Rep. Hadley Luddy

Maddy summaryThis bill creates the Manuel F. Correllus State Forest Trust Fund to support recreational, educational, and conservation activities within Manuel F. Correllus State Forest. The fund will collect revenue from permits, licenses, and agreements related to forest use - instead of directing these fees to the state’s general budget - and use them for facility construction and maintenance. It specifically requires that fees generated by forest activities be dedicated to this trust fund for infrastructure improvements. The fund cannot be depleted through spending, ensuring dedicated resources for the forest’s upkeep. This directly affects the forest’s operations and users who pay associated fees.

Maddy summaryHD 1423 creates a statewide drought management task force within the Massachusetts Office of Environmental Affairs. The task force, co-chaired by the Secretary and the Emergency Management Director, includes agency heads and water sector representatives, and must develop and update a statewide drought management plan every 5-10 years. It authorizes the Secretary to implement water conservation measures (like limiting nonessential outdoor use) during droughts, applying to all water users in designated drought regions. Cities and towns must enforce these Secretary-ordered restrictions, overriding local rules that conflict with drought management. The bill directly affects all Massachusetts water users during drought conditions.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires anyone spending $1,000 or more to influence town meeting articles (local voting issues) to file detailed reports with the town clerk. It mandates reporting the date, purpose, amount, and source of all contributions, as well as the recipient of each expenditure. Reports must be submitted monthly, before town meetings, and within 30 days after meetings. The law directly affects individuals, corporations, or groups spending significant sums to sway local vote outcomes, aiming to increase transparency around "dark money" in town governance. Violations carry fines up to $1,000 or up to one year in jail.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends a Massachusetts law to include telecommunicators (emergency call dispatchers) and their retired counterparts employed by the Barnstable or Dukes County Sheriff’s Offices within an existing benefit provision previously limited to hospital employees. It directly affects current and retired telecommunicators working for these two specific county sheriff’s offices. The key mechanism is a simple textual insertion in the law, expanding eligibility for the benefit without creating new programs or funding. The change is limited to these two counties and does not alter broader state policy.

Maddy summaryHD 2540 creates a legal process for terminally ill Massachusetts residents to request medication for a peaceful death. It requires patients to be mentally capable adults with a terminal diagnosis (expected death within 6 months), prove Massachusetts residency, and complete a 15-day waiting period after an initial oral request. The process involves two physicians confirming the diagnosis and mental capacity, plus two non-family witnesses verifying the patient’s voluntary participation. Patients with legal guardians are excluded, and the bill explicitly does not affect existing hospice or palliative care options.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new assessment system for streaming entertainment companies using public rights-of-way in Massachusetts. It requires companies earning over $250,000 annually in the state to pay an assessment based on their gross revenues, with rates set annually by a new advisory board. The collected funds aim to maintain previous revenue levels for community media facilities (PEG access facilities), which provide public, educational, and government programming. The bill directly affects streaming operators, not end-users, and establishes a structured process for collecting payments while prohibiting rate regulation of these services.

Maddy summaryThis bill restricts the use of certain rodent poisons (like Warfarin and Brodifacoum) to only short-term public health emergencies. It requires licensed pest control professionals to first use non-chemical methods, limits emergency use to 14 days, and mandates detailed reporting on locations, amounts used, and follow-up rodent control plans. The law directly affects pest control applicators and public health agencies managing rodent-related health risks. It also requires annual public reporting of all emergency rodenticide use by the state department. The restrictions take effect January 1, 2027.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Harwich's Affordable Housing Trust Bylaw to define "attainable housing" and clarify the trust's purpose. It specifies that attainable housing includes units for households earning 80% to 200% of the area median income (adjusted for household size), not just low/moderate-income households. The trust can now use funds to create or preserve this type of housing, alongside traditional affordable housing, to benefit a broader range of local residents. The bill focuses on updating definitions rather than creating new programs.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires safety inspections for buildings or structures used as short-term rentals in Massachusetts, such as properties rented on platforms like Airbnb. It directly affects property owners and managers who operate short-term rental units. The key provision mandates that these properties undergo regular inspections to ensure compliance with safety standards, including structural integrity and fire safety. The bill aims to protect tenants and residents by preventing unsafe conditions in short-term rental properties.

Maddy summaryThis bill (HD 4738) authorizes the town of Provincetown to ban the use and sale of second-generation anti-coagulant rodenticides within its boundaries. It directly affects Provincetown residents, businesses, and local officials by granting the town government the legal authority to implement such a prohibition. The key mechanism is a local authorization allowing the town to enforce restrictions on these specific rodenticides, which are known to persist in the environment and pose risks to non-target wildlife. The bill does not mandate the ban but provides the legal framework for the town to act if it chooses to do so. This is a local regulatory measure, not a statewide law.