By Representative Hawkins of Attleboro, a petition (subject to Joint Rule 12) of James K. Hawkins and others relative to penalties for law enforcement officers wearing masks or personal disguises while interacting with the public in the performance of their duties. The Judiciary.
By Representative McMurtry of Dedham and Senator Rush, a joint petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1258) of Paul McMurtry, David F. DeCoste and others relative to coverage of medically necessary oral and dental care for head and neck cancer survivors. Financial Services.
By Representative Honan of Boston, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1191) of Kevin G. Honan relative to infertility treatment. Financial Services.
Maddy summaryThis bill requires all Massachusetts schools (public, private, charter, and religious) to adopt formal abuse prevention policies and implement specific safety measures. It mandates biennial training for school staff on recognizing, preventing, and reporting abuse or sexual misconduct, and requires age-appropriate student education on boundaries, healthy relationships, and reporting concerns. Schools must also conduct thorough background checks on applicants for positions involving direct student contact, including verifying employment history and any past investigations into misconduct allegations. The bill directly affects educators, school staff, and students by establishing standardized safety protocols and reporting procedures across all school settings.
By Representatives Schwartz of Newton and Wells of Milton, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2961) of Greg Schwartz, Richard G. Wells, Jr., and Patrick Joseph Kearney relative to the presumption for disability or death cause by contagious diseases. Public Service.
By Representative Kilcoyne of Clinton, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1227) of Meghan K. Kilcoyne and others relative to cancer patient access to biomarker testing to provide appropriate therapy. Financial Services.
By Representatives Garballey of Arlington and Owens of Watertown, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 945) of Sean Garballey and Steven Owens relative to protecting wastewater and sewerage systems through the labeling of non-flushable wipes. Environment and Natural Resources.
By Representative Gentile of Sudbury, a petition (subject to Joint Rule 12) of Carmine Lawrence Gentile and James K. Hawkins relative to emergency preparedness and responsible deployment of the Massachusetts National Guard. Public Safety and Homeland Security.
Maddy summaryThis bill establishes new protections for consumers facing debt collection in Massachusetts. It limits wage garnishment to no more than 90% of gross weekly earnings or 65 times the state/federal minimum wage (whichever is higher), and allows consumers to request additional exemptions due to financial hardship through a court process. The law also prohibits employers from firing or refusing to hire people because of debt garnishments and sets a 5-year limit for creditors to sue over most personal debts. These rules apply to debts like credit cards or medical bills but exclude child support or divorce-related payments.
By Representatives Nguyen of Andover and Barber of Somerville, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1275) of Tram T. Nguyen, Christine P. Barber and others relative to the collection of consumer debt. Financial Services.
