Rep. Josh Cutler

Maddy summaryThis bill, known as the Free Flow of Information Act, establishes legal protections for journalists and their sources in Massachusetts. It prevents government officials from forcing news gatherers to reveal who their confidential sources are or to hand over unpublished materials like notes and outtakes. While the law generally shields this information, it allows courts to order disclosure only under strict conditions, such as when revealing a source is critical to preventing imminent harm to public safety. Additionally, any information obtained by the government in violation of these protections cannot be used in legal proceedings.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new legal chapter in Massachusetts to protect sellers who did not manufacture a product from being held liable for injuries caused by that product. It requires manufacturers to pay for legal costs and damages if a seller is sued over a defective item, unless the seller intentionally altered the product or acted with misconduct. Additionally, the law limits seller liability to specific situations, such as when they designed the product, modified it, gave incorrect instructions, or knew about a defect before selling it. These changes aim to shift financial responsibility for product defects primarily to the manufacturers rather than the retailers or distributors.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Massachusetts law to allow trustees of certain private trusts to convert them into "total return unitrusts" without needing court approval. Under the new rules, a trustee who is not personally interested in the trust's assets can change how distributions are calculated, shifting from fixed income payments to a percentage of the trust's total market value. The legislation requires the trustee to provide written notice to the trust creator and beneficiaries at least 60 days before making such changes, ensuring those affected have a chance to object. This process applies to both converting an existing income trust into a unitrust and reversing that conversion back to an income-based structure.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands the role of nurse practitioners in Massachusetts health care decision-making by allowing them to act as the "attending" provider for determining a patient's capacity to make medical choices. Specifically, it amends existing state laws to include nurse practitioners alongside physicians when deciding who can invoke a health care proxy or assess a patient's ability to consent to treatment. The changes apply to various sections of the relevant chapter, ensuring that nurse practitioners with primary responsibility for a patient's care have the same authority as doctors in these critical situations.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the Massachusetts Secure Choice Savings Program, a state-run retirement savings initiative designed for private-sector employees who currently lack access to employer-sponsored retirement plans. The program primarily affects employers with at least 25 employees and at least two years of operation that have not offered a qualified retirement plan in the past two years, as well as smaller employers who may opt in. Key provisions include creating a new board to administer the program and setting up a trust fund to hold individual retirement accounts funded through automatic payroll deductions. The legislation defines specific terms related to employees, wages, and eligible employers to ensure clarity in participation requirements and operational procedures.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a special commission to study how Massachusetts can better support adults over 21 with developmental disabilities, particularly those whose conditions are not currently covered by the state's definition. The commission will consist of government officials and community representatives, including individuals with lived experience, to examine current service gaps and compare state definitions with federal standards. Its main task is to gather input from families and providers, identify unmet needs for specific diagnoses like cerebral palsy or fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, and propose recommendations to improve service availability and inter-agency collaboration. The group must submit a final report with findings, budget estimates, and potential new laws within one year of the bill taking effect.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a dedicated PFAS Remediation Trust Fund to help Massachusetts communities address contamination in drinking water, groundwater, soil, and other environmental media. The fund will be financed through recovered amounts from lawsuits or settlements against manufacturers and sellers of PFAS-containing products, along with other designated transfers and donations. Expenditures from the fund will prioritize vulnerable environmental justice populations and can be used to provide grants to municipalities, counties, and health boards for remediation projects, treatment systems, and private well assistance. The law also establishes rules requiring grant recipients to repay the fund if they later recover costs from liable third parties and prohibits funding for projects caused by the applicant's own negligence.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Massachusetts state law to clarify that specific employee protections apply to workers within education collaboratives. It explicitly extends the rights and benefits outlined in sections 41, 42, 42D, and 43 of Chapter 71 to all employee categories covered by those sections who work in these collaborative school structures. By referencing existing statutes, the legislation ensures that staff in education collaboratives receive the same legal safeguards as employees in traditional school districts.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Massachusetts plumbing codes to establish guidelines for greywater recycling systems in multi-family buildings that use less than 3,000 gallons of water per day. It defines greywater as wastewater from sinks, showers, and washing machines, explicitly excluding toilet waste and hazardous substances, and allows its reuse for toilet flushing and subsurface irrigation. Local boards of health are authorized to implement and enforce these regulations, including the ability to charge fees for permits, while ensuring that greywater systems do not replace required sewer connections. The legislation aims to encourage water conservation and cost savings without altering existing requirements for blackwater disposal or public sewer connections.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires health insurance plans in Massachusetts to cover colorectal cancer screening for all insured individuals starting at age 45. It mandates that these screenings, which include various tests like colonoscopies and flexible sigmoidoscopy, be provided without any co-pays, deductibles, or other out-of-pocket costs. The law applies to employees of the state, private health insurance policies, and hospital service plans, ensuring broad access to early detection services. By removing financial barriers, the legislation aims to facilitate regular screening for colorectal cancer in adults under 50.