Sen. Vanna Howard

Maddy summaryThis bill expands Massachusetts' paid family and medical leave program by clarifying who qualifies as an "employer" under the law. It specifically designates school districts as covered employers (not subject to certain restrictions), identifies the Department of Early Education and Care as the employer for family child care providers, and defines the PCA Quality Home Care Workforce Council as the employer for personal care attendants. The bill also creates a new "Educator Paid Family and Medical Leave Fund" to reimburse school districts for providing paid leave benefits to their employees, funded by state appropriations and interest. This directly affects school districts, personal care attendants, and family child care providers by changing their employer relationships and funding mechanisms for leave benefits.

Maddy summaryThis bill (HD 4593) allows the City of Lowell to contract for transporting homeless students without following General Law Chapter 30B. It exempts Lowell from those specific transportation contracting rules, requiring the city to handle homeless student transportation contracts in the same way it does for special education students. The City Manager determines the terms and conditions for these contracts, which can cover trips entirely within Lowell, outside Lowell, or between Lowell and other municipalities. The law takes effect immediately upon passage.