Rep. Sally Kerans

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all health insurance plans sold in Massachusetts - including state employee group plans, individual policies, and hospital service agreements - to cover biennial echocardiograms (heart screenings) and concussion analysis for children aged 5 to 18. It directly affects insurers and policyholders by mandating this specific preventive care coverage for youth. The key provision adds new requirements to multiple chapters of state law, ensuring consistent coverage across all medical insurance types in the commonwealth. The policy change focuses on making these screenings accessible without out-of-pocket costs for families.

By Representative Kerans of Danvers, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 254) of Sally P. Kerans and others for legislation to replace stolen transitional assistance financial assistance program benefits. Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities.

Maddy summaryHD 1353 increases monthly benefits for low-income households receiving state assistance programs. It mandates a 20% annual benefit increase starting July 1, 2025, until payments reach 50% of the federal poverty level for each household size. Once this target is met, benefits will automatically adjust each July to maintain at least 50% of the federal poverty level. The bill also includes adjustments for clothing allowances and rental costs for eligible households. This directly affects low-income families relying on these state assistance programs.

Maddy summaryThis bill (SD 766) requires public institutions of higher education, government facilities, and senior nutrition programs to offer plant-based protein options at every meal. It also mandates culinary arts programs and school health education to teach about the health, climate, and environmental benefits of plant-based diets and how to prepare them. The law applies directly to public colleges, government cafeterias, senior meal providers, and culinary schools, while allowing participants in programs like WIC to request plant-based meal preferences. It does not ban meat options but ensures accessible plant-based alternatives across these settings.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all Massachusetts healthcare facilities (like hospitals, clinics, and long-term care centers) to implement a medical chaperone policy. It mandates that doctors or nurses inform patients before sensitive exams (such as those involving genitalia, breasts, or rectal areas) about their option to request a trained medical chaperone or, if unavailable, a family/friend chaperone (called a "familial chaperone"). Facilities must document these disclosures and requests in patients' electronic health records, provide educational materials to patients and familial chaperones, and report annual usage data to the state. The policy directly affects patients receiving intimate exams, healthcare facilities, and medical staff who must follow these new disclosure and documentation procedures.

Maddy summaryHD 4087 creates a PFAS Remediation Trust Fund to address contamination from harmful chemicals (PFAS) in Massachusetts drinking water and environmental media. The fund, financed by settlements with PFAS manufacturers and other sources like grants and donations, will cover costs for public water systems, private well owners, municipalities, and regional water systems to test, treat, and remediate PFAS in water, soil, and groundwater. The Department of Environmental Protection will administer the fund, prioritizing vulnerable communities and requiring applicants to disclose any third-party payments to avoid duplicate funding. The fund operates without annual appropriation, with leftover balances carrying over to future years to ensure sustained support for PFAS cleanup efforts.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Massachusetts healthcare providers to offer a trained, licensed chaperone for all genital and rectal exams (regardless of patient gender) and breast exams for patients who identify as female. Patients can choose to accept or decline the chaperone, and providers must document the choice. Chaperones must be unrelated to the patient or provider and cannot interfere with the exam. Exceptions include medical emergencies or when a chaperone is already present during the exam.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a state protection and advocacy system to investigate abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation of people with disabilities in Massachusetts. It designates an independent nonprofit organization meeting federal standards to advocate for the civil rights of individuals with developmental, mental health, or other disabilities. The system gains specific powers, including investigating reported incidents, accessing facilities where people with disabilities receive services, reviewing records (with consent), and providing information on available support. State agencies must cooperate with this system and may request its services on behalf of people with disabilities.

Maddy summaryThis procedural bill (H 4873) extends the deadline for the House Committee on Public Health to submit its final report on House Document 2499. It bypasses standard House Rule 27, granting the committee until Monday, March 16, 2026, to complete this report. The bill was adopted by the full House on December 22, 2025, after committee and rules approval. It directly affects the Public Health committee's timeline for reviewing this specific document.

Maddy summaryThis is a procedural bill (H 4874) that extends the deadline for the House Committee on Public Health to report on two specific documents (House Documents 2382 and 4226). It grants the committee until Tuesday, January 27, 2026, to complete its report, overriding the standard timeline in House Rule 27. The bill directly affects the committee's schedule for handling these documents but does not change any laws or policies. It was quickly adopted without debate on December 22, 2025.