Rep. Kate Donaghue

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes the town of Southborough to issue a new liquor license to Costco Atlantic Liquors, Inc., allowing the sale of alcohol for off-premises consumption at their location on Coslin Drive. The license will operate under standard state regulations but is explicitly exempt from a specific section of the General Laws regarding certain restrictions. The law also establishes rules for transferring the license to other businesses at the same address and requires the return of the license to the town if it is cancelled or no longer in use.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Massachusetts law to increase the maximum number of times a city or town can issue a warning before taking enforcement action for ordinance violations from three to five. It directly affects municipalities and individuals or businesses subject to local rules by changing the procedural steps required before penalties are applied. The legislation also clarifies that courts can impose civil penalties and award attorney fees when enforcing these local laws, provided the violation is confirmed. When setting these penalties, judges must consider factors such as whether the violation was intentional, the harm caused, and the violator's history of noncompliance.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a new Opioid Stewardship Fund in Massachusetts to help reduce the financial barriers for people needing naloxone, a medication used to reverse opioid overdoses. The fund will cover insurance co-pays for naloxone and other FDA-approved overdose-reversal drugs, making them free or much cheaper for those who need them. Money for the fund will come from annual payments by opioid manufacturers and distributors based on their sales in the state, along with any future state appropriations. The Department of Public Health will manage the fund and report on its usage to state lawmakers, ensuring the money stays separate from other state finances.

Maddy summaryThis bill directs the Massachusetts Department of Public Health to conduct a study on administrative discharges from substance use disorder treatment programs. An administrative discharge is defined as a patient being removed from care by staff for breaking program rules, even if they have not yet shown clinical improvement. The study will investigate the criteria programs use for these discharges, the safety standards involved, and what resources or care coordination options are available to patients after being discharged. The department must submit its findings and recommendations to the state legislature by December 31, 2024.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Massachusetts law to impose a civil penalty of up to $100,000 on healthcare providers who knowingly ignore a patient's voluntary request to avoid receiving opioid prescriptions. The measure directly affects medical practitioners and the Attorney General, who is authorized to enforce these penalties. It requires doctors and other prescribers to honor a specific form where patients explicitly state they do not want opioid medication. The legislation aims to strengthen patient autonomy by creating financial consequences for failing to respect these non-opiate directives.

Maddy summaryThis bill seeks to remove or update specific Massachusetts laws that regulate religious practices, moral conduct, and oaths of truthfulness. It repeals several sections of state statutes that currently enforce rules regarding public morality and piety, as well as provisions requiring religious references in legal oaths. By eliminating these sections, the legislation aims to ensure that all required oaths are secular and do not mandate religious affirmation. The changes directly affect individuals who take oaths in legal or official settings and remove the state's enforcement of certain archaic moral codes.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Massachusetts law to establish minimum standards for private wells, which are defined as systems serving fewer than 15 connections and either fewer than 25 people or an average of 25 or more people for less than 60 days a year. It requires the Department of Environmental Protection to create regulations ensuring these wells meet public health safety standards and allows certified drillers to construct or modify them. The legislation also grants local boards of health and the state department concurrent authority to enforce these rules while aiming to reduce paperwork burdens for residents and businesses. Additionally, the bill directs the state to assist homeowners in installing treatment systems to ensure their private well water meets recommended contaminant limits.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends state law to allow specific university construction projects to use supplemental funding managed by the Massachusetts State College Building Authority. It directly affects state universities by permitting them to access additional financial resources for building initiatives that were previously restricted. The key provision removes legal barriers preventing these projects from utilizing the authority's funds, ensuring they can proceed with necessary capital improvements. This change aims to streamline funding access for higher education infrastructure without altering the overall budget or creating new programs.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a Behavioral Health Workforce Center of Excellence at a public college to address shortages in mental health and addiction treatment professionals across Massachusetts. The center will gather data, research training needs, and map career paths by consulting with higher education institutions and various state agencies. It will also analyze workforce demographics, inventory available licenses, and examine funding opportunities to improve recruitment and retention. An advisory committee comprising representatives from health departments, insurers, and advocacy groups will guide the center's work. Ultimately, the center aims to provide policy leaders with evidence-based recommendations to strengthen the behavioral health workforce pipeline.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands health insurance coverage for opioid use disorder treatment in Massachusetts, specifically ensuring that state employees and Medicaid recipients receive medications like naloxone and buprenorphine without deductibles or prior authorization. It mandates that hospitals and substance use disorder treatment facilities provide at least two doses of opioid antagonists to patients upon discharge to prevent overdose. Additionally, the legislation requires the state to purchase and distribute these medications to hospitals and treatment centers at no cost to the facilities. By removing financial barriers and establishing clear protocols for medication distribution, the bill aims to improve access to critical life-saving treatments for individuals recovering from opioid addiction.