Rep. Dan Sena

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the town of Acton to use ranked choice voting (RCV) for all town elections (annual and special) starting in 2025, with exceptions for single-seat races with two or fewer candidates or multi-seat races where candidates equal the number of seats. Under RCV, voters rank candidates by preference, and votes are counted in rounds: lowest-ranked candidates are eliminated, and their votes are redistributed until a winner achieves a majority (for single seats) or all seats are filled (for multi-seat races). The bill includes specific rules for handling ties, batch elimination of candidates, and allows the Select Board and Town Clerk to make minimal procedural adjustments to ensure election integrity. It directly affects Acton residents voting in town elections and candidates running for local office.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes the town of Acton to require retail businesses to charge customers for checkout bags. It mandates a minimum fee of $0.15 per bag (with fees appearing separately on receipts as "checkout bag charge"), applies to all retail establishments (including stores, restaurants, and pharmacies), and excludes specific bags like those for prescriptions, produce, or frozen food. Retailers keep all collected fees, and the Acton Board of Health oversees implementation. The bill takes effect three months after passage.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows the town of Acton to raise the 15-mile residency requirement for its police and fire department members, as currently set by state law. The town may set a higher limit, but any increase must be agreed upon through a collective bargaining agreement with the relevant unions under state law. It directly affects Acton police and fire personnel who would no longer be required to live within the current 15-mile radius. The change takes effect immediately upon the bill's passage.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows Acton residents aged 16-17 to vote in local elections, including town meetings and ballot questions, despite being ineligible under state law due to age. It creates a separate voter registration list managed by the town clerk, requiring a special form for 16-17 year olds. Once they turn 18, they are removed from this list and must register as regular voters. The bill explicitly states these voters cannot participate in state or federal elections or ballots.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes minimum standards for private wells serving homes and small properties. It requires the Department of Environmental Protection to set testing rules for contaminants, including mandatory pre-sale inspections for properties with private wells (with specific exceptions like mortgages or family transfers). Homeowners must test new wells before use and before selling property, with local health boards able to enforce stricter rules. The bill also creates a program to help homeowners install treatment systems if their well water doesn’t meet public drinking water standards.

Maddy summaryHD 3218 requires Massachusetts law enforcement agencies (attorney general, district attorneys, police departments) to submit annual public reports detailing all civil asset forfeitures. The bill mandates a searchable public website with specific details for each seizure, including property description, location, value, seizure date, crime involved, and final outcome (e.g., property returned or sold). It directly affects law enforcement agencies conducting forfeitures and property owners whose assets are seized. Key mechanisms include standardized reporting deadlines (January 31 annually), itemized accounting per seizure, and requirements for agencies with no forfeitures to file a "null report." The bill aims to increase transparency around civil asset forfeiture practices without changing the underlying legal process.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a Universal Full-Day Kindergarten Trust Fund to help school districts implement tuition-free full-day kindergarten programs. It directly affects school districts that did not offer such programs as of January 1, 2021, by allowing them to request reimbursement for 100% of program costs from the fund. The fund is financed through state appropriations, interest, and private donations, with unspent funds rolling over annually. School districts must report implementation needs to the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, which also provides annual reports to the legislature on fund activity. The bill defines "tuition-free universal full-day kindergarten" as a high-quality program for kindergarten-aged children with no tuition charges, operating full school days.

Maddy summaryHD 2974 provides paid family and medical leave for educators employed by school districts or education collaboratives, and for municipal employees who choose to adopt the program. The bill requires the state (Commonwealth) to cover the employer's share of the cost for these groups by paying into a leave trust fund, rather than requiring local school districts or municipalities to fund it themselves. It also ensures that employees on leave maintain their health insurance coverage and accrue benefits like vacation time and seniority. This applies specifically to covered educators and municipal employees who opt into the program under the bill's provisions.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Massachusetts municipalities with over 5,000 residents to implement an automated online permitting system for residential solar installations by July 2027. The system must instantly approve permits for solar systems (up to 200-amp capacity on single- or two-family homes) without manual review, replacing traditional paper-based processes. Homeowners and solar installers benefit from faster approvals and reduced delays, while municipalities must report compliance and usage to the state energy department. The bill aims to streamline solar adoption by standardizing and accelerating permitting for residential systems.

Maddy summaryHD 3850 raises Massachusetts' minimum wage in a phased approach, increasing it from $15.00 to $20.00 per hour by 2029. It directly affects all public and private employers in the state who must pay workers at least the new minimum wage rate. Starting in 2030, the law establishes an automatic annual adjustment based on inflation (using the Consumer Price Index) to maintain purchasing power, with the first adjustment calculated for January 2030. The bill also updates current wage rates for tipped workers and other categories through 2029.