Rep. Priscila Sousa

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits employers from disclosing or threatening to disclose an employee's immigration status to hide violations of state wage, benefit, or tax laws. Employers found doing so face administrative penalties: up to $2,500 for a first violation, $5,000 for a second, and $10,000 for subsequent violations. The Attorney General’s Fair Labor Division enforces these penalties, considering factors like the employer’s history and business size, and provides a 15-day hearing window for affected employers. Penalties collected fund the division’s enforcement of wage laws, and the Attorney General must report annual violations to the legislature. The law directly affects employers who misuse immigration status to conceal labor law violations.

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 summaryHD 4021 protects tenants in Massachusetts from landlord retaliation related to immigration status. It prohibits landlords from threatening to report a tenant's immigration status (unless required by law) or suing to evict based solely on that status. Landlords can still follow legal requirements like court orders, verify financial qualifications, or address lease violations. Tenants who face prohibited actions can seek actual damages, up to $2,000 per violation, attorney fees, or other court-ordered relief. The bill explicitly states immigration status cannot be used in housing rights cases unless directly relevant to the claim.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Massachusetts correctional facilities to provide free contraceptive services - including reversible methods, emergency contraception, and nonprescription options - to all incarcerated individuals capable of pregnancy upon request, with no unnecessary obstacles. It mandates family planning counseling 60-180 days before release, ensures continuity of prescribed birth control methods, and requires facilities to post clear information about reproductive health rights. For pregnant individuals, the bill guarantees they can determine their own abortion eligibility under state law, with informed consent required and prison staff barred from making such decisions. The Department of Correction must implement these changes within one year of passage.

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 standardizes food date labels to reduce waste by requiring two specific phrases: "best if used by" for quality dates (indicating declining quality but still safe consumption) and "use by" for safety dates (indicating when food may become unsafe). It applies to ready-to-eat products like poultry, meat, eggs, and certain processed foods under federal jurisdiction, requiring manufacturers and retailers to use these uniform labels instead of ambiguous terms like "sell by" or "expiration." The Commissioner of Public Health will establish criteria for high-risk products and update them every four years, with implementation required two years after the law takes effect. This change aims to prevent consumers from discarding safe food due to confusion over labels while maintaining safety restrictions for high-risk items.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits force-feeding birds to enlarge their livers beyond normal size and bans the sale of products derived from such practices. It defines "force feeding" as methods like tube-feeding that cause birds to consume excessive food, and redefines "poultry" to include domesticated birds like ducks and geese. The law specifically bans force-feeding birds for liver enlargement (Section 4) and prohibits selling products made from force-fed birds (Section 5). It directly affects poultry producers and businesses involved in products like foie gras, which relies on this practice. The bill clarifies legal definitions to enforce these restrictions without using technical jargon.

Maddy summaryHD 3502 requires health care employers (including hospitals, teaching hospitals, certain correctional facilities, and other specific health care settings) to create and maintain workplace violence prevention programs. Each year, employers must conduct risk assessments with employee input, develop written prevention plans covering training and reporting systems, designate a senior manager for crisis response, and submit annual incident reports to the state. The law prohibits retaliation against employees who report safety concerns and imposes fines of up to $2,000 per violation for non-compliance. These programs aim to protect employees, emergency medical personnel, and others working in health care facilities from violence risks.

Maddy summaryThe bill title "An Act relative to school bus transportation professionals" does not match the actual content provided. The bill text amends Section 24 of Chapter 151A to create an exemption from work search requirements for individuals with a certified return-to-work date within 12 weeks. This provision affects unemployment benefit recipients who have a confirmed job return date, not school bus professionals. The bill addresses unemployment insurance regulations, not transportation industry standards.

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.