Sen. Brendan Crighton

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a formal system to train, assess, and assign qualified interpreters for students and families with limited English proficiency in Massachusetts schools. It defines specific roles for interpreters based on their expertise, requiring highly trained Tier 3 interpreters for critical legal and educational meetings like Individualized Education Programs, while allowing less specialized interpreters for routine gatherings. The legislation also mandates that the state department of education create a training program and a public registry to help schools locate these qualified professionals for scheduled appointments.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Massachusetts lottery laws to allow agents to transmit sales information and facilitate point-of-sale transactions without being restricted by existing rules. The change directly affects lottery agents and the state lottery system by clarifying that data sharing for transaction purposes is permitted. By updating the language in Chapter 10, Section 24, the legislation modernizes how lottery sales are processed at retail locations.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Massachusetts healthcare laws to ensure children with specific severe food allergies and eosinophilic disorders receive necessary medical support. It formally defines "medically necessary food" to include specialized formulas and low-protein products prescribed by doctors for managing these conditions, while explicitly excluding general diet items like gluten-free or diabetes foods. Additionally, the bill requires health insurance carriers to cover these specialized foods without charging co-pays or deductibles and to allow direct access to immunologists without prior referrals.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Massachusetts law to protect motor vehicle dealers from being forced by manufacturers or distributors to change their business locations, remodel their facilities, or share customer data without valid reasons. It prohibits companies from coercing dealers into altering their physical spaces unless required for safety or technology updates, while also ensuring that any facility improvement programs are offered equally to all dealers in the state. Additionally, the legislation restricts the sharing of customer information to specific purposes like vehicle sales and recalls, and mandates that manufacturers must fully cover any legal costs or damages dealers face due to data security breaches. The bill also prevents manufacturers from arbitrarily changing the geographic areas used to measure dealer performance and requires advance notice for such changes.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires third-party food and retail delivery companies in Massachusetts to submit detailed monthly data to the state Division of Transportation. The reporting must include specific information for each delivery, such as the vehicle type used, precise start and end locations, costs charged to customers and businesses, and the exact time a driver spends traveling, waiting, or delivering. Additionally, companies must report vehicle details like license plates and model years, as well as data regarding any accidents involving drivers while logged into the delivery app. The state will use this collected information to analyze traffic patterns and congestion, with annual aggregate statistics made public on the division's website.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands eligibility for in-state tuition rates and state financial aid at Massachusetts public colleges and universities to high school graduates who have attended and graduated from a local high school for at least three years, regardless of their immigration status. It specifically excludes nonimmigrant aliens on certain federal visa categories and the University of Massachusetts Medical School and School of Law from these provisions. To qualify, eligible students must provide proof of their social security or taxpayer identification number, documentation of selective service registration if applicable, and an affidavit stating their intent to apply for citizenship or legal permanent residence within 120 days. The legislation clarifies that these students cannot be denied in-state benefits based on their eligibility under this new rule.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Massachusetts insurance laws to reduce racial and socioeconomic disparities in auto insurance premiums by limiting how much insurers can charge based on where a driver lives. It requires insurance companies to weight their pricing plans so that no more than 75% of a premium is based on local risk data, while at least 25% must reflect the state-wide average. Additionally, the legislation mandates that insurers cannot create new rules that undermine this balance and must provide detailed explanations to regulators showing how they comply with these requirements. The changes directly affect private passenger auto insurance rates across the state and empower the Commissioner of Insurance to disapprove filings that fail to meet these equity standards.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows individuals in Massachusetts to petition the court to seal their eviction records if the eviction was not caused by nonpayment of rent or a breach of the lease agreement. The law defines specific terms such as "no-fault eviction" to clarify which cases are eligible for sealing and requires that all appeals be exhausted before a petition can be filed. By removing these records from public view, the legislation aims to help tenants with clean rental histories improve their chances of securing future housing. The changes apply to anyone with a relevant court record in the state's trial court system.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new Commonwealth Water Infrastructure Trust Fund to finance water system improvements across Massachusetts. It requires cities and towns to collect an additional $250 per residential connection and $1,000 per commercial or industrial connection, with these fees automatically deposited into the fund. The collected money is then distributed to municipalities based on their previous fee collections, while the remainder supports the state's Clean Water Trust and a special initiative for economic target areas. Local governments must also submit annual reports detailing how the funds are used for water infrastructure projects.