Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new Board of Registration in Midwifery within the Department of Public Health to oversee the licensing and regulation of midwives in the state. The board will consist of eight appointed members, including licensed midwives with significant experience, a physician, a nurse-midwife, and a public representative, with specific requirements for members to address racial disparities in maternal health. Additionally, the legislation establishes a new Board of Allied Health Professions that includes representatives from various health fields such as physical therapy, occupational therapy, and lactation consulting. The bill also expands the legal definition of "licensed midwife" to allow them to issue prescriptions and grants local health agencies the authority to conduct in-depth reviews of fetal and infant deaths to improve community health services.

Maddy summaryThis law establishes a mandatory educational diversion program in Massachusetts for minors charged with specific offenses related to possessing or sharing sexual images, commonly known as sexting. The Attorney General will lead the creation of this program in collaboration with various state agencies and community groups, focusing on informing youth about legal penalties, social consequences, and the risks of online image sharing. If a child is charged with these offenses, the court will typically pause legal proceedings to require the completion of this program instead of immediate prosecution, unless the district attorney objects. Successful completion of the program allows the case to be dismissed, while failure to participate results in the case being restored for standard legal processing. Additionally, the bill expands the legal definition of abuse to include "coercive control" and requires schools to teach media literacy skills using materials from the new diversion program.

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).

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Massachusetts tax law to close loopholes that allow corporations to avoid taxes by shifting profits offshore. It requires companies that form combined groups for tax purposes to calculate their state tax liability based on the income and business activities of all group members, regardless of where those members are located. The change ensures that every entity within a corporate group contributes its fair share of taxes to the state, preventing them from using complex structures to reduce their tax burden. This policy directly affects large corporations operating in Massachusetts that currently utilize combined group reporting methods to minimize state tax payments.

By Representative Connolly of Cambridge, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2743) of Mike Connolly and others relative to establishing a tiered corporate minimum tax. Revenue.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a comprehensive educational diversion program to address the legal and social consequences of adolescents sharing sexual images, commonly known as sexting. It requires the Attorney General to create this curriculum in collaboration with state education and youth services departments, which will be used to divert minors from court proceedings if they are charged with related offenses. The program also mandates that schools integrate media literacy instruction using the same materials to help students understand the risks of online image sharing. Additionally, the legislation expands the legal definition of abuse to include coercive control and increases fines for certain offenses.

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 Representatives Stanley of Waltham and Farley-Bouvier of Pittsfield, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 3428) of Thomas M. Stanley, Tricia Farley-Bouvier and others relative to establishing a vehicle mileage user fee task force to explore alternative funding sources to ensure safe and reliable transportation. Transportation.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a formal bill of rights for children in the Massachusetts foster care system to ensure their safety, dignity, and well-being. It requires the Department of Children and Families to provide these rights to every child upon entry into care, during key meetings, and in an age-appropriate manner, while also making the document available on the department's website and in offices. The legislation outlines specific protections, including freedom from discrimination and abuse, access to culturally relevant items, and the right to be placed in safe environments rather than secure facilities due to a lack of foster homes. Additionally, the bill mandates that children receive timely notice before placement changes and have the opportunity to meet potential foster families before being placed with them.