By Representative Keefe of Worcester, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2856) of Mary S. Keefe and others relative to corporate tax rates. Revenue.
By Representative Connolly of Cambridge, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2743) of Mike Connolly and others relative to establishing a tiered corporate minimum tax. Revenue.
By Representative Capano of Lynn, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2725) of Peter Capano and others relative to requiring public disclosures by publicly-traded corporate taxpayers. Revenue.
Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a comprehensive educational diversion program to address the legal and social consequences of adolescents sharing sexual images, commonly known as sexting. It requires the Attorney General to create this curriculum in collaboration with state education and youth services departments, which will be used to divert minors from court proceedings if they are charged with related offenses. The program also mandates that schools integrate media literacy instruction using the same materials to help students understand the risks of online image sharing. Additionally, the legislation expands the legal definition of abuse to include coercive control and increases fines for certain offenses.
Maddy summaryThis bill updates Massachusetts laws to ensure that legal parentage rights apply equally to all families, regardless of the parents' gender, marital status, or sexual orientation. It replaces gender-specific terms like "father" and "mother" with neutral language such as "other parent" and "person who gave birth," while also changing "paternity" to "parentage" throughout the statutes. The legislation introduces new definitions for various family arrangements, including surrogacy and assisted reproduction, to clarify how different types of parents are recognized under the law. By amending existing chapters on birth certificates and family law, the bill aims to provide consistent legal protections for children born through diverse circumstances, including those resulting from surrogacy or non-marital births.
By Representative Puppolo of Springfield, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 3104) of Angelo J. Puppolo, Jr., Rodney M. Elliott and Brian M. Ashe relative to designating the Boston cream pie cupcake as the official cupcake of the Commonwealth. State Administration and Regulatory Oversight.
By Representative Puppolo of Springfield, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 3103) of Angelo J. Puppolo, Jr., and others for legislation to establish standard time as the permanent time of the Commonwealth. State Administration and Regulatory Oversight.
By Representative Nguyen of Andover, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 3096) of Tram T. Nguyen, Hannah Kane and Jack Patrick Lewis for legislation to designate the blue-spotted salamander as the official amphibian of the Commonwealth. State Administration and Regulatory Oversight.
Maddy summaryThis bill allows Massachusetts towns and cities to set height and weight limits for trucks on roads located within 500 yards of quarries or gravel pits. Local officials would make these decisions through a vote by their town council or selectboard to protect local infrastructure from heavy commercial traffic. The law specifically targets motor vehicles operating near these industrial sites, giving municipalities the authority to regulate size and weight on those specific roadways.
Maddy summaryThis bill amends Massachusetts law to ban the manufacturing and assembly of assault weapons and large capacity feeding devices within the state. It directly affects individuals and businesses attempting to produce these firearms, while explicitly exempting licensed manufacturers who create them solely for authorized law enforcement, military, or foreign government agencies. Violators of the new prohibition face severe penalties, including fines ranging from $1,000 to $1,000,000 and imprisonment for one to ten years. The legislation aims to prevent the creation of these specific firearms by targeting the production process rather than restricting ownership of already existing weapons.
