Rep. Priscila Sousa

Maddy summaryThis bill (H 4487) updates terminology across Massachusetts state law to replace outdated terms like "handicapped," "disabled," and "mentally retarded" with more respectful and current language such as "persons with disabilities" and "intellectual or developmental disability." It amends 33 sections of the General Laws, including provisions related to employment weeks, veteran benefits, healthcare, and community services, to consistently use inclusive terminology. The bill directly affects how state laws reference these communities but does not create new programs or change existing policies. It was reported favorably by the Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities committee.

Maddy summaryHD 1263 requires all students in Massachusetts to attend school until age 18 or until they graduate high school, earn a high school equivalency diploma, or complete the twelfth grade - whichever comes first. It explicitly prohibits criminal penalties for students over 16 who miss school before meeting this requirement. The bill also establishes a High School Graduation Commission to study barriers to graduation and recommend solutions, including identifying at-risk students and improving support services. The commission must report its findings within six months of the law's effective date, focusing on factors like attendance, academic gaps, and emotional needs. This law takes effect for the next school year after passage.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates "blue envelopes" to improve police interactions with people who have autism spectrum disorder. The envelopes, available from the Registry of Motor Vehicles upon request, contain written communication tips for officers and instructions for placing them on a car's sun visor. They also hold a person's driver's license, registration, and insurance cards. The program will begin on July 1, 2026, and directly affects autistic individuals and their families during traffic stops or vehicle encounters with police.

Maddy summaryHD 4025 amends a state law to extend disability benefits for POST-certified police officers disabled by cardiac disease to additional police forces. The bill adds the University of Massachusetts police, Massachusetts Port Authority police, state university and community college police, environmental law enforcement, and Department of Mental Health campus police to the list of covered entities. Previously, officers in these forces were excluded from the same benefit provision that applied to entities like the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. This change directly affects POST-certified officers in these newly included forces by making them eligible for the same cardiac disability benefits.

Maddy summaryHD 270 updates the membership structure of the Massachusetts Food Policy Council, a state advisory body focused on food policy. The bill specifies the council will have 20 members, including four legislative members (one House member, one Senate member, and two appointed by minority leaders), nine agency or expert representatives (such as agency commissioners and a soil health specialist), and seven members appointed by the governor with specific food system expertise (e.g., farmers, food distributors, and public health experts). It also adds provisions allowing council members to receive compensation under certain conditions, subject to state ethics rules. This change aims to broaden the council's representation to include more diverse voices in food policy discussions.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a legal presumption that certain contagious diseases contracted by full-time police, fire, or emergency medical service workers were incurred during their duties, if they passed required physical exams upon entry and had no pre-existing condition. It applies to diseases like COVID-19, hepatitis, tuberculosis, and HIV - those linked to exposure to blood or bodily fluids - excluding the common cold. Workers must apply within five years of leaving active service and demonstrate they regularly responded to emergency calls during their tenure. Benefits, if approved, would cover disability or death claims under existing workers' compensation laws (Chapters 32, 41, 152).

Maddy summaryH 4418 amends Massachusetts law to strengthen the Massachusetts Food Policy Council. It increases the council's membership from 18 to 20 members, adds specific positions (like the marine fisheries director and UMass food policy director), and creates a new full-time Food System Coordinator role. The coordinator will inventory state food programs, facilitate interagency collaboration, track progress on food system goals, and report to legislative committees and agencies. The bill also establishes rules for compensating council members while requiring compliance with ethics laws. This directly affects the council, state agencies involved in food policy, and the coordination of food system programs across Massachusetts.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a state grant program to address student food insecurity at public colleges and universities in Massachusetts. It provides funding for institutions to implement campus food support programs, including partnerships with meal vendors that accept federal nutrition benefits and student meal credit sharing systems. The program requires participating colleges to meet specific criteria, such as designating staff to assist students with food assistance programs and establishing campus awareness initiatives. A dedicated "Hunger-Free Campus Trust Fund" will manage the grants, with annual reports tracking participating schools, student engagement, and program outcomes.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a student loan repayment program for human services workers in Massachusetts. It directly affects employees of community-based human services organizations (funded by state health, elder affairs, housing, or early education offices) who provide client support. Key provisions include: offering up to $30,000 in repayment assistance based on education level (associate, bachelor's, or master's degree), requiring a 1-3 year service commitment in an eligible setting, and prioritizing applicants working in designated health disparity communities (AHEM areas), earning under $60,000 annually, or possessing language skills matching community needs. The program aims to recruit and retain workers in high-need areas by reducing their student debt burden.

Maddy summaryHD 866 requires health insurance plans covering Commonwealth employees (active and retired) and other health benefit plans to provide comprehensive coverage for cognitive rehabilitation treatments related to acquired brain injury (ABI). The bill mandates coverage for specific therapies including cognitive rehabilitation, neurocognitive therapy, community reintegration services, and neurofeedback therapy without lifetime or unreasonable annual limits. Insurers must cover these treatments regardless of facility type (e.g., not just hospitals) and cannot apply stricter cost-sharing (like higher deductibles or copays) than for other medical benefits. This law also requires insurers to train staff on these benefits in consultation with the Brain Injury Association of Massachusetts.