Sen. Mike Moore

Senate, December 28, 2023 -- The committee on Advanced Information Technology, the Internet and Cybersecurity, to whom was referred the petitions (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 26) of Brendan P. Crighton for legislation to modernize state agency information technology systems; (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 30) of Barry R. Finegold for legislation to protect sensitive information from security breaches; (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 31) of Barry R. Finegold for legislation to regulate generative artificial intelligence models like ChatGPT; (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 32) of Barry R. Finegold for legislation relative to cyber incident response; (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 35) of Paul W. Mark for legislation to protect against cyber ransom; (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 36) of Michael O. Moore for legislation to establish a Cybersecurity Control and Review Commission; (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 37) of Patrick M. O'Connor and Michael J. Soter for legislation to protect the residents of the Commonwealth; (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 198) of Michael O. Moore for legislation to protect personal identifying information; (accompanied by bill, House, No. 66) of Bradley H. Jones, Jr., and others relative to cyberattack responses; (accompanied by bill, House, No. 76) of Tram T. Nguyen relative to protecting sensitive information from security breaches; (accompanied by bill, House, No. 77) of Angelo J. Puppolo, Jr., that the Office of Information Technology consider cloud computing service options under certain circumstances; (accompanied by bill, House, No. 82) of Michael J. Soter and others for legislation to protect residents of the Commonwealth from the threat posed by certain foreign adversaries using current or potential future social media companies; and (accompanied by bill, House, No. 84) of Marcus S. Vaughn relative to electronic security for certain procurements involving electronic or cyber security equipment components, report the accompanying bill (Senate, No. 2539).

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a Fisheries Conservation Gear Grant Program in Massachusetts to help commercial fishermen develop and buy fishing equipment that reduces harm to juvenile fish and protected species like the Northern Right Whale. The Division of Marine Fisheries will manage the program, which requires applicants to be Massachusetts-based fishermen or local research institutions and may ask for matching funds or partnerships with scientific groups. The program also allows the state to own any new inventions created with the grants while ensuring they remain accessible to eligible users. To pay for the initiative, the state may issue up to 30-year bonds funded by the General Fund.

Maddy summaryThis bill extends the timeframes for towns in Massachusetts to decide whether to purchase agricultural and recreational land before it is sold to a private buyer. Under current rules, municipalities must choose to buy or pass on such land within 90 days, but this legislation increases that deadline to 120 days. Additionally, the bill requires landowners to send their purchase offers to towns within 30 days of signing a contract, ensuring local governments have adequate time to review and act. The law also clarifies that towns are not obligated to buy properties that do not meet specific agricultural or recreational classifications. These changes directly affect local governments and landowners involved in the sale of protected lands.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new licensing requirement for businesses and organizations in Massachusetts that provide home care services to individuals in their residences. It defines "home care agencies" as entities offering support like assistance with daily activities, housekeeping, or companionship, while explicitly excluding government programs, hospice providers, and existing home health agencies. Under the new rules, any private business operating as a home care agency must obtain a license from the Department of Health and Human Services before it can legally offer these services or use the term "home care" in its advertising. The law specifically mandates licensure for agencies that directly employ workers or contract with companies that employ workers to provide care.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the agency awarding a public works contract to directly manage and pay for police officers assigned to those projects. Under the new rules, the agency must keep the officers' records, receive invoices, and make payments directly to the police department rather than including the cost in the construction bid. This change ensures that law enforcement personnel are paid consistently and on time without affecting the price of the construction contract itself.

Maddy summaryThis bill directs the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection to stop approving new projects that would release perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, commonly known as PFAS, into the air. The law defines PFAS as a broad class of persistent chemicals and places a temporary ban on any new structures or activities that generate emissions containing these substances. This restriction remains in effect indefinitely until both the federal Environmental Protection Agency and relevant state agencies establish specific standards for safe PFAS concentrations. The measure aims to limit public exposure to these chemicals by preventing their introduction through new construction or industrial activities.

Senate, October 30, 2023 -- The committee on Health Care Financing, to whom was referred the petitions (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 732) of John J. Cronin for legislation to promote comprehensive transparency in the pharmaceutical industry; (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 749) of Cindy F. Friedman, Rebecca L. Rausch, Susannah M. Whipps, Joanne M. Comerford and other members of the General Court for legislation relative to pharmaceutical access, costs and transparency; (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 767) of Jason M. Lewis for legislation to define modest meals and refreshments in prescriber education settings; (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 778) of Paul W. Mark for legislation to bring down the cost of prescription drugs; (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 783) of Mark C. Montigny and Michael J. Barrett for legislation to promote transparency and prevent price gouging of pharmaceutical drug prices; (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 784) of Mark C. Montigny for legislation relative to coverage for chronic illness; (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 797) of Jacob R. Oliveira for legislation to bring down the cost of prescription drugs; (accompanied by bill, House, No. 619) of Nicholas A. Boldyga relative to establishing a prescription drug rebate program for seniors; (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1176) of Edward F. Coppinger and others relative to promoting comprehensive transparency in the pharmaceutical industry; (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1201) of Kate Hogan relative to the pricing of prescription drugs; (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1205) of Bradley H. Jones, Jr., and others that the Health Policy Commission and health insurers create listings of certain high cost prescription drugs and that the Attorney General require drug manufacturers to provide information to justify increases in costs; (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1206) of Bradley H. Jones, Jr., and others for an investigation by a special commission (including members of the General Court) relative to contracts between the MassHealth program and pharmaceutical benefit managers; (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1215) of John J. Lawn, Jr., and others relative to pharmacy benefit managers; (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1246) of William M. Straus relative to drug prices paid by carriers; and (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1247) of Alyson M. Sullivan-Almeida, Michael J. Soter and David F. DeCoste relative to pharmacy benefit managers reimbursements to pharmacies in the Commonwealth, reports the accompanying bill (Senate, No. 2492).

Maddy summaryThis bill grants property tax exemptions to disabled veterans in Massachusetts who have a service-connected disability rating of 100 percent from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. To qualify, the veteran must be at least 65 years old, a legal resident of the state, and have served under honorable conditions, while the property must be their primary residence. The exemption covers a percentage of the home's value equal to the veteran's disability rating, with the state covering the resulting tax loss by reimbursing local municipalities. Additionally, the benefit extends to the surviving spouse if they continue to own and occupy the home after the veteran passes away.