Sen. Anne M. Gobi

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Massachusetts law to allow municipal lighting plants that provide emergency mutual aid to sell, rent, or lease equipment and supplies needed for that assistance. Additionally, it ensures that employees of these plants are covered by workers' compensation laws when performing voluntary emergency duties. The legislation also clarifies that these protections extend to the utility's employees in addition to the plant's own staff.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires propane dealers in Massachusetts to provide residential heating customers with written contracts that clearly list all fees, charges, and penalties. It also mandates that dealers display daily propane prices prominently and ensures that any automatic renewal clauses allow customers to cancel with at least 30 days' written notice. These rules will only apply to contracts signed on or after January 1, 2025, giving dealers time to adjust their billing and contract practices.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Massachusetts state law to create a new alternative energy credit for facilities that use eligible biomass technologies to generate heat. To qualify for this credit, which is intended to improve air quality, these facilities must also install an electrostatic precipitator or a similar device to control emissions. The legislation specifically awards one credit for every 1,706,000 British thermal units of useful thermal energy produced under these conditions. It directly affects industrial or commercial sites in the Commonwealth that utilize biomass for energy generation and wish to reduce their environmental impact.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates Massachusetts alcohol laws by removing the requirement that liquor stores be located a certain distance away from schools, churches, and other specific locations. It also tightens rules for getting a new alcohol license by requiring applicants to prove they have good character and increases the time allowed to complete certain licensing steps from five to ten business days. These changes directly affect businesses that sell alcohol and the state agencies responsible for issuing their licenses.

Maddy summaryThis bill extends pandemic-related tax relief for dining establishments in Massachusetts from April 1, 2023, to April 1, 2024. It directly affects restaurants and food service businesses by amending two existing sections of state law to update the expiration date for these financial incentives. The legislation does not create new programs but simply delays the end of previously approved support measures.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a new grant program called SUCCESS to provide wraparound support services to vulnerable community college students in Massachusetts, including low-income, first-generation, minority, disabled, and LGBTQ+ individuals. The legislation creates a dedicated trust fund administered by the Massachusetts Association of Community Colleges to finance activities such as peer mentoring, academic workshops, and transfer advising. Funds will be distributed based on a formula developed by the association in coordination with the Department of Higher Education, with unspent money allowed to roll over to future fiscal years. Additionally, the bill mandates regular reporting on student success outcomes and fund distribution to state legislative committees.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new state fund called the Caregivers to Adults with Disabilities Fund to support the education of family members caring for adults with disabilities. The Massachusetts Board of Higher Education will manage the fund, which will be financed through state appropriations, interest, and donations, and will automatically carry over any unused money to future years. The primary goal is to help these caregivers by paying for their tuition and fees at eligible community colleges. The bill also requires the board to report annually on how the money is used and directs the state comptroller to transfer an initial $4.125 million from the General Fund to start the program.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new grant program to help Master of Social Work students in Massachusetts cover the costs of their field placements. The Department of Education would administer these funds, which are intended to recruit and retain students from historically marginalized and low-income communities. To qualify, students must commit to working in the state for at least two years after graduation, and the program prioritizes first-generation college students while requiring at least half of the recipients to identify as Black, Indigenous, or people of color. The financial assistance ranges from $1,000 to $2,000 per month depending on the student's year of study, with applications accepted annually between January and March.

April 1, 2024 -- The committee on Higher Education, to whom was referred the petitions (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 826) of Anne M. Gobi for legislation to support urgent community college equity through student services, report the accompanying bill (Senate, No. 2676).

April 1, 2024 -- The committee on Higher Education to whom was referred the petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 160) of Sal N. DiDomenico, Manny Cruz, Susannah M. Whipps, Jack Patrick Lewis and other members of the General Court for legislation relative to Social Work Uplifting Practices and Exam Removal (“The SUPER Act”), report the accompanying bill (Senate, No. 2673).