Rep. Jay Livingstone

Maddy summaryHD 2672 (An Act to encourage donations to local nonprofits) prevents Massachusetts tax authorities from counting charitable donations or volunteer work with Massachusetts-based nonprofits (or non-paid board service for such organizations) when determining a person's tax residency. This means donating to or volunteering for a local Massachusetts nonprofit will not automatically make someone considered a state resident for tax purposes. The bill directly affects Massachusetts residents who engage in these activities, clarifying that such involvement won't trigger residency-based tax obligations. It modifies how the tax commissioner assesses residency, focusing solely on traditional factors like where someone lives, not their charitable involvement. The key provision adds a specific exemption to tax residency rules under Chapter 62.

Maddy summaryHD 1526 creates a new tax deduction for resident shareholders in Massachusetts housing cooperatives. The deduction applies to shareholders who lived in their cooperative unit for the entire tax year and did not claim a federal deduction for real estate taxes or mortgage interest. This provision specifically targets housing cooperatives organized under Chapter 156B or Chapter 157 of the General Laws. The bill directly benefits qualifying cooperative residents by providing a state-level tax break.

Maddy summaryThis bill protects clinicians' ability to make independent medical decisions by restricting ownership of healthcare practices. It requires that practices be owned solely by clinicians with independent practice authority (like doctors, nurse practitioners, or psychologists) and prohibits management organizations or healthcare facilities from interfering with clinical judgments - such as discharge timing, diagnosis codes, or patient care plans. Healthcare practices must certify compliance with these rules to licensing boards biennially. The law directly affects clinicians, healthcare practices, and management services organizations operating in Massachusetts.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires healthcare professionals performing annual physicals for children aged 19 or younger to include specific cardiac screening questions during well-child visits and preparticipation sports exams. It mandates the use of a standardized 14-point cardiac screening form developed by major medical organizations, asking about family heart history, fainting during exercise, chest pain, and other warning signs. Schools must verify students have completed this screening before allowing participation in K-12 athletic teams, and healthcare providers must complete a new training module on cardiac assessment. The law creates a single statewide form for all schools and requires departments of education and public health to implement these requirements by 2026-2027.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new chapter in Massachusetts law to prevent companies from using software to coordinate rental prices among landlords. It defines "service providers" as any entity that collects rental data and recommends prices to landlords, and prohibits landlords from paying these services to set or influence rent amounts. The law also bans agreements among landlords not to compete with each other on pricing and makes it easier for tenants to sue for violations by removing barriers like arbitration clauses and class-action waivers. Landlords who violate the rules could face legal penalties, and successful plaintiffs would be entitled to recover their legal costs and attorney fees.

Maddy summaryThis bill restricts the use of anticoagulant rodenticides, which are blood-thinning pesticides, by limiting their registration and allowing emergency use only under strict conditions. It directly affects pest control professionals, public health officials, and property owners who manage rodent infestations. The key provisions ban the registration of these chemicals except for emergencies, require their use to be limited to 14 days in a single location, mandate non-chemical pest control methods, and require detailed reporting to the state department. Additionally, the bill establishes annual public reporting on where and how these pesticides were used during emergency situations. The restrictions will take effect on January 1, 2028.

Maddy summaryThis bill restricts the use of certain rodent poisons (like Warfarin and Brodifacoum) to only short-term public health emergencies. It requires licensed pest control professionals to first use non-chemical methods, limits emergency use to 14 days, and mandates detailed reporting on locations, amounts used, and follow-up rodent control plans. The law directly affects pest control applicators and public health agencies managing rodent-related health risks. It also requires annual public reporting of all emergency rodenticide use by the state department. The restrictions take effect January 1, 2027.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Massachusetts law governing transportation network companies (like Uber and Lyft). It requires these companies to report monthly ride data by city/town and charge riders a 6.25% assessment on pre-arranged rides (excluding rides booked through public transit programs for eligible riders). Municipalities may impose a $2.25 congestion fee per ride, with funds dedicated to public transit, bike/pedestrian projects, and EV charging infrastructure. The law also mandates clear fare estimates showing surge pricing and shared vs. single-ride costs, while prohibiting local governments from imposing extra licensing requirements on these companies.

Maddy summaryHD 2226 prohibits real estate landlords and their agents from using third-party services that algorithmically set rents or coordinate rent increases among landlords. It bans service providers from collecting rental data, analyzing it with algorithms, or recommending pricing terms to landlords, and prevents them from facilitating non-competition agreements between landlords. Violations are treated as unfair competition under existing antitrust laws, allowing tenants to pursue class-action lawsuits in court instead of being forced into arbitration. Successful plaintiffs can recover damages, interest, and legal costs, with the law explicitly invalidating pre-dispute arbitration agreements for these cases.

Maddy summaryHD 1532 authorizes cities and towns to impose a local surcharge of up to 2% on real estate taxes to fund affordable housing, but only after approval by a two-thirds vote of the local government and voter acceptance via ballot question. The surcharge applies to property taxes (not included in total tax calculations for certain limits) and funds must be deposited into an affordable housing trust. Exemptions include low-income housing, senior housing, commercial properties, and $100,000 per residential parcel. Cities may adjust the rate annually but cannot change it more than once per year, and funds remain dedicated to housing programs.