By Mr. Cyr, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 2528) (subject to Joint Rule 12) of Julian Cyr, Natalie M. Higgins, John Francis Moran, Rebecca L. Rausch and other members of the General Court for legislation relative to free expression. Education.
By Representatives Lewis of Framingham and Montaño of Boston, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2357) of Jack Patrick Lewis, Samantha Montaño and others for legislation to promote rehabilitation including guaranteed health, treatment and safety for incarcerated LGBTQI+ persons. Public Safety and Homeland Security.
By Representative Kilcoyne of Clinton, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1074) of Meghan Kilcoyne and others relative to cancer patient access to biomarker testing to provide appropriate therapy. Financial Services.
Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new Board of Registration in Midwifery within the Department of Public Health to oversee the licensing and regulation of midwives in the state. The board will consist of eight appointed members, including licensed midwives with significant experience, a physician, a nurse-midwife, and a public representative, with specific requirements for members to address racial disparities in maternal health. Additionally, the legislation establishes a new Board of Allied Health Professions that includes representatives from various health fields such as physical therapy, occupational therapy, and lactation consulting. The bill also expands the legal definition of "licensed midwife" to allow them to issue prescriptions and grants local health agencies the authority to conduct in-depth reviews of fetal and infant deaths to improve community health services.
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.
By Representatives Higgins of Leominster and Ferguson of Holden, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 826) of Natalie M. Higgins, Kimberly N. Ferguson and others for legislation to further regulate the retail sale of certain domestic animals in new pet shops. Environment and Natural Resources.
Senate, 13, 2024 -- The committee on Environment and Natural Resources, to whom was referred the petitions (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 549) of Patrick M. O'Connor, Adam Scanlon, Jack Patrick Lewis, Michael O. Moore and other members of the General Court for legislation to ban the retail sale of dogs, cats, and rabbits in new pet shops; (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 550) of Patrick M. O'Connor, Angelo J. Puppolo, Jr., Steven S. Howitt, John F. Keenan and other members of the General Court for legislation banning the retail sale of dogs, cats, and rabbits in pet shops; and (accompanied by bill, House, No. 826) of Natalie M. Higgins, Kimberly N. Ferguson and others for legislation to further regulate the retail sale of certain domestic animals in new pet shops, report the accompanying bill (Senate, No. 2820).
Maddy summaryThis bill updates Massachusetts laws to ensure that legal parentage rights apply equally to all families, regardless of the parents' gender, marital status, or sexual orientation. It replaces gender-specific terms like "father" and "mother" with neutral language such as "other parent" and "person who gave birth," while also changing "paternity" to "parentage" throughout the statutes. The legislation introduces new definitions for various family arrangements, including surrogacy and assisted reproduction, to clarify how different types of parents are recognized under the law. By amending existing chapters on birth certificates and family law, the bill aims to provide consistent legal protections for children born through diverse circumstances, including those resulting from surrogacy or non-marital births.
By Representative Worrell of Boston, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 3741) of Christopher J. Worrell (with the approval of the mayor and city council) that the city of Boston be authorized to grant additional licenses for the sale of alcoholic beverages to be drunk on the premises in said city. Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure. [Local Approval Received.]
By Representatives Peake of Provincetown and Kane of Shrewsbury, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1713) of Sarah K. Peake, Hannah Kane and others for legislation to provide that every child have the same rights and protections under law as any other child without regard to the marital status, gender, gender identity, or sexual orientation of the parent or parents. The Judiciary.
