Sen. Cynthia Creem

Maddy summaryThis bill allows Massachusetts cities and towns to choose whether to impose a new 2% tax on the sale of alcoholic beverages intended for off-premises consumption and the alcohol portion of restaurant meals. The revenue generated from this local option excise must be used specifically to fund municipal substance abuse prevention and public health programs within the adopting communities. Vendors collecting the tax would report sales by location, and the state would distribute the collected funds back to the participating municipalities based on their respective sales volumes. The measure takes effect only after a municipality formally accepts it, giving local governments the choice to opt in or out of the program.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a loan program to help homeowners and small businesses in Massachusetts replace fossil fuel heating systems with clean energy alternatives. The Department of Housing and Community Development will manage the program, ensuring that at least half of the funds go to agencies serving low-income communities. Eligible borrowers receive loans with interest rates ranging from zero to three percent, depending on their income status and whether they rent to low-income tenants. To qualify, applicants must submit a plan detailing how they will promote the program and ensure they take advantage of other available efficiency incentives.

By Ms. Creem, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 2623) of Cynthia Stone Creem (by vote of the town) to authorize the town of Brookline to implement rent stabilization and tenant eviction protections. Housing. [Local Approval Received.]

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a refundable tax credit for construction companies that build low- or moderate-income housing in Massachusetts. Contractors can claim the credit to offset state taxes based on the rent they pay for housing their workers, with a total annual limit of $10,000. The program aims to help workers afford housing while building affordable projects by reimbursing them for a portion of their living costs through the tax system. The Department of Housing and Community Development will determine which projects qualify, and the Department of Revenue will manage the application and payment process.

Maddy summaryThis Massachusetts bill creates a new privacy law that prohibits companies from selling or sharing precise cell phone location data about individuals within the state. The legislation defines location information as data accurate enough to identify a person's street-level position within a 1,850-foot range and requires any company sharing this data to obtain explicit, informed consent from the user. Covered entities, which include businesses but exclude government agencies and non-commercial individuals, must ensure that consent is freely given and not obtained through deceptive design or hidden terms. By banning the sale of this specific type of data, the bill aims to protect personal privacy and limit the ability of third parties to track people's movements without their permission.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows the town of Wellesley to use its community preservation funds to support the Wellesley Housing Authority for buying, building, or improving community housing. It specifically permits these funds to be used for projects that were not originally created under existing state housing laws, provided they are managed through a formal grant agreement between the town and the housing authority. Additionally, the legislation ensures that money spent on such non-compliant projects does not count toward the town's mandatory spending requirements for community housing, while also prohibiting the use of funds specifically reserved for future housing projects on these initiatives.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Massachusetts law to strictly protect the privacy of individuals seeking crime victim compensation by declaring all related records confidential. It prohibits the state division and any recipients of this information from disclosing these records unless specific exceptions apply. The law allows sharing of information only for processing claims, court reviews, legitimate criminal justice needs, mandatory legal discovery, or by court order. Essentially, it ensures that personal details of crime victims are kept private while still permitting necessary disclosures for legal and administrative purposes.

Maddy summaryThis bill raises the age of criminal majority in Massachusetts from 18 to 21, meaning individuals up to age 20 would be treated as minors rather than adults within the justice system. By updating the legal definition of adulthood across various state laws, the legislation ensures that young people in this age group are subject to juvenile procedures instead of adult criminal penalties. The changes apply to multiple areas including sentencing guidelines, foster care eligibility, and definitions of youthful offenders. Ultimately, the law aims to provide better support and rehabilitation opportunities for young adults while maintaining public safety standards.

Senate, July 29, 2024 -- The committee on Senate Ways and Means, to whom was referred the Senate Bill to mandate domestic violence and sexual assault awareness education (Senate, No. 2477),- reports, recommending that the same ought to pass with an amendment substituting a new draft with the same title (Senate, No. 2904).

Senate, October 19, 2023 -- The committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure, to whom was referred the petitions (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 146) of Cynthia Stone Creem and Marian T. Ryan, Middlesex District Attorney for legislation to mandate domestic violence and sexual assault awareness education for aestheticians, barbers, cosmetologists, electrologists, hairdressers, manicurists, and massage therapists; (accompanied by bill, House, No. 249) of Christine P. Barber, Paul J. Donato and others for legislation to mandate domestic violence and sexual assault awareness education for aestheticians, barbers, cosmetologists, electrologists, hairdressers, manicurists, and massage therapists; and (accompanied by bill, House, No. 3561) of Tackey Chan, Michelle M. DuBois and Steven Ultrino relative to the posting of information about the National Human Trafficking Resource Center hotline at hair salons or cosmetology schools, reports the accompanying bill (Senate, No. 2477).