Maddy summaryThis bill amends Massachusetts state law to formally include cyberattacks and cybersecurity threats against critical infrastructure in the legal definition of a state of emergency. It directly affects the Governor and state officials by expanding their authority to declare emergencies when vital systems, such as election networks, utilities, or transportation grids, face digital disruption or data theft. The legislation establishes clear definitions for "critical infrastructure," "cybersecurity attack," and "cyber system" to ensure these terms are consistently understood when determining the appropriate emergency response. By updating Chapter 639 of the Acts of 1950, the bill provides a specific legal framework for addressing digital threats that could compromise public safety and economic stability.
Rep. Kelly Pease
Sponsored bills
Senate, December 28, 2023 -- The committee on Advanced Information Technology, the Internet and Cybersecurity, to whom was referred the petitions (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 26) of Brendan P. Crighton for legislation to modernize state agency information technology systems; (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 30) of Barry R. Finegold for legislation to protect sensitive information from security breaches; (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 31) of Barry R. Finegold for legislation to regulate generative artificial intelligence models like ChatGPT; (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 32) of Barry R. Finegold for legislation relative to cyber incident response; (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 35) of Paul W. Mark for legislation to protect against cyber ransom; (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 36) of Michael O. Moore for legislation to establish a Cybersecurity Control and Review Commission; (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 37) of Patrick M. O'Connor and Michael J. Soter for legislation to protect the residents of the Commonwealth; (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 198) of Michael O. Moore for legislation to protect personal identifying information; (accompanied by bill, House, No. 66) of Bradley H. Jones, Jr., and others relative to cyberattack responses; (accompanied by bill, House, No. 76) of Tram T. Nguyen relative to protecting sensitive information from security breaches; (accompanied by bill, House, No. 77) of Angelo J. Puppolo, Jr., that the Office of Information Technology consider cloud computing service options under certain circumstances; (accompanied by bill, House, No. 82) of Michael J. Soter and others for legislation to protect residents of the Commonwealth from the threat posed by certain foreign adversaries using current or potential future social media companies; and (accompanied by bill, House, No. 84) of Marcus S. Vaughn relative to electronic security for certain procurements involving electronic or cyber security equipment components, report the accompanying bill (Senate, No. 2539).
By Representative Soter of Bellingham, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2954) of Michael J. Soter and others relative to property taxes for 100% disabled veterans. Revenue.
Maddy summaryThis bill increases the property tax exemptions available to veterans in Massachusetts. It directly affects military service members by raising the dollar amounts they can exclude from their property's assessed value when calculating taxes. The legislation doubles specific exemption limits, such as increasing the base exemption from $400 to $800 and raising the exemption for veterans with service-connected disabilities from $1,500 to $3,000. These changes are implemented by amending existing state laws to update the numerical thresholds for these tax breaks.
By Representative Garry of Dracut, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2181) of Colleen M. Garry and Kelly W. Pease relative to the health of mothers and born alive fetuses after the second trimester. Public Health.
By Representative Durant of Spencer, a petition (subject to Joint Rule 12) of Peter J. Durant and others relative to eligibility for the emergency housing assistance program. Housing.
Maddy summaryThis bill seeks to amend the Massachusetts Constitution to clarify how "fair share" funds, collected from high-income earners, must be spent. It requires that any new money allocated for these programs be added to existing budgets rather than replacing current funding levels. The change ensures that the state cannot use these specific revenues to cut other appropriations in the same fiscal year. This provision directly affects the state's budgeting process and the financial management of programs funded by the high-income tax.
By Representatives McKenna of Webster and Lipper-Garabedian of Melrose, a petition (subject to Joint Rule 12) of Joseph D. McKenna, Kate Lipper-Garabedian and others relative to carbon monoxide alarms in schools. Education.
By Mr. Ryan of Boston, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2398) of Daniel J. Ryan and others relative to workforce development and patient safety. Public Health.