Maddy summaryThis bill requires that new and substantially remodeled commercial buildings in Massachusetts use electricity instead of fossil fuels for heating, cooling, cooking, and clothes drying. It specifically mandates that new hospitals and biological research laboratories achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 and sets a phased schedule of decreasing emission limits for these facilities through 2049. The legislation also establishes specific heating requirements for labs and hospitals, ensuring their primary heating systems do not rely on on-site fossil fuel combustion. Additionally, the bill directs the Department of Energy Resources to create regulations for compliance, including the use of renewable energy credits, while allowing municipalities to set separate rules for existing facilities.
Sen. Lydia Edwards
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryThis bill amends Massachusetts state law to improve how greenhouse gas emissions are measured and reported. It requires that emissions be calculated using the best available science from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, specifically accounting for impacts over both 20 and 100-year timeframes. The legislation also mandates that the state department review and update these accounting methods every three years, retroactively adjusting data back to 1990 if necessary. Additionally, the bill directs the department to align state reporting with federal and international programs and to streamline requirements for various emission sources, including electricity and gas.
Maddy summaryThis bill expands the Fossil Fuel Free demonstration project in Massachusetts to allow more cities and towns to participate. To qualify, local governments must first meet specific housing requirements, such as achieving a 10 percent affordability threshold under Chapter 40B or approving zoning that permits multi-family housing without age restrictions. The legislation aims to increase housing production by ensuring that participating municipalities have addressed affordability and density goals before accessing the project. Cities that already met the affordability threshold as of December 21, 2020, are automatically considered to have satisfied these new conditions.
Maddy summaryThis bill amends Massachusetts law to require Medicaid coverage for doula services, which provide non-medical physical, emotional, and informational support to individuals during pregnancy, labor, and the year following childbirth or pregnancy loss. The legislation mandates that the state cover continuous labor support and at least six doula visits, including two postpartum visits, without requiring prior authorization, while also ensuring access for eligible individuals regardless of immigration status. Additionally, the bill establishes a Doula Advisory Committee composed of practicing doulas and community members with personal perinatal experiences to oversee the program and ensure diverse representation.
Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits public universities and degree-granting institutions in Massachusetts from giving admission advantages to applicants based on their family connections to current graduates. It requires colleges to stop asking for or using information about relatives' educational history when making admission decisions. The law applies to all public higher education institutions in the state and will take effect for the 2024-2025 school year.
Maddy summaryThis bill directs the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education to actively reach out to incarcerated individuals and those recently released from state prisons to help them enroll in college. It requires financial aid staff at public universities to contact correctional facilities twice a year to identify eligible students and provide them with expedited enrollment assistance and financial support within thirty days of release. The legislation also mandates that correction officials share contact information for these individuals with universities and requires the Board of Higher Education to submit an annual report on the program's progress to state committees.
Maddy summaryThis bill requires public colleges in Massachusetts to create housing programs specifically designed for students recovering from substance use disorders. These programs must offer an alcohol and drug-free environment along with services such as trauma-informed counseling, mentoring, and peer support. Additionally, the legislation mandates that all students, faculty, and staff receive overdose training and ensures that naloxone is available on campus to treat overdoses. The law directly impacts public higher education institutions and aims to provide a safer, supportive living situation for students in recovery.
Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a permanent commission dedicated to improving educational outcomes for American Indian and Alaska Native students in Massachusetts. The commission will consist of 17 members appointed by various state departments and the Massachusetts Commission on Indian Affairs, with a requirement to include diverse backgrounds and consult with tribal governments. Its primary duties include investigating how state agencies can better support these students, promoting heritage language instruction, and developing programs for suicide prevention and violence intervention. The commission operates as an independent agency, and its unpaid members serve two-year terms while receiving reimbursement for necessary expenses.
April 1, 2024 -- The committee on Higher Education, to whom was referred the petitions (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 822) of Lydia Edwards, Sal N. DiDomenico and Russell E. Holmes for legislation to instruct the board of higher education to engage house of corrections and state prisons, report the accompanying bill (Senate, No. 2675).
April 1, 2024 -- The committee on Higher Education, to whom was referred the petitions (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 821) of Lydia Edwards for legislation to ban legacy preferences in higher education; (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1819) (subject to Joint Rule 12) of Pavel M. Payano for legislation to advance fairness, integrity, and excellence in higher education admissions; (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1282) of Michael J. Moran relative to the consideration of familial relationships to graduates in applications to higher education institutions; and (accompanied by bill, House, No. 3760) of Simon Cataldo, Pavel M. Payano and others relative to higher education admissions, report the accompanying bill (Senate, No. 2687).