Rep. Steve Xiarhos

Maddy summaryThis bill (HD 3602) repeals Chapter 135 of the Acts of 2024, which was a previous legislative act related to firearm laws. As a procedural repeal, it does not create new policies or affect specific groups; it simply removes an existing statute from the law. The bill has no new provisions or mechanisms. It directly affects the legal text of Chapter 135 but does not alter current firearm regulations.

Maddy summaryThis bill (HD 4247) repeals Chapter 135 of the Acts of 2024, which was a firearms law enacted in 2024. It directly affects the legal framework governing firearms by removing that specific law from the statute books. The bill contains no new provisions or mechanisms - it solely reverses the prior law's enactment. This is a procedural repeal with no additional policy changes.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows Massachusetts law enforcement officers (like police, sheriffs, and state troopers) to temporarily hold non-citizens who meet specific criteria for up to 12 hours to transfer them to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). It directly affects individuals convicted of certain serious crimes - such as domestic violence, drug trafficking, gang-related offenses, or violent felonies - as defined in the bill. Key provisions require ICE to provide a written request and warrant, a supervisory officer to verify public safety threats based on listed criteria, and a court to review the detention within 12 hours. The bill explicitly prohibits holding individuals for immigration purposes without these safeguards and ensures court records remain public.

Maddy summaryHD 4221 requires Massachusetts law enforcement officers and court personnel to hold individuals for up to 36 hours when U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) provides a written request for detention, mandating that the person receive a copy of the request. It also directs judges to consider ICE detainer requests when setting or modifying bail for people in custody, specifically if ICE has a written request and an administrative warrant for removal exists. The bill directly affects individuals in state custody with active ICE requests, law enforcement officers, and judges handling bail hearings. Key provisions establish a 36-hour detention window for ICE transfers and require judges to factor ICE requests into bail decisions under Chapter 276.

Maddy summaryHD 4224, titled "An Act to exclude tipped wages from taxable income," amends Massachusetts tax law to remove tips received by employees from their taxable income. This directly affects tipped workers in Massachusetts, such as restaurant servers and bartenders, who currently have tips included in their taxable earnings. The bill adds a new provision (subsection 21) to the tax code, defining tips as "net amount of Part B adjusted gross income received as tips" under Chapter 149, Section 152A, thereby excluding them from taxable income calculations. This is a specific tax code amendment with no new funding or enforcement mechanisms.

Maddy summaryHD 530 establishes the Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact (PSYPACT) to allow licensed psychologists to provide services across state lines under specific conditions. It enables telepsychology (online sessions) and temporary in-person practice (up to 30 days per year) in states that have joined the compact, without requiring a separate license in the "distant state." The compact creates standardized processes for verifying licenses, sharing disciplinary records, and issuing temporary authorization certificates (like the "E.Passport" and "Interjurisdictional Practice Certificate"). This directly affects licensed psychologists seeking to serve clients in other compact states and expands public access to psychological services while maintaining state-level regulatory oversight for safety.

Maddy summaryThis bill denies access to Commonwealth-subsidized public housing for individuals convicted of Level 2 or Level 3 sex offenses in Massachusetts. It directly affects people with these specific sex offense convictions who would otherwise qualify for subsidized housing. The law amends housing statutes to require such denial by inserting a new subsection (q) into the relevant chapter. This creates a mandatory restriction on housing eligibility for these individuals in publicly funded housing units. The policy change is limited to housing subsidized by the state, not all public housing.

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 summaryThis bill amends Massachusetts retirement law to add specific correctional facility maintenance staff to Group 2 of the contributory retirement system. It directly affects employees in Unit 9 positions at the Massachusetts Department of Correction whose duties include overseeing construction, maintenance, or repair projects within correctional facilities. The change adds these workers to an existing retirement group by modifying the legal description of Group 2 eligibility. The bill is purely procedural, updating retirement classification without altering benefits or creating new policy. It takes effect upon passage.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends a state law to allow police dogs injured in the line of duty to receive advanced life support care. It removes a previous prohibition that blocked such care and clarifies that only licensed medical professionals (e.g., veterinarians or paramedics) with relevant training can provide it. The change does not require new services or funding but ensures qualified personnel can legally offer advanced care when needed. It directly affects police dogs and the healthcare providers who treat them during duty-related injuries.