Rep. Pat Haddad

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Massachusetts high schools to include instruction in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and the use of automatic external defibrillators as a condition for graduation. The curriculum must follow current national guidelines and include hands-on practice, but it does not mandate that teachers be certified CPR instructors unless the course leads to a certification. By adding this requirement to existing state law, the measure ensures that all students receive standardized training in life-saving emergency skills before they can earn their diplomas.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a two-year pilot program at Taunton State Hospital to transfer medically stable patients with serious mental health or dual diagnosis needs away from overcrowded emergency departments in Southeast Massachusetts. The program requires that if a patient cannot be moved to another appropriate setting within four hours of arriving at an emergency room, they must be transferred to the new facility for care lasting up to fourteen days. Staffing and operational protocols for the pilot will be developed over the first six months by a committee including hospital officials, public health representatives, and nursing associations. The legislation also authorizes the hospital to admit patients under specific involuntary commitment laws and mandates an independent evaluation report after two years to assess the program's impact on emergency room crowding and care quality.

By Representative Honan of Boston, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 3336) of Kevin G. Honan, Thomas P. Walsh and Patricia A. Haddad relative to the safety of children on school buses. Transportation.

By Representative Straus of Mattapoisett, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 3435) of William M. Straus relative to the prevention of wrong-way driving. Transportation.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates the Abigail Adams Center for Women in STEM within the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative to support women working in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The center aims to address the underrepresentation of women in these fields by offering grants for startup costs, business incubator services, and entrepreneurial training. It also provides networking opportunities, help with business planning, and marketing assistance to help women launch and grow their own companies. By establishing this dedicated program, the legislation seeks to create more favorable workplace environments and commercialization opportunities specifically for women in the STEM sector.

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes to dedicate state resources to maintain a robust and healthy public higher education system in Massachusetts. It directly affects the state's public colleges and universities by seeking to ensure they have the necessary funding to operate effectively. The legislation aims to commit financial support to these institutions to prevent cuts that could impact educational quality and access. By focusing on resource allocation, the bill intends to provide a stable foundation for public higher education without specifying exact dollar amounts or spending limits.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes the transfer of a parking lot on Court Street in Taunton from the state to the city for a nominal fee of one dollar. Under the legislation, the city would assume full responsibility for costs such as appraisals, surveys, and ongoing maintenance, while the state retains the right to reclaim the land if it stops being used for parking. The state also agrees to hold the city harmless from any preexisting environmental violations associated with the property. Any funds received from the transfer would be deposited into the state's General Fund.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a formal framework for training, assessing, and assigning qualified interpreters to support students and families with limited English proficiency in Massachusetts schools. It creates specific definitions for different types of meetings, such as standard conferences and specialized sessions involving legal or disciplinary matters, and sets criteria for when an interpreter's language skills must be formally evaluated. The legislation also introduces a tiered system for interpreters, distinguishing between those who require formal assessment and those whose proficiency is deemed sufficient without it. Ultimately, the act aims to ensure that all educational interactions involving non-English speakers are conducted by interpreters who possess the necessary language skills, subject matter knowledge, and ethical understanding.