Sen. Cynthia Creem

Maddy summaryThis bill requires correctional facilities in Massachusetts to provide free voice telephone calls for incarcerated individuals and their families. It mandates that these calls be available at all times in all housing units, provided they do not disrupt educational or routine facility activities, and ensures that access levels do not drop below what existed before the law passed. The legislation also requires facilities to enable calling features on existing tablets and guarantees that landline phones remain available if tablet services fail. Additionally, the law prohibits the use of contracts that generate revenue or commissions from inmate phone calls and explicitly states that these changes do not limit in-person visitation.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits pharmacy benefit managers and pharmacies from using financial incentives or penalties to steer patients toward pharmacies they own or are owned by the same entity. It directly affects health insurance plans, pharmacy benefit managers, and retail or mail-order pharmacies by banning practices that manipulate premiums, deductibles, copayments, or coinsurance to favor affiliated locations. The law aims to prevent conflicts of interest where a company might encourage patients to use its own pharmacy over independent competitors, ensuring that coverage decisions are not influenced by ownership ties. By amending existing state laws, the measure seeks to maintain fair competition and transparency in prescription drug coverage without restricting the ability of these entities to operate normally.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Massachusetts law to allow homeowners who lose their property to tax sales to keep any leftover money from the sale. Currently, after a property is sold to recover unpaid taxes, any remaining funds are typically retained by the state. The new provision ensures that the original taxpayer or their heirs receive the surplus amount once all costs, taxes, and interest are paid. This change directly affects individuals facing tax title sales by guaranteeing they are reimbursed for any excess funds generated by the transaction.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the Massachusetts Data Privacy Protection Act to regulate how businesses collect, process, and share personal information about residents. It defines specific terms like "covered data" and "covered entities," while exempting small businesses with low revenues and limited data collection from these rules. The legislation requires companies to obtain clear consent from individuals before using their data and outlines strict security measures for protecting sensitive information such as biometric data. Additionally, it imposes special obligations on large social media platforms with significant revenue and user bases regarding how they handle user information.

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes to establish a new state system called the Massachusetts Health Care Trust to provide universal health coverage to all residents of the Commonwealth. It creates a new chapter in state law that defines key terms, such as "resident," to explicitly include homeless, incarcerated, and undocumented individuals living in Massachusetts. The legislation declares that access to quality health care is a right for all residents and aims to eliminate out-of-pocket costs like co-payments, deductibles, and co-insurance. By setting up a dedicated trust fund and board of trustees, the bill outlines the structural framework needed to finance and administer this comprehensive health care program.

May 9, 2024 -- The committee on Advanced Information Technology, the Internet and Cybersecurity, to whom was referred the petitions (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 25) of Cynthia Stone Creem and Jason M. Lewis for legislation to establish the Massachusetts Data Privacy Protection Act, report the accompanying bill (Senate, No. 2770).

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a legal process in Massachusetts to allow qualified individuals, such as family members or friends, to make timely medical decisions for adults who are incapacitated and lack a valid advance directive or court-appointed guardian. The law defines specific criteria for who can serve as a surrogate decision-maker and outlines a priority order for selecting these individuals when no written instructions from the patient exist. Under the new provisions, surrogates must attempt to honor the patient's known values and wishes regarding treatment, but if those wishes remain unknown, they are authorized to make decisions based on the patient's best interests without needing to go to court. The legislation also clarifies that existing health care proxies and MOLST forms take precedence over this new surrogate process and limits the authority of surrogates regarding mental health facility commitments.

By Ms. Creem, a petition (accompanied by bill) (subject to Joint Rule 12) of Cynthia Stone Creem, Liz Miranda and Estela A. Reyes for legislation to further regulate professional and occupational licensing. Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates Massachusetts law to align with the Uniform Child-Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act, ensuring consistency in how child custody cases are handled across state lines. It directly affects parents and guardians involved in legal disputes over a child's legal or physical custody, parenting time, or visitation. The legislation establishes clear definitions for key terms such as "home state" and "abuse," and sets specific rules for which courts have the authority to make initial custody decisions or modify existing orders. By standardizing these procedures, the bill aims to reduce conflicting rulings and make it easier to enforce custody orders in other states.

Maddy summaryThis bill makes technical updates to the Massachusetts law governing the Betsy Lehman Center for patient safety and medical error reduction. It primarily affects state agencies, healthcare providers, and the public by refining the legal definitions of key terms such as "adverse event," "medical error," and "healthcare-associated infection." The legislation also clarifies the structure and duties of the center's governing board and its advisory committee, ensuring clearer guidance on how the organization will coordinate safety efforts and collect data. These changes aim to improve the clarity of the statute without altering the center's core mission of reducing medical errors and promoting patient safety.