Rep. Kim Ferguson

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes to prohibit the retail sale of dogs, cats, and rabbits in new pet shops in Massachusetts. It achieves this by amending state laws to ban licensed pet shops from selling or offering these specific animals for adoption. The legislation directly affects businesses that operate as new pet shops and would prevent them from acting as sources for these pets. By restricting sales in this manner, the bill aims to reduce the number of animals sold in commercial settings.

Senate, 13, 2024 -- The committee on Environment and Natural Resources, to whom was referred the petitions (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 549) of Patrick M. O'Connor, Adam Scanlon, Jack Patrick Lewis, Michael O. Moore and other members of the General Court for legislation to ban the retail sale of dogs, cats, and rabbits in new pet shops; (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 550) of Patrick M. O'Connor, Angelo J. Puppolo, Jr., Steven S. Howitt, John F. Keenan and other members of the General Court for legislation banning the retail sale of dogs, cats, and rabbits in pet shops; and (accompanied by bill, House, No. 826) of Natalie M. Higgins, Kimberly N. Ferguson and others for legislation to further regulate the retail sale of certain domestic animals in new pet shops, report the accompanying bill (Senate, No. 2820).

By Representative Jones of North Reading, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2844) of Bradley H. Jones, Jr., and others relative to the gradual elimination of the inventory tax. Revenue.

By Representative Jones of North Reading, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2842) of Bradley H. Jones, Jr., and others relative to the corporate minimum excise tax. Revenue.

By Representative Jones of North Reading, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2847) of Bradley H. Jones, Jr., and others relative to exempting small businesses from the telecommunications tax. Revenue.

By Representative Zlotnik of Gardner, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2980) of Jonathan D. Zlotnik and others relative to the taxation of inventory in manufacturing. Revenue.

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 Jones of North Reading, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 3065) of Bradley H. Jones, Jr., and others for legislation to require disclosure of changes to health care and insurance regulations by certain state agencies. State Administration and Regulatory Oversight.

By Representative Jones of North Reading, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 3063) of Bradley H. Jones, Jr., and others for legislation to authorize public corporations to hold remote annual and special meetings. State Administration and Regulatory Oversight.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the Massachusetts Department of Public Health to track and report on the frequency and locations of substance abuse evaluations ordered under current state laws. Specifically, it mandates that the department collect data on how many individuals who received these evaluations returned to an acute care facility within the same year for treatment related to an opioid overdose. The collected information must be submitted annually to several state committees by January 1st to help monitor and analyze substance use disorder treatment patterns.