By Mr. DiDomenico, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 571) of Sal N. DiDomenico, Dylan A. Fernandes and Manny Cruz for legislation to save recycling costs in the commonwealth. Environment and Natural Resources.
By Mr. DiDomenico, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 572) of Sal N. DiDomenico, James B. Eldridge and Joanne M. Comerford for legislation to establish sustainable and equitable funding for climate change adaptation and mitigation. Environment and Natural Resources.
Senate, July 24, 2025 -- Text of the Senate Bill amending certain archaic laws (Senate, No. 2564) (being the text of Senate, No. 1034, printed as amended)
By Mr. Cyr, a petition (accompanied by resolve, Senate, No. 1392) of Julian Cyr and Joanne M. Comerford that provisions be made for a special commission to study available behavioral health services and to make recommendations for improving access to behavioral health services for children and families in the commonwealth. Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery.
Maddy summarySD 1221 changes the timeline for reimbursing cities and towns that pay veterans' benefits. It replaces the previous deadline of "November tenth in the year after expenditures" with a new requirement: reimbursement must be made "no later than 6 months after the date on which such expenditures are certified by the secretary." This directly affects local governments that provide veterans' benefits, ensuring they receive reimbursement within six months of the state certifying their costs. The bill amends section 6 of chapter 115 of the General Laws and takes effect two years after enactment.
Maddy summaryThis bill requires public schools (grades 6-12) and colleges/universities to include the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline contact information on all new or replacement student ID cards. It directly affects schools and institutions issuing student IDs by mandating the inclusion of the 988 phone and text number. The requirement applies to IDs issued on or after July 1, 2025, with existing non-compliant cards allowed to be used until depleted. The bill does not change funding or create new programs, solely adding crisis resource information to existing student identification.
Maddy summaryThis bill provides tuition and fee waivers at Massachusetts public colleges for students who were legally placed under guardianship (per Chapter 190B, Section 5-201) and are living with a grandparent or other relative (not a parent) when they turn 18 or enroll in college. It directly affects qualifying Massachusetts residents in this guardianship situation who attend public higher education institutions. The state, not the colleges, covers the waiver costs after exhausting any federal reimbursements. This policy change specifically targets financial barriers for youth raised by extended family in guardianship.
Maddy summarySD 827 amends a state law to expand tuition and fee waivers for adopted foster children attending college. The bill removes the restriction requiring waivers to apply only to "state-supported" institutions, making them available at both public and private colleges. It also changes the waiver to cover "full" tuition and fees, meaning eligible students pay nothing for these costs. This directly affects adopted foster youth pursuing higher education by increasing their access to financial support at any institution.
By Mr. DiDomenico, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 218) of Sal N. DiDomenico, Joanne M. Comerford, Manny Cruz, Paul R. Feeney and other members of the General Court for legislation relative to Social Work Uplifting Practices and Exam Removal (“The SUPER Act”). Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure.
Maddy summaryThis bill creates "blue envelopes" to improve police interactions with people who have autism spectrum disorder. The envelopes, available from the Registry of Motor Vehicles upon request, contain written communication tips for officers and instructions for placing them on a car's sun visor. They also hold a person's driver's license, registration, and insurance cards. The program will begin on July 1, 2026, and directly affects autistic individuals and their families during traffic stops or vehicle encounters with police.
