Rep. Pat Duffy

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits Massachusetts state and local government agencies (including police departments, sheriff's offices, and correctional facilities) from entering new agreements with federal immigration authorities for immigration enforcement or detention. It also requires all existing agreements of this type to end within 30 days (for enforcement agreements) or 90 days (for detention agreements) after the law takes effect. The Attorney General can enforce the law by seeking court orders to stop violations. The bill directly affects how Massachusetts law enforcement interacts with federal immigration authorities regarding detention and enforcement.

Maddy summaryHD 3165 establishes a $25 per hour minimum wage for care workers in home care agencies and social service programs, with annual inflation adjustments based on the U.S. Department of Labor's CPI index. The bill directly affects home care workers and social service program providers by requiring agencies to pay this enhanced wage. Key provisions mandate that state payment rates for these services must fully cover the cost of this higher wage, adjusted annually for inflation. This policy change ensures care workers' compensation keeps pace with living costs while requiring rate adjustments to providers' reimbursement.

By Representative Meschino of Hull, a petition (subject to Joint Rule 9) of Joan Meschino and others for legislation to create a climate bank to facilitate innovative financing solutions for climate and clean energy innovations in the public, private, and non-profit sectors. Financial Services.

Maddy summaryThis bill declares free public higher education a right for Massachusetts residents. It creates a state grant program covering tuition and mandatory fees at public colleges, universities, and vocational programs for eligible students. Eligibility requires graduating from a Massachusetts high school (or equivalent) after three years of attendance, or qualifying for in-state tuition under federal rules. The grants supplement, but do not replace, existing federal aid like Pell Grants and state scholarships, with no restrictions on academic programs.

Maddy summaryHD 847 establishes a bill of rights for people experiencing homelessness, defining this group to include those in shelters, vehicles, parks, or transitional housing. It guarantees specific rights such as free use of public spaces without discrimination based on housing status, access to medical care (including pandemic-related services), and the ability to vote without requiring a fixed address. The law also prohibits discrimination in employment and housing based on housing status and protects privacy of information shared with shelters. It amends existing anti-discrimination laws (chapters 151B and 51) to explicitly include "housing status" as a protected category.

By Representative Duffy of Holyoke (by request), a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 361) of Kirstin Beatty relative to corporate radiation limits. Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure.

Maddy summaryHD 507 extends Massachusetts' prevailing wage requirements to offsite fabrication work for public construction projects. It requires contractors to pay prevailing wages for prefabricated items like pipes, electrical systems, or modular units made offsite, and to include specific payroll details in weekly reports (e.g., facility location, worker names, hours, and wages). This applies to all public projects covered by existing wage laws, ensuring offsite manufacturing work meets the same labor standards as on-site construction. The bill takes effect immediately upon passage.

Maddy summaryHD 935 requires virtual currency kiosk operators in Massachusetts to obtain a money transmitter license and register locations with the Commissioner of Banks before operating. Operators must submit quarterly location reports and provide clear, mandatory disclosures to customers, including prominent warnings about irreversible transactions, lack of government backing, scam risks (with specific examples like impersonation scams), and volatility. The bill also sets a $1,000 daily transaction limit per customer and mandates disclosure of fees, exchange rates, and policy changes. This directly affects businesses operating physical kiosks for buying/selling virtual currency in Massachusetts.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands telehealth coverage and digital access for Massachusetts residents. It requires health insurers to cover virtual visits, digital consultations, remote patient monitoring, and related devices at the same rate as in-person care. The bill also creates a shared application portal for affordable broadband programs and mandates insurers to provide interpreter services and digital literacy support for patients with limited English proficiency or low tech skills. These provisions directly affect patients, healthcare providers, and insurers across Massachusetts.

Maddy summaryThis bill removes a restriction that previously prevented public health dental hygienists from seeking reimbursement from insurance companies or third-party payors beyond Medicaid. It allows these hygienists to bill other insurers for services covered under Medicaid, directly affecting public health dental hygienists in Massachusetts. The key change modifies section 51 of chapter 112 to eliminate the requirement that they "shall not seek reimbursement from any other insurance or third party payor." This policy adjustment aims to improve financial sustainability for hygienists working in public health settings.