Rep. Meg Kilcoyne

Maddy summaryThis bill requires most health insurance plans in Massachusetts to cover pain management options during IUD insertions without cost-sharing. It applies to state employee health plans, Medicaid, private accident/sickness insurance, and hospital service plans, covering methods like IV sedation, oral sedation, or topical anesthesia as prescribed by a provider. The law prohibits deductibles, copays, or cost-sharing for these services and ensures coverage extends to spouses and dependents. Religious employers may opt out but must notify enrollees about excluded contraceptive services.

Maddy summaryH 4944 allows pharmacists to dispense insulin in emergency situations without immediate prescription authorization. It defines an "emergency situation" as one where a patient cannot quickly obtain a doctor's approval, and requires pharmacists to use their professional judgment to determine if insulin is essential to prevent harm. The bill limits emergency insulin dispensing to a 30-day supply (or standard unit size if larger) and prohibits repeat dispensing to the same patient more than once every six months. This directly affects patients facing urgent insulin needs and pharmacists who may provide this emergency care under these specific guidelines. The law amends multiple sections of state law to include this emergency access provision.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows pharmacists in Massachusetts to provide emergency insulin without a current prescription during urgent situations where a patient cannot quickly obtain authorization from their doctor. It defines an "emergency situation" as one where immediate prescription authorization isn't possible and requires pharmacists to use their professional judgment to determine if insulin is essential for sustaining life or managing a chronic condition. The bill limits emergency insulin dispensing to a 30-day supply per instance and prohibits the same pharmacist from providing this emergency supply more than once every six months to the same patient. It amends multiple statutes to include this provision, ensuring pharmacists can act in emergencies while maintaining safety safeguards.

Maddy summaryHD 2473 establishes the Guard Enlistment Enhancement Program (GEEP) to support Massachusetts National Guard recruitment and retention. The program compensates current Massachusetts National Guard members and retirees (designated as "recruiting assistants") $1,000 for each new or prior-service recruit they bring into the Guard during their non-duty hours. It requires the Adjutant General to create written policies for implementing GEEP, ensuring the program aligns with the bill's provisions. The bill directly affects Guard members and retirees by creating a financial incentive for their recruitment efforts, aiming to help maintain unit readiness amid increasing operational demands.

Maddy summaryHD 895 creates a state-run retirement savings program (Secure Choice) for private-sector workers in Massachusetts. It requires eligible employers (non-government businesses with employees working 750+ hours annually) to automatically enroll workers in a retirement plan unless the employer already offers a qualified plan or payroll deduction IRA. Key mechanisms include automatic enrollment with an opt-out option, default contribution rates set by the Board, and two program types: IRAP (individual accounts) and MERP (multiple-employer plans). The program is designed to be ERISA-exempt and professionally managed, with contributions made via payroll deductions. This directly affects private employers and their eligible employees who don't already have access to a retirement plan through their employer.

By Ms. Kennedy and Ms. Kilcoyne of Worcester, a joint petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 2626) of Robyn K. Kennedy and Meghan K. Kilcoyne (by vote of the town) for legislation relative to the select board of the town of Berlin. Municipalities and Regional Government. [Local Approval Received.]

By Representative Livingstone of Boston, a petition (subject to Joint Rule 12) of Jay D. Livingstone and others relative to ivory and rhinoceros horn trafficking. Environment and Natural Resources.

Maddy summaryHD 1043 establishes Massachusetts' Farm to School Program to connect schools with local food producers. It directly affects K-12 schools and licensed childcare programs participating in federal meal programs (National School Lunch Program or Child and Adult Care Feeding Program) across Massachusetts. The bill creates two key mechanisms: (1) a grant program funding kitchen equipment, staff training, and food literacy curriculum, and (2) a reimbursement incentive that pays schools $1 for every $2 spent on Massachusetts-grown food or $1 for every $3 on New England/New York regional food. The program also sets up an advisory committee and a dedicated fund to manage grants and ensure equitable access for schools and socially disadvantaged producers.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Massachusetts law to expand eligibility for a specific benefit or program by adding a new category for veterans. It specifically adds: "member of the Massachusetts National Guard or Reserves of the United States Armed Forces with no less than two years of continuous service" as the new category (4), replacing the previous text. This directly affects Massachusetts National Guard and Reserve members who meet the two-year service requirement, ensuring they are explicitly included under this eligibility provision. The change modifies the existing legal text without creating new benefits or altering other provisions.

Maddy summaryThis bill (HD 2339) makes a minor technical amendment to a section of the General Laws regarding call firefighters. It changes the word "the" to "any" in a specific legal reference within Section 4(2)(b) of Chapter 32. The amendment clarifies the wording of an existing provision but does not create new rights or alter the substantive rights of call firefighters. As a procedural change to legal text, it has no direct impact on firefighters' rights or obligations. This is a technical correction to the statute, not a policy change.