Rep. Sally Kerans

Maddy summaryHD 1377 requires Massachusetts to classify funeral home directors and workers as healthcare providers for priority access to medical supplies during public health emergencies when supplies are limited. Specifically, it mandates that the department prioritize funeral workers alongside doctors, nurses, and other healthcare staff for vaccines, antitoxins, or similar products. This policy change directly affects funeral industry workers by ensuring they receive the same emergency access as traditional healthcare personnel during shortages. The law amends Chapter 111 of the General Laws to override other provisions that might exclude them from this priority category.

Maddy summaryThis bill ensures teachers who move from classroom roles to positions at the Executive Office of Education or the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education retain their status in the teacher retirement system (or Boston retirement system), avoiding a switch to the state employees' retirement system. It requires such employees to pay makeup contributions for the difference in retirement payments between systems during their time in state education roles. Additionally, it creates a one-time 180-day opportunity for eligible teachers (who began contributing before July 2001 and didn’t choose an alternative retirement program) to join a specific retirement benefit program. The bill directly affects current and future educators transitioning to state education agency jobs, focusing on maintaining retirement benefits and contribution continuity.

Maddy summaryThis Massachusetts bill restricts civil immigration enforcement activities in nonpublic areas of state facilities unless required by law or necessary for federally funded programs. It requires the governor to create multilingual guidelines for state agencies, private organizations, law enforcement, and schools on how to handle immigration-related interactions, including verifying officer credentials and warrants. The legislation also mandates that correctional facilities provide detained individuals with written notices about their legal rights in their primary language. These provisions apply to a wide range of entities including police departments, universities, hospitals, and private organizations that employ ten or more people or receive state funding.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all health insurance plans in Massachusetts to cover biennial echocardiograms and concussion analysis for children aged 5 to 18. It applies to group coverage for state employees, standard health insurance policies, hospital service plans, medical service agreements, and health maintenance contracts. The coverage must be provided every two years at no additional cost to the patient. It directly affects insurers offering these plans and children in the specified age range.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires insurance plans in Massachusetts to pay certified nurse-midwives the same rate for covered services as they pay physicians for the same service. It directly affects insurers, health plans, and the Commonwealth's group insurance program by mandating equal reimbursement rates for nurse-midwife care. Key provisions include prohibiting insurers from lowering physician payments to offset midwife reimbursements and ensuring coverage for all state employees and private plan members. The policy change aims to improve access to midwifery services by eliminating financial barriers in insurance coverage.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates the town manager act for Danvers to modernize how the town is governed and managed. It establishes an annual election schedule in May for select board members and other officials, while also defining how vacancies are filled between elections. The legislation creates a five-member select board with staggered three-year terms that appoints a professional town manager, who may or may not live in the town, to oversee daily operations. Key provisions include rules for removing the town manager, limits on holding multiple offices, and authority for the select board to hire experts for investigations. Overall, the bill shifts more administrative control to a professional manager while clarifying the roles and election cycles of elected officials.

Maddy summaryH 5046 ("Freddy’s Law") requires all Massachusetts high school athletes participating in MIAA sports to undergo one electrocardiogram (EKG) screening before competing, starting in the 2026-2027 school year. The bill mandates that all health insurance plans sold in Massachusetts - including state employee coverage, employer group plans, and individual policies - must cover this screening at no cost to families. It also directs the state to work with the MIAA to create policies covering athlete compliance, handling abnormal results, religious exemptions, and sharing screening results across schools. The law directly affects all high school athletes in MIAA sports and their insurance providers, ensuring EKG screenings are accessible without out-of-pocket costs.

Maddy summaryH 5015 requires Massachusetts health insurers and health plans to reimburse community health centers at rates equivalent to MassHealth payments for the same services. It applies to all entities paying for Federally Qualified Health Center services, including private insurers, HMOs, and dental corporations. The law mandates that reimbursement must match MassHealth's payment methodology as of January 1, 2025, ensuring community health centers receive the same revenue they would get through Medicaid. Insurers must annually report compliance with this standard to the state insurance division.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a PFAS Remediation Trust Fund to address contamination in Massachusetts drinking water, groundwater, soil, and other environmental media. It directly affects communities with PFAS pollution, including vulnerable environmental justice areas, private well owners, and public water systems. The fund provides grants for PFAS treatment, remediation, and outreach programs, prioritizing communities with limited resources. Money comes from settlements with PFAS manufacturers, other grants, and interest, with strict rules requiring repayment if responsible parties are later identified.

Maddy summaryThis bill (H 4552) requires health insurance policies in Massachusetts to cover scalp hair prostheses and facial medical pigmentation (like eyebrow replacements) for people with specific hair loss conditions. It directly affects individuals diagnosed with alopecia areata, alopecia totalis, non-classical 21-hydroxylase deficiency, or permanent hair loss due to injury (excluding natural aging). Insurance must provide this coverage on the same terms as prostheses for chemotherapy-related hair loss, subject to a treating physician’s written confirmation of medical necessity. The law applies to all individual/group health plans, hospital service contracts, and health maintenance organizations operating in or outside Massachusetts.