Sen. Will Brownsberger

By Mr. Brownsberger (by request), a petition (accompanied by bill) (subject to Joint Rule 12) of Noelle Costa for legislation to establish reliance on written representations by retirement boards concerning the purchase or establishment of creditable service. Public Service.

By Mr. Brownsberger, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1931) of William N. Brownsberger for legislation to increase the valuation limit for the senior circuit breaker. Revenue.

Maddy summaryThis bill changes how Belmont, Massachusetts taxes recreational land starting July 1, 2025. It stops the town from applying special recreational land tax rules (under Chapter 61B) to new land applications or future assessments after that date, meaning landowners cannot seek or receive the lower tax rate for new recreational land. However, land already classified as recreational land under current rules will retain its status, and all existing tax rules - including changes in use or roll-back taxes - will continue to apply to those properties. The bill directly affects Belmont landowners who currently qualify for or might seek the recreational land tax rate.

Senate, June 1, 2026 -- Text of the Senate amendment (Senator Brownsberger) to the House Bill relative to parking enforcement in the city of Cambridge (House, No. 4231).

By Mr. Brownsberger, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 2976) (subject to Joint Rule 12) of William N. Brownsberger, Cindy F. Friedman, Pavel M. Payano, Cynthia Stone Creem and other members of the Senate for legislation relative to violations of the United States Constitution under color of law. The Judiciary.

By Mr. Rush, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 3033) of Michael F. Rush (with the approval of the mayor and city council) for legislation to authorize the grant of easements in or taking of certain parcels of land to the city of Boston. Municipalities and Regional Government. [Local approval received.]

Maddy summaryThis bill (HD 5523) removes specific seat limits for alcohol licenses in Belmont. It eliminates minimum and maximum seating requirements previously set for certain licenses under Chapters 128 (1997), 14 (2014), 388 (2010), and 15 (2014). License holders can now operate with any number of seats, replacing prior rules like "60-250 seats" (Chapter 388) and "39-125 seats" (Chapter 15). The change directly affects bars and restaurants in Belmont holding these specific licenses, allowing greater flexibility in venue size.

Maddy summarySD 1614 allows law enforcement to issue traffic citations or warnings to vehicle owners based on license plate photos without stopping the vehicle. It directly affects registered vehicle owners (not the driver) by making them liable for fines, which are set at the same amount as if the driver had been identified. Key provisions require local officials to send written notices with evidence (like photos), payment instructions, and appeal options within 30-90 days, depending on the vehicle's registration. The bill ensures fines don't appear on the owner's driving record but may affect insurance surcharges.

Maddy summarySD 1560 would allow driver's education courses to be delivered virtually, including self-paced online courses, as an option for meeting the required 30 hours of classroom instruction. The bill amends two sections of the law to explicitly include "virtual, including self-paced online courses" as acceptable methods for fulfilling both the classroom hour requirement and course completion. This change directly affects students seeking driver's education and the driving schools offering these programs by expanding delivery options. The legislation does not reduce the required instructional hours but adds virtual learning as a permitted format. It aims to provide more flexible access to driver's education without altering core requirements.

By Ms. Comerford, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1484) of Joanne M. Comerford, Mark C. Montigny, Danillo A. Sena, Paul K. Frost and other members of the General Court for legislation to reduce incidence and death from pancreatic cancer. Public Health.