care facilities from violence risks.

Maddy summaryHD 4037 requires Massachusetts' Department of Fire Services to collect data on violations related to hot work processes (like welding or cutting) under Chapter 148. This includes failures to maintain hot work training certification, performing hot work without certification, or not following permit requirements. The department must create a public database on its website containing this data and implement an automated system to notify affected property owners and insurance companies about violations. The bill directly affects businesses and property owners conducting hot work, aiming to improve safety transparency through centralized violation tracking.

Maddy summaryThis bill bans the retail sale of dogs, cats, and rabbits in pet shops regulated under 330 CMR 12.00, directly affecting most pet shop operators in Massachusetts. It allows exceptions for pet shops partnering with animal rescues (without owning the animals) and permits existing shops meeting specific conditions - like unchanged ownership and prior sales history - to continue selling these animals. Violations carry civil penalties up to $5,000 per offense and possible license suspension. The law takes effect January 1, 2027, and does not override local town/city regulations on animal sales.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires manufacturers selling menstrual products (like tampons, pads, cups, and underwear) in Massachusetts to disclose all ingredients on product packaging and online. Labels must list ingredients in order of predominance using visible 10-point font, and manufacturers must update both packaging and online disclosures when ingredients change. The law applies to all manufacturers whose products are sold in the state, with violations punishable by a $1,000 fine per offense. It takes effect 12 months after passage and supplements existing labeling requirements.