Rep. Sally Kerans

Maddy summaryThis bill transfers operation of Bridgewater State Hospital from the Department of Corrections to the Department of Mental Health. It directly affects patients at the hospital, who will now receive care under the Mental Health Department's oversight instead of Corrections. Key provisions include removing all references to the hospital's "medical director" from existing laws, creating a new forensic mental health division within Mental Health, and updating procedures for patient commitments and transfers. The transfer must be completed by December 31, 2026.

Maddy summaryHD 935 requires virtual currency kiosk operators in Massachusetts to obtain a money transmitter license and register locations with the Commissioner of Banks before operating. Operators must submit quarterly location reports and provide clear, mandatory disclosures to customers, including prominent warnings about irreversible transactions, lack of government backing, scam risks (with specific examples like impersonation scams), and volatility. The bill also sets a $1,000 daily transaction limit per customer and mandates disclosure of fees, exchange rates, and policy changes. This directly affects businesses operating physical kiosks for buying/selling virtual currency in Massachusetts.

Senate, November 10, 2025 -- The committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure to whom was referred the petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 210) of John J. Cronin, Cindy F. Friedman, Sally P. Kerans, Jacob R. Oliveira and other members of the General Court for legislation to expand wheelchair warranty protections for consumers with disabilities, report the accompanying bill (Senate, No. 2662).

Maddy summaryThis bill (HD 2566) requires health insurance carriers to pay emergency ambulance service providers directly for covered services, rather than billing patients. It sets payment rates based on municipal rates (if established) or 325% of Medicare rates, capping patient cost-sharing at $100. The law protects insured patients from surprise bills and prohibits providers from billing them further after receiving payment, while also limiting charges for uninsured patients to Medicare rates. It applies to all emergency ambulance services requiring immediate response, affecting patients, insurers, and ambulance providers across Massachusetts.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Massachusetts health insurers, health plans, and other entities reimbursing community health centers to pay for Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) services at rates equivalent to what those centers would receive from MassHealth (the state's Medicaid program). It directly affects FQHCs serving Medicaid patients and the health plans/insurers that cover their services. The key mechanism mandates that reimbursement rates must align with federal Medicaid payment methodologies (42 U.S.C. §1396a(bb) and §1396b(m)(2)(A)(ix)) as of January 1, 2025, and requires annual reporting to ensure compliance. The bill aims to ensure FQHCs receive fair reimbursement without changing existing Medicaid payment structures.

By Representative Walsh of Peabody and Senator Lovely, a joint petition (subject to Joint Rule 12) of Thomas P. Walsh and Sally P. Kerans for legislation to authorize electrocardiogram screenings prior to participation in interscholastic athletic competitions. Financial Services.

Maddy summaryHD 1375 amends Massachusetts workers' compensation law to increase coverage for funeral expenses following a work-related death. It replaces the current limit of eight times the average weekly wage with a new cap of either $25,000 or ten times the average weekly wage (whichever is greater). This change directly affects families of workers who die on the job, covering more comprehensive funeral and memorial costs like visitation services, interment, caskets, and headstones. The bill updates Section 33 of Chapter 152 of the General Laws to ensure broader reimbursement for these unplanned death-related expenses.

Maddy summaryThis bill (H 4988) is a procedural measure that extends the deadline for the House Committee on Public Health to complete its report on House Document 2382. It grants the committee until Monday, March 16, 2026, to submit its final report - bypassing the standard deadline under House Rule 27. The bill directly affects the Public Health Committee by providing additional time to finalize its work on this specific document. It does not change policy or impact the public, as it only modifies a procedural timeline for committee action. The bill was adopted on January 28, 2026, with no further legislative action required.

Maddy summaryThis bill (H 4984) extends the deadline for the House Committee on Public Health to report on House Document 4226. It grants the committee until Monday, March 16, 2025 (noting a typo in the title's year) to complete its report, overriding standard House Rule 27. The bill directly affects the Public Health Committee and the specific legislative document (4226) under review. It is a procedural measure with no substantive policy changes, solely adjusting a reporting timeline.

Maddy summaryHD 2465 requires Massachusetts state prisons and county facilities to provide incarcerated people with at least eight hours of daily "out of cell" time for social interaction and activities, including at least six hours weekly of group programming like education and vocational training (with three hours eligible for good conduct credits). It mandates personalized rehabilitation plans for each person, involving input from staff and the individual, and requires facilities to send parole-eligible plans to the parole board for review. The bill also sets minimum standards for access to medical care, outdoor recreation, libraries, and facilities conditions (like temperature and water quality), and requires annual data collection on programming access and outcomes, reported by race, gender, and other demographics. This law directly affects all individuals held in Massachusetts correctional facilities.