Sen. Pavel Payano

By Mr. DiDomenico, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 119) of Sal N. DiDomenico, Joanne M. Comerford, James K. Hawkins, Kathleen R. LaNatra and other members of the General Court for legislation relative to a loan repayment program for human services workers. Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities.

Maddy summaryThis bill strengthens protections for providers of reproductive and gender-affirming health care services in Massachusetts. It prohibits state agencies from sharing personal information (like addresses or contact details) of these providers or cooperating with out-of-state investigations into their services. The law also blocks evidence related to legally protected health care from being used against providers in civil or criminal cases, and restricts health data centers from disclosing patient or provider information to outside entities investigating such services. These provisions directly affect health care providers, clinics, and state agencies handling health data.

By Ms. Friedman, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 2522) (subject to Joint Rule 12) of Cindy F. Friedman, Andrea Joy Campbell, Attorney General , Joanne M. Comerford, Julian Cyr and other members of the General Court for legislation to strengthen health care protections in the Commonwealth. Health Care Financing.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all Massachusetts public colleges and universities to accept Advanced Placement (AP) exam scores of 3, 4, or 5 for college credit toward degree requirements. Institutions may only require a higher score (e.g., 4 or 5) if the chief academic officer provides evidence it is necessary for success in related courses, and must post all credit policies online. Public institutions must submit these policies to the state department of higher education, which will post them on its website. The board of higher education will annually review these policies and report findings to the legislature by July 1, starting in 2025.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all 4-year degree-granting colleges and universities in the state to annually report detailed admissions data to the attorney general and higher education department. Institutions must disclose whether they use legacy preferences, donor relationships, or early decision/early action policies, and provide disaggregated enrollment statistics broken down by race, financial aid status, and admission pathway. The law prohibits institutions from considering legacy status, donor relationships, or using early decision policies without paying a public service fee calculated based on their endowment size (ranging from 0.01% to 0.2% of endowment). Non-compliant institutions face fees deposited into a Higher Education Opportunity Trust Fund supporting public community colleges and state universities. The bill aims to increase transparency around admissions practices while using financial penalties to enforce accountability.

Senate, June 23, 2025 -- The committee on Higher Education to whom was referred the petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 944) of Michael O. Moore for legislation relative to advance placement examinations to satisfy degree requirements, reports recommending that the accompanying bill (Senate, No. 2536).

Senate, June 23, 2025 -- The committee on Higher Education, to whom was referred the petitions (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 928) of Lydia Edwards for legislation to ban legacy preferences in higher education; (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 943) of Mark C. Montigny for legislation to ban discriminatory admissions practices at higher education institutions; and (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 950) of Pavel M. Payano for legislation to require higher education institutions to issue an annual report to the attorney general and department of higher education on their prior year admissions preference, report the accompanying bill (Senate, No. 2534).

By Mr. Payano, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 100) of Pavel M. Payano for legislation to study supply and demand for cannabis permitting. Cannabis Policy.

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 summaryHD 1444 establishes a 24-month nurse practitioner residency program at community health centers (CHCs) to recruit and retain nurse practitioners (NPs) for primary and preventative care. The program targets NPs who graduated within three years, requiring them to work at a CHC for at least 18 months post-residency under physician or advanced nurse supervision. It mandates $2.5 million annually in state funding, with efforts to secure federal Medicaid reimbursement for the residency costs. The law applies specifically to CHCs receiving federal grants under 42 USC 254b and does not alter existing nursing licensure requirements.