By Mr. Kennedy, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 2469) (subject to Joint Rule 12) of Edward J. Kennedy and Jacob R. Oliveira for legislation to define agritourism. Tourism, Arts and Cultural Development.
Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new grant program called the Hunger Free Campus Initiative to help public colleges and universities in Massachusetts address student food insecurity. The program would provide funding to institutions, including municipally administered and minority-serving colleges, to support students in completing their career and technical education programs. To manage the initiative, the state would hire a program director responsible for developing guidelines and conducting surveys to guide how grants are distributed based on available data on student hunger.
Maddy summaryThis bill creates the Massachusetts Hunger-Free Campus Initiative, a grant program designed to help public colleges and universities address student food insecurity. Managed by the state department of higher education, the program will provide funding to eligible institutions, including municipal colleges and minority-serving schools, to support students in completing their post-secondary education. The department will hire a director to set guidelines for the grants, which may require schools to have specific staff, awareness programs, and meal options that accept federal nutrition benefits. Additionally, the bill mandates that the department provide technical assistance to schools and submit an annual report to state officials on the program's progress.
Senate, February 29, 2024 -- Text of the Senate Bill relative to healthy youth (Senate, No. 2692) (being the text of Senate, No. 2686, printed as amended)
Maddy summaryThis bill expands Massachusetts' Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) program to include time off for individuals donating bone marrow, organs, or blood. It allows covered workers to take up to 30 days for living organ donation, five days for bone marrow donation, and up to 4 hours per year for blood donation without losing their benefits. The legislation also removes the standard seven-day waiting period for this specific type of leave and simplifies the certification process by requiring only basic details about the donation event from healthcare providers.
By Representative Smola of Warren, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2665) of Todd M. Smola and others for legislation to include certain certified emergency telecommunicators in Group 2 of the contributory retirement system for public employees. Public Service.
By Representatives Keefe of Worcester and Ultrino of Malden, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 3246) of Mary S. Keefe, Steven Ultrino and others relative to establishing a program for local art and community engagement commission in support of local art and community engagement. Tourism, Arts and Cultural Development.
By Representative Cahill of Lynn, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 3241) of Daniel Cahill, Vanna Howard and Jacob R. Oliveira for legislation to establish a trust to provide for the creation and preservation of creative space and presentation space in municipalities. Tourism, Arts and Cultural Development.
Maddy summaryThis bill amends Massachusetts law to prohibit hospitals and certain correctional facilities from requiring health care workers to work mandatory overtime. It defines mandatory overtime as any hours worked beyond a pre-agreed schedule that does not exceed 12 hours in a 24-hour period, while excluding doctors, residents, and management from this protection. The legislation allows for mandatory overtime only during emergency situations where patient safety is at risk and no other reasonable alternatives exist. Directly affected individuals include registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, unlicensed assistive personnel, and other support staff employed at covered facilities.
