Rep. Patrick Kearney

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a PFAS Remediation Trust Fund to address contamination in Massachusetts drinking water, groundwater, soil, and other environmental media. It directly affects communities with PFAS pollution, including vulnerable environmental justice areas, private well owners, and public water systems. The fund provides grants for PFAS treatment, remediation, and outreach programs, prioritizing communities with limited resources. Money comes from settlements with PFAS manufacturers, other grants, and interest, with strict rules requiring repayment if responsible parties are later identified.

Maddy summaryHD 2651 modifies Massachusetts abortion law by removing specific medical justification requirements. It replaces the previous list of permitted circumstances (e.g., preserving life, health, or fetal anomalies) with a standard allowing abortions "based upon the professional judgment of the physician." The bill also eliminates a requirement for physicians to independently review cases involving pregnancies over 24 weeks and deletes language about "determinations" related to those cases. This change directly affects patients seeking abortions and physicians performing them by broadening the legal basis for the procedure.

Maddy summaryThis bill eliminates a requirement for patients to get referrals from primary care doctors before seeing gynecologists or related specialists. It directly affects patients seeking specific gynecological care covered by insurance, including annual preventive exams, menstrual health issues (like heavy bleeding), maternity care, and emergency gynecological conditions. Insurance companies can no longer demand these referrals when patients visit OB/GYNs, nurse-midwives, or family practitioners in their network. The change simplifies access to timely care for these common health needs without altering insurance coverage.

By Representative Meschino of Hull and Senator O'Connor, a joint petition (subject to Joint Rule 12) of Joan Meschino and Patrick M. O'Connor for legislation to designate the American lobster as the official crustacean of the Commonwealth. State Administration and Regulatory Oversight.

Maddy summaryHD 2485 prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in Massachusetts healthcare. It bans healthcare providers and entities from denying lifesaving treatment or prioritizing care based on assumptions about a person's quality of life or "worth" due to disability, or using metrics that value lives with disabilities less than others. The law specifically prohibits conditioning treatment on having a "Do Not Resuscitate" order or advance directive, while allowing consideration of short-term survival likelihood in crisis care. This applies to all public and private healthcare entities in Massachusetts, ensuring equal access to treatment regardless of disability.

Maddy summaryThis bill would create a single government-run health care system called the Massachusetts Health Care Trust, providing universal coverage to all Massachusetts residents. It eliminates patient cost-sharing (like deductibles and co-pays) and requires the Trust to cover all medically appropriate services, including dental, behavioral health, and long-term care. The Trust would replace current private and public insurance plans, funding care through state revenue to ensure coverage regardless of income, health status, or employment. It directly affects every Massachusetts resident (as defined, including homeless individuals and undocumented people) and all health care providers in the state. The system aims to reduce administrative costs, control spending, and expand preventive care while guaranteeing continuous coverage without job or enrollment changes.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Massachusetts utilities to create a public online dashboard showing real-time breakdowns of residential utility bills, including clean energy program benefits and costs. It mandates that at least 70% of certain clean energy compliance payments must be returned to ratepayers as annual bill credits within 90 days. The dashboard will display historical rate components, program benefits (like reduced emissions and system reliability), and utility cost recovery mechanisms. These changes directly affect residential electricity and gas customers by increasing bill transparency and providing direct financial returns for clean energy investments.

Maddy summaryHD 3390 modifies Massachusetts tax law to address income from foreign entities. It specifies that amounts included in federal income under Section 951A of the IRS Code (related to global intangible low-taxed income) will no longer be treated as dividends for state tax purposes, and taxpayers can only deduct 50% of this income instead of the full amount. This primarily affects businesses and individuals with foreign income subject to Section 951A provisions. The changes apply to tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryH 5022 prohibits health insurance companies from denying payment for covered services solely because a patient received a referral from a doctor outside the insurance network. This affects patients seeking care from non-network providers and requires insurers to cover services under the same terms as network referrals. The bill amends multiple sections of Massachusetts health insurance laws (including Chapters 32A, 32B, 94C, 175, 176A, 176B, 176G, and 176I) to include this uniform rule. It takes effect one year after enactment for all new, renewed, or amended insurance contracts.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Massachusetts state employee health plans and Medicaid programs to cover stuttering speech therapy as either habilitative (helping develop skills) or rehabilitative (restoring lost skills) services. It mandates coverage without annual visit limits, restrictions based on the cause of stuttering, or prior authorization. The law also requires coverage for both in-person and telehealth speech therapy services, including all necessary technology compliant with privacy laws. It directly affects Commonwealth employees, retirees, and Medicaid recipients by ensuring access to this specific therapy without typical insurance barriers.