Rep. Russell Holmes

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new Board of Registration in Midwifery within the Department of Public Health to oversee and regulate the practice of midwifery in the state. The board will consist of nine appointed members, including licensed midwives, obstetricians, and a public representative, with a specific requirement to consider racial disparities in maternal health during appointments. Additionally, the legislation expands the definition of who can prescribe medication to include licensed midwives and establishes a program for postpartum depression screenings for state employees. It also updates various state laws to formally recognize and define the roles of certified nurse-midwives and licensed midwives across different departments.

Maddy summaryThis law establishes a mandatory educational diversion program in Massachusetts for minors charged with specific offenses related to possessing or sharing sexual images, commonly known as sexting. The Attorney General will lead the creation of this program in collaboration with various state agencies and community groups, focusing on informing youth about legal penalties, social consequences, and the risks of online image sharing. If a child is charged with these offenses, the court will typically pause legal proceedings to require the completion of this program instead of immediate prosecution, unless the district attorney objects. Successful completion of the program allows the case to be dismissed, while failure to participate results in the case being restored for standard legal processing. Additionally, the bill expands the legal definition of abuse to include "coercive control" and requires schools to teach media literacy skills using materials from the new diversion program.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new executive office dedicated to addressing the disproportionate harm faced by missing and murdered Black women and girls in Massachusetts. The office would be led by a director appointed with input from the Black community and tasked with collecting specific data on cases, Amber Alerts, and connections to trafficking or domestic violence. Additionally, the legislation establishes a permanent advisory committee and an Ebony Alert notification system to coordinate responses to missing persons cases involving Black women and girls. These measures aim to improve case management, track outcomes, and develop recommendations for legislative and community actions to prevent future harm.

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes a new 6.25% excise tax on companies that earn revenue from digital advertising services within Massachusetts. It directly affects businesses that sell ads on websites, apps, or search engines, requiring them to pay the tax monthly on earnings generated by users with IP addresses located in the state. The legislation includes a $500,000 annual revenue exemption, meaning smaller advertisers would not be subject to the tax. Additionally, the bill defines key terms such as digital advertising services and digital interfaces to clarify the scope of the tax.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all law enforcement agencies in Massachusetts to create minority recruitment and selection programs aimed at increasing diversity within their ranks. The Attorney General will establish guidelines for these programs and monitor their progress, while agencies must annually report demographic data on applicants and hires to track results. Each agency is also required to publish this information on its official website, and the Attorney General will release an annual summary of the programs' outcomes to the governor and legislative leaders.

By Representative O'Day of West Boylston, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2909) of James J. O'Day and others for legislation to require certain married couples to submit joint income tax returns. Revenue.

By Representative Sabadosa of Northampton and Senator Miranda, a joint petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2397) of Lindsay N. Sabadosa, Liz Miranda and others relative to parole review for aging incarcerated persons. Public Safety and Homeland Security.

By Representative Fluker Oakley of Boston, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2325) of Brandy Fluker Oakley and others for legislation to maximize out-of-cell time and opportunities for incarcerated people to attend education, training, employment, and other programs. Public Safety and Homeland Security.

By Representative Uyterhoeven of Somerville, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2960) of Erika Uyterhoeven and others for legislation to raise the estate tax threshold. Revenue.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a comprehensive educational diversion program to address the legal and social consequences of adolescents sharing sexual images, commonly known as sexting. It requires the Attorney General to create this curriculum in collaboration with state education and youth services departments, which will be used to divert minors from court proceedings if they are charged with related offenses. The program also mandates that schools integrate media literacy instruction using the same materials to help students understand the risks of online image sharing. Additionally, the legislation expands the legal definition of abuse to include coercive control and increases fines for certain offenses.