Sen. Jason Lewis

Maddy summaryThis bill restricts the sale of tobacco and e-cigarette products in Massachusetts to specific locations known as adult-only retail tobacco stores or smoking bars. Under the new rules, manufacturers and retailers are prohibited from selling these items to anyone under the age of 21 outside of these designated venues. The law defines adult-only stores as businesses whose main purpose is selling tobacco products where minors are not allowed to enter at any time. Additionally, the legislation ensures that local and state governments retain the authority to impose even stricter regulations on tobacco sales.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires vending machines on Commonwealth property, such as state offices, parks, and schools, to stock food and beverages that meet specific nutritional standards set by the Department of Public Health. To allow for a gradual transition, the law establishes a phased schedule where non-blind vendors must increase the percentage of healthy options over four years, while blind vendors have a five-year timeline to reach the same goal. Additionally, the bill mandates that nutritional information be clearly displayed near these machines and that healthier items be placed in prominent locations. The Department of Public Health is tasked with creating these nutrition guidelines, which must align with federal standards, and reviewing them every five years to reflect new scientific data.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Massachusetts law to allow armed service members to receive reimbursement for certain expenses. It specifically updates the criteria for who qualifies for these benefits by including employees of counties, cities, and towns. The change ensures that local government workers who serve in the armed forces are covered under the same reimbursement protections as other eligible individuals.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Massachusetts law to ensure that public employee benefits apply to men and women who die while on active duty, regardless of whether their death is combat-related. The change directly affects state agencies and the families of public servants who lose their lives in military service. By removing the distinction between combat and non-combat deaths, the legislation broadens the scope of protections available to these service members and their dependents.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a voluntary training program for medical and allied health students to improve their care of patients with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including autism. The Department of Public Health will work with The Arc of Massachusetts to develop this curriculum, which builds on an existing initiative called Operation House Call. To earn certification, participating schools must offer the training as an optional course that includes at least six hours of instruction covering best practices and diverse patient needs. The department will then publish an annual list of schools that have successfully completed the program and meet established standards.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Massachusetts state law to provide full pay and benefits to state employees who participate in annual military training or drills. Specifically, it allows Commonwealth employees serving in the armed forces or reserve components to receive their regular salary without loss of seniority or accrued leave during up to 34 days of annual training per state fiscal year. The legislation ensures these employees are not penalized financially or in terms of career progression while fulfilling their military obligations.

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes to update how Massachusetts adjusts veteran benefits each year. Currently, the law requires these benefits to be increased based on the state's average cost of living, but this specific amendment clarifies and enforces that annual adjustment mechanism. The change directly affects all veterans receiving benefits under Chapter 59 of the General Laws. By mandating an annual review tied to the cost of living, the legislation aims to ensure benefit amounts keep pace with inflation without altering the total funding available.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Massachusetts law to change how health care providers report infants affected by in-utero substance exposure or fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. It removes the specific requirement to report physical dependence on addictive drugs at birth and adds a new provision for confidential notifications to the state department. These reports must exclude parents' names and cannot be used as evidence of child abuse or to trigger criminal prosecution. The legislation aims to support families by separating medical reporting from child welfare investigations while ensuring state officials are informed of these conditions.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new mechanism allowing Massachusetts employees to make small, voluntary payroll deductions to support political campaigns and not-for-profit social welfare organizations. It directly affects workers by removing financial barriers such as the need for credit cards or banking services, enabling them to contribute to causes they support through regular deductions from their paychecks. The legislation requires participating organizations to be certified by the Attorney General and obtain authorization from at least ten residents before they can accept these contributions. Employers would facilitate this process without incurring any costs, aiming to increase overall political participation among low-income residents who previously faced obstacles to giving money to political causes.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows Massachusetts cities and towns to choose ranked choice voting for their municipal elections, giving local communities the option to replace traditional voting methods. Under this system, voters rank candidates in order of preference rather than selecting just one, and votes are counted in rounds where ballots for eliminated candidates transfer to the voter's next choice until a winner is decided. Municipalities can adopt this method through a ballot measure, local ordinance, or charter amendment, and they must create specific rules for how votes are counted and conduct voter education campaigns to help residents understand the process. The law also ensures that voters can still use write-in candidates and allows communities to return to their previous voting system after four years if they choose to do so.