Maddy summaryHD 1931 requires Massachusetts school districts to notify parents about changes to their child's mental, emotional, or physical health services and to encourage parental involvement in decisions affecting student well-being. It prohibits schools from discouraging parental notification or creating barriers to parents accessing education/health records, while banning instruction on sexual orientation or gender identity in kindergarten through third grade. Schools must obtain parental permission for health screenings in early grades and provide clear procedures for resolving parental concerns within 7 days, with appeals to the Commissioner of Education or courts if unresolved. The bill directly affects parents, students, and school districts by establishing specific notification, consent, and dispute resolution requirements.
Rep. David DeCoste
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryHD 1491 expands anti-discrimination protections in Massachusetts education by adding "special medical status" to existing laws. This term covers conditions related to disabilities under the ADA or medical treatments (preventative, curative, or palliative). The bill requires schools to consider this status in admission and continued enrollment decisions, alongside existing protections for race, gender, and national origin. It modifies multiple sections of education law to include "special medical status" and broaden coverage from initial admission to ongoing enrollment. This directly affects students with medical conditions and educational institutions across Massachusetts.
Maddy summaryThis bill requires all Massachusetts cities and towns to establish a 24/7 phone line for reporting threats to school buildings and publicize it widely. It mandates that every school building must have a school resource officer present during regular school hours, accompanied by a formal agreement with the police department. School districts must implement specific policies including active shooter training for staff/students, annual safety audits of buildings, and physical security upgrades like single access points and surveillance systems. These requirements apply directly to all public schools, school districts, and local police departments across Massachusetts.
Maddy summaryThis bill establishes two new transportation funding mechanisms for Massachusetts schools. First, it creates a Rural School Transportation Reimbursement Account to cover extraordinary home-to-school transportation costs for rural districts (excluding regional districts already receiving Section 16C funds). Second, it creates a Non-Resident Pupil Transportation Fund to reimburse schools for transporting students who live outside the municipality where their school is located, using state appropriations, grants, and interest. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education manages these funds, reports annually on distribution, and must assess funding adequacy every five years. The bill directly affects rural school districts and districts serving non-resident pupils, with reimbursements not counting toward local funding requirements.
By Representative DeCoste of Norwell, a petition (subject to Joint Rule 12) of David F. DeCoste relative to the school choice tuition amount. Education.
Maddy summaryThis bill (HD 62) prohibits public schools from requiring student athletes on single-sex sports teams to compete against teams including athletes of the opposite sex. It also prevents schools from penalizing athletes who refuse to play in such matches or coaches who forfeit matches for this reason. The law extends this protection to athletic organizations like the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association, allowing forfeits to be recorded as losses but not imposing additional penalties on schools, coaches, or athletes. It directly affects public school student athletes, coaches, and athletic officials in single-sex sports programs.
By Mr. Keenan, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 2453) of John F. Keenan and David F. DeCoste (by vote of the town) exempt all uniformed positions in the fire department in the town of Rockland from the civil service law. Public Service. [Local Approval Received.]
By Mr. Brady, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 2854) of Michael D. Brady and David F. DeCoste for legislation amending a conservation restriction in the town of Hanson. Municipalities and Regional Government. [Local Approval Received.]
Maddy summaryThis Massachusetts bill allows fuel oil and propane vendors to send delivery receipts electronically to customers who buy in bulk. Under the new rules, these sellers can offer buyers the choice to receive required delivery information via email or other digital methods instead of, or alongside, paper tickets. To use this option, the vendor must get written consent from the customer before switching to electronic delivery. The change applies specifically to existing laws governing bulk fuel sales and does not affect other types of transactions.
By Representative DeCoste of Norwell, a petition (subject to Joint Rule 12) of David F. DeCoste, Patrick M. O'Connor and Patrick Joseph Kearney for legislation to designate a certain bridge spanning the North River in the towns of Marshfield and Norwell as the Lt. David S. Cutler memorial bridge. Transportation.