Sen. Mike Brady

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new criminal offense specifically for assaulting or battering public transit workers while they are performing their duties. It defines the crime to include acts such as spitting, throwing bodily fluids, or flinging unspecified liquids at transit employees. Anyone convicted faces a prison sentence of at least 90 days and up to two and a half years, or a fine ranging from $500 to $5,000. The legislation also authorizes law enforcement to make warrantless arrests for these offenses when the transit worker is operating a vehicle.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits health insurers and certified healthcare organizations from contacting patients or their families about end-of-life treatment options or emergency code status without the treating physician's knowledge or presence. The law specifically targets insurance carriers and accountable care organizations that require state certification to provide healthcare services. By restricting these communications, the legislation aims to ensure that doctors are always involved in discussions regarding critical medical decisions.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Massachusetts law to clarify the role of the commissioner of occupational licensure in overseeing professional licensing boards. It grants the commissioner the authority to review and potentially recommend reductions to existing licensing standards for individuals, businesses, or trades. However, the bill explicitly states that the commissioner cannot approve any such reductions without a majority vote from the relevant licensing board. This change aims to balance administrative efficiency with the requirement that boards retain final decision-making power over their own standards.

Maddy summaryThis bill aims to improve the management of Massachusetts probate registries by clarifying the authority of registers to hire and oversee staff. It creates new positions for first and assistant registers of probate in various counties, specifying the number of employees each county can appoint and defining their three-year terms. The legislation also eliminates the administrative deputy assistant register role while allowing current holders to keep their jobs, and it increases the number of assistant judicial case managers available in certain counties. Ultimately, the act updates state laws to provide more structured staffing options for probate courts across the Commonwealth.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Massachusetts law to require mental health and substance abuse treatment facilities to keep patients in separate physical spaces based on their specific needs. The measure directly affects in-patient and out-patient service providers by mandating that they provide distinct accommodations for individuals receiving non-substance abuse treatment versus those receiving substance abuse treatment. By enforcing this separation, the legislation aims to deliver more focused care to each group of patients. The state department is tasked with creating specific regulations to ensure these physical separations are properly implemented across the commonwealth.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Massachusetts labor laws to allow public employees to strike after a mandatory six-month negotiation period. It extends the time required for mediation in labor disputes to no more than six months and removes certain restrictions that previously applied once negotiations reached an impasse. The law specifically prohibits strikes, work stoppages, or service slowdowns by public safety workers and other public employees until this six-month window has passed. These changes directly affect public sector workers and their unions by altering the timeline and conditions under which they can legally stop working.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows career employees in Massachusetts classified as Group 1 or Group 2 to retire with a service-based pension after at least 30 years of service, regardless of their age. To qualify, these employees must agree to pay the full cost of their pension benefit upfront, which is calculated to provide a 75% benefit for 30 years of service or an 80% benefit for 32 or more years. The legislation permits workers to use their vacation time or personal allowance to cover this required payment.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires lenders to submit copies of residential mortgage assignments to the local registry of deeds within thirty days of signing them. The change directly affects homeowners and businesses by ensuring their property transfer records are updated promptly in public land records. By mandating this timely reporting, the legislation aims to make land ownership information more transparent and accessible for verification purposes.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows court officers in Massachusetts who previously worked as permanent employees of a county sheriff's department to count their past service time toward their vacation benefits. It specifically applies to trial court officers who transferred from a sheriff's department on or after January 1, 1998. The law overrides any conflicting rules to ensure these years of prior service are recognized when calculating vacation entitlements.