This bill protects 340B contract pharmacies by prohibiting drug manufacturers or distributors from restricting access to discounted 340B drugs or demanding unnecessary data sharing as a condition for sale. It directly affects 340B entities (like community health centers and hospitals) that contract with pharmacies to provide discounted medications to eligible patients. The law bans manufacturers from denying, restricting, or prohibiting 340B drug delivery to authorized pharmacy locations unless federal law prohibits it, and prevents requiring extra claims or utilization data beyond federal requirements. Violations are treated as consumer protection law breaches under Massachusetts law, with each restricted drug package counted as a separate violation.
HD 1039 allows Watertown city officials to publish legal notices digitally instead of solely in print newspapers. It permits using methods like newspaper websites, approved local news sites, a statewide digital repository, or Watertown's own website, in addition to traditional print. The city manager must select at least two digital or print methods for most departments, while the School Committee chooses its own two methods via majority vote. This bill updates Watertown's legal notice requirements to include modern digital platforms, effective upon passage.
This bill permits government entities (like municipalities or state agencies) to publish legally required notices online through newspaper websites, statewide digital repositories, or municipal websites, instead of only print. It clarifies that errors from website operator mistakes or temporary outages won't invalidate notices if they appear correctly elsewhere online. Municipalities can now accept public hearing notices on official city websites, as specified in Section 3. The law applies to all legally mandated notices, such as property sales or public meetings.
This bill requires Massachusetts state health departments, public schools, and higher education institutions to collect voluntary self-identification data about sexual orientation and gender identity from people aged 16+ when providing services. The data must be aggregated and de-identified to protect privacy, and can only be used to reduce health disparities, improve services, or inform policy decisions. Departments must submit annual reports to the Office of Health Equity, which will compile the data into an annual report for the Legislature. The law aims to better understand and address healthcare inequities faced by LGBTQ+ individuals across state systems.
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Data Reporting
This bill (HD 299) requires municipalities to cover their own costs for "make-ready work" (rearranging or replacing utility poles to accommodate new attachments) when attaching facilities to shared-use poles for two specific purposes: (1) governmental projects related to public health/safety, or (2) expanding broadband service to areas designated as "unserved or underserved" by the Massachusetts Broadband Institute. It directly affects municipalities seeking to install broadband infrastructure or public safety equipment on utility poles within municipal rights-of-way. The law clarifies that utility pole owners and existing attachers are not responsible for these costs, shifting the financial burden to the municipality for qualifying projects. Key provisions define "unserved areas" based on broadband access metrics and specify that "make-ready work" includes pole modifications necessary to add new attachments.
This bill amends Massachusetts laws governing street lists prepared by registrars. It removes the requirement to include dates of birth and occupations in these lists, while keeping name, residence addresses (for two specific dates), and non-citizen nationality. The changes directly affect residents whose personal information appears in these official voter lists and the registrars who compile them. The key mechanism is a specific deletion of outdated or unnecessary personal data fields from the mandated list content.
This bill amends Massachusetts law to protect privacy on death certificates by requiring only the last four digits of a deceased person's Social Security Number (SSN) to be printed, instead of the full number. It directly affects individuals who have died in Massachusetts and the state officials who issue death certificates. The key mechanism is a specific line change in the law that replaces the full SSN requirement with the last four digits, reducing the risk of identity theft using death certificate information. This change applies to all death certificates issued under the amended section of the General Laws.
This bill creates a "Fresh Start Program" to help Massachusetts residents under age 25 remove or anonymize online records of past criminal offenses or other events that hinder employment and social mobility. The program allows individuals to request changes to online stories through specified media outlets, with the program providing written recommendations to those outlets. A 25-member Fresh Start Coordinating Council - including media representatives, civil liberties advocates, law enforcement, and formerly incarcerated individuals - will develop guidelines, review applications, and oversee the program. The council must report annually on application volumes, media acceptance rates, and program goals to the governor and legislature.
SD 285 prohibits individuals, businesses, and associations from publishing or making available on the internet the home address or unpublished home telephone number of certain public safety officials. It directly affects active, retired, or former judicial officers, law enforcement officers, prosecutors, and their immediate family members living in the same household. The law requires entities to remove such information within 10 business days of a valid request from an authorized person (like a court clerk or family member), with violations subject to civil penalties starting at $1,000 per violation. News media is exempt from liability for previously published content, and the law takes effect one year after enactment.
This bill, the Massachusetts Judicial Security Act (HD 1050), protects judges and their immediate family members (spouses, children, or parents living with them) by restricting the public sharing of their personal information, such as home addresses, phone numbers, and Social Security numbers. It requires state, county, and municipal agencies to remove such information from public internet posts within 72 hours of a written request from a judge or family member. The bill also prohibits data brokers and other entities from selling, sharing, or displaying this information online without explicit permission, mandating removal within 72 hours of a request and banning transfers to third parties. Violators face lawsuits seeking court orders to stop the disclosure and must cover the affected person’s legal costs and attorney fees.
