By Representatives Vitolo of Brookline and Rogers of Cambridge, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2974) of Tommy Vitolo, David M. Rogers and others relative to senior property tax deferral. Revenue.
By Representatives Decker of Cambridge and Vargas of Haverhill, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2761) of Marjorie C. Decker, Andres X. Vargas and others relative to establishing a child and family tax credit. Revenue.
By Representative Rogers of Cambridge, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2932) of David M. Rogers and others for legislation to establish a family caregiving tax credit. Revenue.
By Representatives Decker of Cambridge and Vargas of Haverhill, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2762) of Marjorie C. Decker, Andres X. Vargas and others relative to the earned income tax credit. Revenue.
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 bill creates a new Board of Registration in Midwifery within the Department of Public Health to oversee and regulate the practice of midwifery in the state. The board will consist of nine appointed members, including licensed midwives, obstetricians, and a public representative, with a specific requirement to consider racial disparities in maternal health during appointments. Additionally, the legislation expands the definition of who can prescribe medication to include licensed midwives and establishes a program for postpartum depression screenings for state employees. It also updates various state laws to formally recognize and define the roles of certified nurse-midwives and licensed midwives across different departments.
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 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 directs the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority to electrify the Haverhill line of the commuter rail system by December 31, 2030. The primary change adds a specific deadline to the existing state laws governing the MBTA, ensuring the project is completed within that timeframe. This legislation directly affects the Haverhill commuter rail line and the agency responsible for its operations and maintenance.
Maddy summaryThis bill amends Massachusetts law to exempt Purple Heart recipients from paying municipal parking meter fees and Massachusetts State Parks entrance fees. To qualify for this exemption, a veteran must display a special "Order of the Purple Heart Recipient" placard or emblem on their vehicle, which indicates they were combat wounded. The exemption applies only when the recipient is driving or riding as a passenger and the vehicle is not parked in one location for more than 24 hours. Additionally, the law allows the surviving spouse of a deceased Purple Heart recipient to keep the special registration plates for a fee until they remarry or cancel the registration.
