An Act to protect against election misinformation

This bill prohibits a person or political committee – within 90 days of an election – from maliciously distributing deceptive election-related information with the intent to mislead voters as to:

  • The date, time, or place of an election

  • The requirements, methods, and deadlines for registering to vote

  • The requirements, methods, and deadlines for voting

  • Any certification related to an election

  • The express endorsement of a candidate or ballot initiative by a political party, elected official, nonprofit organization, or other person

An Act standardizing consideration of pets in divorce and separation

This bill would allow for the courts to consider the custody of a couple's pets upon separation, taking into account the best interest of the animal as well as any history of animal abuse or human violence. Traditionally, in divorce or separation proceedings, judges may divide property between parties, such as cars, furniture, and even the family pet. When determining ownership of a pet in divorce or separation proceedings, the judge will typically assign ownership of the pet to the party who initially paid for the animal’s adoption or purchase — this is a narrow evaluation that puts the animal’s well-being at risk and that particularly penalizes victims of domestic abuse, whose abusers often control finances and paperwork. 

New Massachusetts case law allows the court to enforce even-informal pet custody agreements between non-married partners: however, this does not address how a court handles non-married partners without any such agreement or any married couples in divorce and separation proceedings. This bill is intended to provide a consistent framework in statute for judges to use in determining ownership of a pet while ensuring enough flexibility for a judge to use their discretion in evaluating individual circumstances, and help protect the best interest of the family pet, protect survivors of family violence, and protect the emotional attachment between a pet and any children involved.  

An Act protecting safety net access for Massachusetts residents

In March 2020, the Worcester office for the Department of Transitional Assistance moved to a new location on the southeast side of the city of Worcester. Prior to the move, the office was located in downtown Worcester – a central location for the region’s residents and easily accessible by many forms of public transportation. While the move provided the needed new space, the new location created significant challenges for those who rely on the office, including single parents, families with small children, and low-income residents – many of whom do not have reliable access to a car. 

Under this legislation, strict benchmarks must be met before closing or moving community service offices, including: 

  • At least 120 days for legislators, local leaders, and the community to comment 

  • Detailed data, proposals, and plans for how the closure or relocating of the office affects the community and how low-income and underserved residents will be able to access the next closest location 

An Act granting property tax exemptions to disabled veterans

Far too many Veterans are facing challenging circumstances that endanger their quality of life and threaten to push them out of our communities. One of the biggest drivers of financial uncertainty for many is the rising cost of housing. There are approximately 35,000 senior Veterans with a disability currently living in Massachusetts. Often relying on fixed income, these Veterans are extremely vulnerable to the rising property taxes. Disabled veterans are struggling to find affordable places to rent or buy, to keep up with the rising housing prices, or afford the financial costs associated with staying in their home.  

This bill is intended to support the group of Veterans who are most likely to struggle with property tax bills —senior veterans with permanent, service-connected disabilities — while limiting costs to the Commonwealth. The bill would create a new subsection in Massachusetts Law to allow disabled Veterans a property tax exemption equal to the percentage of the Veteran’s permanent, service-connected disability as determined by the US Department of Veterans Affairs. This language also requires the Commonwealth to reimburse municipalities for the amount of the tax which would otherwise have been collected.

Many of our Veterans have suffered devastating, life-changing injuries in connection with their military service and worrying about whether property taxes will prevent them from staying in their homes should be least of their concerns.

An Act relative to pensions for children of public safety officers killed in the line of duty

This bill would allow the surviving spouses of firefighters, police officers, or corrections officers killed in the line of duty or as a result of specific circumstances to collect a pension amount equal to that salary the firefighter, police officer or correction officer would have earned if they stayed in service. The bill also regulates calculation of maximum benefits and distribution of benefits to surviving spouses and surviving children.

Dangerous conditions are expected with the job, and the families and loved ones of those who hold these positions carry that weight with them. To ensure our safety, these first responders and law enforcement personnel and their families put their lives and livelihoods at risk every day. This bill aims to provide these loved ones with security, should a catastrophic event take place.

An Act relative to crumbling concrete prevention and protection

This bill makes changes to existing statute and adds additional statutory provisions to provide greater protections against crumbling concrete. The crumbling concrete crisis has caused severe structural damage to homes across Massachusetts, leaving many families in financial and emotional crisis. These provisions are based on new information, knowledge, and technical expertise developed since the passage of the initial bill in October of 2023 by MassDOT and will create greater, more comprehensive protections and remedies for Commonwealth homeowners. 

An Act designating Diwali Day as a state holiday

This bill would designate the fifteenth day of the Hindu lunisolar month of Kartik as the official Diwali Day, in recognition of the Diwali celebration known as the “Festival of Lights”, a five day long festival where the third day is a day of thanksgiving and reflection celebrated worldwide and by millions of Americans. Diwali Day is celebrated annually across the Commonwealth and its message, cultural significance, and tradition should be recognized. 

An Act relative to local approval for charter schools

When a new charter school opens in a community, every single student and their families are affected, whether they choose to attend or not. These schools siphon already limited tax dollars away from public schools, shifting the economics of these often-struggling institutions and forcing them to stretch the dollars they continue to receive even further. Too often, decisions about charter school expansion are made in rooms that are far removed from the local classrooms and students that will be affected most.  

This bill returns the final say for charter school expansion back in the hands of our communities. The bill would require charter schools receive approval via either an elected school committee, a city/town council and the mayor for cities and towns without an elected school committee, and from voters at a town meeting in the towns where the charter school is expected to enroll students. If a charter school does not receive approval from the towns, they may still open though without receiving Chapter 70 or local funding.

This bill intends to provide local leaders, residents, and students with a better understanding of, and have greater say as to how their tax dollars are spent.

An Act relative to technical rescue services

This bill was formerly filed by Senator Timilty and would amend Chapter 22D of the Massachusetts General Laws to bring the regional technical rescue team infrastructure into the Department of Fire Services. They’d then be tasked with making the infrastructure operate as efficiently as the current infrastructure that we have established for our Hazmat teams around the Commonwealth. This bill will clarify and consolidate the management of the Technical Rescue Response System under DFS and be overseen by the State Fire Marshal. Through these changes, the Technical Rescue Response System will be able to more effectively and equitably deliver and fund these services throughout each and every town and city in the Commonwealth.  

An Act relative to the recovery of emergency assistance funds used on non residents with a financial sponsor

This bill would require individuals and families in the emergency housing assistance program undergoing the federal immigration process with a financial sponsor to be identified. After those with a financial sponsor have been identified, the Massachusetts Attorney General’s office will then seek reimbursements of funds provided by the state that should have been covered by the financial sponsor through legal action.  

In the United States, a financial sponsor is not required and not legally responsible for an asylum seeker. However, a US immigration financial sponsor is a US citizen or green card holder who promises to financially support an immigrant applicant for a family-based green card. The sponsor must sign an affidavit of support, which is a contract that shows the immigrant is not likely to become a public charge or dependent on the government. The sponsor's financial responsibility usually lasts until the immigrant becomes a US citizen or can be credited for 10 years of work under the Social Security Act.   

An Act relative to enhanced fire protection in new one- and two-family dwellings 

In recognition that fires are the leading cause of natural disaster deaths, this bill would establish a local option to require new one- and two-family homes be built with automatic sprinkler systems.

Massachusetts requires all homes to have both a working smoke detector and a working carbon monoxide detector in their homes. These alarms have become an essential part of our public safety system, warning people of all ages of dangerous situations. Ultimately, a smoke alarm’s function is to prevent physical harm or death from a fire to an individual, but fire alarms do not protect a person or their property from destruction. Fire sprinklers, however, have the ability to effectively notify a household, protect the people in it, prevent damage or the destruction of their property from the threat of fires, allow residents more time to evacuate the premise, and fire departments more time to respond.

An Act relative to municipal unemployment insurance reform

This bill would make teachers, professional and nonprofessional educational employees who work on behalf of the school system but are paid through municipal budgets, ineligible to collect unemployment insurance benefits when school is not in session by extending them a “reasonable assurance” of employment. The bill would also reduce unemployment benefits by an amount equal to 65% of a retiree’s weekly pension for retirees collecting both unemployment benefits and a pension from the same public or private employer.  

In 2012, a task force was convened by Governor Deval Patrick in response to concerns about the municipal unemployment insurance system. This panel was composed of representatives of both public-sector labor and management. One recommendation sought to address the issue of school-based employees who are paid by the municipality directly and not by the school department, to collect unemployment benefits during school vacations and the summer break. Another recommendation seeks to address the issue of a retiree collecting both unemployment benefits and a defined benefit pension from the same public or private employer. The committee released a report more than 10 years ago containing a series of recommendations — and reforms are still necessary. As cities and towns try to manage finances, these are important loopholes to close.

An Act relative to the creation of the Massachusetts Public Safety Building Authority

This bill creates a Massachusetts Public Safety Building Authority which would operate as an independent public authority in order to encourage and foster the thoughtful establishment and maintenance of public safety facility space in cities and towns across the Commonwealth. Additionally, the bill establishes a new fund to be known as the Public Safety Building Modernization and Reconstruction Trust Fund, to be financed by cannabis sales revenue. 

The need for a Public Safety Building Authority is widespread and evident throughout Massachusetts. The State Auditor’s 2021 report on public infrastructure in Western Massachusetts highlighted and recommended the urgent need for the creation of a Municipal and Public Safety Building Authority. Findings make it clear this issue impacts both urban and rural communities alike. The creation of the PSBA would provide a direct economic stimulus, enhancing local economic productivity and efficiency. Failing to invest in infrastructure, as indicated by the American Society of Civil Engineers, could cost the national economy trillions of dollars. By addressing this need, the PSBA promotes economic growth and stability within Massachusetts. 

An Act prohibiting state and municipal contracts for the purchase and installation of artificial turf fields

The bill would ban state and local governments from using public funds to install artificial turf containing zinc, plastic, or intentionally added PFAs on public playing surfaces. The legislation is aimed to promote the use of crumb rubber as an alternative, which was found to be best for both public health and the environment.

A recent federal, multi-agency research initiative examining sport players’ chemical exposure on synthetic turf fields using crumb rubber infill found there was no difference in exposure to certain chemicals, metals, or air emissions among players regardless of whether the playing field was synthetic with crumb rubber infill or grass. This study provided credible evidence that recycled rubber for turf fields is a win for public health, as well as the environment.

An Act establishing local emergency management agencies 

This bill would allow municipalities to establish Local Emergency Management Agencies which would be organized and run by a director appointed by a city’s Mayor or City manager, or a Town Manager or Town Administrator. The agency would have the authority to utilize and coordinate the services, equipment, supplies, and facilities of the town in response to an emergency. This legislation would only take effect in the case of a declaration of a state of emergency by the local municipal authority and would be superseded by any declaration made by the Governor.

An Act relative to the retirement of MassPort officers

MassPort police officers provide high level public safety services for the Commonwealth on important properties that are controlled by the agency. These officers share jurisdiction with the Massachusetts State Police in essential public areas like Logan Airport and the Seaport in Boston. Despite their duties and qualifications matching any police department in the state, they have been incorrectly relegated to group 2 for the purposes of the retirement system. This bill would bring them into group 4, which is reflective of their training, work, and dedication to public safety.

An Act designating the month of May as Native Plant Month

This bill would designate the month of May as Native Plant Month in Massachusetts. Establishing Native Plant Month in Massachusetts will encourage community groups, schools, and citizens to undertake appropriate activities to promote the conservation, restoration, and appreciation of the Commonwealth's native plants. This legislation was derived from The Garden Club of America who launched a national initiative to create a permanent designation across the U.S.    

An Act relative to timely public payments for work not included in original construction contracts

This bill mirrors language that is already in Massachusetts statutes to enable the process of ‘prompt pay’ for private construction work to help contractors and subcontractors receive payment from public awarding authorities in a timely fashion for work that was not included in the original contract. Currently, the law does not set a timeframe for when an awarding agency must accept or reject charges for work outside the original contract, which prevents the contractor or subcontractor from being able to even bill for it — let alone receive payment.  

The goal of the prompt pay law, which was enacted in 2010 and has worked well since then is simple: to keep the payment process moving so that funds flow as they should on construction projects, and prompt payment becomes routine business practice.

An Act relative to a municipality’s right of first refusal of agricultural and recreational land

Under current Massachusetts law, cities and towns are allowed to exercise their right of first refusal of agricultural and recreational land when a property owner seeks to sell or use it for non-agricultural or recreational purposes. This bill would extend the existing time period for a municipality to exercise its right of first refusal and fulfill a purchase and sale contract, as well as establish a 30-day timeline in which the seller may accept the purchase and sale agreement.   

The effects of the existing law for these transactions largely falls on communities who have a town meeting form of government. The timelines our municipalities must abide to are short and make it difficult for them to effectively conduct the required due diligence of a potential land acquisition. This bill would lengthen the time municipalities have to make decisions about agricultural lands to better reflect the timeframes necessary to work through municipal requirements, giving our communities more flexibly and influence in how their communities grow.