Sen. Mike Barrett

Maddy summaryThis bill expands bereavement leave rights for employees in Massachusetts by adding death of a family member as a qualifying reason for family leave under state law. It specifically grants eligible workers up to eight weeks of leave per year to attend funerals, make necessary arrangements, or grieve, with financial benefits provided for two of those weeks. The legislation also clarifies rules regarding how this leave can be taken, allowing it to be used intermittently or on a reduced schedule, and prevents employers from requiring multiple concurrent leave periods if more than one family member dies in a single year.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates Massachusetts school construction laws to allow districts with aging or unsafe buildings to use up to 1 percent of their state aid for repairs before their construction debt is fully paid. It also adjusts funding formulas to ensure reimbursement rates keep pace with recent construction costs and expands eligibility for the Accelerated Repair Program to include projects with budgets under $100,000. Additionally, the legislation introduces new incentives that award extra funding points to projects demonstrating significant improvements in racial integration and modifies poverty-based funding calculations to better reflect district needs.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new mechanism allowing Massachusetts employees to make small, voluntary payroll deductions to support political campaigns and not-for-profit social welfare organizations. It directly affects workers by removing financial barriers such as the need for credit cards or banking services, enabling them to contribute to causes they support through regular deductions from their paychecks. The legislation requires participating organizations to be certified by the Attorney General and obtain authorization from at least ten residents before they can accept these contributions. Employers would facilitate this process without incurring any costs, aiming to increase overall political participation among low-income residents who previously faced obstacles to giving money to political causes.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits employers in Massachusetts from using credit reports to screen job applicants or current employees, with the goal of preventing financial history from influencing hiring decisions. The law allows exceptions only for roles requiring national security clearance or when specifically mandated by federal or state regulations. Employers are also barred from asking candidates about their creditworthiness or retaliating against them for filing complaints related to this policy. These restrictions will take effect on January 1, 2025, and cannot be overridden by requiring employees to sign waivers.

Maddy summaryThis Massachusetts bill creates a new privacy law that prohibits companies from selling or sharing precise cell phone location data about individuals within the state. The legislation defines location information as data accurate enough to identify a person's street-level position within a 1,850-foot range and requires any company sharing this data to obtain explicit, informed consent from the user. Covered entities, which include businesses but exclude government agencies and non-commercial individuals, must ensure that consent is freely given and not obtained through deceptive design or hidden terms. By banning the sale of this specific type of data, the bill aims to protect personal privacy and limit the ability of third parties to track people's movements without their permission.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new independent state agency called the Climate Policy Commission to oversee climate-related policy in Massachusetts. The commission will be governed by a board of eleven members appointed by various officials, including the governor, attorney general, and energy secretary, with specific requirements for expertise in areas like climate science and representation from low-income communities. The commission will operate without direct supervision from other executive offices, have its own budget, and produce reports that cannot be blocked by other state agencies. It will also hire a paid executive director to manage day-to-day operations and administrative tasks.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates the official name of a state agency from the "disabled persons protection commission" to the "commission for the protection of persons with disabilities" to reflect more inclusive language. The legislation directly affects the agency's legal standing and its interactions with individuals and organizations by amending multiple sections of state law. It also clarifies key definitions used in investigations, such as specifying who counts as a "caretaker" and listing various professionals who must report suspected abuse. These changes aim to modernize terminology and ensure consistent definitions for protecting people with disabilities without altering the core investigative functions of the commission.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Massachusetts law to require state agencies and food service facilities on state property to stop using single-use plastic items for serving or transporting food. The Department of Environmental Protection, working with the Operational Services Division, will create a list of approved reusable, recyclable, compostable, or biodegradable products by consulting with industry experts and local governments. State agencies and concessionaires must then use only items from this approved list, which will be updated regularly based on specific criteria for durability and recycling viability. The legislation primarily affects government-run cafeterias, restaurants, and mobile food units operating within state facilities.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes the Town of Concord to collect a special fee on building permits for new construction projects that exceed a specific value set by local officials. The collected funds must be placed into a designated trust to support affordable housing initiatives within the town. To qualify for the fee, a project must be intended for affordable housing, defined as units where initial rents or sale prices are capped at 150% of the area's median income. The town must vote to approve this surcharge at a Town Meeting before the fee can be implemented.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a 1% real estate transfer fee in the town of Concord for the sale of residential properties where the purchase price exceeds $1 million. The fee is paid by the buyer and applies to direct property sales as well as transfers involving entities that hold controlling interests in residential real property. Several exemptions are included, such as transfers to government bodies, charitable organizations, family members, and properties already designated for affordable housing. All collected funds must be deposited into a specific trust to support affordable housing programs within the town. To enforce this, the town will require buyers to submit proof of payment or exemption before a deed can be officially recorded.