Rep. Carol Doherty

Maddy summaryThis bill restructures the staffing and management of Massachusetts probate registries to improve their efficiency. It authorizes the chief justice of the probate and family court department to appoint first and assistant registers for specific terms and grants the power to remove these officials. The legislation also creates new positions for assistant registers in several counties while eliminating the role of administrative deputy assistant registers. These changes directly affect the personnel structure of the probate courts and the individuals employed within them.

Maddy summaryThis bill directs the Massachusetts Attorney General to create a comprehensive plan for regulating facial recognition technology across the state. It defines key terms like "facial recognition" and "biometric surveillance technology" to ensure clarity in future rules. The legislation requires the Attorney General to submit a report outlining how the state will manage the use of these technologies by public and private entities. Ultimately, the bill aims to establish a formal framework for oversight rather than immediately banning or mandating specific uses.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires public entities in Massachusetts, such as cities, towns, and school districts, to pay prevailing wages to specific workers including trash and recycling collectors, moving company employees, and school bus drivers. To enforce this, any contract or agreement for these services must include a stipulation that the prescribed wage rates, which cover health benefits and pensions, are paid; contracts lacking this stipulation will be considered invalid. The law also establishes penalties for employers who pay less than the required rates and allows affected employees to sue for damages, lost wages, and legal fees if their rights are violated.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies how the Massachusetts tuition credit for UMass students is calculated and administered. It requires the credit's value to be adjusted each year so it remains at least 12.5% of the total student charges for that academic year. Additionally, the bill restricts the university from accepting certain external tuition waivers or scholarships unless they are fully funded by new appropriations, approved by the board of trustees, or included in a collective bargaining agreement. These changes directly affect current and future students at the University of Massachusetts and the university's financial administration.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Massachusetts insurance laws to require fire insurance companies to provide homeowners with a detailed written explanation at least sixty days before canceling or not renewing their policies. The notice must include the specific reasons for the decision and suggest steps the homeowner can take to address those risks. Additionally, the state's Division of Insurance is authorized to create regulations to ensure these new requirements are enforced. The legislation directly affects residential property owners and insurance providers by increasing transparency in policy cancellations.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates Massachusetts laws to require larger employers to provide severance pay when they relocate their operations. It defines a "covered establishment" as any industrial, commercial, or healthcare facility that has employed at least 100 people in the last year. Under the new rules, companies moving their entire workforce to a location 100 miles away must pay eligible employees one week of pay for each year they worked there, provided the employee has been with the company for at least three years and does not take a new job at the new site. Employers must also give the state labor secretary at least 60 days' written notice before such a move, with exceptions made for physical disasters or unforeseen circumstances.

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes to repeal specific sections of a 2020 Massachusetts law that expanded workers' rights. By removing these provisions, the legislation would effectively reverse previous legal changes related to employee protections. The measure directly impacts workers and employers by altering the current legal framework governing their relationship.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires employers in Massachusetts with 100 or more employees to annually report the race and gender of their senior management staff to the state labor department. The legislation mandates that the department publish these statistics alongside demographic data for the state's six metropolitan areas, allowing the public to compare leadership diversity against the general workforce. To address disparities, the bill creates a funding mechanism that provides professional development and coaching grants to employees at companies where women and minorities are underrepresented in senior roles. By making this data public and offering financial support for advancement, the measure aims to increase diversity in leadership positions without dictating specific hiring or promotion decisions.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates an agricultural healthy incentives program in Massachusetts that directly affects Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients. The program would allow these individuals to receive a matching benefit on their EBT cards when they purchase fresh, canned, dried, or frozen fruits and vegetables at participating vendors. The Department of Transitional Assistance, in partnership with the Department of Agricultural Resources and the Department of Public Health, would operate the program and set specific spending limits. This initiative aims to encourage healthier food choices among low-income families by providing financial incentives for buying produce.

Maddy summaryThis bill strengthens local food systems in Massachusetts by requiring the state emergency management agency to create plans that support agricultural and food production during supply chain disruptions. It establishes a full-time food system coordinator within the state council to oversee existing programs, track progress, and improve collaboration between different government departments. Additionally, the bill creates a non-enforcement circuit rider program to provide free on-site guidance to farmers about regulations and funding opportunities. These measures aim to improve resilience against food shortages and better support local producers through dedicated coordination and assistance.