Rep. Mike Finn

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes adults with disabilities in Massachusetts to enter into supported decision-making agreements as an alternative to traditional guardianship. It requires the state to create a training program for supporters and decision-makers and mandates that schools inform students with disabilities about this option when they turn sixteen. The legislation defines the roles of supporters and decision-makers, outlines the rights and obligations of each party, and establishes rules for dispute resolution while ensuring the decision-maker retains full control over their life choices.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Massachusetts law to specifically include public transit workers as protected employees under assault and battery statutes. It expands the definition of assault to cover attacks using bodily substances, such as blood, saliva, or urine, when directed at these workers. By updating the legal text, the legislation ensures that harming transit staff with such substances is treated as a distinct offense. The changes directly affect law enforcement, prosecutors, and public transit employees by clarifying the scope of protected conduct.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes adults with disabilities in Massachusetts to create supported decision-making agreements, allowing them to choose trusted individuals to help them make life decisions while retaining full control over their own choices. The law defines supporters as people who assist with understanding information, communicating decisions, and accessing records regarding medical, financial, and personal matters, all with the explicit consent of the person making the decisions. Key provisions ensure that the decision-maker can enter into or end these agreements at any time without coercion and that supporters cannot override the decision-maker's self-determination. By adding this new section to the state's probate code, the legislation provides a formal legal framework for individuals to receive support without needing to appoint a guardian.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a licensing system for automobile damage appraisers in Massachusetts to regulate who can prepare official vehicle repair estimates. To become licensed, applicants must be at least 18 years old, demonstrate good moral character, and pass a written exam administered by the commissioner of insurance or an independent testing service. Licensed appraisers must pay a $100 fee, include their license number on all damage reports, and provide specific disclosures to consumers if an insurer and repair shop cannot agree on a repair price. The legislation also outlines renewal procedures, fees for replacing lost licenses, and requirements for maintaining a public roster of all licensed professionals.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the Massachusetts juvenile court department to send quarterly performance reports to the Office of the Child Advocate regarding child abuse and neglect cases. The reports must include specific data points such as the number of children in court jurisdiction, reasons for achieving or failing to achieve permanency, and the time it takes to reach legal permanency or terminate parental rights. Additionally, the Office of the Child Advocate has the authority to request that this data be broken down by categories including age, gender, race, ethnicity, and court location. This change aims to improve transparency and oversight by ensuring the court's handling of these cases is regularly monitored and analyzed.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Massachusetts law to establish penalties for the unauthorized use of unmanned aerial vehicles, specifically targeting weaponized drones and unauthorized surveillance. It defines critical infrastructure facilities, such as power plants and refineries, to clarify which locations receive special protection from drone surveillance. Under the new rules, operating a weaponized drone without legal authority could result in prison sentences of up to 20 years or fines of up to $50,000. Additionally, the bill sets fines and potential jail time for individuals who willfully use drones to spy on people or critical infrastructure without their consent or lawful permission. These provisions aim to increase accountability for drone misuse while maintaining clear definitions of protected areas and private privacy rights.

Maddy summaryThis bill makes it illegal for anyone to manufacture, sell, or operate a robotic device equipped with a weapon, except for specific law enforcement activities and authorized defense or testing purposes. It prohibits using such devices to threaten crimes, harass individuals, or physically restrain people, while allowing police to use armed robots for tasks like defusing bombs or destroying property when there is an immediate threat to life. Law enforcement agencies must obtain a warrant before deploying armed robots on private property or conducting surveillance, and they are required to publicly report all uses of these devices on a quarterly basis. The legislation also grants individuals the right to sue for damages if their rights are violated by these actions and gives the attorney general the power to issue waivers for defense contractors and educational testing.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Massachusetts law to update deadlines and requirements for how vehicle manufacturers must inform owners about data collection and repair rights. It extends the date for certain compliance deadlines from 2022 to 2025 and requires that starting with the 2025 model year, owner manuals include specific information about vehicle telematics systems. The manual must explain what data is collected, how owners can access it via mobile devices, and their right to allow independent repair shops to access that data for diagnostics and maintenance. These changes directly affect car manufacturers and vehicle owners in the Commonwealth by clarifying transparency and access procedures regarding vehicle data.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires not-for-profit hospitals in Massachusetts that operate ambulance services to follow specific state regulations for emergency and non-emergent medical transport. If such a hospital wins a 911 contract from a town, it must contribute at least 33% of its ambulance earnings to help fund local fire services. Additionally, the hospital must pay no less than 50% of the cost to run the local 911 dispatch center. The Department of Public Health will create rules to enforce these requirements within 30 days of the law taking effect.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires every high school in Massachusetts that offers interscholastic sports to employ a licensed athletic trainer. It also mandates that any athletic trainer or coach providing head injury safety training must complete annual certification. Additionally, the law updates terminology to explicitly include athletic trainers alongside coaches in relevant sections of existing statutes. These changes aim to improve student safety by ensuring professional medical oversight during school sports activities.