Rep. Brad Jones

Maddy summaryThis bill, known as Ollie's Law, aims to improve safety standards for commercial kennels and dog daycares by establishing a dedicated fund to support efforts in reducing homeless animal populations. It requires kennel owners to obtain a license before operating and mandates that these facilities pass an inspection by an animal control officer before the license is issued or renewed. The legislation also empowers local officials to inspect kennels at least once a year and creates a process for citizens to petition for hearings if they believe a kennel is causing a nuisance through excessive barking or other conditions. Additionally, the bill directs the state to create detailed regulations covering facility requirements, staff training, and safety protocols for businesses that board or train dogs.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the Massachusetts General Laws to expand the legal definition of a "prostituted person" for the purposes of the state's sex trafficking statute. The change directly affects individuals currently involved in sex work by including them under the protections of the law if they are victims of sexual servitude, sex trafficking, or specific forms of prostitution involving fees, necessities, minors, or street solicitation. By broadening this definition, the legislation ensures that a wider range of people engaged in the sex trade can access existing legal remedies and support services designed for trafficking victims. The bill does not alter criminal penalties but rather clarifies who qualifies for the state's victim assistance framework.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new law in Massachusetts to prevent individuals convicted of specific animal cruelty crimes from owning, fostering, or working with animals. It directly affects people who have been found guilty of offenses such as animal abuse or neglect, banning them from possessing or residing with animals for a minimum of five years for a first offense and fifteen years for repeat offenses. The law requires courts to notify animal control and licensing officials about these restrictions within thirty days to ensure enforcement, while also allowing convicted individuals to petition the court once per year to potentially shorten the ban if they demonstrate rehabilitation.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires covered employers in Massachusetts to submit detailed wage data reports alongside their existing annual reports to the state secretary. The state secretary will then compile this information and publish aggregate wage statistics on the executive office of labor and workforce development website, organized by industry and released annually by June 1. While the bill mandates the collection and public release of these aggregate statistics, it explicitly excludes the individual wage data reports from being considered public records, thereby protecting specific employer information from public disclosure.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all Massachusetts health insurance plans to cover epinephrine injectors, such as EpiPens and pre-filled syringes, for active and retired state employees, Medicaid recipients, and individuals with private insurance. The law mandates that these devices be treated as standard prescription drugs, meaning they cannot have higher deductibles, copayments, or out-of-pocket limits than other covered medications. By defining epinephrine injectors as FDA-approved auto-injectors or equivalent pre-measured syringes, the legislation ensures consistent access to life-saving allergy treatment across different insurance programs within the state.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Massachusetts state law to include ocean acidification projects in the list of eligible activities for coastal landscape funding. The change specifically allows projects aimed at reducing the harmful effects of acidity on shelled organisms to receive financial support. By updating the legal text, the legislation expands the scope of environmental initiatives that can be funded under the existing coastal landscape program.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Massachusetts law to streamline the regulatory process for approving subsurface sewage disposal systems, commonly known as septic systems. It specifically allows registered sanitarians to design plans for smaller systems serving up to 2,000 gallons per day, whereas larger systems must be designed by a professional engineer. Additionally, the legislation exempts certain residential property transfers, such as those between spouses or parents and children, from mandatory inspections of existing underground sewage systems. The law also directs the state environmental protection commissioner to minimize paperwork burdens for individuals and businesses while ensuring public safety.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates Massachusetts campaign finance laws to adjust contribution limits for individuals and political agents based on inflation. It establishes specific dollar caps for donations to candidates, political party committees, and other political groups, while allowing unlimited contributions to ballot question committees. The legislation also mandates that these limits be automatically recalculated every two years using the federal consumer price index for the Boston area to maintain their real value. Additionally, it clarifies that money sent through designated contribution committees counts as a direct donation from the original giver to the final recipient. These changes directly affect voters, donors, and political organizations by defining how much money can be contributed during election cycles.

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes changes to how Massachusetts selects presidential electors by clarifying that one elector is chosen from each congressional district while two are chosen at-large. It updates the state election laws to specify that district electors must vote for the candidates who won the most votes within their specific district, whereas at-large electors vote for the statewide winners. The legislation also outlines the meeting procedures for these electors, requiring them to gather at the state house to organize and cast their ballots according to these new rules. Directly affecting the state's electoral process, the bill aims to formalize the voting instructions for presidential electors during the Electoral College selection.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits investment advisers from providing services to government entities for two years after they or their key personnel make political contributions to officials who influence those contracts. It also bans advisers from soliciting contributions from officials they are seeking to work with and prevents officials from accepting donations from advisers before awarding them contracts. The law defines specific roles such as executive officers and solicitors, while allowing for exemptions if approved by the campaign and political finance office. These measures aim to reduce conflicts of interest between public officials and private investment firms by restricting financial ties during the decision-making period.