Rep. Carol Doherty

Senate, December 4, 2023 -- Substituted as a new draft (Senator Pacheco) for the Senate Bill establishing a senior property tax deferral program in the city of Taunton (Senate, No. 2368).

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits the intentional release of any type of helium balloon, including plastic, latex, and mylar, into the atmosphere. It applies to individuals and organizations but includes exceptions for scientific or meteorological agencies, recovered hot air balloons, and persons under the age of 12. Violators face civil penalties starting at $100 per release event, with higher fines for subsequent offenses, while retailers must post notices and provide customers with information about the environmental harm caused by releasing balloons. The law also allows retailers to sell weights and fasteners to help prevent balloon releases, and it will take effect 90 days after passage.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection to set new recycling goals aimed at reducing the amount of trash thrown away by residents. Specifically, it mandates that waste disposal per person drop to 600 pounds by 2024 and further decrease to 450 pounds by 2026. To help towns reach these targets, the state must create an action plan reviewing current recycling programs and ask local municipalities to submit annual reports on their waste and participation numbers. If a town fails to meet the initial 2024 deadline, it must explain why and provide a strategy to reach the goal by 2028.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Massachusetts laws to strengthen protections for workers injured on the job by requiring the state department to investigate all injury claims and hold conferences to gather evidence, regardless of whether a dispute is currently active. It also expands the legal remedies available to injured workers by allowing for punitive damages and injunctive relief in cases where employers violate specific safety regulations. Additionally, the legislation updates fee schedules and clarifies the types of damages that can be recovered when workers file complaints against employers for failing to meet safety standards.

By Representative Doherty of Taunton, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 3015) of Carol A. Doherty and others that the website of the Secretary of the Commonwealth contain the total amount of income tax paid by residents of the Commonwealth to the federal government and the percent of those dollars appropriated for certain discretionary spending. State Administration and Regulatory Oversight.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows seniors aged 60 and older in Taunton to postpone paying their real estate property taxes if they meet specific income and residency requirements. To qualify, applicants must own and live in the property for at least five years, or be a surviving spouse inheriting the home, while also keeping their combined annual income below a limit set by the city's board of assessors. If approved, homeowners sign an agreement that records a lien on their property, ensuring that deferred taxes plus interest must be paid before the home can be sold or transferred, and heirs must settle these debts to inherit the property.