Rep. Pat Duffy

Maddy summaryThis bill ensures that children involved with state agencies have better access to behavioral health services by clarifying the Department of Mental Health's role in providing specialized care and allowing it to offer non-mental health services as needed. It requires the creation of a model emergency response plan for group care settings that prioritizes behavioral health interventions and limits police involvement to situations involving imminent danger. Additionally, the legislation mandates that group homes implement these plans, provide staff with behavioral health training, and guarantee that children can return to their homes after medical or non-medical leave without the facility refusing readmission.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates Massachusetts tax lien procedures to provide clearer protections and information for residential property owners facing foreclosure. It requires tax purchasers to notify homeowners within 12 days of buying their tax liens, ensuring the notice includes contact details and explains the owner's rights to redeem the property. The law also mandates that notices be sent via certified mail and posted on the property in plain language, including translations in the seven most common languages spoken in the state. Additionally, the bill defines how to calculate any remaining value owed to a homeowner after a property is sold to satisfy tax debts. These changes aim to improve transparency and ensure residents understand the steps involved in tax foreclosure processes.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Massachusetts law to explicitly authorize libraries to purchase and license electronic books and digital audiobooks. It directly affects a wide range of library types, including public, school, academic, and tribal libraries, by legally defining these digital formats and the companies that provide them. The legislation clarifies that "publishers" include both traditional book sellers and digital aggregators who license collections to libraries. By updating Chapter 78 of the General Laws, the bill removes potential legal barriers that might have prevented libraries from acquiring modern digital reading materials.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates Massachusetts tax lien procedures to better protect homeowners by clarifying how much money they might get back if their property is sold to pay off taxes. It requires government officials and private buyers of tax liens to send clear, plain-language notices in English and seven other common languages before taking legal action or selling the debt. These notices must explain the foreclosure process, how to reclaim the property, and the specific costs involved, while also defining how any leftover value from a property sale will be returned to the former owner. Additionally, the law mandates that initial tax demands for residential homes be sent via certified mail and posted publicly to ensure owners are properly informed.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates Massachusetts tax lien procedures to provide clearer information and protections for residential property owners facing foreclosure. It requires tax purchasers to notify homeowners within 12 days of buying their tax debt, mandating that notices be sent via certified mail, posted on the property, and written in plain English plus the seven most common languages in the state. The legislation also defines how to calculate "excess equity" for homeowners after a sale and ensures that initial tax demands include warnings about potential property loss and available assistance programs. These changes aim to improve transparency throughout the tax collection process while maintaining the state's ability to recover unpaid taxes.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a dedicated trust fund to support the modernization and reconstruction of public higher education facilities in Massachusetts. It achieves this by allocating 1% of sales and use tax revenue specifically for the state's public higher education facilities authority. The funds in this trust will be used exclusively to pay for facility upgrades, debt service, and other capital needs without requiring additional annual appropriations from the general budget. Additionally, the bill ensures that the tax rates funding this initiative cannot be lowered as long as any outstanding bonds or notes are still being repaid.

By Representatives Decker of Cambridge and Vargas of Haverhill, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2761) of Marjorie C. Decker, Andres X. Vargas and others relative to establishing a child and family tax credit. Revenue.

By Representative Duffy of Holyoke, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2782) of Patricia A. Duffy relative to expanding the commuter tax deduction to regional transit authority fares. Revenue.

By Representative Driscoll of Milton, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 3025) of William J. Driscoll, Jr., and others relative to remote access for public bodies and town meetings. State Administration and Regulatory Oversight.

Maddy summaryThis bill increases the funding available for Massachusetts' housing development incentive program, which provides tax credits to developers building affordable housing. It raises the annual credit cap from $10 million to $57 million for fiscal year 2024 and sets a future annual limit of $30 million. Additionally, the legislation adjusts specific project thresholds, increasing the maximum credit amount for certain developments from $2 million to $5 million. These changes allow the Department of Housing and Community Development to support a larger number of housing projects and offer greater financial assistance to certified developers.