Sen. John Keenan

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Massachusetts law to allow municipal lighting plants and energy cooperatives to keep certain business information private. Specifically, it exempts these entities from standard open meeting and public record rules when disclosing data could harm their customers or competitive standing. The changes apply to trade secrets and competitively sensitive information shared during operations as municipal aggregators or within government-run cooperatives. By restricting access to this specific data, the legislation aims to protect the financial and operational interests of local power providers without altering broader transparency requirements for private utilities.

Maddy summaryThis bill directs the Massachusetts School Building Authority to establish a loan program specifically for private special education schools approved under state law. The program would offer no-interest or low-interest loans to help these schools fund construction projects and facility upgrades. By utilizing existing funds from the School Modernization and Reconstruction Trust Fund, the legislation aims to improve infrastructure for students with special needs without creating new revenue sources.

Maddy summaryThis bill directs the Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education to create rules banning public schools from using athletic team names, logos, or mascots that reference Native Americans or denigrate any racial, ethnic, gender, or religious group. The legislation requires schools currently using such imagery to select new alternatives by a specific deadline set by the board. While the ban applies to new team identities, schools are permitted to keep existing uniforms and materials if they stop purchasing new items with the prohibited names and remove the imagery from facilities during future maintenance. The law explicitly allows Native American tribes to use their own names for their sports teams and permits a public school to use a tribal name only if that specific tribe gives explicit consent.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Massachusetts state law to regulate outdoor lighting by restricting the use of public funds for new fixtures that do not meet specific efficiency and shielding standards. It requires that new roadway and parking lot lights be fully shielded to prevent light from pointing upward, while also limiting decorative lights to emit less than 500 lumens of upward light. Additionally, the legislation mandates that building-mounted lights must be shielded unless they are specifically designed for façade illumination. These rules aim to reduce energy consumption and light pollution, thereby improving dark-sky visibility for residents.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands Massachusetts' existing Bottle Bill to include more types of drinkable liquids and larger containers, aiming to increase recycling rates. It defines "beverage" to cover most liquids for human consumption while excluding items like milk, infant formula, and small-scale fruit juices, and it raises the size limit for eligible containers to 2.5 liters for non-carbonated drinks and 3 liters for carbonated ones. The legislation also updates the refund value for returned containers to $2.75 for smaller items and $3.75 for larger ones, while exempting dealers with businesses under 2,000 square feet from certain immediate payment rules. Additionally, it requires the state secretary to review handling fees and refund values every three years to ensure they meet specific recycling targets, such as recycling 65% of containers by 2025 and 95% by 2031.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes Massachusetts municipalities to create electricity load aggregation programs, allowing towns and cities to group their residents together to purchase power directly from suppliers. Under the new rules, these programs operate on an opt-out basis, meaning all customers in the area are included unless they choose to leave, and they can negotiate for lower rates or renewable energy options that individuals might not access alone. The legislation requires local governments to develop detailed plans for these programs and obtain approval through a majority vote at town or city meetings before implementation. Importantly, the law clarifies that these municipal groups are not considered utilities and are exempt from certain wholesale regulations, while also ensuring that existing municipal lighting plants are not required to participate in such aggregations.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new funding tool within the Massachusetts School Building Authority to invest in vocational-technical education programs and regional schools. It allocates $3 billion to replace or renovate school infrastructure and purchase critical training equipment to better prepare students for industry-relevant careers. The legislation also adjusts reimbursement rates for these projects, allowing the state to cover between 75% and 90% of eligible construction costs, with higher rates available for schools that align with regional workforce needs.

March , 2024 -- The committee on Education, to whom was referred the petitions (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 256) of John J. Cronin, Manny Cruz and John Barrett, III for legislation to create and expand student pathways to success; (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 274) of Paul R. Feeney, Jacob R. Oliveira, Adam Scanlon, Susan Williams Gifford and other members of the General Court for legislation to improve access, opportunity, and capacity in Massachusetts vocational-technical education; (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 297) of Edward J. Kennedy and Joanne M. Comerford for legislation to expand dual enrollment for high school students in Gateway Cities; (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 306) of Jason M. Lewis, Michael O. Moore, Kate Lipper-Garabedian and Patricia D. Jehlen for legislation relative increase student access to career technical education schools and programs which are aligned with regional labor market needs; (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 334) of Jacob R. Oliveira, Jeffrey N. Roy and Michael J. Barrett for legislation to expand high school student access to earn industry recognized credentials; (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 361) of John C. Velis for legislation to expand high school student access to earn industry recognized credentials; and (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 362) of John C. Velis and Kelly W. Pease for legislation to expand dual enrollment for high school students in Gateway Cities, report the accompanying bill (Senate, No. 2664).

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Massachusetts law to protect consumer privacy by regulating how lenders and brokers use information from mortgage applications. It specifically addresses "mortgage trigger leads," which are consumer reports generated when a person applies for credit, and prohibits their use to solicit other loans without proper disclosure. The legislation defines several unfair practices, such as failing to clearly state that a solicitor is not affiliated with the original lender, using purchased data without the applicant's knowledge, or contacting individuals who have opted out of such offers. Additionally, it bans calling consumers who are on federal or state Do Not Call lists based on this information. To enforce these rules, the Attorney General is authorized to create regulations that detail how these privacy protections must be implemented.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits the manufacture and sale of food packaging containing intentionally added perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, a class of fluorinated chemicals, within Massachusetts. It requires manufacturers and suppliers to provide a signed certificate of compliance for each package or packaging component, which purchasers must keep on file and make available to the public and the Department of Public Health upon request. The ban on these chemicals takes effect on January 1, 2025, while the documentation requirements begin 90 days after the law is enacted.