Sen. Mike Moore

By Mr. Montigny, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 263) of Mark C. Montigny, Michael O. Moore, James K. Hawkins, James B. Eldridge and other members of the General Court for legislation to protect consumers from contributing to inhumane animal testing for cosmetics. Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all public school districts, charter schools, and approved private schools to integrate opioid use disorder education into existing health curricula. It mandates teaching specific topics, including opioid types, overdose identification, naloxone use and access, reducing stigma around naloxone, and medical amnesty protections for laypeople who assist during overdoses. The education standards must be incorporated into current health classes without creating new standalone courses. The bill does not impose new funding requirements but allows the department to seek external funding for implementation.

Maddy summaryThis bill removes woody biomass (such as wood chips or forest residues) from the greenhouse gas emissions calculation standard for municipal lighting plants. It directly affects local government-owned power facilities that use woody biomass as fuel. The change is implemented by deleting sections 34 and 112 from Chapter 8 of the General Laws. The law takes effect immediately upon passage.

Maddy summaryThis bill changes the law to exclude woody biomass from being classified as an "alternative energy supply" for most power plants. It directly affects intermediate and large power generation facilities that currently use woody biomass as fuel, requiring them to find other energy sources to meet alternative energy requirements. The bill includes an exception: facilities already certified as alternative energy units by the Department of Energy Resources as of January 1, 2026, are exempt from this change. The law takes effect immediately upon passage.

Maddy summarySD 2049 expands Massachusetts' low-income home energy assistance program to include cooling support. It provides up to $500 per household for air conditioners, ceiling fans, or box fans, plus electric bill assistance during hot weather, targeting households earning under 60% of state median income. The bill requires 10% of annual LIHEAP funds to support this program, prioritizing underserved communities based on income, housing conditions, and climate vulnerability. The Department of Housing must report annually on program participation, equipment distributed, and costs to relevant legislative committees.

Maddy summaryMassachusetts bill SD 1867 establishes a state task force within the Department of Transportation to address roadside litter. The task force, led by the Transportation Secretary and including tourism, public safety, environmental, and cleanup organization representatives, will create a statewide anti-littering campaign and analyze annual cleanup costs, funding sources, and high-impact areas. It must also evaluate current litter enforcement, fines, and recommend funding needs for cleanup and enforcement by December 2026. The report will be submitted to the governor and relevant legislative committees, focusing on concrete policy changes for highway litter management.

By Mr. Oliveira, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 430) of Jacob R. Oliveira, Joanne M. Comerford, Vanna Howard, Michael D. Brady and other members of the General Court for legislation for a special commission to review and valuate the commonwealth’s current special education financing structure. Education.

By Mr. Moore, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 2182) of Michael O. Moore, Robyn K. Kennedy, Hannah Kane and Lindsay N. Sabadosa for legislation to establish May as native plant month. State Administration and Regulatory Oversight.

By Mr. Moore, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 2185) of Michael O. Moore, Michael D. Brady, James K. Hawkins, Angelo J. Puppolo, Jr. and other members of the General Court for legislation to responsibly reducing emissions in the transportation sector. State Administration and Regulatory Oversight.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands Massachusetts' Bottle Bill to include more beverage containers and streamline returns. It adds a "bag-drop program" allowing consumers to drop off containers at designated locations for refunds within 3 days, defines "beverage" (excluding infant formula and animal-milk products), and increases the minimum refund value from $0.05 to $0.10 per container. The bill creates a "Clean Environment Fund" to manage collected deposits, using funds for waste programs, redemption center infrastructure, and water system improvements - excluding incineration costs. It directly affects consumers returning containers, retailers collecting deposits, and state environmental programs.