Rep. Pat Duffy

Maddy summaryHD 754 creates a Crumbling Concrete Assistance Fund to help homeowners repair or replace residential foundations damaged by pyrite or pyrrhotite. The fund, managed by the Secretary of Housing and Livable Communities, provides financial assistance for repairs, reimburses homeowners who already paid for fixes (up to the fund amount), and exempts these repairs from property taxes. It is funded through state appropriations, federal programs (like HUD's Section 108), private donations, and interest, with annual reports required to the legislature. A stakeholder working group must also develop long-term solutions by February 2026, including potential funding models like insurance surcharges. This directly affects Massachusetts homeowners with deteriorating foundations and aims to reduce municipal fiscal strain.

Maddy summaryHD 2707 creates the "Nature for All Fund" to finance nature-based climate and conservation projects across Massachusetts. The fund, financed by specific sales tax revenues (codes 459110, 441210, and 713910), will support parks, trails, water protection, farm/forest conservation, and indigenous land access - prioritizing underserved communities and environmental justice areas. It establishes a 15-member board to oversee spending, requiring annual reports on funds directed to environmental justice populations. The fund will supplement, not replace, existing conservation programs and may issue bonds secured solely by its revenues.

Maddy summaryHD 2958 requires courts to deny or terminate alimony payments to spouses convicted of abuse, protecting survivors from having to pay. It amends multiple sections of family law to mandate this for cases involving physical harm, threats, or forced sexual relations as defined in existing statutes. Survivors who would otherwise be ordered to pay alimony to an abusive ex-spouse are directly affected. The bill also removes language that previously prevented abuse orders from being used as evidence in alimony cases.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a clear process for dividing "heirs property" - family-owned real estate held in shared ownership without a binding agreement, where at least 20% of owners are relatives or acquired the property from a relative. It requires courts to order fair market appraisals for such properties before division, ensures all owners receive notice of the valuation, and gives other owners the first right to buy out those seeking to sell. If no owner buys the shares, the property is sold, but owners must pay based on their proportional ownership. The law directly affects families and co-owners of inherited land facing disputes over division or sale.

Maddy summaryHD 1828 requires employers to provide new written wage notices within 10 days of hire, detailing pay rates, pay schedules, and business contact information in the employee's preferred language. It creates joint liability for wage theft among lead contractors, labor contractors, and subcontractors, holding their officers personally accountable. The Attorney General gains new enforcement powers to sue for treble damages, lost wages, and attorney fees on behalf of affected workers. The bill also adjusts unemployment benefits to account for unpaid wages during the benefit calculation period.

Maddy summaryHD 1709 modifies parole violation procedures to increase fairness. It specifies that parole officers can issue temporary custody warrants only for certain serious violations (like tampering with GPS, contacting victims, or violating protection orders), and requires parole board review for other alleged breaches. The bill mandates a preliminary hearing within 15 days of detention to determine if a violation occurred, with a decision issued within 48 hours. Parolees placed in temporary custody are affected, as are parole officers and the parole board, which must now follow these structured steps before revoking parole. The key change is creating clearer, more limited conditions for temporary detention and requiring timely judicial review.

Maddy summaryHD 3912 creates a state-funded program providing free legal representation to low-income tenants and homeowners facing eviction or housing subsidy termination in Massachusetts. It directly affects eligible individuals who qualify based on income (80% of area median income or less), public assistance status, or inability to pay court costs without hardship. The program, administered by the Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation, will fund designated legal aid organizations to provide "full legal representation" in covered housing cases, including eviction proceedings. These organizations must serve low-income communities, ensure language access, and work with an advisory committee of housing advocates and tenants.

Maddy summaryThis bill automates the sealing of certain criminal records in Massachusetts, eliminating the need for individuals to file petitions. It requires correctional facilities to report release dates monthly to the probation commissioner, who then automatically seals eligible records after waiting periods (3 years for misdemeanors, 7 for felonies), excluding sex offenses, certain drug violations, and other specified crimes. The commissioner must seal records within 30 days of eligibility, provide clear notices to affected individuals at sentencing, and allow access to sealed records without court orders upon request. It directly affects people with past convictions who meet the waiting periods and criminal justice agencies responsible for record management.

Maddy summaryThis bill automatically seals criminal records for offenses that did not result in a conviction or "guilty file" disposition, directly affecting individuals with unconvicted cases. It eliminates the need for people to file petitions to seal such records, requiring courts and probation agencies to seal them immediately after final disposition (including completion of supervision). The bill also mandates that agencies provide a written notice stating "a presumption of innocence applies" for unconvicted offenses when sharing records. Additionally, it ensures individuals can access their sealed records without court orders and clarifies that convictions only include formal "findings of guilt," excluding continuances without finding. These changes aim to reduce barriers for people with unconvicted cases in employment, housing, and other areas.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new legal framework to address abusive lawsuits between family or household members where one party has been found to have committed abuse. It defines "controlling and abusive litigation" as legal actions primarily intended to harass, intimidate, or maintain contact with a victim, often involving repetitive claims or lacking legal merit. Victims can request court orders restricting such litigation, which would require courts to verify abuse history and litigation patterns before imposing penalties. If found abusive, the case is dismissed with prejudice, and the perpetrator must pay all costs, attorney fees, and faces a 48-72 month ban on filing new lawsuits.