Sen. Paul Feeney

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a formal recall process for elected officials in the town of Sharon, allowing qualified voters to remove an officer from office for specific reasons such as felony convictions, failure to take required oaths, or poor attendance. To begin the process, at least 50 registered voters must file an affidavit stating their intent to recall, outlining the grounds for removal while explicitly excluding an official's policy opinions or votes as valid reasons. Once the initial affidavit is verified, the town clerk distributes blank petitions that must be signed by at least 10% of the town's registered voters within 60 days. If the petition is certified as valid and the official does not resign, the Select Board is required to schedule a recall election between 64 and 90 days after the vote to order the election.

Maddy summaryThis bill exempts the city of Attleboro from state laws that typically govern the recruitment and hiring of full-time permanent police officers. Under the new rules, officers hired or transferred to the department must complete a twelve-month probationary period after finishing police academy training or transferring from another department. Once this probationary period is finished, the officers become tenured civil service employees under state law. The change allows the city more flexibility in managing its police workforce while still requiring a standard probationary phase for new hires.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Massachusetts state laws to clarify how the Federal Home Loan Bank interacts with insurers that are members of the bank. It updates existing legal references to include a new section and adds specific rules for handling loans and collateral when an insurer faces financial trouble. Key provisions require the bank to quickly release excess collateral to receivers, outline a timeline for managing accounts and fees, and provide options for restructuring loans. The legislation also ensures that legal actions against the bank regarding its agreements cannot be paused for more than ten days. These changes aim to streamline the process for managing assets and liabilities between the bank and its member insurers during delinquency proceedings.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a new licensing system for quarries that produce concrete aggregate used in foundations, requiring applicants to submit geological reports and test results to prove the absence of harmful minerals like pyrite and pyrrhotite. It creates a state agency to oversee this process, publish a public database of licensed quarries, and manage a fund to help homeowners with deteriorated foundations caused by these minerals. The legislation also imposes strict liability on unlicensed quarry operators and contractors who use non-compliant concrete, while allowing local governments to set even stricter safety standards.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends state laws to clarify definitions of key terms like biosimilars, brand name drugs, and generic drugs, ensuring consistent language for pharmaceutical regulation. It expands the scope of entities subject to oversight by including self-insured health plans and explicitly defining pharmaceutical manufacturing companies and pharmacy benefit managers. The legislation also requires pharmaceutical companies to provide early notice of new products or price increases while protecting the confidentiality of their internal business and clinical data. Additionally, it adjusts the assessment fees charged to these industries, setting a minimum rate of 25 percent of the appropriated amount.

Senate, December 27, 2024 -- Report of the committee of conference on the disagreeing votes of the two branches with reference to the House amendment to the Senate relative to pharmaceutical access, costs and transparency (Senate, No. 2520) (amended by the House all after the enacting clause and inserting in place thereof the text of House document numbered 4910; and by striking out the title and inserting in place thereof the following title: “An Act promoting access and affordability of prescription drugs.”),-- reports, a “Bill relative to pharmaceutical access, costs and transparency” (Senate, No. 3012).

Senate, December 30, 2024 -- The committee on Senate Ways and Means, to whom was referred the Senate Bill relative to crumbling concrete foundations (Senate, No. 2559),- reports, recommending that the same ought to pass with an amendment substituting a new draft with the same title (Senate, No. 3015).

Maddy summaryThis bill updates Massachusetts state laws to replace outdated terms like "handicapped" and "mentally retarded" with modern, person-first language such as "individuals with disabilities" and "intellectual or developmental disabilities." The legislation directly affects various statutes within Chapter 6 of the General Laws, which cover areas including employment, veterans' benefits, and general disability protections. By systematically changing these specific words throughout the legal code, the bill ensures that official state documents use respectful and current terminology when referring to people with disabilities.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows the state's capital asset management commissioner to remove or change land use restrictions on specific parcels in Foxborough that are currently reserved for recreational and public safety purposes. In exchange for this change, the town must agree to place a new restriction requiring the land to be used for housing, which can include market-rate or senior housing. The legislation also clarifies that the town of Foxborough is responsible for covering all associated costs, such as surveys and legal fees, for any transactions related to these land changes.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates the rules for teachers who move between school districts and state education offices to ensure their retirement benefits remain consistent. It clarifies that educators working for the executive office of education or the department of elementary and secondary education will keep their status as teachers and stay in the teachers' or Boston retirement systems without interruption. Additionally, the bill offers a one-time chance for certain long-term members of these retirement systems to join an alternative savings program, requiring them to pay back contributions at a specific rate if they choose to participate.