Rep. Pat Duffy

By Representatives Rogers of Cambridge and Biele of Boston, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 3248) of David M. Rogers, David Biele and others relative to Native American heritage. Tourism, Arts and Cultural Development.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires state agencies and large hospitals or universities to report on their spending with minority-owned businesses. It mandates that these "anchor institutions" submit annual reports detailing their supplier diversity policies and the specific share of loans, grants, and services provided to certified minority-owned enterprises. Additionally, the bill directs the Secretary of Housing and Economic Development to create a strategic plan that addresses racial and ethnic disparities in employment and business ownership. These changes aim to increase transparency and encourage inclusive procurement practices within the state's major economic institutions.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows education administrators in Massachusetts to count past work in special education as retirement credit if they paid into their pension fund. Specifically, it applies to individuals who supervised special education services in non-public schools where the state helped pay tuition. To claim this credit, the administrators must make a one-time payment or a series of payments equal to five percent of their salary from that time period, plus interest. The law gives these workers the option to choose when to make this payment before their retirement benefits begin.

Maddy summaryThis bill directs the Massachusetts Department of Education to create and manage a grant program aimed at helping social work students find field placement opportunities. The funding is specifically intended to recruit and retain Master of Social Work students from historically marginalized and low-income communities. Money for this initiative would come from state, federal, or other available resources, including existing trust funds. The legislation seeks to build a more stable and diverse workforce of licensed social workers within the state.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new grant program called the Hunger Free Campus Initiative to help public colleges and universities in Massachusetts address student food insecurity. The program would provide funding to institutions, including municipally administered and minority-serving colleges, to support students in completing their career and technical education programs. To manage the initiative, the state would hire a program director responsible for developing guidelines and conducting surveys to guide how grants are distributed based on available data on student hunger.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates the Massachusetts Hunger-Free Campus Initiative, a grant program designed to help public colleges and universities address student food insecurity. Managed by the state department of higher education, the program will provide funding to eligible institutions, including municipal colleges and minority-serving schools, to support students in completing their post-secondary education. The department will hire a director to set guidelines for the grants, which may require schools to have specific staff, awareness programs, and meal options that accept federal nutrition benefits. Additionally, the bill mandates that the department provide technical assistance to schools and submit an annual report to state officials on the program's progress.