Rep. Jeff Turco

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a Midwifery Workforce Development Fund to support midwifery education, retention, and birth centers. The fund will finance midwifery student tuition, licensing fees, childcare stipends, loan forgiveness for midwives serving underserved areas, and grants for midwifery training programs. It also requires that certified midwives and freestanding birth centers be paid the same rate as physicians for equivalent services under state employee health plans. The bill directly affects midwifery students, practicing midwives, birth centers, and state health programs by providing dedicated funding and ensuring equitable reimbursement.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Massachusetts state employee health plans and Medicaid programs to cover stuttering speech therapy as either habilitative (helping develop skills) or rehabilitative (restoring lost skills) services. It mandates coverage without annual visit limits, restrictions based on the cause of stuttering, or prior authorization. The law also requires coverage for both in-person and telehealth speech therapy services, including all necessary technology compliant with privacy laws. It directly affects Commonwealth employees, retirees, and Medicaid recipients by ensuring access to this specific therapy without typical insurance barriers.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows the state of Massachusetts to remove specific land use restrictions on a parcel in Revere, enabling the current owner to develop the property more freely. Under the legislation, the owner must pay the state the full market value of these restrictions, which will be determined by an independent appraisal reviewed by the Inspector General. As a condition of the release, at least 10 percent of any new housing units built on the land must be affordable for households earning up to 80 percent of the area's median income for a period of 20 years. The bill also requires the owner to cover all costs related to the legal and engineering work needed to finalize the land transfer.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows the state of Massachusetts to remove certain land use restrictions on a specific parcel in Revere, enabling the current owner to develop the land more freely. The restrictions being lifted include limits on using the land only for parking, preventing the owner from increasing floor area ratios on neighboring properties, and a right of reverter held by a trust. To compensate the state, the landowner must pay a fair market value determined by an independent appraisal reviewed by the inspector general. As a condition of this release, at least 10% of any new housing units built on the land must be affordable for households earning up to 80% of the area median income for 20 years.

By Representative Turco of Winthrop, a petition (subject to Joint Rule 12) of Jeffrey Rosario Turco relative to the training, certification, and recognition of constables and civil deputy sheriffs. Public Safety and Homeland Security.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Massachusetts law to expand the official definition of "veteran" in Chapter 115. It adds a new provision (f) stating that individuals who served 20 or more years in the National Guard or Reserve are now included in the veteran definition. The change directly affects National Guard and Reserve members with two decades of service, granting them the same legal recognition as other veterans. This is a straightforward definitional update to ensure consistent eligibility for veteran benefits and programs.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires businesses in Massachusetts to round transaction amounts to the nearest five cents when customers pay with cash and cannot provide exact change. The rounding rule generally rounds down amounts ending in one, two, six, or seven cents, while rounding up amounts ending in three, four, eight, or nine cents, with a specific exception allowing small transactions of one or two cents to round up to five cents. Sellers must calculate and remit taxes based on the original price before rounding occurs, and they must clearly disclose this rounding policy to customers. The legislation also mandates that the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation issue guidance to help businesses implement these new cash payment rules.

By Representative Chan of Quincy and Senator Feeney, a joint petition (subject to Joint Rule 12) of Tackey Chan, Kate Donaghue and others relative to consumer protections for low valued legal tender scarcity. Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a $250 annual tax credit for Massachusetts taxpayers who subscribe to qualifying local community newspapers. It directly affects Massachusetts residents who pay for subscriptions to newspapers meeting specific criteria: original local news content, serving a regional or local community, and employing at least one journalist who lives in that community. The credit applies to subscriptions paid for personal use, requires the taxpayer's primary residence to be in Massachusetts, and excludes national or statewide publications. Taxpayers who qualify can claim this credit annually as long as they maintain their subscription.

Maddy summaryHD 1086 requires all law enforcement departments to provide necessary resources - such as training or technology - to help officers accurately state facts related to evidence. This applies directly to police departments and overrides any conflicting existing laws. The bill’s key mechanism mandates that departments allocate these resources to ensure officer statements about evidence are precise and reliable. It directly affects law enforcement agencies by requiring them to adjust resource allocation practices to meet this standard.