Rep. Greg Schwartz

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes the city of Newton to place liens on properties for unpaid local charges, fees, or fines, including those imposed by city ordinances or court orders. The liens become active once recorded with the registry of deeds and can be added to property tax bills if unpaid by the assessment deadline. Property owners are responsible for all costs related to recording or removing the liens, and the city council must vote to specify which charges apply before enforcement begins.

Maddy summaryThis bill raises the maximum penalty for violating Newton city ordinances from an unspecified prior limit to $2,000. It directly affects Newton residents and businesses who breach local rules, such as zoning or noise regulations. The law requires automatic inflation adjustments to the $2,000 cap every five years starting in 2026, using the Boston-Cambridge-Newton area's Consumer Price Index. The change applies only to Newton's local ordinances and takes effect immediately upon passage.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the statute governing the Betsy Lehman Center for Patient Safety and Medical Error Reduction (now formally named as such). It clarifies the Center's core duties: coordinating state agencies and health care providers to develop a statewide patient safety strategy, analyzing safety data, and sharing best practices. The bill also adds authority for the Center to establish a trust fund to manage federal and foundation grants supporting its work. This directly affects the Center, state health agencies, and licensed health care providers by defining how they collaborate on safety initiatives and access grant funding.

Maddy summaryHD 2788 requires Massachusetts' Department of Public Health and the Board of Registration in Medicine to create a healthcare provider education campaign promoting FDA-approved medications for alcohol and opioid use disorders. The campaign covers screening, treatment planning, reducing disparities, and care coordination, counting toward continuing education credits. It also mandates a peer mentoring program for providers serving underserved communities and establishes grants to help providers hire staff for expanded medication-assisted treatment services. The bill requires tracking provider adoption of these treatments and reporting to state committees by 2020.

Maddy summaryHD 1858 amends a Massachusetts law to explicitly include psychologists alongside dentists as recognized professionals who can be part of a healthcare team. This minor procedural change directly affects healthcare providers and teams by formally expanding the legal scope of who can contribute to patient care under Chapter 112. The key mechanism is adding the word "psychologists" after "dentists" in Section 80B of the General Laws, updating the statutory list. The bill does not create new services or funding but clarifies existing legal recognition for psychologists in team-based care. This change streamlines administrative processes for healthcare teams seeking to integrate psychological services.

Maddy summaryThis bill (HD 1841) requires Massachusetts health insurance carriers to display specific, clear information prominently on enrollment cards. It mandates that carriers include: a statement confirming the plan is fully-insured under Massachusetts law, the carrier and specific plan names, member service contact details, copayment amounts for key services like preventive care, deductible status and amounts, and any additional commissioner-mandated details. These changes directly affect all health insurance carriers operating in Massachusetts and their policyholders by making essential coverage details more visible and accessible on everyday insurance cards. The bill aims to improve transparency about basic plan features without altering coverage benefits or costs.

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 protects individuals and organizations that provide or use fentanyl test strips in good faith. It adds legal immunity from criminal, civil, or professional penalties for using these strips to test substances for fentanyl or its analogues. The law explicitly states this protection applies unless the user acted with gross negligence, willful misconduct, or wanton misconduct. The bill directly affects harm reduction programs, healthcare providers, and community groups distributing test strips.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires health care services for children and youth to meet or exceed pediatric community standards set by the American Academy of Pediatrics, including preventative care, health promotion, and continuity of care. It directly affects children in the state's care and custody by mandating these standards for both physical and mental health services. The bill also requires the department to monitor and enforce medical contracts to improve access and quality of care for these children. Key provisions include specific standards from the American Academy of Pediatrics and enhanced oversight of medical contracts for children under state care.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires public schools to update their substance use prevention policies to include specific education about the dangers of addictive substances (with emphasis on opioids) and the legal immunities available for reporting overdoses. It mandates that schools develop and implement these educational plans, while also allowing them to assess effectiveness and collaborate with state health departments. The policy changes directly affect public school systems and their students by integrating standardized overdose prevention education into school curricula. The law takes effect immediately upon passage, focusing on concrete policy adjustments rather than broader program funding or outcomes.