Rep. Mike Connolly

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a dedicated PFAS Remediation Trust Fund to help Massachusetts communities address contamination in drinking water, groundwater, soil, and other environmental media. The fund will be financed through recovered amounts from lawsuits or settlements against manufacturers and sellers of PFAS-containing products, along with other designated transfers and donations. Expenditures from the fund will prioritize vulnerable environmental justice populations and can be used to provide grants to municipalities, counties, and health boards for remediation projects, treatment systems, and private well assistance. The law also establishes rules requiring grant recipients to repay the fund if they later recover costs from liable third parties and prohibits funding for projects caused by the applicant's own negligence.

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes moving the administration of Bridgewater State Hospital from the Department of Corrections to the Department of Mental Health. Under the new structure, the Commissioner of Mental Health would oversee the facility's operations and provide medical and mental health treatment for male patients committed there. The legislation also establishes a new division for forensic mental health services to handle court-ordered evaluations and other legal assessments, while removing specific references to the hospital's former medical director from various state laws.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows candidates running for public office in Massachusetts to use campaign funds to pay for child care services during campaign activities. It defines child care to include babysitting from various providers and permits payments to family members only if they operate a professional daycare or charge market rates. The legislation also requires the director of campaign finance to create specific regulations governing these expenses by December 31, 2023.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Massachusetts election laws to allow candidates to use campaign funds for child-care services required because of their political activities. It defines these services broadly to include care from individuals, non-profits, and for-profit organizations, while restricting payments to family members unless they operate a professional daycare or babysitting service. The legislation also permits candidates to claim expenses for child-care that would not otherwise exist but for their campaign. Finally, it requires the director of campaign and political finance to create specific regulations outlining these rules by December 31, 2023.

Maddy summaryThis Massachusetts bill updates state laws to ensure equal legal rights for all children regardless of their parents' marital status, gender, or how the child was conceived. It removes outdated language referring to "children born out of wedlock" and establishes a clear policy that every child has the same protections under the law. The legislation defines parentage through various means, including birth, adoption, court orders, and assisted reproduction, while also updating terminology to be gender-neutral. A key provision prevents a presumed parent's legal status from being challenged after the child turns two unless specific conditions, such as lack of genetic connection or multiple presumed parents, are proven.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Massachusetts law to remove the term "children born out of wedlock" and replace it with "nonmarital children and parentage of children," aiming to ensure all children receive equal legal rights regardless of their parents' marital status. It establishes a public policy that every child must have the same protections under the law, irrespective of the parents' gender, gender identity, or sexual orientation. By updating the title of Chapter 209C and adding a new section, the legislation seeks to eliminate legal distinctions based on how a child was conceived or the family structure of their parents.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires state agencies responsible for managing public lands to conduct a formal review of their sustainable forestry practices every five years. It establishes a new Public Land Management Advisory Council to oversee these reviews and ensure transparency, public participation, and accountability in how forests are managed. The legislation sets a specific goal for these agencies to designate at least 30% of their watershed lands and wildlife management areas as forest reserves by December 31, 2030. Additionally, the bill mandates that the review process assess opportunities to use forests for renewable energy and carbon sequestration to help meet the state's emissions reduction targets.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Massachusetts to track carbon emissions from working lands and natural lands separately, distinguishing between agricultural areas, forests managed for timber, and protected reserves. It mandates that the state's net-zero carbon goals cannot be met using carbon offsets sold to entities outside the Commonwealth. By enforcing these specific accounting rules, the legislation aims to ensure that local climate targets are achieved through genuine reductions within the state rather than relying on external credits.

April 22, 2024 -- The committee on Education, to whom was referred the petitions (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 240) of Nick Collins for legislation relative to mental health education; (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 247) of Cynthia Stone Creem and Susannah M. Whipps for legislation relative to remodel public school athletics through social-emotional learning; (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 248) of Cynthia Stone Creem and Vanna Howard for legislation to promote social-emotional learning; (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 276) of Barry R. Finegold and Vanna Howard for legislation relative to safety and violence education for students (the SAVE Students Act); (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 333) of Jacob R. Oliveira and Sal N. DiDomenico for legislation relative to prescription opioid abuse prevention education; (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 342) of Pavel M. Payano for legislation relative to substance use education in public schools; (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 346) of Rebecca L. Rausch, Lydia Edwards and James B. Eldridge for legislation to ensuring access to mental health supports in K-12 schools; and (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 350) of Michael F. Rush and Paul McMurtry for legislation relative to physical and social recess in schools, report the accompanying bill (Senate, No. 2741).

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Massachusetts state law to allow local municipalities to adopt inclusionary zoning ordinances without facing automatic legal challenges. The legislation defines inclusionary zoning as a requirement for new residential developments to set aside a specific percentage of units for households earning below a locally determined income threshold. By explicitly including these zoning rules in the state's legal framework, the bill aims to streamline the approval process for communities that wish to implement affordable housing mandates.