Rep. Steve Xiarhos

Maddy summaryThis bill directs the Department of Elder Affairs to develop a plan for providing specialized services to individuals with early-onset Alzheimer's disease who are enrolled in MassHealth's frail elder home and community-based services waiver. The legislation requires the department to identify specific needs and barriers faced by this population and propose strategies to improve care and support. Additionally, the bill mandates that the department report its findings and proposed plan to the Joint Committee on Elder Affairs by a specified deadline.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new funding program within the Massachusetts School Building Authority specifically for vocational-technical education and regional vocational-technical schools. The legislation aims to improve access and capacity by directing capital investments toward infrastructure that supports industry-relevant workforce training and economic development. By establishing this dedicated tool, the bill seeks to ensure equitable access to public education and modern facilities for students pursuing technical careers.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a pilot program to help low-income families in Massachusetts afford diapers for infants and young children. It establishes a new trust fund managed by the Department of Public Health, which will be financed through state appropriations, interest, and unrestricted private donations. The Department of Public Health will select up to 12 organizations across the state to receive funding for purchasing, storing, and distributing diapers, with limits on how many grants are awarded to specific geographic regions. The program is designed to run for a set period, after which the department must submit a report to the legislature detailing the results.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a pilot program in Massachusetts to provide diapers to low-income families with infants and young children. It establishes a dedicated trust fund that will be financed through state appropriations, interest, and unrestricted private donations to support diaper distribution organizations. The Department of Public Health will award grants to up to 12 applicants across the state's regions to purchase, store, and distribute diapers, with a requirement to report on the program's impact after one year.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a new legal framework for setting payment rates for workers who provide support services to individuals with disabilities in Massachusetts. It creates two distinct categories of staff: entry-level workers with minimal experience and more experienced staff who have supervisory duties or advanced training. The legislation requires the state's Department of Developmental Services to use these specific definitions when calculating how much to pay these direct care professionals. By clarifying these roles, the bill aims to ensure that rate-setting processes accurately reflect the different levels of responsibility and skill required in disability support jobs.

Maddy summaryThis bill, known as the James Ward Act, increases penalties for drivers who leave the scene of an accident involving a recreational vehicle or snowmobile without stopping. Under the new rules, anyone who hits another person with such a vehicle and flees without providing their name, address, or registration number could face up to one year in jail or a fine of up to $1,000 if no one dies. If the hit-and-run results in a death, the maximum prison sentence rises to two and a half years, or a fine of up to $5,000, or both. The law specifically targets incidents where the driver operates a recreational vehicle or snow vehicle and knowingly causes bodily injury before fleeing. These changes apply to all drivers in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts using these types of vehicles.

Maddy summaryKianna's Law amends Massachusetts domestic violence laws to ensure victims and their families are notified by law enforcement when restraining orders are served, fail to be served, or expire. The bill mandates that courts issue abuse prevention orders for a fixed one-year term and requires police to enter order details into a public safety system to trigger immediate service attempts if an order has not been delivered. Additionally, the law grants victims and witnesses a specific right to receive updates on the status of these orders and directs the Victim and Witness Assistance Board to survey local agencies on how well they support victims. These changes aim to improve transparency and accountability in the legal process for domestic violence cases.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new criminal offense specifically for assaulting or battering public transit workers while they are performing their duties. It defines the crime to include acts such as spitting, throwing bodily fluids, or flinging unspecified liquids at transit employees. Anyone convicted faces a prison sentence of at least 90 days and up to two and a half years, or a fine ranging from $500 to $5,000. The legislation also authorizes law enforcement to make warrantless arrests for these offenses when the transit worker is operating a vehicle.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows Massachusetts veterans who have received the Purple Heart medal to obtain special license plates featuring the medal's image. The law requires the state registrar to provide the first set of these plates free of charge to eligible veterans, while subsequent sets or emblems would incur standard registration fees. Surviving spouses of deceased Purple Heart recipients can also keep the plates for personal use by paying the regular registration fee plus an additional annual fee until they remarry or cancel the registration. The legislation directly impacts military veterans and their families by creating a formal recognition program for those wounded in combat.