Sen. Sal DiDomenico

Senate, August 10, 2026 -- The committee on Education to whom was referred the petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 341) of Sal N. DiDomenico for legislation to expand access to family, friend, and neighbor-provided childcare administered by the Department of Early Education and Care, report the accompanying bill (Senate, No. 3239).

Maddy summarySD 1113 provides paid family and medical leave for all educators employed by Massachusetts school districts or education collaboratives. The bill specifically defines these educators as "covered individuals" and designates school districts as "covered employers" for leave purposes. School districts will fund their required contributions to the leave program using existing income surtax revenue (from Chapter 62), not from general operating budgets. This ensures educators can take paid leave for family or medical needs without impacting their employment benefits or health insurance coverage.

By Mr. Eldridge, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1681) of James B. Eldridge, Liz Miranda, Joanne M. Comerford, Robyn K. Kennedy and other members of the Senate for legislation to protect the civil rights and safety of all Massachusetts residents. Public Safety and Homeland Security.

Maddy summaryThis bill raises Massachusetts' minimum wage to $20.00 per hour by 2029 through phased increases (starting at $16.25 in 2026). It establishes an automatic annual adjustment starting in 2030, where the minimum wage will increase each January based on the previous year's inflation rate (using the Consumer Price Index). The bill directly affects all public and private employers in Massachusetts who pay hourly wages. It also adjusts the tipped wage to 60% of the new minimum wage rate.

By Mr. DiDomenico, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 341) of Sal N. DiDomenico for legislation to expand access to family, friend, and neighbor-provided childcare administered by the Department of Early Education and Care. Education.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits insurance companies and non-admitted insurers from including policy terms that block insureds from hiring public adjusters (as defined by law) to handle claims. It makes any such restrictive language unenforceable and requires its removal from policies, while leaving other policy terms intact. The bill amends two sections of Massachusetts insurance law: it adds a new section (2C) to Chapter 175 and updates Chapter 176D to explicitly ban policy provisions that prevent insureds from using public adjusters. This directly affects policyholders who wish to work with public adjusters for property or casualty insurance claims.

Maddy summaryThis bill directs the governor to limit civil immigration enforcement activities within nonpublic areas of state-owned buildings and properties, unless required by federal law or specific state programs. It requires the creation of multilingual guidelines for state agencies, private organizations, and schools on how to verify the authority of immigration officers and handle related interactions. Additionally, the bill empowers the attorney general to file civil lawsuits against any law enforcement officer who violates specific federal statutes regarding immigration enforcement.

Maddy summaryThis bill defines "mobile carrying devices" (like delivery robots) in Massachusetts law and sets rules for their use. It specifies these devices must weigh under 90 pounds, move at 12.5 mph max, operate only on sidewalks/crosswalks with an active owner monitoring, and have a controlled stop system. The bill requires owners to ensure devices follow traffic signals, avoid interfering with pedestrians, and not carry hazardous materials. It classifies violations as infractions and grants devices pedestrian-like rights (with yielding to pedestrians), directly affecting owners of these devices and local authorities managing sidewalk use.

By Mr. Gómez, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 374) of Adam Gómez, Joanne M. Comerford, Patricia D. Jehlen, John F. Keenan and other members of the General Court for legislation to empower students and schools to thrive. Education.

Maddy summaryThis bill ensures teachers who move from classroom roles to positions at the Executive Office of Education or the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education retain their status in the teacher retirement system (or Boston retirement system), avoiding a switch to the state employees' retirement system. It requires such employees to pay makeup contributions for the difference in retirement payments between systems during their time in state education roles. Additionally, it creates a one-time 180-day opportunity for eligible teachers (who began contributing before July 2001 and didn’t choose an alternative retirement program) to join a specific retirement benefit program. The bill directly affects current and future educators transitioning to state education agency jobs, focusing on maintaining retirement benefits and contribution continuity.