Rep. Kate Donaghue

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a framework for cities and towns in Massachusetts to use automated traffic cameras to enforce specific violations, such as running red lights, speeding, or blocking intersections. It allows municipalities to install cameras after public hearings, imposes fines between $25 and $150 (with a 60-day warning period initially), and requires annual reports to the state detailing camera locations, safety data, and enforcement results. Registered vehicle owners receive written notices with photos and appeal options, and violations do not count as moving violations on driving records or affect insurance rates. The law directly affects local governments implementing camera systems and vehicle owners cited for camera-enforced violations.

Maddy summaryH 4616 requires health insurance companies in Massachusetts to publicly list all medical services, drugs, and procedures needing pre-approval (prior authorization) on their websites. Insurers must also report annual data on approval/denial rates, processing times, and appeal outcomes in a standardized format. The bill prevents insurers from denying coverage for services already approved or denying claims over minor administrative errors (unless fraud is proven), and bans retrospective denials unless fraud occurred. This directly affects insurers, healthcare providers, and patients by making the authorization process more transparent and reducing unexpected coverage denials.

Maddy summaryThis bill (H 4958) requires all health insurance plans in Massachusetts - covering Commonwealth employees, Medicaid recipients, and private insurance policies - to provide full coverage for medications treating opioid use disorder, including opioid antagonists and agonists (like methadone or buprenorphine). It eliminates prior authorization requirements and removes all out-of-pocket costs (deductibles, copays, coinsurance) for these medications, treating them as medically necessary. The coverage applies whether the medication is dispensed by a pharmacy or administered at a treatment facility, with facilities reimbursed at standard rates to prevent balance billing. This directly affects patients seeking opioid use disorder treatment and the insurers/health plans providing their coverage.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a dedicated "Naloxone Purchase Trust Fund" to cover the costs of buying, storing, and distributing naloxone (a medication that reverses opioid overdoses) across Massachusetts. The fund will pay for naloxone distribution to specific healthcare facilities - like hospitals, emergency departments, substance use disorder treatment centers, and community health clinics - that provide it to patients with a history of opioid use, opioid use disorder, or opioid overdose. Funding comes from transfers of state health funds, voluntary contributions (e.g., from insurers), and interest, with non-federal costs limited to 10% of the fund’s total. The bill amends related laws to include this fund in Medicaid assessment calculations and requires annual reporting to state committees.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes the town of Southborough to issue an additional liquor license to Costco Liquors for selling alcohol to go. The new license allows the sale of alcoholic beverages not meant to be consumed on the premises and must be issued within two years of the bill's effective date. The law restricts transferring this specific license to a different location but permits renewal or transfer to a new applicant at the same address if they meet state tax and employment requirements. If the license is ever cancelled or not renewed, the town can reissue it to a new applicant at that location within three years.

Maddy summaryHD 3390 modifies Massachusetts tax law to address income from foreign entities. It specifies that amounts included in federal income under Section 951A of the IRS Code (related to global intangible low-taxed income) will no longer be treated as dividends for state tax purposes, and taxpayers can only deduct 50% of this income instead of the full amount. This primarily affects businesses and individuals with foreign income subject to Section 951A provisions. The changes apply to tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis bill defines "transitional support services" as short-term residential care following clinical stabilization for addiction recovery, and requires insurers to cover medically necessary acute treatment, clinical stabilization, and transitional support services without preauthorization. It applies directly to Commonwealth employees (active/retired) under group insurance, Medicaid managed care plans, and private insurers offering "creditable coverage" under Chapter 111M. Key provisions include a 30-day coverage limit for transitional services, 48-hour facility notification to insurers after admission, and restrictions on utilization reviews (which can only begin after day 14 and cannot deny future care without 30 consecutive days of service). Medical necessity is determined by treating clinicians, not insurers, with coverage mandated for substance use disorder evaluations under Section 51½ of Chapter 111.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes the town of Southborough to issue a new liquor license to Costco Atlantic Liquors, Inc., allowing the sale of alcohol for off-premises consumption at their location on Coslin Drive. The license will operate under standard state regulations but is explicitly exempt from a specific section of the General Laws regarding certain restrictions. The law also establishes rules for transferring the license to other businesses at the same address and requires the return of the license to the town if it is cancelled or no longer in use.

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.