Sen. Paul Mark

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a state grant program to address student food insecurity at public colleges and universities. It creates a Hunger-Free Campus Trust Fund to provide funding for institutions meeting specific requirements, such as having campus staff for food assistance access, accepting federal nutrition benefits at on-campus vendors, and implementing meal credit sharing programs. Institutions must meet income-based criteria for grant levels and report on program activities annually. The program director will develop guidelines, and participating institutions must report on student engagement and outcomes to state officials.

Senate, June 23, 2025 -- The committee on Higher Education to whom was referred the petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 939) of Joan B. Lovely, Joanne M. Comerford, Michael D. Brady, James B. Eldridge and other members of the General Court for legislation to establish the hunger-free campus initiative that would provide grants to institutions of public higher education to address student food insecurity and hunger, report the accompanying bill (Senate, No. 2535).

By Ms. Friedman, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 2152) of Cindy F. Friedman for legislation to designate June 7 as Tourette Syndrome Awareness Day. State Administration and Regulatory Oversight.

By Ms. Creem, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 197) of Cynthia Stone Creem, Rebecca L. Rausch, Michael O. Moore, Joanne M. Comerford and other members of the General Court for legislation to protect reproductive health access, LGBTQ lives, religious liberty, and freedom of movement by banning the sale of cell phone location information. Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure.

Maddy summaryThis bill (SD 1991) is a proposal to amend the state constitution to address campaign finance reform. It does not specify concrete changes like contribution limits or disclosure rules, only stating the intent to reform campaign finance through a constitutional amendment. The proposal would directly affect candidates, political committees, and voters by potentially altering how election funding operates under constitutional authority. As a constitutional amendment proposal, it requires voter approval rather than becoming law through the usual legislative process. The official abstract provides no details on specific mechanisms or provisions.

Senate, January 16, 2024 -- The committee on Senate Ways and Means, to whom was referred the Senate Bill prohibiting inhumane feline declawing (Senate, No. 190),- reports, recommending that the same ought to pass with an amendment substituting a new draft with the same title (Senate, No. 2552).

Maddy summaryThis bill officially changes the name of the Mohawk Trail Woodlands Partnership to the Woodlands Partnership of Northwest Massachusetts. It achieves this by updating specific sections in the acts of 2018 that govern the organization's legal status and operations. The law directly affects the nonprofit entity by requiring all future legal documents and records to use its new name. Once enacted, the partnership will operate under this updated title without any change to its core mission or activities.

Maddy summaryThis bill would exempt all future police officers hired by Great Barrington's town police department from Massachusetts' standard civil service hiring rules. It specifically targets new hires, leaving current officers unaffected. The request was made by the town of Great Barrington through a joint petition from Rep. Pignatelli and Sen. Mark, which received local approval. The bill seeks to allow the town to hire police officers under its own separate hiring procedures rather than the state civil service system.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the charter of the town of Lenox to officially recognize the county as a governing entity alongside the town. By adding the phrase "or the county" to an existing section of the town's governing laws, it expands the scope of executive authority to include the county level. The change takes effect immediately upon the bill's passage, allowing county officials to participate in the local executive form of government previously defined only for the town.

By Representative Pignatelli of Lenox and Senator Mark, a joint petition (subject to Joint Rule 12) of Smitty Pignatelli and Paul W. Mark that the Massachusetts Department of Transportation be directed to designate a portion of state highway Route 7A in the town of Lenox as the Ross B. Dindio memorial highway. Transportation.