Rep. Kim Ferguson

Maddy summaryHD 3668, the "digital Coogan law," requires vloggers who feature minors under 16 in compensated video content to set aside a portion of earnings into a special trust account for the minor. It applies to any vlogger (including businesses) whose content meets specific thresholds: at least 30% of a video segment features the minor and the video generates compensation (e.g., $0.10 per view or meets platform thresholds). Vloggers must maintain detailed records of the minor’s involvement and earnings, depositing at least half the gross earnings from that content into the trust. Minors can sue vloggers who fail to comply, seeking actual damages, penalties, and legal costs.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a 15-member task force to study public-private partnerships between state educational institutions and private corporations. The task force will review existing laws, identify labor sectors that would benefit from grants/fellowships, require industry employment trend reports from the Department of Labor, and develop recommendations for future legislation. It directly affects state educational institutions and private corporations by setting up a process to evaluate potential partnerships, though it does not establish any partnerships itself. The task force must submit its report, including draft legislation, to the legislature within 12 months.

Maddy summaryH 5094 requires political campaigns, PACs, and political committees to disclose when their paid election ads contain AI-generated audio or video content. Specifically, such ads must include clear, visible text or spoken phrases like "This video content was generated by AI" at the start and end, with variations for audio-only or mixed media. The bill directly affects any political advertiser using synthetic media in election-related communications, imposing a $1,000 fine for noncompliance. It defines "synthetic media" as AI-created audio or video and mandates these disclosures without restricting AI use in ads.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Massachusetts housing law to allow MBTA communities to count housing units built within the past three years toward their compliance with the MBTA Communities Act. It requires state housing guidelines to include criteria for considering these recently completed units when determining if a community meets its housing requirements. The change directly affects municipalities located near MBTA transit lines that must comply with state housing mandates. This provision retroactively includes qualifying housing construction completed up to three years before the law's effective date in compliance calculations.

Maddy summaryThis bill prevents cities and towns from losing public safety grant funding if they don't comply with certain requirements in Chapter 40A. It specifically adds a provision stating that eligibility for grants - like the Firefighter Safety Equipment Grant program - cannot be withheld based on compliance with Section 3A of Chapter 40A. The change directly affects all municipalities receiving public safety-related grants under current law. It ensures funding remains accessible regardless of adherence to the specific provisions being amended.

Maddy summaryThis bill (HD 3730) creates a new appeal process for municipalities facing challenges when implementing housing development rules under the MBTA Communities Act. It requires the Department of Housing and Community Development to establish regulations allowing towns to seek relief if they cannot meet specific infrastructure or environmental requirements, such as water supply, wastewater treatment, transportation capacity, environmental impacts, or historical property protection. The appeal would apply to zoning provisions mandating housing development near transit hubs. This directly affects municipalities seeking to build housing in MBTA communities while addressing practical local constraints.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends a Massachusetts law to clarify the definition of "MBTA community." It specifically excludes cities or towns without direct bus, subway, or transit service from being classified as MBTA communities for legal purposes. The change directly affects municipalities lacking direct MBTA transit access, removing them from the scope of this definition. This is a procedural adjustment to existing law, not a new policy or funding measure.

Maddy summaryHD 3807 requires Massachusetts' Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities to submit a report every three years to the state legislature on the effects of multi-family zoning in communities served by the MBTA. The report must track housing units built under current zoning rules, assess impacts on infrastructure (water, sewer, transit), and analyze changes in school enrollment and funding needs. It also mandates recommendations for improving the zoning system. This bill directly affects MBTA-area communities implementing multi-family zoning and the state legislature, which will receive the findings. The report must be filed with the House, Senate, and relevant committees.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the definition of "MBTA community" in Massachusetts law to include every city and town in the Commonwealth. It extends the requirements of the MBTA Communities Act - currently applying to specific municipalities near transit - to all 351 cities and towns. The change is purely definitional, meaning all municipalities would now be subject to the Act's housing and development provisions. The bill does not alter the specific requirements themselves, only who they apply to. (1 sentence summary)

Maddy summaryThis bill allows municipalities to voluntarily participate in a program giving them the first right to purchase certain properties for affordable housing. It directly affects property owners of buildings with three or fewer units or mid-size multifamily buildings who receive an offer to sell. Municipalities must be notified by the owner when a sale offer is received, then have 120 days to inspect, match the sale price, and buy the property to maintain as permanently deed-restricted affordable housing. Owners of qualifying properties receive up to $500 per unit (capped at $10,000 per property) plus recording costs, with total program payments limited to $5 million. The program is administered by the Department of Housing and Community Development under new regulations.