Sen. Becca Rausch

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the Massachusetts General Laws to expand the legal definition of a "prostituted person" for the purposes of the state's sex trafficking statute. The change directly affects individuals currently involved in sex work by including them under the protections of the law if they are victims of sexual servitude, sex trafficking, or specific forms of prostitution involving fees, necessities, minors, or street solicitation. By broadening this definition, the legislation ensures that a wider range of people engaged in the sex trade can access existing legal remedies and support services designed for trafficking victims. The bill does not alter criminal penalties but rather clarifies who qualifies for the state's victim assistance framework.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new chapter in Massachusetts law to prohibit professional investors, such as banks and venture capital firms, from discriminating against individuals based on protected characteristics like race, gender, or veteran status when making investment decisions. It specifically bans sexual harassment in investment transactions and allows for exceptions where funds are designated exclusively for historically disadvantaged groups. The legislation outlines that private individuals can sue for damages and legal fees for violations related to sexual harassment, while the Attorney General is responsible for enforcing rules against general discrimination and may also seek damages on behalf of the state.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits family and juvenile courts in Massachusetts from discriminating against parents with disabilities when making custody or parenting time decisions. It requires judges to consider a parent's disability as a neutral factor unless there is clear evidence that the disability directly harms the child and cannot be fixed through accommodations like adaptive equipment or supportive services. If a court decides a disability negatively impacts a custody ruling, it must provide written findings explaining the specific harm to the child and why accommodations would not prevent it. The legislation also formally defines key terms such as "disability" and "supportive parenting services" to ensure consistent application across legal proceedings.

Maddy summaryThis bill aims to reduce mass incarceration by expanding parole eligibility for certain prisoners currently serving life sentences in Massachusetts. It removes specific exclusions that previously barred individuals with multiple life sentences or those convicted of first-degree murder as minors from applying for parole. Under the new rules, prisoners serving multiple life sentences would become eligible for parole 25 years after their most recent conviction began, and courts would be required to set a minimum prison term of 25 years for first-degree murder cases. Additionally, the legislation adjusts the minimum parole term for juveniles who commit murder before their 18th birthday, ensuring they are not automatically excluded from future parole consideration.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a new category called "violent act injury" to cover serious, permanent injuries caused by dangerous weapons like firearms, knives, or vehicles during an attack. It allows state employees in specific groups to receive disability pensions if they become permanently unable to work due to such violent attacks or related hazards while performing their duties. To qualify, the injury must have occurred within two years of the pension application, and the employee must prove through a medical review that they cannot return to their job. The legislation ensures that victims of workplace violence can access financial support similar to those injured by accidental means, provided they did not act with serious and willful misconduct.

Senate, February 29, 2024 --The committee on Elder Affairs, to whom was referred the petitions (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 381) of Patricia D. Jehlen, Rebecca L. Rausch, Jack Patrick Lewis, Susannah M. Whipps and other members of the General Court for legislation to establish an LGBTQI long-term care facility bill of rights; and (accompanied by bill, House, No. 637) of Jack Patrick Lewis, Sarah K. Peake and others relative to the right, report the accompanying bill (Senate, No. 2604).

Maddy summaryThis bill allows prosecutors to file charges for certain rape offenses even if the standard time limit for filing has passed. It applies specifically to cases where the suspect's identity was discovered after the deadline using DNA evidence collected from the crime scene. The law requires that DNA evidence kits be kept for at least 15 years to support these potential future prosecutions. This change directly affects how sexual assault cases are handled when new DNA technology or records help identify suspects long after the original crime.

Senate, December 21, 2023 -- The committee on Elder Affairs, to whom was referred the petitions (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 372) of Patricia D. Jehlen for legislation to direct the administration to amend the frail elder home and community-based waiver to permit eligible older adults to choose to reside in certified assisted living residences; (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 374) of Patricia D. Jehlen, Thomas M. Stanley, Jason M. Lewis, Susannah M. Whipps and others for legislation to authorize common sense health services in assisted living; and (accompanied by bill, House, No. 3927) of Kate Lipper-Garabedian relative to assisted living facilities, report the accompanying bill (Senate, No. 2527).

March , 2024 -- The committee on Education, to whom was referred the petitions (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 251) of Brendan P. Crighton, Michael J. Barrett and Peter Capano for legislation to modernize school construction; (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 278) of Barry R. Finegold, Adam Scanlon and James B. Eldridge for legislation to establish a special commission to study the effectiveness of the Massachusetts School Building Authority; (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 295) of John F. Keenan for legislation to create a facilities loan program for private special education schools; (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 309) of Jason M. Lewis, Rebecca L. Rausch and Kate Lipper-Garabedian for legislation to establish a special commission to review the adequacy and equity of the Massachusetts school building program; (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 331) of Jacob R. Oliveira for legislation to provide school building assistance for Special Education Collaboratives; (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 359) of John C. Velis for legislation relative to school districts in receivership and the Massachusetts School Building Authority; (accompanied by bill, House, No. 431) of Bruce J. Ayers relative to technology upgrade programs for public schools; (accompanied by bill, House, No. 441) of Daniel Cahill relative to school construction; (accompanied by bill, House, No. 553) of Edward R. Philips relative to the feasibility of ergonomically designed school buildings and its beneficial impact on students and faculty; (accompanied by bill, House, No. 568) of Adam Scanlon, Barry R. Finegold and others for an investigation by a special commission (including members of the General Court) relative to the effectiveness of the Massachusetts School Building Authority; (accompanied by bill, House, No. 569) of Adam Scanlon, Michael P. Kushmerek and others relative to providing for school building assistance for special education collaboratives; and (accompanied by bill, House, No. 606) of Marcus S. Vaughn and Ryan C. Fattman relative to School Building Advisory Board funding, report the accompanying bill (Senate, No. 2659).

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Massachusetts law to clarify the definitions of permanent incapacitation and terminal illness for medical parole purposes, specifying that terminal illness must likely result in death within 18 months. It establishes a formal process allowing petitions for medical parole to be filed by prisoners, their attorneys, family members, or medical staff, requiring prison superintendents to review these requests and submit recommendations to the state commissioner within 21 days. The legislation also mandates that the Department of Correction identify cognitively impaired prisoners through annual standardized testing for those aged 55 and older and report these findings to legal organizations to ensure eligible individuals are not overlooked. Additionally, the bill creates a role for a "surrogate decision-maker" to advocate for incarcerated individuals who cannot speak for themselves and requires the Department to proactively submit petitions on behalf of permanently cognitively incapacitated prisoners.