Senate, July 17, 2024 -- Text of amendment (163) (offered by Senator Lovely) to the Ways and Means amendment (Senate, No. 2871) to the Senate Bill relative to health care market review.
Maddy summaryThis bill amends Massachusetts law to require the state's Division of Developmental Services to cover medically necessary habilitative and rehabilitative treatments for adults aged 21 and older with developmental disabilities, intellectual disabilities, or autism spectrum disorder. The legislation specifically mandates coverage for applied behavior analysis and various augmentative and alternative communication devices, such as tablets, when deemed medically necessary by a licensed physician or psychologist. By expanding these insurance benefits, the bill aims to ensure that individuals with these conditions have access to essential care that helps develop, maintain, or restore their functioning.
Maddy summaryThis bill proposes establishing a livable wage specifically for human services workers in Massachusetts. It directly affects employees of community-based organizations that receive funding from state agencies such as the Executive Office of Health and Human Services, the Executive Office of Elder Affairs, or the Department of Housing and Community Development. The legislation defines these workers as staff who provide treatment, support, or services to clients and their families, while defining the organizations as those with funded human services programs. By amending Chapter 6A of the General Laws, the bill creates a formal framework to ensure these essential workers are paid a wage deemed sufficient to meet basic living needs.
Maddy summaryThis bill allows Massachusetts cities and towns to choose whether to use ranked choice voting for their local elections. Under the new rules, voters would rank candidates in order of preference instead of selecting just one, and votes would be counted in rounds where ballots for eliminated candidates are transferred to the voter's next choice. Municipalities that wish to adopt this system must pass a local ordinance detailing specific rules for counting votes and resolving ties, while the state law removes the requirement to mark ballots with a cross. The legislation also ensures that a voter's lower-ranked choices do not affect the election outcome of their higher-ranked candidates.
Maddy summaryThis bill amends Massachusetts state law to allow individuals to collect mushrooms for personal, non-commercial use on specific state parks, forest recreation areas, and reservations managed by the Department of Conservation and Recreation. It grants the department commissioner the authority to designate specific zones where mushroom picking is prohibited and to establish rules for harvesting, while also clarifying that the term "take" includes picking, cutting, or removing mushrooms from these lands. Additionally, the legislation includes a liability protection clause, stating that the department and its employees will not be held responsible for injuries or deaths resulting from mushroom collection or consumption unless such harm was caused by willful or reckless conduct by the department. The changes will not take effect until six months after the bill is passed into law.
Senate, July 11, 2024 -- Text of amendment (474) (offered by Senator Crighton) to the Ways and Means amendment (Senate, No. 2856) to the Senate Bill relative to economic development
Senate, July 11, 2024 -- Text of amendment (351) (offered by Senator Lewis) to the Ways and Means amendment (Senate, No. 2856) to the Senate Bill relative to economic development
By Representative Kerans of Danvers and Senator Lovely, a joint petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 3358) of Sally P. Kerans, Joan B. Lovely and Jerald A. Parisella relative to airplane noise data collection. Transportation.
Maddy summaryThis bill updates Massachusetts law regarding the costs and terminology for obtaining transcripts of court proceedings. It changes the term "stenographer" to "transcriber" and allows parties to request either written notes or audio recordings instead of just handwritten notes. The legislation also adjusts specific fees, such as increasing the cost for additional copies and rush delivery, while removing references to "additional paper" and "at the same time." These changes aim to modernize the rules for accessing legal records and reflect current pricing for these services.
Maddy summaryThis bill amends Massachusetts law to update the terminology and fees for obtaining transcripts of court proceedings. It replaces the term "stenographer" with "transcriber" and changes references from singular to plural to reflect modern recording methods. The legislation also adjusts specific costs, such as increasing the fee for notes and audio recordings from $3 to $5 and raising the price for rush service from $4.50 to $7.50. These changes directly affect individuals and organizations that request official records from the courts.
