Rep. Brad Jones

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a "state environmental code" under Massachusetts law, setting standards for environmental protection and public well-being, including sewage disposal regulations. It requires professional engineers to prepare most sewage system plans (except for small domestic systems under 2,000 gallons/day, which sanitarians may handle), and exempts certain family property transfers (spouses, parents/children, siblings, trusts, or recent installations) from ground-level sewage system inspections. The bill also mandates the Department of Environmental Protection to minimize paperwork burdens for individuals, businesses, and local agencies by reducing redundant forms and streamlining information collection. These provisions apply to all entities subject to the environmental code, including local health authorities enforcing compliance.

Maddy summaryThis bill (HD 1324) changes how interest is calculated on tax refunds issued by the Massachusetts Department of Revenue (DOR). It modifies Chapter 62C of the General Laws to require that when a refund (including tax, interest, or penalties) is paid, the state treasurer must repay the refund amount with interest at the rate set under Section 32 of the same chapter. The interest is calculated from the date of the overpayment up to 30 days before the refund check is issued, regardless of whether the taxpayer accepts the check. The changes take effect on January 1, 2026, directly affecting taxpayers who receive DOR refunds.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a temporary wage requirement for minors under 18 working limited hours. It applies to young workers who need a work permit and work 20 hours or less per week with a new employer. During their first 120 hours of employment (a "training period"), these workers must be paid at least $10 per hour, overriding standard minimum wage rules for this specific group. The provision expires after 120 hours, after which regular wage laws apply.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Massachusetts state agencies to assess whether clean energy policies will increase costs for households or businesses before implementation. It mandates that all new energy, emissions, or transportation regulations include an affordability and competitiveness review, evaluating impacts on residential energy costs and business operating expenses. Agencies must modify proposals if impacts are unreasonable or adopt alternative approaches to protect affordability, and must publish these assessments 30 days prior to adoption. The law applies to all state departments and authorities managing energy, climate, or utility programs, ensuring clean energy transitions do not disproportionately burden ratepayers or harm economic competitiveness.

Maddy summaryHD 3943 would repeal Section 13 of Chapter 6C, removing the legal authority for the Department of Transportation to collect tolls on specific roads or bridges. This bill directly affects the Department of Transportation, which would lose the power to charge tolls, and drivers who currently pay those tolls on affected routes. The key mechanism is the outright repeal of the toll-collection provision, eliminating the requirement for toll payments. If enacted, tolls would be removed from the roads covered by this section without requiring new legislation for each toll location.

Maddy summaryThis bill designates the "Honor and Remember" flag as a symbol representing Massachusetts' commitment to honoring U.S. military members who died in service or from service-related causes, and their families. It specifies the flag's symbolism (e.g., red for blood shed, blue star for active service) and requires it to be displayed below the American flag on shared poles, never larger than the American flag. The bill lists eight specific days for optional display, including Memorial Day, Veterans Day, and National POW/MIA Recognition Day. Crucially, it clarifies that the bill is not a mandate - individuals, organizations, or government entities are not required to purchase or display the flag.

Maddy summaryHD 1411 creates a 9-member task force to study commission sales rates for workers in Massachusetts. The task force will examine current laws, identify industries most affected by commission structures, survey companies employing commission-based workers, and develop recommendations for fairer payment systems. This bill directly affects commissioned workers across various sectors by initiating a formal review of their compensation practices. The task force must submit its report, including draft legislation, to both legislative chambers within 12 months of the bill's passage. The bill itself does not change commission rates but sets up a process to evaluate and potentially improve them.

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.