Rep. Estela Reyes

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits mandatory overtime for healthcare workers in specific Massachusetts facilities, including hospitals and certain correctional facilities (excluding long-term care and most correctional settings). It allows overtime only during true emergencies with no reasonable alternatives, requires facilities to seek voluntary coverage first, and limits consecutive work to 16 hours with 8 hours off afterward. Facilities must report all mandatory overtime use to health authorities, and workers cannot face retaliation for refusing overtime beyond these limits. The law directly affects nurses, support staff, and other healthcare personnel in covered facilities, aiming to protect patient safety and staff well-being.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all health insurance policies in Massachusetts - covering MassHealth, group plans, and individual policies - to provide equal coverage for mental health and behavioral health treatment as for physical health conditions. It mandates that insurers cover "medically necessary treatment for any mental disorder, including autism spectrum disorder," as defined by standard medical manuals (DSM/ICD), without discrimination. The law also prohibits disability insurance from excluding or limiting benefits for conditions related to mental health or substance use. These requirements apply to all policies delivered, issued, or renewed on or after July 1, 2026. The bill directly affects Massachusetts residents with health insurance, ensuring parity in access to mental health care.

Maddy summaryHD 2122 requires Massachusetts health insurance plans - including Medicaid, private insurers, and employer health plans - to cover services provided by certified community health workers (CHWs), such as health education, care coordination, and resource navigation. It directly affects CHWs, healthcare providers, community organizations, and insurers by mandating payment for these services, including those employed by non-medical entities. The bill also establishes a task force to study CHW workforce challenges and recommend improvements to certification, recruitment, retention, and reimbursement by March 2026. This policy change expands access to community-based health support through standardized insurance coverage and workforce development efforts.

Maddy summaryThis bill increases tax credits for low-income families with children by boosting the credit percentage by 5 percentage points for each qualifying child beyond three. It allows families without a Social Security Number to claim the credit using an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) and creates a new $600 credit per qualifying dependent (including elderly or disabled relatives). The changes apply to tax years starting January 1, 2025, and require the state to provide multilingual outreach about tax credits through websites, employers, and social service programs. The bill directly affects families meeting federal eligibility rules for tax credits but facing barriers like lacking an SSN or needing assistance navigating the system.

Maddy summaryHD 5228 authorizes the City of Lawrence to exchange a 77-square-foot portion of James J. O'Neil Park (at Lawrence Street and Chestnut Street) for a 363-square-foot parcel of adjacent land. The swap must be for recreation purposes, with both parcels remaining protected for open space, conservation, and passive recreation under Massachusetts law. The bill ensures the transferred park land continues to comply with constitutional protections (Article 97) and Chapter 40, Section 8C, which restrict park use to conservation and recreation. This procedural bill directly affects Lawrence’s City Council and Conservation Commission by enabling a specific land exchange. It does not create new policy but formalizes a limited, constitutionally compliant land transfer.

Maddy summaryThis bill (HD 3226) creates a new "Secretary of Equity" position within state government and adds "health equity" as a core requirement across health-related laws. It defines "priority populations" as groups disproportionately affected by health disparities and mandates that health agencies incorporate health equity into all decisions, including requiring a "chief health equity officer" (Section 8). The bill also establishes new reporting requirements for health care spending trends, including data on health inequities (Section 17), and sets aggregate expenditure targets for primary care and behavioral health services (Section 9A). It directly affects state health agencies, healthcare providers, and priority populations by requiring systemic changes to address health disparities.

Maddy summaryHD 2146 requires Massachusetts' Department of Public Health to create a mandatory assessment tool within 12 months. This tool quantifies health impacts (like asthma, hospital visits, and premature death) and associated costs or savings from energy-related emissions (e.g., pollution from power plants) and energy efficiency/renewable energy benefits. It specifically analyzes effects on environmental justice communities, MassHealth, community hospitals, and state budgets. Starting 24 months after the law takes effect, all new state energy, transportation, or waste policies must explicitly factor in the tool's health cost analysis before adoption.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Massachusetts health insurance laws to change coverage rules for surviving spouses of deceased or retired state employees. It removes language requiring coverage termination upon remarriage (affecting those who remarried before the law took effect) and shifts premium costs: the government now pays half the premium, with the surviving spouse covering the other half. The changes apply only prospectively, meaning no retroactive coverage is provided to those who lost coverage due to remarriage before the bill's effective date. These updates directly impact surviving spouses who were previously required to pay full premiums or lose coverage if they remarried.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits discrimination against entities participating in the federal 340B drug discount program. It requires insurers and drug distributors to pay 340B-covered entities (like community health centers and safety-net hospitals) and their contract pharmacies the same rate as non-340B providers for covered drugs, without imposing special requirements or modifiers for 340B drugs. The law also protects patients' choice to receive 340B drugs from participating providers without interference. Violations are treated as unfair trade practices under Massachusetts law, enforced by the Attorney General and pharmacy board. The bill directly affects 340B program participants, their pharmacy partners, insurers, and drug manufacturers/distributors operating in Massachusetts.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires health insurance plans in Massachusetts covering prescription drugs to establish a separate out-of-pocket limit for those drugs - including specialty drugs - distinct from other medical costs. The limit cannot exceed the federal minimum annual deductible for high-deductible health plans (set under IRS code 26 U.S.C. §223), which covers both self-only and family coverage. It defines "out-of-pocket limit" to include cost-sharing expenses like copays under the Affordable Care Act. The rule applies to all relevant health insurance policies renewed or issued on or after January 1, 2026, directly affecting insurers and patients with prescription drug coverage.