Sen. Vanna Howard

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes creating a new Massachusetts public bank that would be entirely owned by the state to manage a portion of public funds. The bank would invest these funds within the state to support small businesses, affordable housing, sustainable agriculture, and community organizations, with a specific focus on helping underserved and minority-owned enterprises. It would also aim to assist municipalities and workers through cooperative models while remaining under the supervision of the commissioner of banks.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Massachusetts law to change how people are handled when caught possessing controlled substances without a prescription. Instead of facing traditional criminal penalties, individuals would be required to complete a needs screening that assesses their health, housing, employment, and legal needs. The screening must be conducted by trained professionals using trauma-informed and culturally competent methods, and the citation is dismissed once the screening is finished within 45 days. This approach aims to connect people with necessary services rather than pursuing prosecution, while explicitly stating that participating in the screening does not count as an admission of guilt.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Massachusetts laws to remove specific criminal penalties for sex work and to protect individuals who report crimes from facing charges related to their own prior offenses. It achieves this by deleting language in Chapter 272 that criminalizes street solicitation and repealing a separate section of the same chapter entirely. Additionally, the bill adds a new provision to Chapter 94C that grants immunity from prosecution for drug possession or sex work violations if the evidence was obtained while the person was acting as a crime reporter. These changes directly affect transgender people and low-income women who are frequently targeted by current enforcement practices, aiming to reduce their criminal liability when engaging in sex work or assisting law enforcement.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the Massachusetts General Laws to expand the legal definition of a "prostituted person" for the purposes of the state's sex trafficking statute. The change directly affects individuals currently involved in sex work by including them under the protections of the law if they are victims of sexual servitude, sex trafficking, or specific forms of prostitution involving fees, necessities, minors, or street solicitation. By broadening this definition, the legislation ensures that a wider range of people engaged in the sex trade can access existing legal remedies and support services designed for trafficking victims. The bill does not alter criminal penalties but rather clarifies who qualifies for the state's victim assistance framework.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits family and juvenile courts in Massachusetts from discriminating against parents with disabilities when making custody or parenting time decisions. It requires judges to consider a parent's disability as a neutral factor unless there is clear evidence that the disability directly harms the child and cannot be fixed through accommodations like adaptive equipment or supportive services. If a court decides a disability negatively impacts a custody ruling, it must provide written findings explaining the specific harm to the child and why accommodations would not prevent it. The legislation also formally defines key terms such as "disability" and "supportive parenting services" to ensure consistent application across legal proceedings.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new law in Massachusetts to prevent individuals convicted of specific animal cruelty crimes from owning, fostering, or working with animals. It directly affects people who have been found guilty of offenses such as animal abuse or neglect, banning them from possessing or residing with animals for a minimum of five years for a first offense and fifteen years for repeat offenses. The law requires courts to notify animal control and licensing officials about these restrictions within thirty days to ensure enforcement, while also allowing convicted individuals to petition the court once per year to potentially shorten the ban if they demonstrate rehabilitation.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new chapter in Massachusetts law to address controlling and abusive litigation, specifically targeting legal actions taken by individuals who have a history of abuse or harassment against a family or household member. The legislation defines such litigation as cases where the accuser has a prior court finding of abuse and is suing primarily to harass or intimidate the other party, often by making claims without legal basis or evidence. Key provisions allow courts to dismiss these specific types of lawsuits if the allegations are unsupported by law or facts, or if similar issues have already been decided unfavorably in previous court cases.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Massachusetts law to clarify the definitions of permanent incapacitation and terminal illness for medical parole purposes, specifying that terminal illness must likely result in death within 18 months. It establishes a formal process allowing petitions for medical parole to be filed by prisoners, their attorneys, family members, or medical staff, requiring prison superintendents to review these requests and submit recommendations to the state commissioner within 21 days. The legislation also mandates that the Department of Correction identify cognitively impaired prisoners through annual standardized testing for those aged 55 and older and report these findings to legal organizations to ensure eligible individuals are not overlooked. Additionally, the bill creates a role for a "surrogate decision-maker" to advocate for incarcerated individuals who cannot speak for themselves and requires the Department to proactively submit petitions on behalf of permanently cognitively incapacitated prisoners.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Massachusetts prisons and county facilities to maximize time outside of cells and expand access to education, work, and rehabilitation programs for incarcerated individuals. It mandates that all incarcerated people receive at least one hour of daily group programming, eight hours of out-of-cell time without physical restraints, and one hour of outdoor recreation, while also ensuring access to culturally appropriate commissary and visitation rights. The legislation aims to promote human rights by prohibiting discrimination based on race, gender identity, or other characteristics and by allowing inmates to form peer support groups. Additionally, it requires that good conduct deductions be earned through a combination of in-person and virtual activities to facilitate successful re-entry into society.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a state-run Fresh Start Program within the Executive Office of Public Safety to help individuals remove or anonymize negative online stories about their past criminal offenses. The program allows people to submit requests for changes to published articles, while a new Fresh Start Coordinating Council reviews these applications and sets guidelines for media outlets to follow. The Council, composed of twenty-five members including representatives from the media, law enforcement, and formerly incarcerated individuals, will oversee the process and report annually on its progress. Additionally, the bill updates the age threshold for certain youth-related reporting standards from 18 to 25.