Senate, September 30, 2024 - New draft (Senator Cyr) to Senate Bill amending chapter 305 of the acts of 2016 relative to the year-round market rate rental housing trust fund in the town of Provincetown (Senate, No. 2744).
Maddy summaryThis bill officially renames the Department of Public Health's State Public Health Laboratory campus in Boston's Jamaica Plain district to honor Dr. Alfred DeMaria, Jr., a former state epidemiologist. The legislation requires the department to install a physical marker displaying the new name, "Dr. Alfred DeMaria, Jr. Campus," while explicitly preserving the existing name for the tower building on the site. Sponsored by Julian Cyr, the measure serves as a commemorative act to recognize Dr. DeMaria's contributions to public health without altering any operational functions or policies of the laboratory.
Maddy summaryThis bill requires various health insurance plans in Massachusetts to cover specific therapies for individuals with Down syndrome. It mandates that state employee insurance, Medicaid managed care, private health policies, hospital service plans, and health maintenance contracts all include coverage for speech, occupational, and physical therapy alongside applied behavior analysis services. The legislation defines Down syndrome as a chromosomal condition involving an extra copy of chromosome 21 and sets the effective date for these coverage requirements as January 1, 2024.
By Mr. Cyr, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 2944) of Julian Cyr and Dylan A. Fernandes (by vote of the town) relative to the regulation of nutrient management and fertilizer in the town of Nantucket. Agriculture. [Local Approval Received.]
Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes the town of Truro to create a program that allows homeowners with disabilities to reduce their property taxes by providing volunteer services supporting disability-related initiatives. Homeowners with disabilities who participate would receive a property tax reduction in exchange for documented volunteer hours. The program requires local approval from Truro and establishes a specific mechanism for calculating tax savings based on volunteer service hours. This directly affects eligible Truro homeowners with disabilities seeking tax relief through community service.
By Mr. Cyr, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 2946) of Julian Cyr and Dylan A. Fernandes (by vote of the town) for legislation to authorize the town of Nantucket conservation commission to convey a certain parcel of land situated in the town for purposes of conveyance to the town of Nantucket under the care, custody, management and control of the select board and the town of Nantucket to convey certain land in the town of Nantucket held for open space, passive recreation or conservation purposes to the Nantucket islands land bank for the purposes pursuant to its legislation and/or to the Sconset Trust, Inc. For open space, conservation and passive recreation purposes. Municipalities and Regional Government. [Local Approval Received.]
By Mr. Cyr, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 2744) of Julian Cyr and Sarah K. Peake (by vote of the town) for legislation to amend chapter 305 of the acts of 2016 relative to the year-round market rate rental housing trust fund in the town of Provincetown. Municipalities and Regional Government. [Local Approval Received.]
By Mr. Cyr, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 2948) of Julian Cyr and Dylan A. Fernandes (by vote of the town) for legislation to make the charter of the county on Nantucket gender neutral. Municipalities and Regional Government. [Local approval received.]
By Mr. Cyr, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 2942) of Julian Cyr and Dylan A. Fernandes (by vote of the town) to authorize the county of Nantucket to convey School Street situated in the town and county of Nantucket for purposes of conveyance to the town of Nantucket. Municipalities and Regional Government. [Local Approval Received.]
Maddy summaryThis bill requires health care employers in Massachusetts to create and enforce programs aimed at preventing workplace violence. To achieve this, facilities must conduct annual risk assessments in cooperation with employees and labor unions to identify specific dangers, such as working in public areas or guarding property. The legislation defines workplace violence to include unpermitted touching, attempts to use physical force, or threatening behavior that causes fear of future harm. These measures apply to a wide range of settings, including hospitals and state correctional facilities, while explicitly excluding certain outpatient services like clinics and dialysis centers.
