Rep. Adam Scanlon

Maddy summaryThis bill directs the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health to establish at least two specialized intensive stabilization and treatment units, one for men and one for women, to serve patients displaying persistently aggressive or violently atypical behavior. These units must be located at a specific central site, kept physically separate from other facilities, and provide comprehensive care including violence assessments, behavioral management, and psychiatric treatment by staff with specialized training. Once a patient's behavior is stabilized, the unit's team is required to create a plan for their safe and timely transfer out of the facility.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Massachusetts law to explicitly forbid public schools from discriminating against students based on their age. The change ensures that every student admitted to a public school has equal access to all advantages, privileges, and courses of study regardless of how old they are. By adding this specific language to existing statutes, the legislation aims to prevent schools from treating students differently or denying them educational opportunities solely because of their age.

By Representative Kilcoyne of Clinton, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 3515) of Meghan Kilcoyne and Adam Scanlon relative to providing veteran's preference for certain members of the National Guard or United States military reserves. Veterans and Federal Affairs.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Massachusetts laws to ensure all children receive equal legal protections regardless of their parents' marital status, gender, or how the child was conceived. It replaces gender-specific terms like "man and woman" with "people" and updates references from "paternity" to "parentage" to include diverse family structures. The legislation also broadens the definition of a parent to include any person who gave birth, rather than just the biological mother, ensuring inclusive language across state statutes. These changes aim to modernize legal terminology and affirm that every child has the same rights under the law.

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes to increase the state reimbursement rate for the special education circuit breaker from 75% to 90%. The special education circuit breaker is a tax relief program that helps families with high special education costs reduce their property taxes. By changing the reimbursement percentage in the state laws, the bill would allow the state to cover a larger share of the tax reduction for eligible households. This change directly affects families in Massachusetts who qualify for the program and the municipalities that administer the tax relief.

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes to increase the state reimbursement rate for special education transportation costs in Massachusetts from 75% to 90%. The change would directly affect school districts and families that rely on state funding to cover the expenses of transporting students with disabilities to and from school. By amending the relevant state law, the legislation ensures that districts receive a higher percentage of the actual costs incurred for these services. This adjustment aims to provide more financial support to districts managing transportation for special education students.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a state registry to track cases of Parkinson's disease and related movement disorders among residents. It requires doctors and hospitals to report diagnoses and treatment data to the state department, while allowing patients to opt out of sharing their personal information. The collected data will be kept confidential, used only for research and public health reporting, and protected from being used as evidence in legal proceedings.

Maddy summaryThis bill, known as the MassMakers Act, aims to support economic growth in Massachusetts by creating new programs to help local businesses start, operate, and expand. It establishes a centralized online portal called the MassMakers Portal where entrepreneurs can access all necessary state forms, pay fees, and track compliance in one place. Additionally, the law requires state agencies to give specific weight to businesses based in Massachusetts when reviewing bids for government contracts. The bill also creates a task force to oversee the development of these initiatives and defines specific categories for small, minority, and microbusinesses to ensure they are included in these efforts.

Maddy summaryThis Massachusetts bill updates state laws to ensure equal legal rights for all children regardless of their parents' marital status, gender, or how the child was conceived. It removes outdated language referring to "children born out of wedlock" and establishes a clear policy that every child has the same protections under the law. The legislation defines parentage through various means, including birth, adoption, court orders, and assisted reproduction, while also updating terminology to be gender-neutral. A key provision prevents a presumed parent's legal status from being challenged after the child turns two unless specific conditions, such as lack of genetic connection or multiple presumed parents, are proven.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Massachusetts laws regarding parentage to ensure all children receive equal legal protections regardless of their parents' marital status, gender, or the circumstances of their birth, including assisted reproduction and surrogacy. The legislation replaces gendered terms like "man and woman" and "father" with gender-neutral language such as "people" and "other parent," while also updating references from "paternity" to "parentage" throughout the relevant statutes. By removing distinctions based on whether a child was born out of wedlock and clarifying who qualifies as a parent, the act aims to create a more inclusive legal framework that recognizes diverse family structures.