Rep. Colleen Garry

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Massachusetts law to criminalize allowing one's telephone to be used for repeated harassing, annoying, or indecent calls directed at oneself or family members. It directly affects individuals who permit their phones to be used for such abusive communications by establishing specific penalties for the phone owner. Under the new provision, violators could face a fine of up to $500, imprisonment for up to three months, or both. The measure targets the person who grants access to the phone rather than solely the caller making the disturbing calls.

Maddy summaryThis bill aims to help survivors of abuse, human trafficking, and involuntary sexual relations by allowing them to have certain criminal records expunged or sealed. It directly affects individuals who have been victims of these crimes and later faced legal charges related to their victimization. The law creates a specific category for offenses resulting from such victimization and establishes a rebuttable presumption that a defendant's actions were due to their trauma, though official documentation is not strictly required to apply. Judges will be able to consider credible evidence and testimony when deciding on petitions for relief, and the bill also adds a prohibition against making sealed or expunged records available for inspection.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits courts from granting visitation or custody rights to a parent convicted of rape to their child conceived during the crime. The law affects cases where a convicted rapist seeks contact with the victim's child and directly impacts the legal rights of both the convicted parent and the child. Under this measure, a court cannot order visitation unless the child has reached the age of 18 or has been legally declared emancipated from the other parent. This change ensures that the child's autonomy is prioritized by allowing them to decide on contact with the convicted parent once they are an adult or independent. The provision applies specifically to convictions under Massachusetts statutes related to rape and the conception of the child during the offense.

Maddy summaryThis bill strengthens Massachusetts laws against sexual harassment and discrimination by updating the state's definition of prohibited employer conduct. It directly affects employers and employees by making it illegal to retaliate against workers for filing complaints or cooperating in investigations regarding sex, gender identity, or sexual orientation. The legislation also bans requiring employees to sign confidentiality or nondisclosure agreements as a condition of employment, with specific exceptions for protecting trade secrets. By removing these mandatory restrictive clauses, the bill aims to ensure employees can report issues without fear of being forced into silence or losing their rights.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Massachusetts law to strengthen protections for individuals in their homes by establishing a "duty to retreat" for anyone who illegally enters a dwelling where others are present. Under the new rules, an intruder who fails to leave immediately after discovering occupants loses the right to sue or press criminal charges against the residents for any injuries that occur during the confrontation. The legislation also imposes harsher penalties for specific scenarios, such as a mandatory five-year prison sentence for entering a home with minors and a minimum twenty-year sentence for armed intruders who use force or threaten violence. These changes aim to deter home invasions and ensure that legal occupants can defend themselves without fear of retaliation from the intruder.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Massachusetts law to create new criminal penalties for anyone who knowingly helps a child run away from their parents or legal guardians. It specifically defines "entice" as actions like luring, persuading, or soliciting a child to leave their care. The law imposes stricter punishments based on the child's age and the circumstances, such as whether the child is fleeing from foster care or living within 300 feet of a school. Under the new rules, aiding a child under 14 to run away from a parent can result in up to five years in state prison, while helping a child escape from foster care or a court order can lead to up to ten years in state prison.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Massachusetts law to establish a standard fee for towns hosting marijuana businesses or medical treatment centers. If a community cannot precisely calculate the specific costs imposed by these facilities, the law requires them to charge a flat fee equal to one percent of the business's gross sales. This fee is intended to last for a maximum of eight years and applies to both recreational and medical marijuana operations. The change simplifies the financial process for municipalities by providing a clear calculation method when exact cost documentation is unavailable.

Maddy summaryThis bill protects Host Community Agreements signed before August 11, 2022, from being challenged or reviewed. It specifically applies to cannabis businesses operating in Massachusetts that have already entered into these deals with local communities. The law ensures that agreements where the host impact fees are 3% or less of gross sales for the first five years remain valid and cannot be overturned. This provision aims to provide stability for existing partnerships between cannabis companies and the towns where they operate.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Massachusetts law to ensure that pharmacies and pharmacists can participate as preferred healthcare providers under the same terms and conditions available to other providers. It requires that if a pharmacy or pharmacist is registered and agrees to the contract terms, they cannot be denied this status. The legislation directly affects pharmacy businesses and individual pharmacists by guaranteeing equal access to preferred provider arrangements. This change aims to remove potential barriers that might prevent pharmacies from contracting with insurance plans on the same basis as other medical providers.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires insurance providers in Massachusetts to cover a minimum of 30 days for in-patient substance abuse treatment, increasing the current mandatory coverage from 14 days. The legislation directly affects health insurance companies and individuals seeking residential addiction care by mandating longer stays under existing state laws. It achieves this change by amending multiple sections of the Massachusetts General Laws to replace the number 14 with 30 across various insurance and health care statutes.