By Mr. Rush, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1619) of Michael F. Rush for legislation relative to requiring trauma kits in public buildings. Public Health.
By Mr. Keenan, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 248) of John F. Keenan and Paul W. Mark for legislation to license and regulate surgical assistants. Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure.
Maddy summaryThis bill creates a Universal Full-Day Kindergarten Trust Fund to help school districts implement tuition-free full-day kindergarten programs. It directly affects school districts that did not offer such programs as of January 1, 2021, by allowing them to request reimbursement for 100% of program costs from the fund. The fund is financed through state appropriations, interest, and private donations, with unspent funds rolling over annually. School districts must report implementation needs to the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, which also provides annual reports to the legislature on fund activity. The bill defines "tuition-free universal full-day kindergarten" as a high-quality program for kindergarten-aged children with no tuition charges, operating full school days.
By Mr. Keenan, a petition (accompanied by bill) (subject to Joint Rule 12) of John F. Keenan for legislation to authorize the State Board of Retirement to grant creditable service to Roberta Wollons. Public Service.
By Ms. Miranda, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1884) of Liz Miranda, Sal N. DiDomenico, Michael F. Rush, Joanne M. Comerford and other members of the General Court for legislation relative to teacher retirement election. Public Service.
By Mr. Feeney, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 597) of Paul R. Feeney, Joanne M. Comerford, James K. Hawkins, Angelo J. Puppolo, Jr. and other members of the General Court for legislation to conserve and improve natural and working lands. Environment and Natural Resources.
Maddy summarySD 1456 adds "status as a victim of abusive behavior" to Massachusetts' anti-discrimination protections under Chapter 151B. It directly affects employees and job applicants experiencing domestic violence, stalking, sexual assault, or kidnapping (as defined in the bill). The law requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations - like schedule changes, safety modifications, or transfer requests - to support victims, prohibits discrimination for requesting these accommodations, and mandates written notice of these rights to all employees. Employers must engage in a good-faith process to determine accommodations but are not required to provide them if it causes "undue hardship," defined by specific financial and operational factors.
Maddy summarySD 957 requires Massachusetts employers with 50 or more employees to offer pre-tax commuter benefits (like transit passes or parking) to non-union staff, directly affecting these employers and their employees. Employers failing to comply face fines starting at $100 for the first violation, increasing to $250 per subsequent month. The law mandates a multilingual public awareness campaign by the Department of Revenue, in partnership with transit authorities, to inform employees about these benefits. It also establishes a confidential reporting process for non-compliance and takes effect one year after enactment.
Maddy summaryMassachusetts bill SD 2280 (An Act protecting labor and abolishing barriers to organizing rights) expands labor protections for workers not covered by federal law. It redefines "employee" to include workers for nonprofits, healthcare facilities, and vendors serving the state, while explicitly excluding agricultural workers and domestic workers. The bill creates new rules for union authorization (requiring written majority support) and defines "joint employer" to hold multiple entities accountable for workplace terms. These changes aim to strengthen organizing rights and collective bargaining for private-sector workers across the Commonwealth.
Senate, July 10, 2025 -- The committee on Education, to whom was referred the petitions (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 323) of Brendan P. Crighton and Mark C. Montigny for legislation to prohibit the use to personal electronic devices in schools; (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 333) of John J. Cronin and Mark C. Montigny for legislation to prohibiting the use of wireless communication devices in K-12 public schools by students; (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 335) of Julian Cyr, Andrea Joy Campbell, Attorney General , Nick Collins and Barry R. Finegold for legislation to promote safe technology use and distraction-free education for youth; (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 381) of John F. Keenan, Mark C. Montigny and Donald R. Berthiaume, Jr. for legislation to limit cell phones in classrooms; (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 424) of Patrick M. O'Connor and Mark C. Montigny for legislation to regulate the use of mobile communication devices in educational institutions; (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 461) of John C. Velis, Carmine Lawrence Gentile, James C. Arena-DeRosa, Paul R. Feeney and other members of the General Court for legislation to prohibit access to personal electronic devices and social media in public schools; and (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 463) of Kirstin Beatty, for legislation to regulate screen time and technology privacy in early and K-12 education, report the accompanying bill (Senate, No. 2549).
