By Representative Higgins of Leominster, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2825) of Natalie M. Higgins and others relative to a sales tax exemption for the sale of used books and other items sold by libraries for fundraising purposes. Revenue.
By Representative O'Day of West Boylston, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2908) of James J. O'Day and others relative to excluding certain income from the calculation of the tax on incomes in excess of one million dollars. Revenue.
By Representative O'Day of West Boylston, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2909) of James J. O'Day and others for legislation to require certain married couples to submit joint income tax returns. Revenue.
By Representatives Kushmerek of Fitchburg and Garballey of Arlington, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2353) of Michael P. Kushmerek, Sean Garballey and others relative to the equality of wage and recruitment of the State Police. Public Safety and Homeland Security.
By Representative Uyterhoeven of Somerville, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2960) of Erika Uyterhoeven and others for legislation to raise the estate tax threshold. Revenue.
Maddy summaryThis bill proposes to prohibit the retail sale of dogs, cats, and rabbits in new pet shops in Massachusetts. It achieves this by amending state laws to ban licensed pet shops from selling or offering these specific animals for adoption. The legislation directly affects businesses that operate as new pet shops and would prevent them from acting as sources for these pets. By restricting sales in this manner, the bill aims to reduce the number of animals sold in commercial settings.
Senate, 13, 2024 -- The committee on Environment and Natural Resources, to whom was referred the petitions (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 549) of Patrick M. O'Connor, Adam Scanlon, Jack Patrick Lewis, Michael O. Moore and other members of the General Court for legislation to ban the retail sale of dogs, cats, and rabbits in new pet shops; (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 550) of Patrick M. O'Connor, Angelo J. Puppolo, Jr., Steven S. Howitt, John F. Keenan and other members of the General Court for legislation banning the retail sale of dogs, cats, and rabbits in pet shops; and (accompanied by bill, House, No. 826) of Natalie M. Higgins, Kimberly N. Ferguson and others for legislation to further regulate the retail sale of certain domestic animals in new pet shops, report the accompanying bill (Senate, No. 2820).
By Representative Capano of Lynn, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2725) of Peter Capano and others relative to requiring public disclosures by publicly-traded corporate taxpayers. Revenue.
Maddy summaryThis bill updates Massachusetts laws to ensure that legal parentage rights apply equally to all families, regardless of the parents' gender, marital status, or sexual orientation. It replaces gender-specific terms like "father" and "mother" with neutral language such as "other parent" and "person who gave birth," while also changing "paternity" to "parentage" throughout the statutes. The legislation introduces new definitions for various family arrangements, including surrogacy and assisted reproduction, to clarify how different types of parents are recognized under the law. By amending existing chapters on birth certificates and family law, the bill aims to provide consistent legal protections for children born through diverse circumstances, including those resulting from surrogacy or non-marital births.
Maddy summaryThis bill updates Massachusetts laws governing public shade trees by clarifying the powers and responsibilities of tree wardens in towns and cities. It allows wardens to appoint deputies, manage public tree funds, and propose local regulations for tree care that can include fines for violations. The legislation also specifies when tree wardens can trim or remove trees without a hearing, such as for small branches or hazardous trees blocking public ways, while requiring consultation for other removals. Additionally, the bill strengthens penalties for unauthorized damage to public trees and vandalism, setting specific fine amounts for these offenses. These changes aim to provide clearer guidance for municipalities in maintaining and protecting public shade trees.
