Rep. Hannah Kane

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a commission to study whether Massachusetts should join the counseling compact, an interstate agreement that would allow licensed mental health counselors to practice across state lines more easily. The commission includes legislative leaders, mental health agency representatives, and members from professional associations like the Massachusetts Mental Health Counselors Association. It must study feasibility, make recommendations, and submit a report to the legislature within six months of the bill's passage. The bill itself does not change current licensure rules but sets up a process to evaluate potential future policy changes affecting mental health counselors and their clients.

Maddy summaryHD 754 creates a Crumbling Concrete Assistance Fund to help homeowners repair or replace residential foundations damaged by pyrite or pyrrhotite. The fund, managed by the Secretary of Housing and Livable Communities, provides financial assistance for repairs, reimburses homeowners who already paid for fixes (up to the fund amount), and exempts these repairs from property taxes. It is funded through state appropriations, federal programs (like HUD's Section 108), private donations, and interest, with annual reports required to the legislature. A stakeholder working group must also develop long-term solutions by February 2026, including potential funding models like insurance surcharges. This directly affects Massachusetts homeowners with deteriorating foundations and aims to reduce municipal fiscal strain.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a new bereavement leave policy for employees in the Commonwealth, allowing workers to take up to 10 business days of paid leave when a family member dies. The law defines family members broadly to include children, parents, spouses, domestic partners, and others with significant personal bonds, and permits leave to be used for funeral arrangements, attending services, or grieving. Employers must pay employees at their regular rate during this leave, maintain their benefits, and restore their position upon return, though businesses with fewer than 25 employees are exempt. The legislation also requires employers to notify staff of these rights and allows for reasonable documentation of the death, with the law taking effect on January 1, 2027.

Maddy summaryHD 868 amends DUI-related sections of Massachusetts law to redirect portions of fines and assessments into the Head Injury Treatment Services (HITS) Trust Fund. It specifies that 75% of certain fines collected for DUI offenses (including operating under the influence of alcohol or drugs) and 100% of a new $250 assessment for DUI convictions must be deposited monthly into the HITS Trust Fund. This directly affects individuals convicted of DUI offenses, as their fines and assessments will fund head injury treatment services. The bill modifies existing provisions in Chapter 90 to increase the percentage of funds directed to the trust fund (from $50 to $75-$250 in specific contexts) and clarifies the deposit mechanism. The HITS Trust Fund supports services for individuals with head injuries, with no new offenses or penalties created.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Massachusetts criminal law (Chapter 269, Section 14) to expand the definition of criminal threats. It adds two specific provisions: (1) threatening to "behead persons at a place or location," and (2) knowingly communicating a false report of an active shooting at a school. The law now explicitly criminalizes making false reports about school shootings and threats involving severe violence like beheading. This directly affects individuals who make such false threats or reports in public or school settings. The change clarifies and broadens existing criminal threat statutes to address specific safety concerns.

Maddy summaryHD 344 allows certain land-related cases in Massachusetts to be transferred more quickly to the Land Court's permit session. Specifically, it enables parties to file a notice within 30 days of serving the complaint (if the case is within the permit session's jurisdiction and doesn't claim a jury trial), triggering an automatic transfer. The notice must include proof of jurisdiction, confirmation of no jury trial claim, and attachments of all case documents, suspending the original court's proceedings until the transfer is complete. This process streamlines case handling for eligible land disputes without jury demands.

Maddy summaryHD 521 amends Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 259, Section 7, by removing the phrase "or a licensed real estate broker or real estate salesman" from the written real estate service agreement requirement. This change eliminates a specific regulatory provision that previously applied to licensed real estate brokers and salesmen. As a result, these professionals will no longer be subject to the written agreement requirement under this law. The bill is a technical amendment to existing law and does not alter other aspects of real estate service agreements.

Maddy summaryThis bill (HD 3394) changes eligibility for Massachusetts emergency assistance benefits. It directly affects individuals receiving these benefits who are convicted or charged with a violent felony or sexual offense (under Chapter 265 of Massachusetts law). The key provision requires that such individuals lose their benefits automatically unless they obtain a written waiver from the director of the Massachusetts Emergency Assistance Program. This removes automatic eligibility for these specific offenders without requiring a waiver.

Maddy summaryHD 1299 amends Massachusetts guardianship law to strengthen protections for people under guardianship. It requires courts to notify individuals of their right to legal representation and to attend hearings in person (Section 304(e)). The bill also mandates that new guardians must be certified by the Center for Guardianship Commission within six months (Section 305) and holds guardians accountable for expenses charged to the incapacitated person’s estate (Section 309). These changes directly affect individuals deemed incapacitated, their legal representatives, and appointed guardians.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends a Massachusetts adoption law to clarify the legal standard for adoption documents. It replaces the phrase "state or the country where it was executed" with "commonwealth or the laws of the place where it was executed." The change specifically affects adoption paperwork processed in Massachusetts, ensuring documents comply with either Massachusetts law or the laws of the location where the adoption was finalized. This is a technical clarification to improve consistency in adoption documentation procedures, with no new rights or obligations created.