Sen. Bill Driscoll

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a comprehensive educational diversion program to address the legal and social consequences of adolescents sharing sexual images, commonly known as sexting. It requires the Attorney General to create this curriculum in collaboration with state education and youth services departments, which will be used to divert minors from court proceedings if they are charged with related offenses. The program also mandates that schools integrate media literacy instruction using the same materials to help students understand the risks of online image sharing. Additionally, the legislation expands the legal definition of abuse to include coercive control and increases fines for certain offenses.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates Massachusetts laws to ensure that legal parentage rights apply equally to all families, regardless of the parents' gender, marital status, or sexual orientation. It replaces gender-specific terms like "father" and "mother" with neutral language such as "other parent" and "person who gave birth," while also changing "paternity" to "parentage" throughout the statutes. The legislation introduces new definitions for various family arrangements, including surrogacy and assisted reproduction, to clarify how different types of parents are recognized under the law. By amending existing chapters on birth certificates and family law, the bill aims to provide consistent legal protections for children born through diverse circumstances, including those resulting from surrogacy or non-marital births.

By Representative LeBoeuf of Worcester, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 3366) of David Henry Argosky LeBoeuf and others for legislation to require that new electric vehicles purchased by regional transit authorities be electric vehicles. Transportation.

By Representative Puppolo of Springfield, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 3103) of Angelo J. Puppolo, Jr., and others for legislation to establish standard time as the permanent time of the Commonwealth. State Administration and Regulatory Oversight.

By Representative Puppolo of Springfield, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 3410) of Angelo J. Puppolo, Jr., and Bud L. Williams relative to electric foot scooter operating requirements. Transportation.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Massachusetts law to allow a spouse to use their relationship to the offender as a legal defense against charges of being an accessory after the fact. Under the new provision, if a defendant testifies only to confirm their marital status, they cannot be cross-examined on other topics, and their prior criminal record generally cannot be used to challenge their credibility. The change specifically protects married partners from prosecution when they assist a criminal after the crime is committed, provided they rely on their spousal relationship as their sole defense.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires habitual criminals in Massachusetts who are on probation or parole to serve their time under home confinement instead of in the community. The law directly affects individuals classified as habitual criminals under existing state statutes by mandating that their supervision occurs within their residences. Under this provision, these individuals must remain at home for the entire duration of their probation or parole period. The measure does not specify additional conditions for home confinement but establishes it as a mandatory requirement for this specific group of offenders.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands the role of nurse practitioners in Massachusetts health care decision-making by allowing them to act as the "attending" provider for determining a patient's capacity to make medical choices. Specifically, it amends existing state laws to include nurse practitioners alongside physicians when deciding who can invoke a health care proxy or assess a patient's ability to consent to treatment. The changes apply to various sections of the relevant chapter, ensuring that nurse practitioners with primary responsibility for a patient's care have the same authority as doctors in these critical situations.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a dedicated PFAS Remediation Trust Fund to help Massachusetts communities address contamination in drinking water, groundwater, soil, and other environmental media. The fund will be financed through recovered amounts from lawsuits or settlements against manufacturers and sellers of PFAS-containing products, along with other designated transfers and donations. Expenditures from the fund will prioritize vulnerable environmental justice populations and can be used to provide grants to municipalities, counties, and health boards for remediation projects, treatment systems, and private well assistance. The law also establishes rules requiring grant recipients to repay the fund if they later recover costs from liable third parties and prohibits funding for projects caused by the applicant's own negligence.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Massachusetts law to require every city and town to establish a Local Emergency Management Agency to coordinate disaster response and preparedness efforts. The legislation designates a director for each agency and grants local officials the power to bypass standard hiring and procurement rules during emergencies to quickly secure resources and personnel. Additionally, the act mandates that state agencies cooperate with local efforts and allows mayors or town managers to direct existing city or town departments to assist in disaster relief operations.