Bruce E. Tarr

Sponsored successive voluntary Yellow Dot programs to give emergency responders medical information for drivers aged 62 or older or with chronic illness, using decals and folders, outreach and a hotline, with good-faith responder immunity. Recent refiles received favorable reports and no further action, most recently January 3, 2023.

January 3, 2023Supports Healthcare Affordability

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.1779 for enhanced disability and survivor benefits for public-safety workers injured by violence, including full-pay benefits until retirement age, 80% afterward, medical-cost protection and confidential critical-incident support. It received a favorable report and no further action by January 3, 2023.

January 3, 2023Supports Healthcare Affordability

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.1647 to assess, plan, acquire and distribute a state reserve of personal protective equipment for health and public-safety needs, with implementation subject to appropriation. It received a favorable report in March 2022 and no further action by January 3, 2023.

January 3, 2023Supports Healthcare Affordability

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.1345 and S.1527 in 2019–2021 to create a commission recommending evidence-based hospital nurse-staffing standards through public hearings, annual recommendations and implementation review. Both entered study, most recently on January 3, 2023; the proposals themselves imposed no fixed staffing ratio.

January 3, 2023Supports Healthcare Affordability

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored successive bills exempting blood-test strips, lancets and prescribed vitamins or minerals from state sales tax. Recent refiles entered study in 2018, 2020 and, most recently, S.1991 on October 3, 2022.

October 3, 2022Supports Healthcare Affordability

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored four versions of a bill continuing protective custody through necessary transport, screening and evaluation for emergency treatment. The latest bill went to study on September 22, 2022.

September 22, 2022Supports Healthcare Affordability

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored two bills creating offenses for sexual assault or rape obtained through false claims of a medical purpose during treatment or counseling. The proposals covered a broad group of health professionals and clergy, with prison terms up to five years for indecent assault and twenty years for rape. The later bill joined H1661 on April 21, 2022.

April 21, 2022Supports Healthcare Affordability

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored successive essential-hospital bills for court receiverships, patient petitions, access and safety protections, oversight and state recoupment. From 2015 he omitted the earlier assessment and stabilization-fund section while retaining references to fund loans. Recent refiles entered study, most recently S.1529 on February 14, 2022.

February 14, 2022Supports Healthcare Affordability

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored successive bills to protect essential hospital services through clinical and economic impact notices and Department of Public Health review of proposed closures, including authority to block specified closures. The 2017, 2019 and 2021 refiles entered study, most recently S.1531 on February 14, 2022.

February 14, 2022Supports Healthcare Affordability

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.2597 to authorize pharmacy testing, screening and treatment under statewide protocols for influenza, strep, COVID and HIV, including prevention medication, with laboratory standards, referrals, reporting and payment codes. It entered study on February 14, 2022.

February 14, 2022Supports Healthcare Affordability

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.1346 and S.1530 to delete two long-term-care licensing paragraphs governing shared premises and services for nonresidents. The reviewed regulatory text also contained physical-separation and safety safeguards. Both entered study, most recently February 14, 2022; no expanded care access was established.

February 14, 2022Opposes Healthcare Affordability

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored two bills allowing clinicians to hold an overdose patient involuntarily for up to seventy-two hours for treatment, evaluation and counseling after another opiate overdose or potential overdose within thirty days. The latest bill went to study on February 7, 2022.

February 7, 2022Supports Healthcare Affordability

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored legislation requiring secure digital medical records and eliminating per-page copying charges. The proposal capped a patient's base charge at $15 and an authorized third party's base charge at $50, with up to $10 for a storage device. The bill entered a study order in June 2022.

October 14, 2021Supports Healthcare Affordability

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored and repeatedly refiled legislation directing the Health Connector to help employers and individuals identify private vendors capable of collecting health-insurance premiums from multiple payers. The proposal concerned vendor education and premium collection. The latest version entered a study order in March 2022.

March 29, 2021Supports Healthcare Affordability

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored medication-aide certification, training, oversight and recertification requirements for long-term care. His 2019 proposal expressly made participation voluntary and barred employers from requiring employees to qualify. The 2021 version removed those express protections, added nursing-board consultation and created apprenticeship routes for existing care assistants and nurse aides.

March 29, 2021Supports Healthcare Affordability

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored and refiled legislation barring pharmacy contract restrictions on discussing lower cash prices or other cheaper options. It also prohibited insured customers' point-of-sale charges above the uninsured price. The latest bill entered a study order in February 2022.

March 29, 2021Supports Healthcare Affordability

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored legislation requiring nursing facilities to maintain staffing competencies and acuity levels sufficient for residents' safety and well-being and directing MassHealth to cover its full share of actual staffing costs. A committee combined it with eighteen other bills; that carrier ended without further action in January 2023.

March 29, 2021Supports Healthcare Affordability

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored and refiled annual publication of usable healthcare price, utilization and payment data by the Center for Health Information and Analysis. The proposal covered common hospital, provider and drug-service categories and specified high-cost services, with an exception for very small provider claim counts. The latest bill entered a study order in March 2022.

March 29, 2021Supports Healthcare Affordability

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored and refiled authorization for multiple-employer and association health plans to the extent allowed by federal law, subject to actuarial-soundness and federal-compliance requirements. The bill retained an unfilled state fraud-law citation. The latest version entered a study order in March 2022.

March 29, 2021Supports Healthcare Affordability

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored a bill setting a 20% hospital-readmission reduction benchmark between 2017 and 2020 and requiring coordination agreements when a skilled-nursing facility accounted for at least 25% of a hospital's readmissions. The bill received an unfavorable report and ended without action on January 5, 2021.

January 5, 2021Supports Healthcare Affordability

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored a bill adding fetal opioid exposure and addiction to the developmental-services definition of closely related developmental conditions and allowing the commissioner to add other diagnoses. The bill received an unfavorable report on July 23, 2020 and ended without further action on January 5, 2021.

January 5, 2021Supports Healthcare Affordability

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored a bill directing the state to seek a federal waiver amendment allowing spouses to serve as paid family caregivers in covered home- and community-based services for older adults. The proposal required federal approval rather than immediately creating payments. It received an unfavorable report and ended without action on January 5, 2021.

January 5, 2021Supports Healthcare Affordability

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored repeated bills removing prescription-drug coverage from the minimum-creditable-coverage requirement. The 2011 text cited Chapter 111L; later versions targeted Chapter 111M. The proposals removed a coverage requirement rather than prohibiting drug benefits. The latest received an unfavorable report and ended without action on January 5, 2021.

January 5, 2021Opposes Healthcare Affordability

Source: malegislature.gov

Offered a package transferring eleven professional licensing boards and associated funds, staff and cases to public health, establishing a recovery-coach board and reviewing health-quality reporting measures. It preserved employee seniority, benefits, union representation and existing contracts through expiration. Amendment 65, second redraft, was rejected June 25, 2020.

June 25, 2020Supports Healthcare Affordability

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored a broad healthcare bill referred on March 12, 2020. It proposed drug-pricing investigations, pharmacy-benefit-manager certification and audits, public cost data, pharmacy price disclosures and prescription cost-sharing limits. It included telehealth coverage rules excluding audio-only calls, independent nurse prescribing after qualifying experience, and expanded optometrist prescribing with training and safety restrictions. It proposed wellness and long-term-care premium tax credits and medical-supply sales-tax exemptions. It enlarged insurance purchasing cooperatives while deleting a rating-rule provision, and created association health plans with employer liability and financial safeguards. It also proposed a larger premium discount for restricted-network plans and extended permission for certain drug discounts to 2030. Other provisions addressed behavioral-health services, care-management pilots and a federal waiver to pay spouses as caregivers. The committee recommended against passage on December 29, 2020. The bill ended without further action on January 5, 2021.

March 12, 2020Supports Healthcare Affordability

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored three bills requiring pharmacy-benefit-manager licensing rules with qualification standards, conflict safeguards, regular audits and a process for unfair-practice complaints. The later two versions went to study on February 18, 2020.

February 18, 2020Supports Healthcare Affordability

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored a health-data bill requiring feasible real-time claims sharing subject to privacy laws, updated public cost and quality comparisons within ninety days, and claims access for small businesses. It also deleted the clause charging nongovernmental users fees to recover data-access costs. The bill went to study on February 18, 2020.

February 18, 2020Supports Healthcare Affordability

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored a prescription-cost bill requiring insurers to disclose excess consumer charges and certify that more than half of rebates were available to enrollees at the point of sale. The same proposal protected actual rebate amounts as confidential trade secrets, provided license enforcement and covered Medicaid pharmacy contractors. It went to study on February 18, 2020.

February 18, 2020Supports Healthcare Affordability

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored legislation setting the childhood lead-poisoning threshold at five micrograms per deciliter, permitting further reductions and requiring surveillance, outreach and case management. It also changed related remediation references. A companion bill received a favorable report, then an adverse committee report; the carrier ended without further action in January 2021.

January 24, 2019Supports Healthcare Affordability

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored an analysis of pre-hospital emergency services, including resources, regulations, training and sustainability. The proposal required stakeholder input and recommendations concerning emergency communications, councils and related services. It did not itself fund new emergency-services capacity.

January 22, 2019Supports Healthcare Affordability

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored guidance and resource review for police responding to people who voluntarily sought addiction treatment, with an exclusion concerning illegal trafficking. The proposal did not itself guarantee immunity, treatment beds or a funded treatment placement.

January 22, 2019Supports Healthcare Affordability

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored a refundable family-caregiver tax credit covering eligible adult-relative care expenses up to $1,500, with income limits of $75,000 for individuals and $150,000 for couples. Eligible expenses included home adaptations, equipment and care services, with allocation and double-deduction restrictions. A committee combined the proposal with two other bills; the resulting draft ended without further action in January 2021.

January 22, 2019Supports Healthcare Affordability

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored a 29-section professional-practice package, including independent prescribing for qualifying advanced-practice nurses after supervised experience. It addressed glaucoma and ocular medication services with optometrist training, referral and nonopioid limits, lower-leg podiatry and dental-therapist controlled-substance provisions. Some historical deletion effects remained unverified, so no complete practical effect was assumed for those clauses.

January 22, 2019Supports Healthcare Affordability

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored and refiled a three-year sheriff-run 24/7 sobriety pilot for selected second or subsequent impaired-driving defendants or offenders. It combined treatment and conditional driving with testing at least twice daily, as an alternative to incarceration or a release or probation condition. Any user fees were restricted to programme-related costs, and evaluation was required.

January 22, 2019Supports Healthcare Affordability

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored a regional navigation plan for substance-use treatment. The proposal directed public-health officials to help people identify treatment options and resources. It did not itself create treatment beds or appropriate a specified funding amount.

January 22, 2019Supports Healthcare Affordability

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored secure access to prescription-monitoring data through healthcare providers’ electronic records and health-information exchanges for treatment, diagnosis and healthcare operations. The proposal allowed vendors to retain and display data, subject to public-health security protocols. Access expansion and the security conditions were both part of the bill.

January 22, 2019Supports Healthcare Affordability

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored a bill directing the Department of Public Health to review the availability of addiction-treatment beds and submit a master plan and recommendations by December 31, 2017. The proposal ordered planning rather than funding new beds. It went to study on April 17, 2018.

April 17, 2018Supports Healthcare Affordability

Source: malegislature.gov

Offered a full criminal-justice substitute on October 26, 2017; the Senate rejected amendment 99 that day. It proposed a mandatory-minimum sentencing study, broader electronic surveillance and DNA collection from selected defendants after arraignment, with some sample-destruction safeguards. It proposed second-degree murder punishment for supplying drugs that caused death, a ten-year minimum for specified drug-related serious injuries, and penalties up to life for specified drug-and-firearm convictions. It included tougher repeat impaired-driving penalties, ignition-interlock licenses and a twice-daily sobriety-testing pilot. Other provisions offered conditional immunity for underage drinkers seeking overdose help, police mental-health training, treatment referrals, diversion and correctional treatment support. A police-training fund included a state match of private gifts up to $10 million. It also proposed conditional medical parole for terminally ill or permanently incapacitated prisoners and restrictive-housing screening, reviews, reporting and safeguards, with exceptions. The package included witness-protection changes and criminal-case tracking requirements.

October 26, 2017Supports Healthcare Affordability

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored medical-amnesty protection against specified under-21 alcohol-possession prosecutions for people seeking emergency help for an overdose. It required good faith, identification, remaining at the scene and cooperation. Other arrest, search and seizure authority remained intact.

January 23, 2017Supports Healthcare Affordability

Source: malegislature.gov

Was named as a co-petitioner of Marc Pacheco's 2017 Nursing Home Quality Jobs Initiative. It proposed at least $90 million annually for nursing-home direct-care wages, benefits and related costs, inflation adjustments, full-tuition training scholarships and language support, plus $2.5 million annually for supervisory training. Outreach and administration each had a 3% cap. The bill received a favorable committee report, then entered a study order on July 16, 2018.

January 23, 2017Supports Healthcare Affordability

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored assisted-living planning bills in 1999–2015 covering all income levels, 25-year capacity and public/private financing. Most proposed at least $200,000 subject to appropriation and a two-year report; the 2005 version omitted both. The latest joined broader older-adult task-force drafts H.4155/H.4460. The House passed that draft in July 2016; the Senate recorded no further action by January 3, 2017.

January 3, 2017Supports Healthcare Affordability

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored disability-adjudication bills in 2009–2015 to restrict repeated insurer challenges to final permanent-disability decisions, require timely medical-bill payments, and set hearing and utilization-review safeguards. All four entered study, most recently S.1011 on September 12, 2016.

September 12, 2016Supports Healthcare Affordability

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.636 to require insurers to give employers health-plan claims and premium reports, including coded high-cost claims and follow-up estimates, subject to privacy certification and confidentiality rules. It also restricted reinsurance-deductible increases. The bill entered study on June 23, 2016.

June 23, 2016Supports Healthcare Affordability

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored a bill requiring written consent from a long-term-care resident, health care proxy and designated contact before prescribing or administering psychotropic medication. It required documented physician discussions of risks and two professional signatures after a facility violated consent rules. His bill accompanied a narrower bill he co-sponsored on September 17, 2013. That version accepted consent from the resident, proxy or court-appointed guardian and omitted several earlier safeguards. The narrower measure ended without further action on January 6, 2015. He refiled the original consent safeguards in 2015; that bill went to a study order on June 6, 2016.

April 15, 2015Supports Healthcare Affordability

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.289 to extend the long-term-care ombudsman to all residents of HHS-licensed or certified facilities, require complaint tracking and referrals, and escalate unresolved complaints after 90 days. It removed the funding qualifier. Committees reported it favorably in 2012; no further action followed by January 1, 2013.

January 1, 2013Supports Healthcare Affordability

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored bills in 2007–2011 for a five-expert panel reviewing disputed off-label rheumatology drug coverage and insurance-commissioner payment directions. They also added rheumatologic disease to specified drug-coverage language. The 2007, 2009 and 2011 versions entered study, most recently October 4, 2012.

October 4, 2012Supports Healthcare Affordability

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.279 and S.247 to require a public-health plan and regulations ensuring vaccine availability for the student meningococcal-immunization law. The earlier bill's published history ended at referral; the 2011 refile entered study on September 10, 2012.

September 10, 2012Supports Healthcare Affordability

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored nursing-institute feasibility bills in 2005–2011 linking Salem State, three community colleges, hospitals and other providers to nursing education, recruitment and retention. The 2005 bill joined a new draft; the 2007, 2009 and 2011 refiles entered study, most recently June 4, 2012. They did not establish an operating institute.

June 4, 2012Supports Healthcare Affordability

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.585 to create an insurer loss-ratio commission tasked with maximizing premiums spent on medical care, limiting administrative costs, and reporting within eight months. The bill entered a study order on October 28, 2010.

October 28, 2010Supports Healthcare Affordability

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.587 to extend Health Safety Net assessment and payment provisions to ambulatory surgery, specialty providers and laboratories, with revised surcharge-payer definitions and regulatory administration. The bill entered a study order on October 28, 2010.

October 28, 2010Supports Healthcare Affordability

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.897, Jackson's Bill, for organ-donor enrollment, renewal donations, pediatric education and an advisory council. It entered the S.833–S.2338–S.2515 drafting process; Chapter 190 was approved July 29, 2010. The final law retained core donor measures, omitted his voter-registration study, and added a MassHealth drug-notification provision.

July 29, 2010Supports Healthcare Affordability

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored a 2007 healthcare package proposing standardized electronic and paper claims, receipt and completeness notices, 45-day payments and public implementation reviews. The package also proposed a commission to examine mechanisms to increase the share of insurance premiums spent on patient care while retaining commercial-practicability safeguards. The bill received no further action by January 6, 2009.

January 11, 2007Supports Healthcare Affordability

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored a 2007 bill preserving dependent health coverage for full-time students over 18 during physician-certified medical leave for up to 12 months, subject to earlier ordinary coverage expiration and semester-break protections. The committee recommended against passage in April 2008, and the bill received no further action by January 6, 2009.

January 11, 2007Supports Healthcare Affordability

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Joined a 2007 petition to permit pharmacies to receive certain unused prescription medicines from care facilities. It covered unopened, sealed, unexpired medicines, with reimbursement and procedures for restocking or redistribution. It excluded Schedule I and II controlled substances. The committee joined it to another bill in April 2008.

January 11, 2007Supports Healthcare Affordability

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Joined a 2007 package changing the state health-reform law. It proposed child-premium waivers, coverage and cost-sharing changes, affordability exceptions, enrollment assistance and an employer coverage-or-contribution standard. It replaced a temporary tobacco-cessation pilot with ongoing coverage and an annual transfer of at least $7 million. The earlier law already provided $7 million transfers in two fiscal years. The committee joined the proposal to another health bill in April 2008.

January 11, 2007Supports Healthcare Affordability

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Joined a 2007 petition to study children’s school mental-health services. The proposed 14-member commission reviewed service needs, coordination and funding sources. The committee combined the petition with other children’s mental-health proposals in October 2007.

January 11, 2007Supports Healthcare Affordability

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored regional nonprofit health-purchasing co-ops in 1993–2005, with voluntary small-employer membership, standard plans, consumer oversight and carrier-solvency/access rules. The bills specified fee financing and barred state operating and coverage subsidies. Older text specified plan-change windows; later originals ended mid-clause and left eligibility wording unfinished. The 1999 bill entered study; the 2005 refile entered study May 30, 2006.

May 30, 2006Supports Healthcare Affordability

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored hospital-reform packages in 2000, 2001, 2003 and 2005. They proposed uniform billing and 45-day payments, hospital-capacity and workforce studies, and essential-hospital assistance. Earlier bills also proposed HMO solvency requirements and nonprofit-conversion reviews. The 2001 version added observation-service classification, independent appeals and reimbursement protections. The 2003–2005 versions retained those protections but omitted the HMO chapters and a duplicated observation block. The earliest trust used a 0.25 percent assessment on hospitals’ excess revenues, with assessment reductions at a one-percent statewide accumulated-fund limit and special shortfall assessments. Later versions replaced that assessment funding with appropriations, including tobacco proceeds, while retaining free-care-pool financing and technical, capital and operating assistance. Some study deadlines changed from 2000 to 2006. Malformed classification language and an unverified deleted licensing paragraph limited interpretation. The 2000 and 2001 proposals entered study; the 2005 bill accompanied a study order in May 2006.

January 5, 2005Supports Healthcare Affordability

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored individual-health-insurance partnership bills in 2001, 2003 and 2005. The proposals used insurer assessments to finance a nonprofit partnership offering guaranteed coverage to specified uninsured residents, with premiums at 125–150 percent of a standard rate, minimum benefits and six-month waiting or preexisting-condition limits with continuity protections. The 2003 version added self-funded-employer and excess-loss assessments, additional eligibility categories and withdrawal protections; the 2005 version omitted those additions and replaced chapter 176 M rather than adding chapter 176 GG. The 2005 bill accompanied a new draft in October 2005.

January 5, 2005Supports Healthcare Affordability

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored a 2005 ten-section optometric-services bill applying coverage and provider-choice requirements across state-employee, Medicaid and private hospital, medical, HMO and preferred-provider insurance. It limited the requirements to optometrists' lawful scope of practice and renamed specified visual services as eye care. The bill accompanied a study order in April 2006.

January 5, 2005Supports Healthcare Affordability

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored health-eligibility bills in 2001 and 2003 changing a statutory threshold from 200 to 250. The refile expressly proposed graduated medical assistance through 250% of the federal poverty level, decreasing assistance above 200%. It received a favorable report in March 2004 and ended without further action on January 4, 2005. The full affected population remained unverified.

January 4, 2005Supports Healthcare Affordability

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored a 2003 Medicaid eligibility-review bill requiring cost-effective procedures without interrupting benefits and limiting recertification to no more frequently than once every two years after December 31, 2004. It accompanied a study order in March 2004. The text set a maximum frequency rather than requiring a review exactly every two years.

January 1, 2003Supports Healthcare Affordability

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored nongroup insurance reform banning preexisting-condition exclusions and waits in guaranteed-issue plans, protecting renewal and regulating carrier exits and premiums. It proposed mandatory reinsurance for claims above 90% of premiums, financed by market-share assessments with premium-tax credits. The bill also revised small-group coverage and Medicare coordination. It entered study on October 4, 1999; no actual reimbursements were established.

October 4, 1999Supports Healthcare Affordability

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored long-term-care insurance standards covering fair marketing, refunds, denial explanations, cancellation limits, appeals and agent training. They required offers for home care, inflation and nonforfeiture protection, mental-health coverage safeguards and lapse protections, with marketing penalties. The 1999 version omitted an earlier life-rider policy-summary requirement, a drafting change retained in its text. It went to study on October 4, 1999.

October 4, 1999Supports Healthcare Affordability

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored HMO-insolvency bills requiring initial capital of $1.5 million, ongoing reserves, a $300,000 deposit, extra protection for uncovered liabilities and continued benefits. They assigned Bay State Health Care liabilities to Blue Cross Blue Shield subject to capacity and required later acquirers to assume liabilities. The 1999 version lowered its small-group enrollment threshold from 75% to 25% and joined committee draft H4496 on July 6.

July 6, 1999Supports Healthcare Affordability

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored bills shielding up to $200,000 of principal-residence value for people aged 65 or older from consideration or payment for state medical and other assistance. The property had to be owned and occupied for at least three years. The proposals also barred state assistance liens or attachments on that property. The latest bill went to study on June 28, 1999.

June 28, 1999Supports Healthcare Affordability

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored 1999 and 2003 local-option municipal insurance bills for call firefighters and volunteer emergency-service personnel. The proposals placed the entire premium on the individual and permitted a municipal service charge capped at 10% of that premium. The Senate passed the 1999 bill 39–0 on January 27, 2000; the House recorded no further action. The 2003 refile went to study on March 29, 2004.

January 6, 1999Supports Healthcare Affordability

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored full reimbursement from tobacco-excise revenue for pharmaceutical costs incurred while trying to stop using tobacco, including nicotine patches and gum. The bill went to study on May 3, 1999.

January 6, 1999Supports Healthcare Affordability

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored a bill removing the exception that required an injured worker’s first appointment to be with a preferred-provider-plan clinician. The single-clause proposal went to a study order on October 5, 1999; his earlier treatment package also contained separate coordination, appeal and provider-change provisions.

January 6, 1999Supports Healthcare Affordability

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored 1995 and 1999 private-health-insurance packages requiring licensed carriers to offer Medicare and nongroup products and obtain at least 5 percent of their health-market income from those products and Medicaid contracts. They barred group-policy preexisting-condition and waiting restrictions, provided corrective-plan and licensing enforcement, permitted arrangements through other carriers for geographically ineligible subscribers, and allowed nonstock insurers to merge into stock corporations with attorney-general supervision of donated charitable funds. The 1995 bill permitted nongroup waits of up to one year; the 1999 wording omitted the earlier exception language, leaving that provision's scope unclear. The 1999 bill accompanied a study order in July 1999.

January 6, 1999Supports Healthcare Affordability

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored successive HMO chiropractic-participation and patient-choice bills covering treatment-method freedom, safeguards against steering and referral to the nearest participating chiropractor on request. The 1999 text omitted an express nondiscrimination clause retained in earlier and later versions. The package also restated a health-services definition listing podiatry. The 1999 version accompanied a new draft in July.

January 6, 1999Supports Healthcare Affordability

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored a 1999 bill adding help purchasing health insurance to specified medical-assistance benefits, including Medicare supplemental policies covering prescription drugs. The bill went to study on May 24, 1999.

January 6, 1999Supports Healthcare Affordability

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored a bill protecting continued operation of qualifying off-site hospital emergency facilities under municipal contracts, including ambulance arrivals, subject to public-health standards and licensing enforcement. It used a December 31, 1986 operating-date condition. The 1997 bill received a favorable report but ended without a Ways and Means report.

January 1, 1997Supports Healthcare Affordability

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored a four-part workers’ compensation treatment package removing the mandatory initial preferred-provider visit, revising coordinated-care regulations, applying treatment presumptions during appeals and allowing one change within a medical specialty to another in-plan provider. It went to a study order on July 1, 1997.

January 1, 1997Supports Healthcare Affordability

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored a 1995 health-insurance portability package barring health-based exclusion and limiting ordinary preexisting-condition or waiting periods to six months, with up to 12 months for late enrollees. It credited comparable prior coverage separated by no more than 30 days, provided emergency coverage during waiting periods and applied to Massachusetts residents covered by out-of-state plans. Pregnancy remained an allowable preexisting condition within the proposal's limits. A separate provision required a single-billing study.

January 4, 1995Supports Healthcare Affordability

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored 1993 and 1994 bills offering adults aged twenty or older a personal income-tax credit of up to $75 for qualifying private long-term-care insurance, limited to the policy cost when lower. They also prohibited the Commonwealth from seizing a primary residence to recover nursing-home costs. Both reviewed histories ended with no further action.

January 6, 1994Supports Healthcare Affordability

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored 1993, 1994 and 1995 proposals authorizing the Massachusetts Housing Finance Agency to finance construction or rehabilitation of convalescent and nursing homes through project eligibility and first-mortgage loans. The 1993 bill went to study on May 27; the reviewed later records did not establish enactment or completed loans.

January 6, 1994Supports Healthcare Affordability

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored bills in 1993 and 1994 proposing a tax credit equal to 10% of individual long-term-care insurance premiums, capped at $300. The printed amendment used an inconsistent statutory citation. Both bills ended without further action.

January 6, 1994Supports Healthcare Affordability

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored land-conservation credits, revising a flat $7 million cap to phased $3 million, $4 million and $5 million caps and nonprofit-trust eligibility. Later refiles changed dates and sunset scope. They joined H.4465 in 2020 and H.2960 in 2022; both carriers received no further action, most recently January 3, 2023.

January 3, 2023Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.2116 to create an executive office of food resources and security with eight departments, food-system research and marketing, nutrition and financing programs, and appropriation-dependent staffing and powers. It received a favorable report in February 2022 and no further action by January 3, 2023.

January 3, 2023Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.1532 to establish a state meat and poultry inspection framework covering sanitation, labeling, records, adulterated products, federal cooperation and specified licensing exemptions, with facility-funded overtime inspections. It entered study on January 3, 2023.

January 3, 2023Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.1647 to assess, plan, acquire and distribute a state reserve of personal protective equipment for health and public-safety needs, with implementation subject to appropriation. It received a favorable report in March 2022 and no further action by January 3, 2023.

January 3, 2023Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: malegislature.gov

Offered a January 3,2023 amendment requiring the chief medical examiner to review autopsies of children younger than two and approve changes to their death certificates. The Senate rejected the amendment; the underlying carrier later ended without further action.

January 3, 2023Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.2000 for a business deduction for protective equipment and disinfectants, capped at $100 per employee, $10,000 per business and $10 million statewide annually, with a 2025 expiration. It entered study on October 3, 2022.

October 3, 2022Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored recycled-goods sales-tax exemption bills from 1995 to 2021. Earlier versions specified 70% recycled material by weight; later versions required more than 70%. Refiled proposals changed expiration dates from 1998 through 2023. The 2021 bill went to study on October 3, 2022.

October 3, 2022Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.1985 to require green-building certification for new construction or major rehabilitation using affordable-housing tax credits from 2023, with allocation-plan requirements and public energy and water analysis. It entered study on October 3, 2022; it proposed no new credit amount.

October 3, 2022Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: malegislature.gov

Offered a broad clean-energy substitute on April 14, 2022. The Senate rejected amendment 155, 3–36; he voted Yes. It proposed $250 million from the General Fund and up to $250 million from federal COVID-response funds for clean-energy investment, vehicles, transit fleets and grid improvements. It included electric-vehicle and charging rebates, commercial replacement-vehicle tax credits, carbon-sequestration incentives, workforce programs and renewable-energy siting changes. It included nuclear fusion and fission in clean-energy definitions. The substitute also proposed offshore-wind procurement, shared transmission, fisheries mitigation and grid studies, plus an MBTA plan for zero-emission buses by 2032. It paired those programs with public plans, hearings and financial reports.

April 14, 2022Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: malegislature.gov

Offered an April 14, 2022 amendment establishing a statewide commission on commercial-fishing sustainability and offshore-energy development. The Senate adopted his fifth redraft. It proposed quarterly meetings, annual reports, mitigation discussions and a five-year term. A revised commission became law on August 11, 2022, expanding membership from sixteen to nineteen, adding a coastal-management co-chair and extending its duration to eight years.

April 14, 2022Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored plug-in vehicle rebates of $3,000 for qualifying vehicles with at least 10 kilowatt-hours of battery capacity and $2,000 for smaller qualifying batteries, with separate vehicle-price caps. The proposal also offered a $500 charging-station rebate, identified settlement and other funding sources and included a three-year sunset. It ended without further action in January 2023.

March 17, 2022Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.2014 and S.2235 to set natural- and working-land carbon baselines and goals, five-year plans, municipal incentives and grants or loans, with zoning, conservation and offset options and annual reporting. Both entered study, most recently on February 24, 2022.

February 24, 2022Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.2597 to authorize pharmacy testing, screening and treatment under statewide protocols for influenza, strep, COVID and HIV, including prevention medication, with laboratory standards, referrals, reporting and payment codes. It entered study on February 14, 2022.

February 14, 2022Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored and repeatedly refiled an alternative designated-port-area compliance process requiring commission and environmental-secretary review, specified environmental criteria and legislative approval before work. The proposal prohibited projects undermining its environmental requirements. The latest version entered a study order in March 2022.

March 29, 2021Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored and refiled a commission to examine grants or low-interest loans for elevating or acquiring flood-prone property. Its proposed work covered costs, eligibility, flood hazards and mitigation, with preliminary and final reports. The latest bill entered a study order in March 2022.

March 29, 2021Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored and refiled legislation establishing regular drought-management meetings and authorizing uniform water-conservation orders, including restrictions on nonessential outdoor water use. Municipalities were required to enforce the orders. A companion received a favorable report but ended without further action in January 2023.

March 29, 2021Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored and repeatedly refiled requirements for waste-oil and petroleum collectors to submit transport and disposal plans to the environmental department and give copies to waste providers. Violations carried civil penalties up to $1,000 per offense. The latest proposal ended without further action in January 2023.

March 29, 2021Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored a Fisheries Conservation Gear Grant Fund supporting gear that reduces harm to juvenile fish and protected species. The proposal covered eligible local permit holders and research organizations, allowed matching contributions and addressed Commonwealth intellectual-property rights. Grants depended on appropriations; the borrowing provisions supplied no bond amount and contained inconsistent repayment limits. A committee issued a broader draft in March 2022. The committee carrier ended without further action in January 2023.

March 29, 2021Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored Gloucester's proposal concerning city land at 5 Shore Hills Road. The resulting law authorized the city to designate and preserve the property for conservation and recreation and record a certificate of the act. Chapter 84 was approved May 27, 2020.

May 27, 2020Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: malegislature.gov

Offered a 2019 budget amendment valuing qualifying farm and forest estates by their agricultural or forestry use. It included land-use eligibility, conversion safeguards, a ten-year lien and declining recapture with interest, with specified government and conservation-transfer exceptions. Residential buildings were excluded. The Senate rejected the amendment.

May 22, 2019Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored legislation setting the childhood lead-poisoning threshold at five micrograms per deciliter, permitting further reductions and requiring surveillance, outreach and case management. It also changed related remediation references. A companion bill received a favorable report, then an adverse committee report; the carrier ended without further action in January 2021.

January 24, 2019Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored a Newbury land-exchange authorization involving developed LotA and undeveloped LotB near Moody Street. The final 2020 law authorized mutual releases, added LotB to the Crane Pond wildlife management area, required a wetlands covenant and native planting, and assigned transaction costs to the trust. The covenant prohibited mowing and fertilizing within an approximately 962-square-foot area. The authorization became law on February 21,2020.

January 22, 2019Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored legislation deleting three statutory sunset provisions for the certified workplace-wellness tax credit. The underlying 2012 provisions authorized a 25% business credit, capped at $10,000, with a five-year carryforward; the repeals had been scheduled for December 31,2017. His proposal entered a study order in November 2020.

January 22, 2019Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored three bills making residents older than 65 eligible for the septic-system tax credit regardless of the income tax imposed on them. The latest bill went to study on April 30, 2018.

April 30, 2018Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored three versions of an accelerated energy-efficiency rebate pilot for limited numbers of commercial and industrial electricity and gas users. Rebates covered up to eligible project costs but were capped annually at 90% of the customer's 2012 efficiency charges, with verification, restrictions on other rebates and protection for low-income programs. The latest bill went to study on April 30, 2018.

April 30, 2018Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored a clean-energy bill allowing the Department of Energy Resources to require additional offshore-wind and clean-energy procurements beyond the stated 1,600-megawatt and 9,450,000-megawatt-hour thresholds upon written public-interest and climate-compliance findings. The bill went to study on April 30, 2018.

April 30, 2018Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored a bill requiring a state energy plan every three years, prioritizing conservation, efficiency and cost-effective renewable energy and cogeneration while addressing greenhouse-gas targets, reliability and regional coordination. The proposal required agency consistency, an advisory group and public hearings. It went to study on April 30, 2018.

April 30, 2018Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored a bill increasing net-metering capacity caps from 7% to 8.75% of a utility's peak load for nongovernmental facilities and from 8% to 10% for governmental facilities. It also required review and recommendations every two years for further increases. The bill was sent to accompany S1871 on April 11, 2018.

April 11, 2018Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored three bills requiring retail tobacco sellers to display Department of Public Health signs identifying smoking-cessation services. The latest proposal was sent to accompany another tobacco bill on March 19, 2018.

March 19, 2018Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored legislation authorizing the Department of Fish and Game to acquire a conservation restriction on three identified Groveland parcels. The restriction protected wildlife habitat and passive recreation. Acquisition costs and terms were subject to agreement.

February 7, 2018Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored a Marine Fisheries Research Council within the Marine Fisheries Institute, bringing agency, university, fishing and environmental representatives into collaborative research informing state and federal fisheries management. The bill was reported favorably on February 22, 2016 and ended without further action on January 3, 2017.

January 3, 2017Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.411 and S.468 to restrict endangered-species land-use rules to significant habitats and require regulatory revision. The 2014 committee successor instead set priority-habitat mapping, notice and mitigation procedures and received no further action. His original approach was refiled in 2015 and entered study July 5, 2016.

July 5, 2016Opposes Environment and Public Health

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored fisheries-financing bills in 2005–2015 for up to $20 million in bonds supporting vessel safety, sustainable gear and research. Later versions omitted Fisheries Recovery Commission consultation and changed bond dates. The 2005 and 2009 bills joined new drafts; later refiles entered study, most recently July 5, 2016. No bonds or grants were established as issued.

July 5, 2016Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.407 to create a coastal-erosion commission assessing damage, future risks, protective rules and cost-effective measures, with a report within eight months. It received a favorable committee report in March 2014 and no further action by January 6, 2015.

January 6, 2015Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored two bills creating a voluntary $1-per-person income-tax-return contribution to the Inland Fisheries and Game Fund, a fully offsetting income-tax credit and a General Fund match subject to appropriation. The bills went to study on October 12, 2010 and September 20, 2012.

September 20, 2012Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.279 and S.247 to require a public-health plan and regulations ensuring vaccine availability for the student meningococcal-immunization law. The earlier bill's published history ended at referral; the 2011 refile entered study on September 10, 2012.

September 10, 2012Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored water-efficiency bills in 1999–2011, expanding an Ipswich pilot statewide and changing fixture grants to loans, then mixed assistance up to $2 million yearly/$10 million total. They proposed audits, meters, leak repair and a $500,000 coordinator. Earlier $150,000 water-law and $250,000 instream-flow work, later prioritizing site-specific data, were omitted in 2011. The 2007 and 2009 bills received favorable reports but stalled; the 2011 refile entered study May 15, 2012.

May 15, 2012Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored tobacco-possession bills in 2009 and 2011 proposing $10 to $25 fines for people under 18. Tobacco provided by a parent or guardian was exempted. The bills also permitted school staff to confiscate tobacco on public-school property. The proposals went to study orders in 2010 and on October 15, 2012.

January 24, 2011Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored a bill proposing current CPR and defibrillator certification for athletic coaches, with an exception for physically disabled coaches. The introduced text accepted training from the Red Cross, American Heart Association or another health-department-approved agency. A committee reported a changed version favorably in July 2009. The bill ended without further action on January 4, 2011.

January 20, 2009Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: malegislature.gov

Presented a North Andover Town Farm bill on June 23, 2008. The bound Senate journal dated July 31 recorded adoption of Tarr’s amendment designating Areas 1 and 2 for active recreation under conservation-commission management and Article 97 protection. The remaining land retained conservation, open-space and passive-recreation purposes under the same management and protection. The Senate then passed the amended bill to engrossment. Final enactment was not established.

July 31, 2008Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored aquaculture bills in 1997–2007 for coastal GIS mapping of habitat, uses, pollution and siting conditions, with cost-covering applicant fees, municipal participation and allocation dispute resolution. Later versions authorized rather than directed the dispute programme. The 1999 bill stalled; the 2005 and 2007 refiles entered study, most recently April 24, 2008.

April 24, 2008Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Joined a 2007 electronic-waste collection and recycling bill. It proposed consumer fees of $6, $8 or $10 based on screen size. It imposed retailer and manufacturer duties for labeling, reporting, materials, take-back information and waste handling. Fee and penalty proceeds funded collection, recycling, administration and limited public education. It retained local-service exceptions, trade-secret protections, export safeguards and enforcement penalties. The committee produced a replacement; the session ended without further action on that later bill.

January 11, 2007Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Joined a 2007 renewable-energy and alternative-fuels package as a named co-petitioner. It combined vehicle and building standards, renewable-fuel requirements, research, tire-efficiency rules and tax incentives. It proposed $10 million in bond-funded vehicle and fueling grants, including at least $100,000 for a maritime pilot. It also included a $2.5 million vehicle appropriation labeled fiscal year 2006. Tax provisions covered vehicles, renewable equipment, buildings and fuel, with eligibility limits and expiration dates. The package included natural gas and other fuels alongside renewable sources. The session ended without further action.

January 11, 2007Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Joined a 2007 safer-chemicals petition as a named co-petitioner. It proposed assessments of ten priority chemicals, public action plans and deadlines for feasible safer alternatives. It included manufacturer reporting, limited waivers, product take-back and refunds, and public enforcement. It proposed business transition aid, worker retraining and health coverage, and technical assistance. Fees and penalties supported the program. Subject to appropriation, it reserved at least $6 million for technical assistance and $6 million for toxics research. It also reserved $2 million for the environmental department and $4 million for business and worker transitions. The session ended without further action.

January 11, 2007Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored a 2007 public-housing bill arranging new smoking tenants near smokers and nonsmokers near nonsmokers to the fullest logistically possible extent. It retained eligibility and waiting-list safeguards and barred forced moves of existing tenants based on smoking. The bill accompanied a study order in April 2008.

January 11, 2007Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored a 2005 alternative-fuels package combining fuel and refueling investment incentives, a fuel-tax rule 25 percent below gasoline, a UMass research institute and 10 million dollars in vehicle and infrastructure bond authority, including at least 100,000 dollars for a maritime pilot. It also proposed a 2,000 dollar vehicle-purchase deduction, 50 percent incremental-cost fleet credits, vehicle privileges, procurement targets and production studies. Eligible fuels included natural gas, propane and low-sulfur diesel as well as biofuels, electricity and hydrogen. The bill accompanied a new draft in September 2005.

July 25, 2005Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored a 2005 bill withholding state expressions of federal coastal consistency for fixed offshore structures until review of marine impacts, public need and effects on existing activities and fisheries. It required a report 60 days before the consistency decision. The technology-neutral bill accompanied a study order in January 2006.

January 5, 2005Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored conservation-donation tax-credit bills in 1999–2003 for 50% of appraised land value, capped at $50,000, with five-year carryforward. They required perpetual protection and certification, excluded permit dedications and duplicate claims, and required land/fiscal reports. All three entered study, most recently March 29, 2004; no enacted credit was established.

March 29, 2004Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored a 2003 bill creating an interstate Northeast Fisheries Task Force for independent biological, stock, social and economic research on the commercial fishing industry and alternative analyses of federal fisheries science. The bill reached Senate Ways and Means in October 2003 and received no further action by January 4, 2005.

January 1, 2003Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored a bill requiring the environmental department to consult a town’s conservation commission before certifying a vernal pool, including its assessment and potential consequences. Written correspondence or a form sufficed; the text granted no local veto. The bill entered study on September 10, 2001.

September 10, 2001Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored incineration limits falling from 90% of the 2001 baseline in 2002 to 50% or less from 2006, allocated among facilities. The bill also proposed a ten-cent-per-ton assessment and competitive municipal recycling grants, with annual distributions capped at 80% of the fund. It entered study on August 30, 2001; no actual waste reduction or tax receipts were established.

August 30, 2001Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored bills authorizing a review of commercial seaclam and ocean-quahog management, including licenses, municipal propagation assistance, purification facilities, health standards and contamination. The 1999 bill received a favorable report but ended without further action on January 2, 2001. It authorized review rather than appropriating new fishing subsidies.

January 2, 2001Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Presented Ipswich town-approved bills to exempt lodging with 25 or fewer rooms from local room tax and dedicate 96% of room-tax revenue plus specified other receipts to open space, recreation and watershed protection, with 4% for tourism. The refile authorized separate funds and accompanied a new draft on November 2, 2000.

November 2, 2000Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored a three-year prevention network and fund in 1997 and 1999 for nonprofits addressing substance abuse, tobacco, violence and intolerance. The bills proposed a public database, up to $2 million subject to appropriation, competitive grants up to $25,000 per organization and outcome evaluations. The latest entered study on June 28, 1999.

June 28, 1999Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored nuclear-safety bills in 1995–1999 for 20-mile emergency planning areas, public hearings and special-needs evacuation, real-time radiation monitoring and operator-funded costs, including $1.5 million initially per plant. The bills also proposed accident-modeling studies. The latest entered study on April 22, 1999.

April 22, 1999Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored financing legislation for Northeast Solid Waste Committee members’ Clean Air Act upgrades at the North Andover waste-to-energy facility. It authorized local charges, committee or development-agency financing backed by municipal obligations, and alternative municipal borrowing for up to twenty-five years outside ordinary debt limits, with local approvals. The bill reached a second Senate reading in September 1999; the history ended with no further action in January 2001.

January 6, 1999Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored full reimbursement from tobacco-excise revenue for pharmaceutical costs incurred while trying to stop using tobacco, including nicotine patches and gum. The bill went to study on May 3, 1999.

January 6, 1999Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored municipal wastewater-grant bills in 1999, 2001 and 2003 for extraordinary Title V, Clean Water Act and consent-order compliance costs. They covered wastewater, stormwater, on-site treatment and water-distribution systems, with grants capped at $5 million per community and up to $50 million in Commonwealth general-obligation bonds. Bond terms remained at most twenty years, with June 2025 final repayment; the bond label changed from 1998 to 2001. The 1999 bill received no committee report; the later reviewed histories ended without further action.

January 6, 1999Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored mandatory municipal cluster-zoning legislation permitting development by right at the site’s existing bedroom-equivalent density, with additional density through special permits for open space, affordable housing or other amenities. It required permanent open-land protections and allowed planned-unit-development special permits. This differed from his optional zoning framework. The bill went to study on September 2, 1999.

January 6, 1999Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored 1999 and 2003 Environmental Technology Fund bills authorizing up to $75 million in general-obligation bonds for competitive grants supporting incinerator pollution controls or decommissioning, storm-water treatment, recycling equipment, infrastructure and education. The proposed bonds had a twenty-year maximum term and June 2025 final maturity; their labels changed between versions. The reviewed 1999 history ended without a committee report.

January 6, 1999Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored an optional cluster- and planned-unit-development framework in 1994, 1995 and 1999. It permitted special permits or development by right with site-plan review, local safeguards, protected open land and density increases tied to amenities such as low-income housing, solar access or transportation improvements. Later text shortened some definitions and restriction language. Unlike his separate mandatory zoning bill, municipalities retained the option to adopt this framework. The 1999 bill went to study on September 2.

January 6, 1999Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Filed resolutions requesting a report on long-term solid-waste and recycling plans, environmental and economic consequences, and expiring municipal disposal contracts. The filed text requested a July 1, 1999 report. The Senate adopted changed resolutions on September 30, 1999; the House recorded no further action.

January 6, 1999Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored 1999 and 2001 bills directing environmental officials to develop a strategy to reduce waste incineration and promote recycling. They required an initial plan within eight months, identification of available resources, and annual updates for at least five years. The 1999 bill accompanied new draft H.4801 on October 7, 1999.

January 6, 1999Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored a local ballot option for a fund to purchase and maintain open space, recreation land or historic assets. The proposal required two-thirds voter approval for an additional property-tax assessment. Spending criteria and expenditures also required two-thirds local approval, and the proposal permitted balances to carry forward. The bill went to study on June 3, 1999.

January 6, 1999Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored authorization for the Commonwealth to accept Baker Adams’s devised land into Georgetown-Rowley State Forest, with a memorial parcel name and markers. The law was approved November 17, 1998; the bill history recorded the signature a day later. The authorization did not establish that the land transfer had occurred.

November 17, 1998Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored a 1996 water-pollution loan-relief bill proposing subsidies covering at least 50 percent of eligible costs for permanent Water Pollution Abatement Trust loans after October 1, 1995. It also proposed interest forgiveness or debt-service subsidies bringing older loans below that level up to the same support, within contract-assistance limits. It did not establish actual debt forgiveness.

February 22, 1996Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored a 1995 bill permitting property owners, trusts and associations to petition the Essex County mosquito-control project for additional services financed through separate assessments deposited with the state treasurer. It did not itself establish performance of those additional services.

December 18, 1995Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored a 1995 Chebacco Lake package authorizing environmental and marine-life dredging coordinated with Essex County and Essex, Hamilton and Wenham. It proposed first-come municipal access to dredged material at apportioned operation and transport costs for certified uses, a county fund receiving public and material proceeds, and a surrounding-area pilot to replace or upgrade failed septic systems.

January 4, 1995Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored environmental-enforcement bills establishing a penalty-and-forfeiture fund, with appropriations directing at least half to the attorney general and a quarter to environmental officials. They authorized conviction-based forfeiture of property, proceeds and avoided costs, alongside preconviction civil seizure proceedings with notice, jury, appeal, security-interest, innocent-owner and homestead safeguards. They also authorized civil enforcement fees. The 1993 and 1994 proposals went to study.

January 6, 1994Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored a felony proposal covering knowing transfer or attempted transfer of infectious bodily fluids or tissue by a person with HIV or AIDS, and exposure with intent to infect. It prescribed five to fifteen years’ imprisonment and a $5,000 to $15,000 fine, with informed-consenting-adult, medical-advice and research exceptions. A coherent own-petition entry established referral on January 6, 1994; its terminal outcome remained unresolved.

January 6, 1994Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored a bill requiring first-aid training for public-transportation vehicle operators and removing obsolete statutory deadlines. The House accepted an adverse committee report on April 6, 1992.

January 2, 1992Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored Hamilton property-tax relief for qualifying older homeowners, approved as Chapter 91 on April 28, 2010. It capped eligible taxes at 10% of household income and limited reductions to half the tax bill. Sponsored a 2021 revision letting the town board set household income and asset limits and the annual exemption cap after a public hearing. It moved applications to March 31 and required tax returns and household income records. It excluded state circuit-breaker credits from its rule allowing combinations with other exemptions. That revision was signed as Chapter 112 on December 23, 2021.

December 23, 2021Supports Reduce Wealth Gap

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored and repeatedly refiled first-home savings accounts with an annual deduction up to $4,000 and tax-free qualifying distributions. The programme included a prior-tax credit for eligible existing balances and closing grants up to $2,500 for qualifying households at or below 90% of area median income. Nonqualifying withdrawals incurred income recognition and possible penalties. Versions changed proposed effective years; the latest entered study orders in September 2022.

March 29, 2021Supports Reduce Wealth Gap

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored and repeatedly refiled Finish Line scholarships covering one year of public-college tuition and fees after the first year. Most versions targeted household income below the state median; one 2017 variant used 125% of that threshold. Awards were limited to once per student, protected existing aid and used a lottery if funds were insufficient. The latest version entered a study order in February 2022.

March 29, 2021Supports Reduce Wealth Gap

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored legislation phasing the estate-tax exemption through $2 million in 2020, $4 million in 2021, $6 million in 2022 and $8 million in 2023, then matching the federal exclusion in 2024. Estates exceeding the exemption remained subject to the bill's existing threshold structure. The bill entered a study order in October 2020.

January 22, 2019Opposes Reduce Wealth Gap

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored bills raising the state earned-income tax credit to 30% of the federal credit: from 15% in the 2015 proposal and from 23% in the 2017 proposal. The later bill joined a committee redraft proposing higher rates rather than his exact text. Separately, Chapter 154, approved in part on July 26, 2018, set the state credit at 30% for tax years beginning January 2019.

August 3, 2017Supports Reduce Wealth Gap

Source: malegislature.gov

Offered S.2125 to combine minimum-wage increases to $8.75 in 2015 and $9.50 in 2016, tipped-wage and health-coverage exceptions, an earned-income supplement and unemployment-insurance changes. The Senate rejected his substitute amendment 1 to S.2123 on May 1, 2014, 5–33; its original rate table was blank.

May 1, 2014Supports Reduce Wealth Gap

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored bills in 2003–2009 extending employment-support services, including childcare, to cash-ineligible families, with sliding fees and agency methods to avoid work disincentives. The 2005 and 2007 versions entered study; the 2009 bill received a favorable report on March 4, 2010 and no further action by January 4, 2011.

January 4, 2011Supports Reduce Wealth Gap

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored bills shielding up to $200,000 of principal-residence value for people aged 65 or older from consideration or payment for state medical and other assistance. The property had to be owned and occupied for at least three years. The proposals also barred state assistance liens or attachments on that property. The latest bill went to study on June 28, 1999.

June 28, 1999Supports Reduce Wealth Gap

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored a 1995 refundable property-tax and rent credit for principal-residence owners and tenants whose eligible costs exceeded 10 percent of defined income. The credit was capped at 200 dollars, with income limits of 20,000 dollars for single filers and 30,000 dollars for joint filers. The calculation included qualifying water and sewer charges and treated 20 percent of rent as real-estate-tax payment.

January 4, 1995Supports Reduce Wealth Gap

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored a regional economic-recovery-zone programme targeting areas with unemployment at least one-and-a-half times the statewide rate. It combined training priority, investment and sales-tax credits, environmental permitting priority and local property-tax relief, with local hiring and job-preservation conditions. The 1993 bill received no further action. Its introduction and operative certification contradicted each other on whether subsidized job relocation caused job losses.

January 11, 1993Supports Reduce Wealth Gap

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored bills crediting qualifying veterans retired before July 24, 1996 with up to four years of military service, subject to pension limits and local acceptance, with Guard and Reserve rules. They also removed a one-time limit on extra application windows. S.2426 entered study; S.2425 received no further action by January 3, 2023.

January 3, 2023Supports Labor Rights

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.1779 for enhanced disability and survivor benefits for public-safety workers injured by violence, including full-pay benefits until retirement age, 80% afterward, medical-cost protection and confidential critical-incident support. It received a favorable report and no further action by January 3, 2023.

January 3, 2023Supports Labor Rights

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.2000 for a business deduction for protective equipment and disinfectants, capped at $100 per employee, $10,000 per business and $10 million statewide annually, with a 2025 expiration. It entered study on October 3, 2022.

October 3, 2022Supports Labor Rights

Source: malegislature.gov

Offered a July 2022 amendment reorganizing apprenticeship administration as an autonomous division with a 15-member advisory council. It provided electronic agreements and notices, revised appeals and added genetic-information discrimination protections. The Senate rejected the amendment.

July 21, 2022Supports Labor Rights

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored a petition allowing Cape Ann Transportation Authority employees to purchase creditable retirement service for qualifying employment, with a proposed July 1,2022 starting date and applicable statutory purchase conditions. It ended without further action in January 2023.

May 23, 2022Supports Labor Rights

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored Rowley's proposal allowing qualified retired officers to serve as special police officers with arrest powers. The filed bill included age, medical and firearms requirements, civil-service and collective-bargaining exclusions, removal procedures and capped injury benefits and earnings. The official history records an amended bill signed in December 2022.

May 12, 2022Opposes Labor Rights

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored successive bills extending qualifying accidental-death survivor coverage for volunteer and reserve police and deputy sheriffs, including the broader emergency-accident branch of the benefit law. Recent refiles entered study in 2018, 2020 and, most recently, S.1781 on February 10, 2022.

February 10, 2022Supports Labor Rights

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.1589 and S.1783 to cap accumulated unused sick leave for state and public-college employees at 1,000 hours, protect existing higher balances while limiting replenishment, and suspend specified sick-leave or pension payouts during government investigations. Both entered study, most recently February 10, 2022.

February 10, 2022Opposes Labor Rights

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored two bills limiting mandatory triple damages and attorney fees in specified wage and prevailing-wage cases to willful violations. For nonwillful violations, damages were left to the court and fee awards became discretionary. This changed the mandatory remedies established in 2008 for those provisions. The latest bill went to study on February 7, 2022.

February 7, 2022Opposes Labor Rights

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored repeated bills treating one part of the independent-contractor test as satisfied for voluntarily registered tax entities meeting specified pay, professional, franchise, independent-work or ownership conditions. The exception covered the usual-course-of-business prong; other classification requirements remained. The latest bill was referred March 29, 2021, with its published history ending at a hearing notice.

March 29, 2021Opposes Labor Rights

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored a statewide public-private infrastructure framework covering facilities, housing, healthcare, schools, transport and telecommunications. It proposed an independent executive director, task force, screening, public comment and audits, with procurement exceptions but express prevailing-wage and minority- and women-owned-business requirements. It allocated most overruns to private partners and authorized specified financing without Commonwealth debt. The bill entered a study order in February 2022.

March 29, 2021Supports Labor Rights

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored Gloucester's authorization for retired city officers to serve as special police officers, with arrest powers during detail work and related duties. The law limited appointments by retirement duration and age, required medical and training qualifications, and excluded specified civil-service and collective-bargaining rules. It retained capped injury benefits and earnings limits. The revised measure became law on September 22,2021.

March 15, 2021Opposes Labor Rights

Source: malegislature.gov

Offered a package transferring eleven professional licensing boards and associated funds, staff and cases to public health, establishing a recovery-coach board and reviewing health-quality reporting measures. It preserved employee seniority, benefits, union representation and existing contracts through expiration. Amendment 65, second redraft, was rejected June 25, 2020.

June 25, 2020Supports Labor Rights

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored Rockport's law exempting police-department positions from the civil-service law while preserving the existing civil-service status of serving officers. It became Chapter 41 on March 18, 2020.

March 18, 2020Opposes Labor Rights

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored and refiled a school-reform package covering challenge schools and Horace Mann charter schools. It proposed turnaround plans for qualifying schools in the lowest-performing 20%, with designations capped at 4%. Negotiated labor waivers required two-thirds teacher approval, alongside specified exclusions and interim rules. It changed local-union approval and agreement requirements for Horace Mann schools. Social, health and workforce supports depended on appropriations. The later version changed the improvement baseline from 2011 to 2012.

January 22, 2019Opposes Labor Rights

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored proposals organizing five technical-rescue regions, a coordinating council and a fund for shared training, equipment and response costs. The bills exempted residents from cost recovery for noncommercial conduct that was neither unlawful nor reckless. A successor became Chapter 217 on August 9, 2018. The law revised council membership and added on-duty injury, illness and death coverage for rescue-team members, taking effect December 1, 2018.

August 9, 2018Supports Labor Rights

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored repeated bills exempting smaller contracts from specified prevailing-wage and other procurement provisions, including school-bus bidding requirements. Earlier versions set the exemption below $500,000; the 2017 version raised it to below $650,000. The latest bill went to study on May 10, 2018.

May 10, 2018Opposes Labor Rights

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored two bills creating an exception to the presumption that wages were oppressive or unreasonable when an employer supplied qualifying health coverage and paid more than the federal minimum wage plus $1 an hour. The text changed that presumption rather than setting a new statewide minimum wage. The latest bill went to study on April 26, 2018.

April 26, 2018Opposes Labor Rights

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored three versions of a franchise-operator exception to the employee-classification law. The bills treated an individual operating under a qualifying franchise agreement as independent of the franchisor while preserving other legal remedies. The latest bill went to study on April 26, 2018.

April 26, 2018Opposes Labor Rights

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored a bill allowing public employees with at least four years of retirement-system membership to buy pension credit for prior service in the commissioned corps of the Public Health Service or NOAA. Credit required payment of missed contributions plus interest and applied to retirement on or after January 1, 1975. The bill was sent to accompany H1424 on March 5, 2018.

March 5, 2018Supports Labor Rights

Source: malegislature.gov

Was named as a co-petitioner of Marc Pacheco's 2017 Nursing Home Quality Jobs Initiative. It proposed at least $90 million annually for nursing-home direct-care wages, benefits and related costs, inflation adjustments, full-tuition training scholarships and language support, plus $2.5 million annually for supervisory training. Outreach and administration each had a 3% cap. The bill received a favorable committee report, then entered a study order on July 16, 2018.

January 23, 2017Supports Labor Rights

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.1016 to revise unemployment-benefit eligibility, cap benefits at 26 weeks during lower unemployment, and condition additional weeks on unpaid internships, with waivers and employer-response deadlines. The five-section proposal included a federal-funding condition and entered study on September 12, 2016.

September 12, 2016Opposes Labor Rights

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored disability-adjudication bills in 2009–2015 to restrict repeated insurer challenges to final permanent-disability decisions, require timely medical-bill payments, and set hearing and utilization-review safeguards. All four entered study, most recently S.1011 on September 12, 2016.

September 12, 2016Supports Labor Rights

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.1536 and S.1726 to authorize long-term water and wastewater design, construction, financing and operating contracts, with cost reviews, local approval and worker protections. He and Ross offered the same full package as amendment 62 to S.2311, rejected June 9, 2016. The filed refile entered study on July 5, 2016.

July 5, 2016Supports Labor Rights

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.1887 to repeal the retirement-incentive program for certain MassDOT employees losing manual-toll-collection jobs, including up to five added years of age or service under its eligibility and pension limits. The bill entered study on June 23, 2016.

June 23, 2016Opposes Labor Rights

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.872, S.812 and S.916 in 2011–2015 to repeal the restriction on requesting criminal-record information on initial written job applications. The first targeted the original 2010 enactment; later bills deleted the same codified provision. All entered study, most recently on April 4, 2016.

April 4, 2016Opposes Labor Rights

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored and refiled bills barring public construction authorities from requiring or prohibiting union agreements. They also barred discrimination against bidders or contractors for signing or declining such agreements. The 2013 bill went to a study order in 2014. The refiled bill went to a study order on July 5, 2016.

April 15, 2015Opposes Labor Rights

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored a bill proposing at least $1,000 in extra annual pay for certified municipal auditors, assistant auditors and town accountants. Local town-meeting or city approval was required before the pay provision applied. The proposal was referred on March 19, 2015 and ended without further action on January 3, 2017.

March 19, 2015Supports Labor Rights

Source: malegislature.gov

Offered S.2125 to combine minimum-wage increases to $8.75 in 2015 and $9.50 in 2016, tipped-wage and health-coverage exceptions, an earned-income supplement and unemployment-insurance changes. The Senate rejected his substitute amendment 1 to S.2123 on May 1, 2014, 5–33; its original rate table was blank.

May 1, 2014Supports Labor Rights

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored a bill allowing Hamilton’s selectmen to negotiate or redesign employee group health insurance, or join another arrangement, without bargaining over the decision or its impact. It preserved existing agreements until expiration, went to study on September 27, 2012 and ended without further action on January 1, 2013.

January 1, 2013Opposes Labor Rights

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored two bills allowing Boxford’s selectmen to negotiate or redesign employee group health insurance, or join another insurance arrangement, without bargaining over the decision or its impact. Existing agreements remained effective until expiration. The 2009 proposal ended without further action; the 2011 refile went to study on September 27, 2012.

September 27, 2012Opposes Labor Rights

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.1384 to authorize local early-retirement plans adding up to three years of age or service for eligible employees, with pension caps, replacement-pay limits, actuarial savings requirements and reporting. The bill entered study on September 27, 2012.

September 27, 2012Supports Labor Rights

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored a bill prohibiting municipalities from specifying vendors in collective-bargaining agreements. It specified July 1, 2011 as its effective date but went to a study order on September 27, 2012.

September 27, 2012Opposes Labor Rights

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.1348 and S.1534, a fiscal package combining stabilization-fund deposits and withdrawal limits, a local-aid reserve, municipal-health voting changes, pension limits, an equipment-reuse study and spending disclosure. The bills entered study in October 2010 and September 2012.

September 20, 2012Opposes Labor Rights

Source: malegislature.gov

Joined a 2007 safer-chemicals petition as a named co-petitioner. It proposed assessments of ten priority chemicals, public action plans and deadlines for feasible safer alternatives. It included manufacturer reporting, limited waivers, product take-back and refunds, and public enforcement. It proposed business transition aid, worker retraining and health coverage, and technical assistance. Fees and penalties supported the program. Subject to appropriation, it reserved at least $6 million for technical assistance and $6 million for toxics research. It also reserved $2 million for the environmental department and $4 million for business and worker transitions. The session ended without further action.

January 11, 2007Supports Labor Rights

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored a workers’ compensation bill requiring an insurer to file the prescribed complaint before modifying or terminating benefit payments. It entered study on June 13, 2001. Existing statutory exceptions and the practical extent of the change were not independently reviewed.

June 13, 2001Supports Labor Rights

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored an interstate public-pension compact combining certified service across participating jurisdictions, with actuarially prorated costs and home-state benefit payments. It required repayment of prior refunds with interest, allowed local participation votes and excluded disability and in-service death benefits. The compact required two states to join and preserved existing obligations after withdrawal. The latest bill went to study on June 28, 1999.

June 28, 1999Supports Labor Rights

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored annual workers’ compensation claims reviews in 1994, 1995 and 1999. The proposals compared the same calendar month with the prior year and required a December 31 report on trends, frequency, average costs, accident types and recommended improvements. The 1994 and 1999 bills went to study; the reviewed 1995 source did not establish its outcome.

January 6, 1999Supports Labor Rights

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored 1999 and 2003 local-option municipal insurance bills for call firefighters and volunteer emergency-service personnel. The proposals placed the entire premium on the individual and permitted a municipal service charge capped at 10% of that premium. The Senate passed the 1999 bill 39–0 on January 27, 2000; the House recorded no further action. The 2003 refile went to study on March 29, 2004.

January 6, 1999Supports Labor Rights

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored a bill removing the exception that required an injured worker’s first appointment to be with a preferred-provider-plan clinician. The single-clause proposal went to a study order on October 5, 1999; his earlier treatment package also contained separate coordination, appeal and provider-change provisions.

January 6, 1999Supports Labor Rights

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored and refiled permission for elected executive officials and employers who had opposed a collective-bargaining agreement to oppose its funding publicly or privately without violating the duty to bargain. The 1999 version went to a study order on May 17.

January 6, 1999Opposes Labor Rights

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored construction-bidder damages bills in 1993, 1994, 1995 and 1999. They proposed a Superior Court action when a competitor’s knowing statutory violations caused a bidder to lose construction work, using the federal tax-code definition of employee status. The earlier bills cited unemployment and workers’ compensation chapters 151A/152; the 1999 text instead cited 151/152. The 1993, 1994 and 1999 bills went to study, most recently August 12, 1999; the 1995 terminal outcome remained unverified.

January 6, 1999Supports Labor Rights

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored a four-part workers’ compensation treatment package removing the mandatory initial preferred-provider visit, revising coordinated-care regulations, applying treatment presumptions during appeals and allowing one change within a medical specialty to another in-plan provider. It went to a study order on July 1, 1997.

January 1, 1997Supports Labor Rights

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored three bills relieving municipalities of police career-incentive salary increases when the Commonwealth failed to reimburse them under the applicable programme. All went to study orders in 1992, 1993 and May 1994.

January 6, 1994Opposes Labor Rights

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored a bill providing eligible municipal Group 4 employees up to five additional years of age or service combined toward retirement, with pensions capped at 80% of compensation. It went to a study order on June 29, 1992.

January 6, 1992Supports Labor Rights

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored Manchester-by-the-Sea recall bills in 2005 and 2007 that did not become law. Those versions required 300 voters to begin and 20% to sign within 30 days of the initial affidavit. They set six-month waiting periods and a one-year appointment ban. Reintroduced the proposal in 2022; it ended without further action. Refiled it as S. 440 in 2023 and presented revised text on October 28, 2024. The final law required 200 initial voters and a formal petition signed by 20% of town voters within 30 days after sheets were issued. It shortened waiting periods to three months and extended the appointment ban to three years, including town boards and committees. That ban also covered resignation after the petition reached the select board. It shortened the resignation period to three business days and permitted combining elections within 100 days. It ended automatic ballot placement for the incumbent and allowed successors ten business days to qualify. Grounds included incompetence, neglect and corruption. The law required a majority vote for removal. It was signed as Chapter 245 on December 4, 2024.

December 4, 2024Supports Anti-Corruption

Source: malegislature.gov

Filed SD.2973 in 2020 and refiled S.1643 in 2021 for police civil-rights oversight, training review, consideration of force and civil-rights histories in personnel decisions, protected abuse reporting, compliance officers and periodic attorney-general review. The first stalled; the refile entered study March 17, 2022.

March 17, 2022Supports Anti-Corruption

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored repeated bills expanding sexually violent predator classifications to specified higher-risk offenders, adding in-person verification every ninety days and requiring annual audits of the Sex Offender Registry Board's operations. The later versions extended the audit period through 2023. The latest bill went to study on February 7, 2022.

February 7, 2022Supports Anti-Corruption

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored North Andover charter bill S.2497 and offered its S.2561 substitute on October 25, 2021, clarifying three-year disability-commission terms and requiring budget hearings and finance reports at least 21 days before town meeting. The revised whole measure became Chapter 105 on December 17, 2021.

December 17, 2021Supports Anti-Corruption

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored successive requirements for agencies to report costs, benefits and jobs from state grants above $500,000 within 30 days. The 2021 refile added public reports on legislation's fiscal effects after one year. Earlier bills entered study; S.2119's published history ended with a June 2021 hearing notice.

March 29, 2021Supports Anti-Corruption

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored and repeatedly refiled charter-school accountability legislation requiring written legal-compliance explanations, prohibiting cash or gift recruitment, addressing grant violations and requiring a two-thirds board vote and written reasons for exceptional regulatory waivers. The 2017,2019 and 2021 versions entered study orders.

March 29, 2021Supports Anti-Corruption

Source: malegislature.gov

Filed SD.2972 in 2020 and refiled S.2118 in 2021 for independent anti-discrimination audits across state government, including the legislature and constitutional offices, with hearings, public reports and enforceable records access. The first received no further action; the refile's published history ended with an October 2021 hearing notice.

March 29, 2021Supports Anti-Corruption

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored a statewide public-private infrastructure framework covering facilities, housing, healthcare, schools, transport and telecommunications. It proposed an independent executive director, task force, screening, public comment and audits, with procurement exceptions but express prevailing-wage and minority- and women-owned-business requirements. It allocated most overruns to private partners and authorized specified financing without Commonwealth debt. The bill entered a study order in February 2022.

March 29, 2021Supports Anti-Corruption

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored repeated Health Connector governance bills. The 2011 text struck a board paragraph without replacement wording; later versions specified a thirteen-member board and insurer-employee exclusions. From 2015, the bills added open meetings, public records, online financial and contract disclosures, and annual return-on-investment reviews. The latest received an unfavorable report and ended without action on January 5, 2021.

January 5, 2021Supports Anti-Corruption

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored bills requiring foundation-budget reviews every three years, with hearings, reports and conflict safeguards. His October 3, 2019 amendments proposed five-year reviews, one without prior legislative action, and a separate adequacy review starting within 60 days and finishing within 24 months. The Senate rejected these amendments after his standalone bill joined committee legislation.

October 3, 2019Supports Anti-Corruption

Source: malegislature.gov

Offered an order requiring a report on the feasibility, costs and format of broadcasting informal Senate sessions. The Senate adopted it 38–0 on March 7, 2019. The order required a report rather than establishing that broadcasts began.

March 7, 2019Supports Anti-Corruption

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored and refiled public review of the taxpayer-rights statement. The proposals required a draft online and on request by October 15, a hearing before December 31 and later legislative transmission and taxpayer distribution. The text corrected an omitted chapter citation in an earlier version.

January 22, 2019Supports Anti-Corruption

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored and refiled audits of the Essex Sports Center lessee’s finances, lease compliance, taxes and school compensation. The proposals assigned inspector-general review, periodic audits and referral of suspected fraud to the attorney general. The report deadline changed from December 2018 to December 2019; no actual fraud finding was established by these bills.

January 22, 2019Supports Anti-Corruption

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored and refiled legislation requiring authorities using project labor agreements to submit justifications to the Inspector General within 60 days. Reports addressed project size, duration, timing and complexity, comparative benefits, additional costs and adverse effects. The proposal entered a study order in February 2020.

January 22, 2019Supports Anti-Corruption

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored and repeatedly refiled a quadrennial zero-based agency-budget review process, including earlier 2003–2006 versions. It required agency task and spending explanations, public hearings and 30 days of written testimony, followed by a joint estimate and advisory resolution for four annual budgets. The 2017 and 2019 versions entered study orders.

January 22, 2019Supports Anti-Corruption

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored and refiled legislation requiring a public-interest statement within 24 hours when a government employer executed specified severance, confidentiality or nondisparagement agreements. The 2017 bill received a favorable committee report but ended without further action; the 2019 version entered a study order.

January 22, 2019Supports Anti-Corruption

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored three bills requiring a searchable public inventory of statutory reporting duties and tracking completed and overdue agency reports. The proposals required electronic filing and public posting, with paper copies on request. The latest bill went to study on May 10, 2018.

May 10, 2018Supports Anti-Corruption

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored repeated bills explicitly including the Governor's Council in the Open Meeting Law's definition of a public body and removing it from the constitutional-advisory-body exclusion. The latest bill went to study on May 10, 2018.

May 10, 2018Supports Anti-Corruption

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored three bills establishing an independent forensic-laboratory oversight board, accreditation requirements and quarterly reports on testing, staffing, costs and incidents. The proposals provided anonymous complaints, annual public hearings and referral of suspected criminal wrongdoing to the attorney general. The latest bill went to study on February 7, 2018.

February 7, 2018Supports Anti-Corruption

Source: malegislature.gov

Co-presented two orders concerning the investigation of Senate President Stanley Rosenberg and his spouse. One removed Rosenberg and his staff from decisions about the investigation; the other referred conduct to the Ethics Committee and provided a special investigator, confidential witnesses, records and staff cooperation. Both orders were adopted 37–0 on December 4, 2017.

December 4, 2017Supports Anti-Corruption

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored regular inspector-general and state-auditor review of state forensic laboratories, requested through the forensic-services board at least every three years. The proposal sought reports on accuracy, integrity and recommended improvements. It did not itself establish wrongdoing by an individual.

April 27, 2017Supports Anti-Corruption

Source: malegislature.gov

Offered an order creating a seven-member Senate committee on citizen engagement and participation, with the minority leader as a cochair. It examined streaming and local cable coverage, remote participation and social-media standards, with recommendations and costs due in June 2017.

January 17, 2017Supports Anti-Corruption

Source: malegislature.gov

Offered a broad school-reform substitute that the Senate rejected on April 7, 2016. It proposed charter-school tuition caps reaching 23% of qualifying districts’ spending by 2023, conditional on full state mitigation reimbursements. It paired expansion with enrollment, retention and discipline safeguards, financial disclosures, conflict-of-interest rules and local review of applications. Other provisions proposed teacher-approved turnaround plans, unfunded-mandate waivers, early-literacy grants and a schedule to address foundation-budget recommendations, subject to appropriation. A proposed education innovation fund supported charter expansion, district innovation schools and literacy programs. Financing provisions redirected specified gaming, convention-center and budget-surplus revenues. The substitute also proposed repealing the entire 2014 law authorizing a $1 billion Boston convention-center expansion. It required studies and public reports; rejection left these provisions unenacted through this amendment.

April 7, 2016Supports Anti-Corruption

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored three bills requiring Massachusetts courts to record all proceedings by audio or video and make recordings available to the public for a reasonable fee. The bills went to study orders in 2012, 2014 and, most recently, April 4, 2016.

April 4, 2016Supports Anti-Corruption

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored constitutional proposals S.14, S.15 and S.56 in 2011–2015 to open Executive Council meetings and publish nominee information, attendance, votes and records, with annual review. Each received an adverse report; none advanced to constitutional approval, and the latest was placed on file on May 11, 2015.

May 11, 2015Supports Anti-Corruption

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored successive Ipswich Grammar School trustee reforms in 2009–2013 for seven unpaid local appointees. The latest changed selection of the seventh trustee, removed term and town-office exclusions, and added criminal-disqualification, expense-reporting and court-approval provisions. Earlier bills entered study or received no further action; S.977 received no further action by January 6, 2015.

January 6, 2015Supports Anti-Corruption

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.896 to create a commission on prevailing-wage calculations, publish rates and their methodology online, and require an annual public hearing. It entered a study order on March 13, 2014.

March 13, 2014Supports Anti-Corruption

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored a law creating a recall process for Ipswich elected officials. Grounds included specified convictions, proven conflicts of interest and poor attendance; policy votes alone were excluded. It required ten voters to start the process. A petition then needed 1,500 signatures, including 200 from each precinct, within 60 days. The law required a majority vote for removal and barred recalled officials from town appointments for two years. It was signed as Chapter 102 on October 3, 2013.

October 3, 2013Supports Anti-Corruption

Source: malegislature.gov

Offered amendment 56 to S.1766, adopted April 13, 2013, covering transport transparency and oversight, operating-revenue benchmarks, fare-increase limits, repair priorities, priced HOV access and service studies. This was his narrower operational package; its adoption did not establish enactment of every clause in the final law.

April 13, 2013Supports Anti-Corruption

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.1630 to revise state surplus-property disposal through need assessments, valuations, public notice, competitive offers and reuse safeguards. It joined the broader H.3045 draft in March 2012, which added local purchase preferences, housing restrictions and proceeds allocations. H.3045 received no further action by January 1, 2013.

January 1, 2013Supports Anti-Corruption

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.891 to revise parole-board membership, public decisions and vote disclosures, life-sentence hearings, victim notice, approval thresholds and reconsideration intervals, with habitual-offender restrictions. The seven-section bill entered study on October 15, 2012.

October 15, 2012Supports Anti-Corruption

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.1807 in 2009 and S.877 in 2011 to require judicial recusal for supported bias claims or specified personal, financial, family and professional conflicts, with limited disclosure and waiver exceptions. Both entered study, most recently on October 15, 2012.

October 15, 2012Supports Anti-Corruption

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.1455 in 2009 and S.1624 in 2011 for a free, searchable state-spending website covering awards of at least $25,000. The earlier proposal joined the broader H.2972 transparency draft, last referred to House Ways and Means in April 2010. The refile entered study on October 1, 2012.

October 1, 2012Supports Anti-Corruption

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.1623 to repeal statutory privatization-contract review and remove a specified senior-state-employee restriction on joining privatization contractors. It also deleted two paragraphs of an earlier special law. The bill entered study on October 1, 2012.

October 1, 2012Opposes Anti-Corruption

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.1348 and S.1534, a fiscal package combining stabilization-fund deposits and withdrawal limits, a local-aid reserve, municipal-health voting changes, pension limits, an equipment-reuse study and spending disclosure. The bills entered study in October 2010 and September 2012.

September 20, 2012Supports Anti-Corruption

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.1544 to require advance gubernatorial cost-benefit reports on tax credits or refunds and at least $500,000 in loans, grants or other assistance, including financial and employment effects, with trade-secret protection. It entered study on September 20, 2012.

September 20, 2012Supports Anti-Corruption

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.322 to require individuals and groups outside political committees to disclose more than $100 in annual independent electioneering expenditures within seven business days. It covered specified candidate and issue communications near elections. The bill entered study on July 23, 2012.

July 23, 2012Supports Anti-Corruption

Source: malegislature.gov

Filed S.324 to create an independent seven-member redistricting commission with conflict rules, public maps and hearings, voting-rights safeguards and up-or-down legislative review, including automatic enactment if no timely vote occurred. The bill entered study on July 23, 2012.

July 23, 2012Supports Anti-Corruption

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored a campaign-reporting bill filed on January 20, 2011. Its replacement paragraph conditioned contribution-and-spending reports on running for mayor in a municipality above 40,000 residents, expecting to raise or spend more than $5,000, or falling under depository-reporting rules. It omitted the enacted paragraph’s general reporting requirement and direction for other municipal candidates to file locally. The bill went to a study order on July 23, 2012.

January 20, 2011Opposes Anti-Corruption

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.1457 to apply open-meeting rules to the Executive Council and require annual reporting, gubernatorial review, an informative website and published votes and records. Its June 2010 successor, S.2505, retained only Council inclusion in the public-body definition and received no further action by January 4, 2011.

January 4, 2011Supports Anti-Corruption

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored repeated bills requiring legislative approval before the administration-and-finance secretary created, raised or lowered fees. Approval had to occur within a sixty-day legislative window after referral to Ways and Means. The proposals also required annual itemized fee-revenue reports. The 1999 bill went to study on August 23, 1999; 2001 and 2003 refiles retained the same framework.

August 23, 1999Supports Anti-Corruption

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored public-records bills in 1995–1999 to include the General Court, assign custody to committee chairs and legislative clerks, and retain an exception for veterans’ claims records. The 1997 bill received no further action; the 1999 refile entered study on August 16, 1999.

August 16, 1999Supports Anti-Corruption

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored housing-authority removal bills in 1995–1999 addressing municipal officials and the inspector general, with written charges, at least 14 days’ notice, a hearing and counsel for members accused of inefficiency, neglect or misconduct. Later versions omitted earlier express city-council approval language. The latest entered study on June 2, 1999.

June 2, 1999Supports Anti-Corruption

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored Manchester-by-the-Sea legislation creating an appointed town administrator with a one- or three-year term and removal for just cause. Under selectmen policy direction, the administrator supervised departments and made merit-based appointments, with selectmen confirmation for department heads. Existing employment and contractual rights remained protected. The Senate passed the bill; the House recorded no further action on January 5, 1999.

June 18, 1998Supports Anti-Corruption

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored Essex County charter proposals in 1992–1997, initially as a joint petitioner. The charter replaced county commissioners with 34 municipal representatives using population-weighted votes and an appointed professional executive. It included merit personnel, budget and procurement controls, public removal hearings, records access and a two-year restriction on councilors taking paid county appointments. Elected sheriff and deeds offices and employee, contract and debt protections remained. Proposed state takeovers of jail and agricultural-school costs required separate special acts. Transition dates changed between versions; the latest recorded no further House action on January 5, 1999.

June 18, 1997Supports Anti-Corruption

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored two bills bringing the legislative branch within the Legislative Post Audit and Oversight Bureau’s statutory agency definition. The 1997 filing’s history recorded no further action by January 5, 1999.

January 1, 1997Supports Anti-Corruption

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Co-petitioned a 1995 order dividing six Senate Ethics Committee appointments equally between the Senate President and Minority Leader. Its first documented referral to Senate Rules occurred on January 4, 1995.

January 4, 1995Supports Anti-Corruption

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Co-petitioned a 1995 order opening Senate sessions to commercial radio and television coverage. The proposal limited restrictions to avoiding disruption and coverage at no cost to the Commonwealth. It was referred to Senate Rules on January 4, 1995; the history reported no committee report.

January 4, 1995Supports Anti-Corruption

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored periodic review of state boards, councils and commissions in 1992–1994. The bills assigned public hearings, audits and needs reviews to the House Post Audit and Oversight Committee, limited continuations to five years and required recorded legislative votes. They preserved legal claims and winding-up protections, but printed inconsistent six-month and one-year wind-down periods. Each accompanied another bill, most recently H.3849 on June 8, 1994.

June 8, 1994Supports Anti-Corruption

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored bills in 1992–1994 requiring State Auditor reviews of General Court accounts at least every two years, beginning within six months. They covered personnel, salaries, benefits, major expenses, internal controls and carried-forward appropriations, with annual revenue reconciliation and access to records except tax returns. Earlier versions went to study; both 1994 bills accompanied H.10 on April 19.

April 19, 1994Supports Anti-Corruption

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored a 1994 bill amending removal procedures for housing and redevelopment authority members. It assigned written charges, resignation acceptance and removal hearings to the mayor and council in cities and to the inspector general for towns, with at least 14 days' written notice, counsel and an opportunity to defend against inefficiency, neglect or misconduct charges. It also addressed referral of charges against department-appointed members to the department. The bill accompanied a study order in May 1994.

January 10, 1994Supports Anti-Corruption

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored three bills in 1992–1994 requiring 30 days of public notice before filling permanent public positions outside civil service, including job descriptions and proposed and previous salaries. The 1992 bill went to study; the 1993 and 1994 refiles received favorable reports but no further action.

January 6, 1994Supports Anti-Corruption

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored a seventeen-legislator agency-review and sunset system in 1993, 1994 and 1995. It combined audits, subpoenas, scheduled agency terminations unless continued, seven-year reviews, wind-down protections and penalties for failure to certify inactive agencies. It also required legislative and gubernatorial approval of rule changes within ninety days, with limited emergency rules. Review schedules and the programme’s own expiry changed between versions. The House bills accompanied other measures; those successors’ outcomes remained unverified.

January 5, 1994Supports Anti-Corruption

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored legislation exempting leases of Rockport-owned real estate from Chapter 30B procurement requirements. Although its introduction discussed Long Beach cottages and fishing shacks, the operative exemption covered all town-owned real estate. The bill was referred on January 11, 1993 and reached House Ways and Means; the reviewed history recorded no further action.

January 11, 1993Opposes Anti-Corruption

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored a bill barring legislators and their staff from receiving other state or local-government compensation on days either legislative chamber sat. It went to a study order on June 25, 1992.

January 2, 1992Supports Anti-Corruption

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored S.2116 to create an executive office of food resources and security with eight departments, food-system research and marketing, nutrition and financing programs, and appropriation-dependent staffing and powers. It received a favorable report in February 2022 and no further action by January 3, 2023.

January 3, 2023Supports Government Efficiency

Source: malegislature.gov

Offered a July 2022 amendment reorganizing apprenticeship administration as an autonomous division with a 15-member advisory council. It provided electronic agreements and notices, revised appeals and added genetic-information discrimination protections. The Senate rejected the amendment.

July 21, 2022Supports Government Efficiency

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored two bills requiring the court administrator to track and categorize medical-malpractice lawsuits and report annual counts. The latest bill went to study on February 7, 2022.

February 7, 2022Supports Government Efficiency

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.2598 to create electronic education records for foster youth and review DCF disability practices, reunification, risk assessments and virtual visits, with public findings and staged review deadlines. It entered study on January 31, 2022.

January 31, 2022Supports Government Efficiency

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored successive requirements for agencies to report costs, benefits and jobs from state grants above $500,000 within 30 days. The 2021 refile added public reports on legislation's fiscal effects after one year. Earlier bills entered study; S.2119's published history ended with a June 2021 hearing notice.

March 29, 2021Supports Government Efficiency

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored and refiled a divorce task force examining fairness, efficiency, custody, property and mediation. Its report deadline changed from June 31, 2020 to June 31, 2022. Both versions used a nonexistent calendar date, so no corrected deadline or completed report was inferred.

March 29, 2021Supports Government Efficiency

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.2121 to require Administration and Finance to estimate residents' costs of complying with each new law within one year of approval. Its published history ended with a notice for a June 2021 hearing.

March 29, 2021Supports Government Efficiency

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.2120 to create a statewide notification system for verified mortgage lenders when recorded ownership or mortgage status changed. Its published history ended with a notice for a September 2021 hearing; it did not establish that the system had been implemented.

March 29, 2021Supports Government Efficiency

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored a statewide public-private infrastructure framework covering facilities, housing, healthcare, schools, transport and telecommunications. It proposed an independent executive director, task force, screening, public comment and audits, with procurement exceptions but express prevailing-wage and minority- and women-owned-business requirements. It allocated most overruns to private partners and authorized specified financing without Commonwealth debt. The bill entered a study order in February 2022.

March 29, 2021Supports Government Efficiency

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored repeated Health Connector governance bills. The 2011 text struck a board paragraph without replacement wording; later versions specified a thirteen-member board and insurer-employee exclusions. From 2015, the bills added open meetings, public records, online financial and contract disclosures, and annual return-on-investment reviews. The latest received an unfavorable report and ended without action on January 5, 2021.

January 5, 2021Supports Government Efficiency

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored a temporary COVID-19 remote-notarization proposal for attorneys and supervised paralegals, with Massachusetts-location requirements, two video checks, identity verification and physical delivery. It required retention of recordings and identification for ten years and expired shortly after the emergency order ended. The proposal ended without further action on January 5, 2021.

January 5, 2021Supports Government Efficiency

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored a MassHealth eligibility-checking bill requiring periodic review of lottery, vital-records, unemployment and public-assistance information, case reviews after changed circumstances and possible vendor or interstate cooperation. It also called for facilitating SNAP benefits when eligibility was confirmed. The bill received an unfavorable report and ended without action on January 5, 2021.

January 5, 2021Supports Government Efficiency

Source: malegislature.gov

Offered a package transferring eleven professional licensing boards and associated funds, staff and cases to public health, establishing a recovery-coach board and reviewing health-quality reporting measures. It preserved employee seniority, benefits, union representation and existing contracts through expiration. Amendment 65, second redraft, was rejected June 25, 2020.

June 25, 2020Supports Government Efficiency

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored a health-data bill requiring feasible real-time claims sharing subject to privacy laws, updated public cost and quality comparisons within ninety days, and claims access for small businesses. It also deleted the clause charging nongovernmental users fees to recover data-access costs. The bill went to study on February 18, 2020.

February 18, 2020Supports Government Efficiency

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored a bill creating an education task force to review costs and recommend streamlining, consolidating or eliminating unfunded mandates and reporting requirements, with public hearings and a report within twelve months. The bill joined a committee redraft on September 19, 2019.

September 19, 2019Supports Government Efficiency

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored and refiled public review of the taxpayer-rights statement. The proposals required a draft online and on request by October 15, a hearing before December 31 and later legislative transmission and taxpayer distribution. The text corrected an omitted chapter citation in an earlier version.

January 22, 2019Supports Government Efficiency

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored and repeatedly refiled a quadrennial zero-based agency-budget review process, including earlier 2003–2006 versions. It required agency task and spending explanations, public hearings and 30 days of written testimony, followed by a joint estimate and advisory resolution for four annual budgets. The 2017 and 2019 versions entered study orders.

January 22, 2019Supports Government Efficiency

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored secure access to prescription-monitoring data through healthcare providers’ electronic records and health-information exchanges for treatment, diagnosis and healthcare operations. The proposal allowed vendors to retain and display data, subject to public-health security protocols. Access expansion and the security conditions were both part of the bill.

January 22, 2019Supports Government Efficiency

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored three bills allowing municipalities to use up to $20,000 in insurance or restitution proceeds without a separate appropriation. The proposals covered property repairs or replacement within 120 days and replacement services for injured employees within the same fiscal year. The latest bill received a favorable report with changes, then ended without further action on January 1, 2019.

January 1, 2019Supports Government Efficiency

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored repeated bills requiring state telephone-answering systems to offer access to a live operator. Earlier versions imposed an unqualified requirement; the 2015 and 2017 versions limited it to regular business hours. The latest bill went to study on May 10, 2018.

May 10, 2018Supports Government Efficiency

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored three bills requiring a searchable public inventory of statutory reporting duties and tracking completed and overdue agency reports. The proposals required electronic filing and public posting, with paper copies on request. The latest bill went to study on May 10, 2018.

May 10, 2018Supports Government Efficiency

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored two bills directing MassDOT to dispose of surplus personal property through the state Surplus Property Program. If that was impracticable, the department was directed to design an equivalent program and report within six months. The latest bill went to study on May 10, 2018.

May 10, 2018Supports Government Efficiency

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored two bills requiring the Department of Revenue to review regulations at least every five years for need, clarity, costs, taxpayer burdens and duplication. The proposals required recommendations and draft changes rather than automatically repealing rules. The latest bill went to study on April 30, 2018.

April 30, 2018Supports Government Efficiency

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored two tax-administration bills accepting specified preparer due-diligence forms in earned-income-credit audits, improving notices and explanations to taxpayers and their representatives, and providing in-person audit assistance at six regional offices at least twice monthly. The latest bill went to study on April 30, 2018.

April 30, 2018Supports Government Efficiency

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored two bills creating a commission to study shared business-registration information, duplicate agency requirements and technology costs. The 2017 refile retained a December 2015 reporting deadline. It went to study on April 26, 2018.

April 26, 2018Supports Government Efficiency

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored three bills increasing from $1,000 to $50,000 the small leftover municipal loan-balance threshold for paying debt with executive approval. The proposals concerned unused borrowing balances rather than unrestricted new spending. The latest bill went to study on March 15, 2018.

March 15, 2018Supports Government Efficiency

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored a vessel-tax package linking registration renewals to payment of outstanding excise taxes and sending ownership information to local assessors. It also proposed exemptions for specified public, fishing and low-value vessels, minimum $5 abatements or refunds, and changed reporting deadlines. The bill was sent to a committee redraft on September 21, 2017.

September 21, 2017Supports Government Efficiency

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored a system for collecting unpaid court-appointed-counsel fees through quarterly reports to benefit agencies and the motor-vehicle registrar. The proposal addressed repayment treatment and withholding state tax refunds until debts were resolved. It included notice and hearing procedures and a clerk’s affidavit establishing an initial evidentiary basis.

January 23, 2017Supports Government Efficiency

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored an educational-mandate working group to review costs, duplication and possible changes to school requirements. His 2017 proposal also suspended new mandates through July 2018. That moratorium was a proposed policy, rather than an enacted suspension or demonstrated saving.

January 23, 2017Supports Government Efficiency

Source: malegislature.gov

Offered an order creating a seven-member Senate committee on citizen engagement and participation, with the minority leader as a cochair. It examined streaming and local cable coverage, remote participation and social-media standards, with recommendations and costs due in June 2017.

January 17, 2017Supports Government Efficiency

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.2244 in 2014 and S.1884 in 2015 to change specialty-plate issuance: 40 prepaid applications, graduated security bonds, no bond at 3,000 applications, and design approval within 90 days. The first bill received an adverse report and no further action; the refile entered study on July 5, 2016.

July 5, 2016Supports Government Efficiency

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored successive Commonwealth Competition Council bills in 2011–2015 to replace privatization-review provisions with public/private service competition, cost-benefit analysis and independent certification. Later drafts expanded the council from 10 to 13 members, added labor and minority representation, and removed earlier staffing, gifts and unsolicited-proposal clauses. All entered study, most recently S.1735 on July 5, 2016.

July 5, 2016Supports Government Efficiency

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.1552 and S.1737 to expand legislative review of agency rules, require cost-benefit and periodic small-business reviews, and require reports for grants above $500,000. The refile dropped publication of the full small-business impact statement. Both entered study, most recently on July 5, 2016.

July 5, 2016Supports Government Efficiency

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored a bill directing the state auditor and inspector general to examine Medicare and Medicaid payments to the Commonwealth and report to legislative clerks and the Ways and Means committees. It specified a December 31, 2015 report deadline but went to study on June 23, 2016.

June 23, 2016Supports Government Efficiency

Source: malegislature.gov

Filed SD.1947 for a seven-member MBTA fiscal-control board with a $25 million repayable loan, broad management powers and possible receivership or bankruptcy. He later offered budget amendment 199 with revised appointments, balanced-budget and performance duties, and a 2018–2020 sunset, omitting the loan and receivership. The filing stalled; the amendment's adoption remained unproved.

May 22, 2015Supports Government Efficiency

Source: malegislature.gov

Offered a 39-section transport-finance alternative combining repair priorities, revenue benchmarks, HOV pricing, tax redirects and amnesty, internet gaming, taxi licenses, wage and project-labor rules, and project oversight. Amendment 41 to S.1766 was rejected April 13, 2013, 3–31. His revised whole alternative, amendment 1 to H.3535, was rejected July 18, 2013.

July 18, 2013Supports Government Efficiency

Source: malegislature.gov

Offered amendment 56 to S.1766, adopted April 13, 2013, covering transport transparency and oversight, operating-revenue benchmarks, fare-increase limits, repair priorities, priced HOV access and service studies. This was his narrower operational package; its adoption did not establish enactment of every clause in the final law.

April 13, 2013Supports Government Efficiency

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.1630 to revise state surplus-property disposal through need assessments, valuations, public notice, competitive offers and reuse safeguards. It joined the broader H.3045 draft in March 2012, which added local purchase preferences, housing restrictions and proceeds allocations. H.3045 received no further action by January 1, 2013.

January 1, 2013Supports Government Efficiency

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.2289 to dissolve the Wilmington Redevelopment Authority and return its bank-held funds to the town's General Fund. The measure became Chapter 372 on December 28, 2012.

December 28, 2012Supports Government Efficiency

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.1455 in 2009 and S.1624 in 2011 for a free, searchable state-spending website covering awards of at least $25,000. The earlier proposal joined the broader H.2972 transparency draft, last referred to House Ways and Means in April 2010. The refile entered study on October 1, 2012.

October 1, 2012Supports Government Efficiency

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.1621 to reduce executive-branch paper use through electronic publications, transactions and payments, minimize transaction fees, and improve data sharing. It also proposed a judiciary electronic-filing commission. The bill entered study on October 1, 2012.

October 1, 2012Supports Government Efficiency

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.1544 to require advance gubernatorial cost-benefit reports on tax credits or refunds and at least $500,000 in loans, grants or other assistance, including financial and employment effects, with trade-secret protection. It entered study on September 20, 2012.

September 20, 2012Supports Government Efficiency

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored North East Solid Waste Committee abolition and Commonwealth-transfer bills in 2006–2011. The 2007 bill reached the governor, returned with amendments and stalled. Later versions omitted explicit community-liability protections, receivables allocation and transfer duties, retaining an August 2009 transfer date. The 2009 bill stalled; the 2011 refile’s history ended with a hearing notice.

June 9, 2011Supports Government Efficiency

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.790 to permit local school and town administrative consolidation, study state health-insurance participation, revise special-education Medicaid funding, and change construction purchasing and reverse-auction rules. This municipal-management package entered study on August 5, 2010.

August 5, 2010Supports Government Efficiency

Source: malegislature.gov

Joined the original 2007 early-education and care petition as a named co-petitioner. It proposed agency consolidation, provider licensing and inspections, child-safety standards, workforce support and program reviews. It also proposed voluntary universal preschool, subject to appropriation, through several public and private provider types. The replacement became law on July 31, 2008. The final law changed commissioner selection and advisory arrangements, omitted proposed board expansion, and added infant-and-toddler planning. It also added child-welfare case and evidence changes, including raising the Child in Need of Services age from 16 to 17. Those later additions were not all part of his original petition.

July 31, 2008Supports Government Efficiency

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored aquaculture bills in 1997–2007 for coastal GIS mapping of habitat, uses, pollution and siting conditions, with cost-covering applicant fees, municipal participation and allocation dispute resolution. Later versions authorized rather than directed the dispute programme. The 1999 bill stalled; the 2005 and 2007 refiles entered study, most recently April 24, 2008.

April 24, 2008Supports Government Efficiency

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Joined a 2007 school-safety bill requiring current building plans in a central emergency registry. It provided plans to local fire and police departments, restricted public access and required annual cost reports. The bill accompanied an Education study order in March 2008.

January 11, 2007Supports Government Efficiency

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Jointly presented a 2007 electrical-systems licensing package with Colleen Garry. It restructured the licensing board and expanded rules covering communications, security and other low-power systems. It proposed uniform local permits, inspection deadlines, training and experience standards, apprenticeship registration, grandfathering and reciprocity. It retained specified employment and vehicle-installation exceptions. The bill accompanied a study order in April 2008.

January 11, 2007Supports Government Efficiency

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored reciprocal restraining-order service bills in 1999–2005. They directed officials to negotiate a multistate compact, including neighboring states, providing service without charge to the issuing state. Each participating state’s legislature and governor had to ratify the compact. The 2005 bill went to study on March 21, 2006.

January 5, 2005Supports Government Efficiency

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored hospital-reform packages in 2000, 2001, 2003 and 2005. They proposed uniform billing and 45-day payments, hospital-capacity and workforce studies, and essential-hospital assistance. Earlier bills also proposed HMO solvency requirements and nonprofit-conversion reviews. The 2001 version added observation-service classification, independent appeals and reimbursement protections. The 2003–2005 versions retained those protections but omitted the HMO chapters and a duplicated observation block. The earliest trust used a 0.25 percent assessment on hospitals’ excess revenues, with assessment reductions at a one-percent statewide accumulated-fund limit and special shortfall assessments. Later versions replaced that assessment funding with appropriations, including tobacco proceeds, while retaining free-care-pool financing and technical, capital and operating assistance. Some study deadlines changed from 2000 to 2006. Malformed classification language and an unverified deleted licensing paragraph limited interpretation. The 2000 and 2001 proposals entered study; the 2005 bill accompanied a study order in May 2006.

January 5, 2005Supports Government Efficiency

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored a 2005 bill for a commission to study municipal revenue sharing across public services, comparing current and alternative systems for efficiency, fairness and sustainability. It required recommendations and an August 2005 report. The bill accompanied a study order in March 2006.

January 5, 2005Supports Government Efficiency

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored a 2003 Medicaid eligibility-review bill requiring cost-effective procedures without interrupting benefits and limiting recertification to no more frequently than once every two years after December 31, 2004. It accompanied a study order in March 2004. The text set a maximum frequency rather than requiring a review exactly every two years.

January 1, 2003Supports Government Efficiency

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored a 2003 bill accelerating disposal of surplus state land outside Article 97 protection through locally approved MassDevelopment plans or a fallback state-management process. It required at least 25 percent of housing units to remain affordable to households at or below 80 percent of area median income for at least 30 years, valuation accounting for project feasibility, housing-fund allocations and transferee expenses. It accompanied a new draft in April 2004; it did not establish an actual disposal or completed housing units.

January 1, 2003Supports Government Efficiency

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Presented Georgetown’s town-approved finance-department bill, assigning fiscal coordination and budget advice to the finance director while transferring procurement, personnel and risk-management duties to a town administrator. It also proposed finance-director appointments subject to selectmen’s approval. The bill accompanied H.2761 on March 1, 2001; that carrier’s final substance was not reviewed.

March 1, 2001Supports Government Efficiency

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored municipal vehicle-registration renewal studies in 1993–1999 for cities above 25,000 residents, including costs. Later versions added possible municipal retention of fee revenue and revised reporting deadlines. The 1994 bill entered study; the 1999 refile received a favorable report but no Senate Ways and Means report by January 2, 2001.

January 2, 2001Supports Government Efficiency

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored domestic-violence record bills requiring courts to check warrants, probation and parole status, notify agencies, share defendants’ whereabouts and direct action when imminent injury was found. The proposals linked parole data to law-enforcement and domestic-violence systems, with interim monthly sharing. Refiles kept expired implementation dates while changing report deadlines. The latest went to study on June 24, 1999.

June 24, 1999Supports Government Efficiency

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored a feasibility study and implementation plan for computer access to domestic-abuse protection orders across District, Superior, and Probate and Family courts. The proposed system provided authorized court personnel with entry, access and exchange of order information. The bill required a six-month study and a one-year plan. It recorded no further action on January 2, 2001.

January 6, 1999Supports Government Efficiency

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored 1999, 2001 and 2003 bills offering discretionary state planning assistance to communities growing more than twenty percent faster than the statewide average. They limited managed-growth designations to twenty per year, renewable annually for up to five consecutive years, and assistance to two tasks annually, including zoning, open-space, septic, school and public-safety planning. The 1999 bill went to study on April 29.

January 6, 1999Supports Government Efficiency

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored a 1999 Medicaid payment-statement option. It offered recipients monthly or quarterly statements, written notice of the option, and a service charge capped at the cost of providing statements. Tarr filed related statement bills in 2001, 2003 and 2005. The 2005 bill accompanied new draft H.4463 on October 31, 2005.

January 6, 1999Supports Government Efficiency

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored and refiled a complete small-claims procedure covering venue, transfers, motor-vehicle property damage, clerk hearings and evening or Saturday sessions. Earlier bills used $3,000 limits; later refiles printed $5,000 in the opening clause but retained $3,000 for commencing a claim. The 1999 version went to study in June; the conflicting limits remained in later versions.

January 6, 1999Supports Government Efficiency

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored Manchester-by-the-Sea legislation creating an appointed town administrator with a one- or three-year term and removal for just cause. Under selectmen policy direction, the administrator supervised departments and made merit-based appointments, with selectmen confirmation for department heads. Existing employment and contractual rights remained protected. The Senate passed the bill; the House recorded no further action on January 5, 1999.

June 18, 1998Supports Government Efficiency

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored Essex County charter proposals in 1992–1997, initially as a joint petitioner. The charter replaced county commissioners with 34 municipal representatives using population-weighted votes and an appointed professional executive. It included merit personnel, budget and procurement controls, public removal hearings, records access and a two-year restriction on councilors taking paid county appointments. Elected sheriff and deeds offices and employee, contract and debt protections remained. Proposed state takeovers of jail and agricultural-school costs required separate special acts. Transition dates changed between versions; the latest recorded no further House action on January 5, 1999.

June 18, 1997Supports Government Efficiency

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored two bills bringing the legislative branch within the Legislative Post Audit and Oversight Bureau’s statutory agency definition. The 1997 filing’s history recorded no further action by January 5, 1999.

January 1, 1997Supports Government Efficiency

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored a 1995 bill creating an office of port planning and development using existing personnel. It proposed coordinating port plans, funding recommendations and disbursements for Boston, Gloucester, New Bedford and other ports alongside existing industry and community efforts. It specified no new appropriation amount.

January 4, 1995Supports Government Efficiency

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored periodic review of state boards, councils and commissions in 1992–1994. The bills assigned public hearings, audits and needs reviews to the House Post Audit and Oversight Committee, limited continuations to five years and required recorded legislative votes. They preserved legal claims and winding-up protections, but printed inconsistent six-month and one-year wind-down periods. Each accompanied another bill, most recently H.3849 on June 8, 1994.

June 8, 1994Supports Government Efficiency

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored local-mandate bills in 1993 and 1994 allowing a city or town to seek an exemption when existing practices or programs substantially met a mandate’s objectives. The Division of Local Mandates issued a public determination within 60 days under the proposal. The versions accompanied other bills, most recently H.4 on May 31, 1994.

May 31, 1994Supports Government Efficiency

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored bills in 1992–1994 requiring State Auditor reviews of General Court accounts at least every two years, beginning within six months. They covered personnel, salaries, benefits, major expenses, internal controls and carried-forward appropriations, with annual revenue reconciliation and access to records except tax returns. Earlier versions went to study; both 1994 bills accompanied H.10 on April 19.

April 19, 1994Supports Government Efficiency

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored 1994 and 1995 proposals requiring economic-impact statements for environmental bills and regulations imposing additional municipal obligations. Statements covered costs, staffing, objectives and the need for municipal action. The 1994 bill was referred to Joint Rules on January 10 and received no further action in the reviewed history.

January 10, 1994Supports Government Efficiency

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored interest on Commonwealth payments and reimbursements to cities, towns and districts that were overdue by at least 30 days, using the rate specified in Chapter 62C, Section 32. The bill was referred on January 6, 1994 and ended without further action.

January 6, 1994Supports Government Efficiency

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored three bills requiring all state budgets, including supplemental and deficiency budgets, to start from zero and document the need for each expenditure. The 1992 and 1993 bills were transferred to House Ways and Means; all three histories recorded no further action.

January 6, 1994Supports Government Efficiency

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored three bills requiring an accurate estimate of five years of implementation costs before filing legislation involving state expenditures. The 1992 and 1994 histories recorded no further action; the 1993 version was transferred to House Rules without further action.

January 6, 1994Supports Government Efficiency

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored revenue-estimate bills in 1993 and 1994 requiring a governor’s economic and revenue statement and a joint legislative revenue resolution approved by the governor before appropriation debate. They restricted revisions while appropriation matters were pending and required gubernatorial reductions when appropriations exceeded the approved estimate. Both ended without further action.

January 6, 1994Supports Government Efficiency

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored alternative wastewater-technology approval bills in 1992–1995. Both designs proposed a technical board with application deadlines, monitored testing, vendor-funded replacement bonds, two-year guarantees, statewide approvals and retained fees. The seven-member model provided a route independent of Title 5 and ongoing maintenance rules, with twelve operating months within eighteen months. The nine-member model added business-development representation, Title 5 revisions, specified riverbank and wetland development variances, and a ceiling on environmental regulations. The 1992 bill joined a new draft, the 1993–1994 seven-member bills stalled, and the 1994 nine-member bill went to study.

January 6, 1994Supports Government Efficiency

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored a seventeen-legislator agency-review and sunset system in 1993, 1994 and 1995. It combined audits, subpoenas, scheduled agency terminations unless continued, seven-year reviews, wind-down protections and penalties for failure to certify inactive agencies. It also required legislative and gubernatorial approval of rule changes within ninety days, with limited emergency rules. Review schedules and the programme’s own expiry changed between versions. The House bills accompanied other measures; those successors’ outcomes remained unverified.

January 5, 1994Supports Government Efficiency

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored and refiled restrictions on public higher-education tuition and fee waivers for people not legally residing in Massachusetts. Earlier versions required majority approval in each legislative branch for exceptions. The 2017 version instead required specific statutory authorization.

January 23, 2017Opposes Immigration

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored a wrong-way-driving safety plan in the fiscal 2027 budget. The Senate adopted his policy amendment 40–0 on May 21, 2026; he voted Yes. It required ramp warnings, detection systems, driver education, officer training and an older-driver safety study. His separate $300,000 request for a prevention system was rejected that day. The policy required cost plans and yearly progress reports. It became law on July 9, 2026, as Chapter 137, sections 69 and 105–108.

July 9, 2026Opposes Government Spending Reduction

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored bills crediting qualifying veterans retired before July 24, 1996 with up to four years of military service, subject to pension limits and local acceptance, with Guard and Reserve rules. They also removed a one-time limit on extra application windows. S.2426 entered study; S.2425 received no further action by January 3, 2023.

January 3, 2023Opposes Government Spending Reduction

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.1779 for enhanced disability and survivor benefits for public-safety workers injured by violence, including full-pay benefits until retirement age, 80% afterward, medical-cost protection and confidential critical-incident support. It received a favorable report and no further action by January 3, 2023.

January 3, 2023Opposes Government Spending Reduction

Source: malegislature.gov

Offered a broad clean-energy substitute on April 14, 2022. The Senate rejected amendment 155, 3–36; he voted Yes. It proposed $250 million from the General Fund and up to $250 million from federal COVID-response funds for clean-energy investment, vehicles, transit fleets and grid improvements. It included electric-vehicle and charging rebates, commercial replacement-vehicle tax credits, carbon-sequestration incentives, workforce programs and renewable-energy siting changes. It included nuclear fusion and fission in clean-energy definitions. The substitute also proposed offshore-wind procurement, shared transmission, fisheries mitigation and grid studies, plus an MBTA plan for zero-emission buses by 2032. It paired those programs with public plans, hearings and financial reports.

April 14, 2022Opposes Government Spending Reduction

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored plug-in vehicle rebates of $3,000 for qualifying vehicles with at least 10 kilowatt-hours of battery capacity and $2,000 for smaller qualifying batteries, with separate vehicle-price caps. The proposal also offered a $500 charging-station rebate, identified settlement and other funding sources and included a three-year sunset. It ended without further action in January 2023.

March 17, 2022Opposes Government Spending Reduction

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored successive bills extending qualifying accidental-death survivor coverage for volunteer and reserve police and deputy sheriffs, including the broader emergency-accident branch of the benefit law. Recent refiles entered study in 2018, 2020 and, most recently, S.1781 on February 10, 2022.

February 10, 2022Opposes Government Spending Reduction

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.1589 and S.1783 to cap accumulated unused sick leave for state and public-college employees at 1,000 hours, protect existing higher balances while limiting replenishment, and suspend specified sick-leave or pension payouts during government investigations. Both entered study, most recently February 10, 2022.

February 10, 2022Supports Government Spending Reduction

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored and repeatedly refiled Finish Line scholarships covering one year of public-college tuition and fees after the first year. Most versions targeted household income below the state median; one 2017 variant used 125% of that threshold. Awards were limited to once per student, protected existing aid and used a lottery if funds were insufficient. The latest version entered a study order in February 2022.

March 29, 2021Opposes Government Spending Reduction

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored and refiled full state reimbursement of municipalities' mandated early-voting costs. The proposal created local reimbursement funds with a one-year carryforward. Successive versions entered study orders, with the latest action in September 2022.

March 29, 2021Opposes Government Spending Reduction

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored and refiled state reimbursement of school districts' federally mandated transportation costs for homeless students, less available federal aid. The proposal created local reimbursement funds with a one-year carryforward. Successive versions entered study orders, most recently in March 2022.

March 29, 2021Opposes Government Spending Reduction

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored legislation requiring nursing facilities to maintain staffing competencies and acuity levels sufficient for residents' safety and well-being and directing MassHealth to cover its full share of actual staffing costs. A committee combined it with eighteen other bills; that carrier ended without further action in January 2023.

March 29, 2021Opposes Government Spending Reduction

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored and repeatedly refiled a constitutional requirement for two-thirds roll-call approval in each legislative branch before appropriations from the Stabilization Fund. He also offered orders calling the exact proposals for joint-session consideration in 2017, 2019 and 2021. These were proposed constitutional restrictions, rather than adopted spending cuts.

February 22, 2021Supports Government Spending Reduction

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored repeated foundation-budget financing proposals redirecting gaming and specified budget surpluses, including a 40% higher-education and 60% school-funding split that removed earlier anti-offset protections. LIFT versions added a dedicated innovation and foundation-implementation fund, gifts, line-item spending and annual benchmarks. His October 3, 2019 amendment retained the financing but narrowed spending to that education act and omitted annual benchmarks; it was rejected. A standalone funding version went to study February 18, 2020.

February 18, 2020Opposes Government Spending Reduction

Source: malegislature.gov

Offered an October 3,2019 amendment increasing the minimum school-aid amount and adjustment from $30 to $50 per pupil by fiscal 2027. The redraft's operative amount was $50, despite its $100 title. The Senate rejected the amendment.

October 3, 2019Opposes Government Spending Reduction

Source: malegislature.gov

Offered two October 3,2019 amendments to the special-education reimbursement formula. One reduced the fiscal 2020 approved-cost threshold from $45,793 to $34,345; the other increased reimbursement above that threshold from 75% to 80%. The parent formula covered eligible instructional and required out-of-district transportation costs, subject to appropriation, with specified 100% reimbursement exceptions. The Senate rejected both amendments.

October 3, 2019Opposes Government Spending Reduction

Source: malegislature.gov

Offered an October 3,2019 amendment setting regional-school transportation reimbursement at no less than 85% and increasing it to 100% by fiscal 2025 in consistent, equitable increments as state revenues permitted. The Senate rejected the redraft. The proposal was distinct from his adopted reimbursement-analysis request.

October 3, 2019Opposes Government Spending Reduction

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored and refiled legislation reserving 10% of the Commonwealth Stabilization Fund to prevent reductions in state aid to cities and towns, including school and lottery aid. The 2017 and 2019 versions entered study orders; the proposal did not itself distribute local aid.

January 22, 2019Opposes Government Spending Reduction

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored Wenham's private-road improvement law and its November 29,2018 redraft. It authorized repairs to Longfellow Road and South Street, borrowing repayable within 20 years outside the town's debt limit, and betterment assessments on benefited owners. The assessment method required agreement with a majority of street residents. The measure became law on December 20,2018.

November 29, 2018Opposes Government Spending Reduction

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored a fishing and farming investment bill in 2018 proposing $50 million in state bonds, split equally between two innovation funds. Fishing grants covered permits, efficient vessels, technology and safety equipment; agricultural grants covered production, processing, cranberry-bog renewal and other improvements. His bill joined a broader environmental bond measure. Chapter 209, approved August 9, 2018, established both funds with advisory committees, public hearings and financial reports. Its funding provisions appeared within broader capital items; the final text did not preserve his two standalone $25 million items.

August 9, 2018Opposes Government Spending Reduction

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored three bills requiring a five-year plan to reduce state operating costs by at least 5%, with the plan filed within eight months after enactment. The bills ordered a savings plan rather than making appropriations cuts. The latest went to study on May 10, 2018.

May 10, 2018Supports Government Spending Reduction

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored repeated bills repealing the 2014 Boston convention-center expansion law, including its $1 billion authorization and related financing, labor and governance provisions. A 2017 alternative also repealed the separate law setting terms for bonds financing that same expansion. The latest bills went to study on May 10, 2018.

May 10, 2018Supports Government Spending Reduction

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored repeated waterfront-infrastructure loan proposals beginning in 1994. The bills set out a revolving fund of up to $10 million for industrial and commercial waterfront improvements. Earlier versions required interest-free loans; later versions allowed low interest, and the 2017 bill used existing bond authorizations rather than establishing a proven additional borrowing amount. It went to study on April 26, 2018.

April 26, 2018Opposes Government Spending Reduction

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored three bills directing at least 10% of inflation-adjusted growth in baseline tax revenue to a fund for local property-tax relief on principal residences, subject to appropriation. The proposals included annual reporting and taxpayer enforcement. The latest contained a conflicting fund reference and was sent to a committee redraft on December 7, 2017.

December 7, 2017Opposes Government Spending Reduction

Source: malegislature.gov

Offered a full criminal-justice substitute on October 26, 2017; the Senate rejected amendment 99 that day. It proposed a mandatory-minimum sentencing study, broader electronic surveillance and DNA collection from selected defendants after arraignment, with some sample-destruction safeguards. It proposed second-degree murder punishment for supplying drugs that caused death, a ten-year minimum for specified drug-related serious injuries, and penalties up to life for specified drug-and-firearm convictions. It included tougher repeat impaired-driving penalties, ignition-interlock licenses and a twice-daily sobriety-testing pilot. Other provisions offered conditional immunity for underage drinkers seeking overdose help, police mental-health training, treatment referrals, diversion and correctional treatment support. A police-training fund included a state match of private gifts up to $10 million. It also proposed conditional medical parole for terminally ill or permanently incapacitated prisoners and restrictive-housing screening, reviews, reporting and safeguards, with exceptions. The package included witness-protection changes and criminal-case tracking requirements.

October 26, 2017Opposes Government Spending Reduction

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored an application for an Article V convention limited to federal fiscal restraints and limits on federal power and jurisdiction. The application remained continuing until the required two-thirds of states applied. Sponsoring it did not itself convene a constitutional convention.

January 23, 2017Supports Government Spending Reduction

Source: malegislature.gov

Was named as a co-petitioner of Marc Pacheco's 2017 Nursing Home Quality Jobs Initiative. It proposed at least $90 million annually for nursing-home direct-care wages, benefits and related costs, inflation adjustments, full-tuition training scholarships and language support, plus $2.5 million annually for supervisory training. Outreach and administration each had a 3% cap. The bill received a favorable committee report, then entered a study order on July 16, 2018.

January 23, 2017Opposes Government Spending Reduction

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.1016 to revise unemployment-benefit eligibility, cap benefits at 26 weeks during lower unemployment, and condition additional weeks on unpaid internships, with waivers and employer-response deadlines. The five-section proposal included a federal-funding condition and entered study on September 12, 2016.

September 12, 2016Supports Government Spending Reduction

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored fisheries-financing bills in 2005–2015 for up to $20 million in bonds supporting vessel safety, sustainable gear and research. Later versions omitted Fisheries Recovery Commission consultation and changed bond dates. The 2005 and 2009 bills joined new drafts; later refiles entered study, most recently July 5, 2016. No bonds or grants were established as issued.

July 5, 2016Opposes Government Spending Reduction

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored municipal-capital partnership bills in 1997–2015 for up to $25 million in bonds and 50–90% reimbursement for locally approved projects above $2 million. Later versions omitted an explicit water/sewer eligibility restriction and a public-works category. Early versions entered study or stalled; all four later bills entered study, most recently June 23, 2016.

June 23, 2016Opposes Government Spending Reduction

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.1887 to repeal the retirement-incentive program for certain MassDOT employees losing manual-toll-collection jobs, including up to five added years of age or service under its eligibility and pension limits. The bill entered study on June 23, 2016.

June 23, 2016Supports Government Spending Reduction

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored bills in 2013 and 2015 replacing the state direct-debt limit’s 1.05 annual growth factor with 1.00 for five years. The proposal removed the 5% growth allowance without ordering repayment of existing debt. The 2013 bill went to a study order on June 4, 2014; the 2015 refile went to a study order on July 5, 2016.

April 15, 2015Supports Government Spending Reduction

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored a bill proposing at least $1,000 in extra annual pay for certified municipal auditors, assistant auditors and town accountants. Local town-meeting or city approval was required before the pay provision applied. The proposal was referred on March 19, 2015 and ended without further action on January 3, 2017.

March 19, 2015Opposes Government Spending Reduction

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored a bill freezing executive-branch hiring until the workforce returned to its 2004 level. It allowed agency exception requests for no more than 10% of vacancies caused by attrition. It went to study on October 1, 2012.

October 1, 2012Supports Government Spending Reduction

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.1384 to authorize local early-retirement plans adding up to three years of age or service for eligible employees, with pension caps, replacement-pay limits, actuarial savings requirements and reporting. The bill entered study on September 27, 2012.

September 27, 2012Supports Government Spending Reduction

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.1348 and S.1534, a fiscal package combining stabilization-fund deposits and withdrawal limits, a local-aid reserve, municipal-health voting changes, pension limits, an equipment-reuse study and spending disclosure. The bills entered study in October 2010 and September 2012.

September 20, 2012Supports Government Spending Reduction

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored two bills creating a voluntary $1-per-person income-tax-return contribution to the Inland Fisheries and Game Fund, a fully offsetting income-tax credit and a General Fund match subject to appropriation. The bills went to study on October 12, 2010 and September 20, 2012.

September 20, 2012Opposes Government Spending Reduction

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.172 to pay small businesses creating at least five net weighted jobs an incentive equal to half the state income tax on new salaries, in three installments with retention and reporting conditions. The bill entered study on September 4, 2012; its definitions contained unresolved drafting errors.

September 4, 2012Opposes Government Spending Reduction

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored water-efficiency bills in 1999–2011, expanding an Ipswich pilot statewide and changing fixture grants to loans, then mixed assistance up to $2 million yearly/$10 million total. They proposed audits, meters, leak repair and a $500,000 coordinator. Earlier $150,000 water-law and $250,000 instream-flow work, later prioritizing site-specific data, were omitted in 2011. The 2007 and 2009 bills received favorable reports but stalled; the 2011 refile entered study May 15, 2012.

May 15, 2012Opposes Government Spending Reduction

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored a special-education Medicaid reimbursement bill in 2009. It proposed replacing daily reimbursement with payment for individual services, directing at least 60% of additional federal reimbursements toward student transportation and the remainder toward grants for private special-education providers. A committee draft replaced the mandated change and earmarks with a feasibility study, including implementation barriers and costs. That draft went to a study order on October 28, 2010.

October 28, 2010Opposes Government Spending Reduction

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored a law ending town health and life insurance subsidies for Newbury elected officials who received stipends. Those officials had to pay the full insurance cost plus any administrative charges to participate. The town clerk retained the contribution rate offered to nonunion town employees. The law was signed as Chapter 301 on August 11, 2010.

August 11, 2010Supports Government Spending Reduction

Source: malegislature.gov

Joined a 2007 disaster-response package. It set a 72-hour declaration deadline and authorized emergency orders and procurement waivers. It proposed repayable General Fund loans of up to $10 million per disaster and $20,000 per person. It also addressed damaged-property tax relief, federal-relief payments, emergency communications, vulnerability reviews and continuity planning. The bill accompanied a study order in April 2008.

January 11, 2007Opposes Government Spending Reduction

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Joined a 2007 electronic-waste collection and recycling bill. It proposed consumer fees of $6, $8 or $10 based on screen size. It imposed retailer and manufacturer duties for labeling, reporting, materials, take-back information and waste handling. Fee and penalty proceeds funded collection, recycling, administration and limited public education. It retained local-service exceptions, trade-secret protections, export safeguards and enforcement penalties. The committee produced a replacement; the session ended without further action on that later bill.

January 11, 2007Opposes Government Spending Reduction

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Joined a 2007 renewable-energy and alternative-fuels package as a named co-petitioner. It combined vehicle and building standards, renewable-fuel requirements, research, tire-efficiency rules and tax incentives. It proposed $10 million in bond-funded vehicle and fueling grants, including at least $100,000 for a maritime pilot. It also included a $2.5 million vehicle appropriation labeled fiscal year 2006. Tax provisions covered vehicles, renewable equipment, buildings and fuel, with eligibility limits and expiration dates. The package included natural gas and other fuels alongside renewable sources. The session ended without further action.

January 11, 2007Opposes Government Spending Reduction

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Joined a 2007 package changing the state health-reform law. It proposed child-premium waivers, coverage and cost-sharing changes, affordability exceptions, enrollment assistance and an employer coverage-or-contribution standard. It replaced a temporary tobacco-cessation pilot with ongoing coverage and an annual transfer of at least $7 million. The earlier law already provided $7 million transfers in two fiscal years. The committee joined the proposal to another health bill in April 2008.

January 11, 2007Opposes Government Spending Reduction

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Joined a 2007 safer-chemicals petition as a named co-petitioner. It proposed assessments of ten priority chemicals, public action plans and deadlines for feasible safer alternatives. It included manufacturer reporting, limited waivers, product take-back and refunds, and public enforcement. It proposed business transition aid, worker retraining and health coverage, and technical assistance. Fees and penalties supported the program. Subject to appropriation, it reserved at least $6 million for technical assistance and $6 million for toxics research. It also reserved $2 million for the environmental department and $4 million for business and worker transitions. The session ended without further action.

January 11, 2007Opposes Government Spending Reduction

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored a 2005 alternative-fuels package combining fuel and refueling investment incentives, a fuel-tax rule 25 percent below gasoline, a UMass research institute and 10 million dollars in vehicle and infrastructure bond authority, including at least 100,000 dollars for a maritime pilot. It also proposed a 2,000 dollar vehicle-purchase deduction, 50 percent incremental-cost fleet credits, vehicle privileges, procurement targets and production studies. Eligible fuels included natural gas, propane and low-sulfur diesel as well as biofuels, electricity and hydrogen. The bill accompanied a new draft in September 2005.

July 25, 2005Opposes Government Spending Reduction

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored a 2005 special-education funding bill offering districts an alternative reimbursement method when their costs exceeded the statewide average by at least 20 percent. It proposed reimbursement of at least 35 percent of those excess costs. The bill accompanied a study order in January 2006.

January 5, 2005Opposes Government Spending Reduction

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored hospital-reform packages in 2000, 2001, 2003 and 2005. They proposed uniform billing and 45-day payments, hospital-capacity and workforce studies, and essential-hospital assistance. Earlier bills also proposed HMO solvency requirements and nonprofit-conversion reviews. The 2001 version added observation-service classification, independent appeals and reimbursement protections. The 2003–2005 versions retained those protections but omitted the HMO chapters and a duplicated observation block. The earliest trust used a 0.25 percent assessment on hospitals’ excess revenues, with assessment reductions at a one-percent statewide accumulated-fund limit and special shortfall assessments. Later versions replaced that assessment funding with appropriations, including tobacco proceeds, while retaining free-care-pool financing and technical, capital and operating assistance. Some study deadlines changed from 2000 to 2006. Malformed classification language and an unverified deleted licensing paragraph limited interpretation. The 2000 and 2001 proposals entered study; the 2005 bill accompanied a study order in May 2006.

January 5, 2005Opposes Government Spending Reduction

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored incineration limits falling from 90% of the 2001 baseline in 2002 to 50% or less from 2006, allocated among facilities. The bill also proposed a ten-cent-per-ton assessment and competitive municipal recycling grants, with annual distributions capped at 80% of the fund. It entered study on August 30, 2001; no actual waste reduction or tax receipts were established.

August 30, 2001Opposes Government Spending Reduction

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored special-education packages in 1997 and 1999 covering disability evaluations and regular-classroom placement, service reporting, 90% reimbursement of excess foster-care tuition, coordinated transport, dispute resolution and inclusion grants. The bills also required paid parent-advocate certification and agency coordination. The refile entered study on June 8, 2000.

June 8, 2000Opposes Government Spending Reduction

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored a three-year prevention network and fund in 1997 and 1999 for nonprofits addressing substance abuse, tobacco, violence and intolerance. The bills proposed a public database, up to $2 million subject to appropriation, competitive grants up to $25,000 per organization and outcome evaluations. The latest entered study on June 28, 1999.

June 28, 1999Opposes Government Spending Reduction

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored financing legislation for Northeast Solid Waste Committee members’ Clean Air Act upgrades at the North Andover waste-to-energy facility. It authorized local charges, committee or development-agency financing backed by municipal obligations, and alternative municipal borrowing for up to twenty-five years outside ordinary debt limits, with local approvals. The bill reached a second Senate reading in September 1999; the history ended with no further action in January 2001.

January 6, 1999Opposes Government Spending Reduction

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored full reimbursement from tobacco-excise revenue for pharmaceutical costs incurred while trying to stop using tobacco, including nicotine patches and gum. The bill went to study on May 3, 1999.

January 6, 1999Opposes Government Spending Reduction

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored 1999 and 2001 teacher-development bills combining Commonwealth-funded professional development required for certification, alternative entry routes for candidates without formal education training, and paid or unpaid retired-teacher mentors for teachers with ten years of service or less. They required programme designs, cost estimates and legislative reports. The 1999 bill went to study on September 16.

January 6, 1999Opposes Government Spending Reduction

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored municipal wastewater-grant bills in 1999, 2001 and 2003 for extraordinary Title V, Clean Water Act and consent-order compliance costs. They covered wastewater, stormwater, on-site treatment and water-distribution systems, with grants capped at $5 million per community and up to $50 million in Commonwealth general-obligation bonds. Bond terms remained at most twenty years, with June 2025 final repayment; the bond label changed from 1998 to 2001. The 1999 bill received no committee report; the later reviewed histories ended without further action.

January 6, 1999Opposes Government Spending Reduction

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored 1999 and 2003 Environmental Technology Fund bills authorizing up to $75 million in general-obligation bonds for competitive grants supporting incinerator pollution controls or decommissioning, storm-water treatment, recycling equipment, infrastructure and education. The proposed bonds had a twenty-year maximum term and June 2025 final maturity; their labels changed between versions. The reviewed 1999 history ended without a committee report.

January 6, 1999Opposes Government Spending Reduction

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored a local ballot option for a fund to purchase and maintain open space, recreation land or historic assets. The proposal required two-thirds voter approval for an additional property-tax assessment. Spending criteria and expenditures also required two-thirds local approval, and the proposal permitted balances to carry forward. The bill went to study on June 3, 1999.

January 6, 1999Opposes Government Spending Reduction

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored a 25-section special-education package in 1997 and 1999. It combined least-restrictive-environment monitoring and a regular-classroom presumption pending disability evaluation with assessments, foster-care tuition reimbursement, training, coordinated transport and dispute-resolution review. Proposed state-local cost sharing used a four-times-foundation-budget threshold and a state contribution capped at 90% above it. An Irlen-syndrome pilot and inclusion grants accompanied the package, with grants capped at $50,000 per applicant, $1 million annually plus $100,000 administration, expiring after five years. The 1999 text corrected a reimbursement cross-reference but retained 1997 report deadlines. Both bills went to study, most recently June 8, 2000.

January 6, 1999Opposes Government Spending Reduction

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored two bills reimbursing municipalities in the Seabrook Nuclear Power Station emergency-planning zone for related legal expenses, capped at $25,000 per municipality annually. The 1997 version was transferred to Senate Ways and Means; its history ended with no committee report on January 5, 1999.

January 1, 1997Opposes Government Spending Reduction

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored and refiled a lighthouse-preservation fund offering grants up to $100,000 to organizations owning lighthouses, financed through net proceeds from an additional $40 specialty-plate fee and fund earnings. The 1997 bill was referred to Senate Ways and Means; its history ended with no committee report on January 5, 1999.

January 1, 1997Opposes Government Spending Reduction

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored and refiled a cap limiting aggregate appropriations to 98% of estimated state revenues approved by the governor and legislature. The published history of the 1997 version ended with no committee report on January 5, 1999.

January 1, 1997Supports Government Spending Reduction

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Filed two replacement amendments to H. 6107 on July 1, 1996. They proposed medical savings accounts, health-insurance tax credits for low-income employers and self-employed people, Medicare-supplement credits for eligible seniors, MassHealth coverage and cost-sharing changes, expanded child coverage, and repeal of the employer mandate. They also set insurer and hospital free-care assessments, restricted premium increases based solely on those assessments, and proposed health-benefit funding and a $15 million General Fund transfer. S. 2339 added a nonbinding district referendum on a 25-cent cigarette-tax increase for child and senior coverage and specific effective dates. Tarr moved that version on July 2. The Senate rejected it, 12–24, with Tarr voting for it.

July 2, 1996Opposes Government Spending Reduction

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored a 1996 water-pollution loan-relief bill proposing subsidies covering at least 50 percent of eligible costs for permanent Water Pollution Abatement Trust loans after October 1, 1995. It also proposed interest forgiveness or debt-service subsidies bringing older loans below that level up to the same support, within contract-assistance limits. It did not establish actual debt forgiveness.

February 22, 1996Opposes Government Spending Reduction

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored Rockport liability-insurance fund bills in 1994 and 1995. They authorized annual appropriations up to one-twentieth of one percent of equalized valuation, accumulated interest and trustee payments for claims, defense and insurance. They also permitted specified fund combinations while excluding municipal fire-damage restoration. The 1994 bill passed the House, reached the Senate and ended without further action.

June 21, 1994Opposes Government Spending Reduction

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored a fisheries emergency-assistance package covering public-port infrastructure, seafood incubators, processing loans, resident-owned vessel conversions and a seven-member marketing council. Its 1995 text allocated $15 million across those purposes, including $5 million for conversion loans capped at $100,000 per vessel, and permitted public-academic leases up to twenty years. The earlier 1994 bill accompanied new draft H.5509 on December 1; its subsequent outcome was not established.

April 28, 1994Opposes Government Spending Reduction

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored local-option property-tax exemptions of $500 for Massachusetts residents with paraplegia or quadriplegia who owned and occupied their home, including joint owners. The bills barred transfers made to evade tax and proposed $87.50 in Commonwealth reimbursement per exemption. The 1993 and 1994 versions ended without further action.

January 6, 1994Opposes Government Spending Reduction

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored three constitutional proposals in 1992–1994 limiting annual state-expenditure growth to the previous year’s consumer-price inflation rate, with a two-thirds vote in each chamber required for an exception. All received adverse reports and were placed on file in May of their respective years.

January 6, 1994Supports Government Spending Reduction

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored environmental-enforcement bills establishing a penalty-and-forfeiture fund, with appropriations directing at least half to the attorney general and a quarter to environmental officials. They authorized conviction-based forfeiture of property, proceeds and avoided costs, alongside preconviction civil seizure proceedings with notice, jury, appeal, security-interest, innocent-owner and homestead safeguards. They also authorized civil enforcement fees. The 1993 and 1994 proposals went to study.

January 6, 1994Opposes Government Spending Reduction

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored Gloucester State Pier financing bills in 1991–1994 for up to $5 million in special revenue bonds, payable solely from pier revenues rather than general Commonwealth obligations. They allowed bonds up to 20 years, notes up to three years, security agreements and state tax exemptions. The later bills also exempted Government Land Bank pier-employee compensation from waterways-division control. The 1991 bill passed the Senate; all three ended without further House action.

January 6, 1994Opposes Government Spending Reduction

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored revenue-estimate bills in 1993 and 1994 requiring a governor’s economic and revenue statement and a joint legislative revenue resolution approved by the governor before appropriation debate. They restricted revisions while appropriation matters were pending and required gubernatorial reductions when appropriations exceeded the approved estimate. Both ended without further action.

January 6, 1994Supports Government Spending Reduction

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored three bills requiring state General Fund reimbursement of additional firefighter cancer-presumption pension costs, prohibiting diversion of local aid and assigning public authorities their own employee costs. The bills went to study orders in November 1993 and May 1994.

January 6, 1994Opposes Government Spending Reduction

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored three bills relieving municipalities of police career-incentive salary increases when the Commonwealth failed to reimburse them under the applicable programme. All went to study orders in 1992, 1993 and May 1994.

January 6, 1994Supports Government Spending Reduction

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored 1993, 1994 and 1995 bills establishing a fifteen-member seafood-marketing advisory commission representing fishing, processing, retail, tourism and consumers, with nonvoting state officials. The proposals added a $10 commercial-fishing permit surcharge to support its work. The 1993 bill received a favorable report as changed, but both reviewed House histories ended with no further action.

January 5, 1994Opposes Government Spending Reduction

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored three bills barring legislators from receiving state retirement benefits for their legislative service. The House accepted an adverse report in May 1991; the 1992 and 1993 refiles went to study orders.

January 11, 1993Supports Government Spending Reduction

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored school-choice relief proposals in 1991 and 1993. They targeted municipal costs from specified 1991 student transfers and required state review of local education plans. The 1991 version included a $1.5 million General Fund appropriation. The 1993 version omitted that appropriation and revised application and plan requirements. The 1993 bill accompanied a study order.

January 11, 1993Opposes Government Spending Reduction

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored a bill expanding proposed financing for Gloucester State Fish Pier improvements. It raised spending and Commonwealth bond limits from $5 million to $10 million and extended final bond repayment from June 30, 2011 to June 30, 2022. The House history recorded no further action after referral to Ways and Means.

January 7, 1993Opposes Government Spending Reduction

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored a bill providing eligible municipal Group 4 employees up to five additional years of age or service combined toward retirement, with pensions capped at 80% of compensation. It went to a study order on June 29, 1992.

January 6, 1992Opposes Government Spending Reduction

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored a bill barring legislators and their staff from receiving other state or local-government compensation on days either legislative chamber sat. It went to a study order on June 25, 1992.

January 2, 1992Supports Government Spending Reduction

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored a wrong-way-driving safety plan in the fiscal 2027 budget. The Senate adopted his policy amendment 40–0 on May 21, 2026; he voted Yes. It required ramp warnings, detection systems, driver education, officer training and an older-driver safety study. His separate $300,000 request for a prevention system was rejected that day. The policy required cost plans and yearly progress reports. It became law on July 9, 2026, as Chapter 137, sections 69 and 105–108.

July 9, 2026Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored successive voluntary Yellow Dot programs to give emergency responders medical information for drivers aged 62 or older or with chronic illness, using decals and folders, outreach and a hotline, with good-faith responder immunity. Recent refiles received favorable reports and no further action, most recently January 3, 2023.

January 3, 2023Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.1459 and S.1644 to require drivers stopped by police to turn on working interior lights, with disobedience of an officer's order treated under the motor-vehicle enforcement law. Both received favorable reports but no further action, most recently on January 3, 2023.

January 3, 2023Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.1458 and S.1646 to permit flashing green lights for municipal emergency-management vehicles during emergency response, with permit, revocation and penalty rules. The first entered study; the refile received a favorable report and no further action by January 3, 2023.

January 3, 2023Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.1462 and S.1645 for standardized training and accreditation of police drug-recognition experts used in court testimony. Both received favorable reports and later no further action, most recently January 3, 2023. The refile retained an already-passed 2019 recommendation deadline.

January 3, 2023Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.1647 to assess, plan, acquire and distribute a state reserve of personal protective equipment for health and public-safety needs, with implementation subject to appropriation. It received a favorable report in March 2022 and no further action by January 3, 2023.

January 3, 2023Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored successive habitual-traffic-offender rules with graduated license suspensions of five to fifteen years or possible lifetime loss, driver-improvement and testing requirements, and sanctions after restoration. The recent bills entered study or received no further action; S.2378 entered study July 5, 2022. Judicial appeal language was retained.

July 5, 2022Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored successive wiretap-modernization frameworks and offered a 2022 budget amendment. Earlier bills deleted a policy declaration and extended interception eligibility to all drug-law violations and specified homicide and firearm offenses. Later versions rewrote privacy and supervision rules, narrowed the drug predicates and added other offenses, camera exceptions, metadata orders and technical-assistance duties. They provided thirty-day interception periods, renewals up to two years and minimization rules. The bills entered study orders; the 2022 amendment was rejected.

May 26, 2022Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: malegislature.gov

Offered 2020 and 2022 budget amendments revising pretrial release, bail and detention procedures. They expanded dangerousness eligibility, allowed detention through a case's end, increased electronic-monitoring tampering penalties and added victim-notification and reminder provisions. They also retained financial-ability, counsel, hearing and appeal safeguards. The 2022 version added judicial fingerprinting and photography and restrictions on sentence reductions for specified offenses. Both amendments were rejected.

May 26, 2022Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored Rowley's proposal allowing qualified retired officers to serve as special police officers with arrest powers. The filed bill included age, medical and firearms requirements, civil-service and collective-bargaining exclusions, removal procedures and capped injury benefits and earnings. The official history records an amended bill signed in December 2022.

May 12, 2022Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored two bills adding firefighters and emergency medical technicians to mandated reporters of abuse of people with disabilities. The later bill joined S117 on April 25, 2022.

April 25, 2022Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored two bills creating offenses for sexual assault or rape obtained through false claims of a medical purpose during treatment or counseling. The proposals covered a broad group of health professionals and clergy, with prison terms up to five years for indecent assault and twenty years for rape. The later bill joined H1661 on April 21, 2022.

April 21, 2022Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: malegislature.gov

Filed SD.2973 in 2020 and refiled S.1643 in 2021 for police civil-rights oversight, training review, consideration of force and civil-rights histories in personnel decisions, protected abuse reporting, compliance officers and periodic attorney-general review. The first stalled; the refile entered study March 17, 2022.

March 17, 2022Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.2013 and S.2234 to require qualified monitoring personnel at natural-gas pressure sites under Department of Public Utilities rules. The first received an adverse report and no further action; the refile entered study on February 24, 2022.

February 24, 2022Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.2383 to add call emergency-medical-service members to the motor-vehicle law's siren-mounting exception for vehicles used on official duty. The operative provision concerned sirens despite the bill's lights caption. It entered study on February 10, 2022.

February 10, 2022Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored three versions of drug-death liability legislation. The 2017 bill treated specified drug provision causing death as second-degree murder and separately proposed a ten-year minimum for serious injury. Later versions narrowed the death predicate to specified trafficking or unlawful distribution and removed the injury clause, retaining the rule against a prior-health-condition defense. The latest bill went to study on February 7, 2022.

February 7, 2022Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored three bills adding drug trafficking to offenses eligible for wiretap orders without requiring an organized-crime connection. The latest bill went to study on February 7, 2022.

February 7, 2022Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored repeated bills restricting narcotics or marijuana containers in vehicle passenger areas on public ways, with $100–$500 fines. Earlier versions defined open containers; later versions prohibited possession except in a closed bottle, bag or other container. The latest bill went to study on February 7, 2022.

February 7, 2022Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored repeated bills expanding sexually violent predator classifications to specified higher-risk offenders, adding in-person verification every ninety days and requiring annual audits of the Sex Offender Registry Board's operations. The later versions extended the audit period through 2023. The latest bill went to study on February 7, 2022.

February 7, 2022Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored repeated bills forfeiting remaining unpaid lottery prizes after specified sex-crime convictions and extending crime-related property forfeiture and victim-restitution provisions. The lottery clause covered unpaid winnings rather than only criminal proceeds. The latest bill went to study on February 7, 2022.

February 7, 2022Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored and refiled child-abduction and sexual-abuse awareness instruction for grades 2–8, with annual staff training and parents' access to materials and an option to withdraw their children. The latest version entered a study order in March 2022.

March 29, 2021Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored and refiled legislation increasing specified child-restraint and seat-belt fines to $50 for a first offense and $100 for subsequent offenses. The 2019 and 2021 versions entered study orders, with the latest action in January 2022.

March 29, 2021Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored and refiled legislation designating a state education-department official to provide school-safety information and evaluate school safety plans. Later committee drafts added different safety-planning and reporting provisions. The 2022 committee carrier passed the Senate but ended without further House action in January 2023.

March 29, 2021Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored and refiled amendments increasing specified hate-crime fine and imprisonment figures. His 2021 version also inserted community-service wording into the numerical replacements. Some insertions appeared inside monetary-unit phrases, leaving the alternative-penalty wording unclear rather than establishing a clean separate sentencing scheme.

March 29, 2021Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored Gloucester's authorization for retired city officers to serve as special police officers, with arrest powers during detail work and related duties. The law limited appointments by retirement duration and age, required medical and training qualifications, and excluded specified civil-service and collective-bargaining rules. It retained capped injury benefits and earnings limits. The revised measure became law on September 22,2021.

March 15, 2021Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: malegislature.gov

Offered a three-year traffic-camera pilot for three to five municipalities, covering specified traffic violations. His proposal set $25 fines without insurance points, owner-liability defenses and hearings, camera limits, privacy protections and a ban on ticket-based vendor compensation. Amendment 17 was rejected 18–19 on February 27, 2020.

February 27, 2020Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored and refiled mandatory life imprisonment after three qualifying sexual-offense convictions, including specified convictions from other jurisdictions. The proposal barred parole, sentence reduction and several alternative case dispositions. Certified prior-conviction records were self-authenticating without an additional live corroborating witness.

January 22, 2019Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored and refiled higher prison and fine penalties for specified crimes against people aged 60 or older. The proposals covered dangerous-weapon assaults, armed assaults with intent to rob or murder, and unarmed robbery, including a life term for specified repeat robbery. Exact historical line alignment remained bounded; the bills established no actual convictions.

January 22, 2019Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored and refiled DNA-database legislation. The earlier version covered all felony arrestees after arraignment; later proposals narrowed arrest-stage collection to listed serious offenses and added destruction safeguards after specified nonconvictions. They also added collection deadlines, replacement samples and penalties for failures. Investigative match records and several exceptions to destruction remained, alongside collection expansion.

January 22, 2019Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored and repeatedly refiled higher penalties for failing to yield the right of way. The bills raised the base fine from $35 to $200 and added graduated fines and license-suspension provisions for injury, serious injury and death. The 2019 version received a favorable report but ended without further action in January 2021.

January 22, 2019Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored and refiled a three-year sheriff-run 24/7 sobriety pilot for selected second or subsequent impaired-driving defendants or offenders. It combined treatment and conditional driving with testing at least twice daily, as an alternative to incarceration or a release or probation condition. Any user fees were restricted to programme-related costs, and evaluation was required.

January 22, 2019Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored a comprehensive ignition-interlock and conditional-license proposal for specified alcohol-related driving offenses and test refusals. It paired restricted driving access with treatment, vehicle devices, inspections, camera identification and extended sanctions for noncompliance. The proposal required servicing providers to offer a 50% discount to qualifying low-income drivers. A committee issued a revised bill in July 2020; that draft ended without further action in January 2021.

January 22, 2019Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored and refiled stronger penalties for specified habitual drunk-driving and revoked-license offenses. They increased fines for owners allowing unlicensed or interlock-restricted driving and proposed additional jail and prison terms for repeat violations. Some stated release-ineligibility periods conflicted with the accompanying sentence ranges; those drafting inconsistencies were not resolved by assumption.

January 22, 2019Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored three bills adding federal law-enforcement officers to the police-officer definition in the motor-vehicle citation law. The latest received a favorable committee report but ended without further action on January 1, 2019.

January 1, 2019Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored Essex's proposal to appoint voluntarily retired town police officers for detail work, with arrest powers, medical checks, chief oversight, removal notice and limited injury benefits. His original excluded unemployment benefits. A committee successor became Chapter 252 on September 27, 2018; the final law instead applied unemployment-insurance law while retaining exemptions from specified civil-service and training statutes.

September 27, 2018Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored proposals organizing five technical-rescue regions, a coordinating council and a fund for shared training, equipment and response costs. The bills exempted residents from cost recovery for noncommercial conduct that was neither unlawful nor reckless. A successor became Chapter 217 on August 9, 2018. The law revised council membership and added on-duty injury, illness and death coverage for rescue-team members, taking effect December 1, 2018.

August 9, 2018Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored repeated bills adding driving-license suspensions of 60 days to two years for supplying alcohol to people under 21. The proposals provided hardship-license hearings and exceptions for specified licensed servers. The latest bill went to study on June 14, 2018.

June 14, 2018Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored repeated bills expanding drug-impaired-driving chemical tests, court-ordered testing after refusal, consecutive refusal suspensions, 12-hour vehicle impoundment and evidence rules, with administrative review safeguards. Earlier versions used a broad definition of impairing drugs; later versions listed drug categories and amended narrower statutory provisions. The latest bill went to study on April 30, 2018.

April 30, 2018Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored a bill protecting properly licensed weapon or assault-weapon transactions approved through the state record-check system before July 21, 2016. The same bill proposed higher firearm-transfer penalties and additional five-to-ten-year terms for specified armed offenses involving unlicensed possession or illegally purchased firearms. It went to study on February 7, 2018.

February 7, 2018Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored three bills establishing an independent forensic-laboratory oversight board, accreditation requirements and quarterly reports on testing, staffing, costs and incidents. The proposals provided anonymous complaints, annual public hearings and referral of suspected criminal wrongdoing to the attorney general. The latest bill went to study on February 7, 2018.

February 7, 2018Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored amendments adding level 1 sex offenders to specified registration and public-information provisions. The text retained conditions on named requests for certain public inquiries and separate provisions for finally classified level 2 and level 3 offenders.

January 29, 2018Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: malegislature.gov

Offered a full criminal-justice substitute on October 26, 2017; the Senate rejected amendment 99 that day. It proposed a mandatory-minimum sentencing study, broader electronic surveillance and DNA collection from selected defendants after arraignment, with some sample-destruction safeguards. It proposed second-degree murder punishment for supplying drugs that caused death, a ten-year minimum for specified drug-related serious injuries, and penalties up to life for specified drug-and-firearm convictions. It included tougher repeat impaired-driving penalties, ignition-interlock licenses and a twice-daily sobriety-testing pilot. Other provisions offered conditional immunity for underage drinkers seeking overdose help, police mental-health training, treatment referrals, diversion and correctional treatment support. A police-training fund included a state match of private gifts up to $10 million. It also proposed conditional medical parole for terminally ill or permanently incapacitated prisoners and restrictive-housing screening, reviews, reporting and safeguards, with exceptions. The package included witness-protection changes and criminal-case tracking requirements.

October 26, 2017Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored regular inspector-general and state-auditor review of state forensic laboratories, requested through the forensic-services board at least every three years. The proposal sought reports on accuracy, integrity and recommended improvements. It did not itself establish wrongdoing by an individual.

April 27, 2017Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: malegislature.gov

Filed 2016 and 2017 versions criminalizing solicitation or communication of crimes dangerous to people, property or critical infrastructure. They included ten- and twenty-year prison ceilings, parole-eligible life imprisonment when death resulted, limitations exceptions for specified harm or risk, restitution with consideration of resources and attorney-general review of terrorism-related laws. The earlier filing ended without further action; the 2017 refile entered study.

January 23, 2017Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored and refiled a civil cause of action for knowing, willful or wanton trespass on a state highway without just cause. The text recognized a disabled vehicle or medical emergency as just cause. It did not specify a new prison term.

January 23, 2017Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored successive vehicular-homicide frameworks with distinct intoxicated, negligent and reckless-driving penalty tiers. Earlier versions used intoxication or reckless or negligent driving for the highest tier; later versions combined those elements and added a 0.08 blood-alcohol provision. A 2005 version omitted the explicit license-revocation paragraph; his 2017 bill restored ten-year first-offense and lifetime repeat revocations, with restoration after favorable termination of prosecution. These were proposed frameworks, not findings against an individual.

January 23, 2017Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored and refiled registration rules for out-of-state sex offenders, including a two-day registration deadline and specified identifying and address information. The proposals required forwarding current registration and classification information to police and the FBI while classification hearings remained pending.

January 23, 2017Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored and refiled a child-endangerment amendment adding a state-prison sentencing alternative of two-and-a-half to ten years. Existing house-of-correction punishment remained relevant. The proposal established no actual conviction or sentence.

January 23, 2017Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored mandatory sentencing provisions for forcible rape of a child under 14. The text specified a 30-year minimum, a 45-year minimum for armed offenses and life imprisonment for specified adult repeat offenders, with restrictions on early release and case dispositions. Its ending sentence was incomplete, so no additional requirement was inferred.

January 23, 2017Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored and refiled proposals removing prosecution time limits for specified sexual offenses, with procedural conditions involving psychological support, legal representation and prosecutorial support. The drafts also included a three-year retroactive filing window. Their mixed civil and criminal terminology and an ambiguous role clause were preserved as drafting limits.

January 23, 2017Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored and refiled legislation adding financial exploitation to abuse of a disabled person. It covered caretaker conduct causing substantial loss or diverting a benefit, with safeguards concerning coercion and consent. Bona fide gifts and specified consumer-protection transactions were excluded.

January 23, 2017Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.1111 to establish trained auxiliary-police tiers, qualifications, powers and liability protections. Its March 2016 committee successor, S.2175, retained general powers and clothing provisions but removed the tiered training, fitness and labor-dispute safeguards. That draft received no further action by January 3, 2017.

January 3, 2017Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.820 and S.922 to criminalize soliciting murder, with up to 20 years in prison. The later bill joined H.4005, which broadened the offense to soliciting felonies with graduated penalties. The House passed that draft June 22, 2016, 156–0; it received no further Senate action by January 3, 2017.

January 3, 2017Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: malegislature.gov

Filed SD.2644 to bar attorney-general weapons regulations under consumer-protection law, repeal earlier rules, protect specified pre-July 21, 2016 transactions, and increase transfer and unlawful-weapons penalties. It went to Rules on July 30, 2016 and received no further action by January 3, 2017.

January 3, 2017Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: malegislature.gov

Filed SD.1987 to authorize protective custody without consent for people under 21 who had consumed alcohol, with testing, telephone access, guardian notification and safety-search rules. It specified that custody was not a criminal arrest. The proposal received no further action by January 3, 2017.

January 3, 2017Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored fisheries-financing bills in 2005–2015 for up to $20 million in bonds supporting vessel safety, sustainable gear and research. Later versions omitted Fisheries Recovery Commission consultation and changed bond dates. The 2005 and 2009 bills joined new drafts; later refiles entered study, most recently July 5, 2016. No bonds or grants were established as issued.

July 5, 2016Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored four bills extending the prohibition on possession with intent to manufacture Class B drugs to constituent ingredients. They specified that possessing ingredients alone established no presumption of intent. The versions went to study in 2010, 2012, 2014 and May 9, 2016.

May 9, 2016Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: malegislature.gov

Filed SD.2253 in June 2012 and refiled it as S.923 and S.1054 to criminalize small marijuana possession by people under 21, with fines, warrantless arrest and a 90-day license suspension, plus first-offender diversion. The initial filing received no further action; later bills entered study, most recently May 9, 2016.

May 9, 2016Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored sex-offender classification bills in 2003–2015 for notice 90 days before release, evidence deadlines and pre-release hearings where possible. Both early full replacements and later targeted amendments proposed 15 days to petition for a hearing. The 2005 and all four later bills entered study, most recently April 4, 2016.

April 4, 2016Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored and refiled a bill requiring a 35-year minimum term for a life sentence for first-degree murder committed at ages 14–17, regardless of the offense date. The 2014 docket ended without further action on January 6, 2015; the 2015 refile went to study on April 4, 2016.

April 4, 2016Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.815 in 2013 and S.918 in 2015 to change sex-offender registration and assessment: prompt postrelease registration, repeated verification, expanded disclosures, a presumptive classification for child sex offenses, and expedited grave-risk review. Both entered study, most recently on April 4, 2016.

April 4, 2016Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored two bills denying visitation or contact to a natural parent convicted of felony rape when the child was conceived through that rape. They went to study on June 30, 2014 and April 4, 2016.

April 4, 2016Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored two bills adding marijuana odor in a vehicle as a possible basis for probable cause of criminal activity. They went to study orders on June 30, 2014 and April 4, 2016.

April 4, 2016Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored and refiled bills expanding eligibility for maximum habitual-offender sentences without parole. They replaced prior sentences of at least three years with at least one day served for each prior conviction and broadened the qualifying offenses. The bills also proposed publishing parole-board decisions online when reasonably practical, or explaining why publication was impractical. The 2013 bill went to a study order in 2014; the 2015 version went to a study order on April 4, 2016.

April 15, 2015Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored the original PAWS bill S.1914 and offered the Senate's five-section S.2345 substitute in July 2014. The final Chapter 293, approved August 20, required veterinary abuse reports, changed cruelty penalties, expanded court jurisdiction and created a task force. Earlier registry, hotline, impoundment and entry provisions were removed; his proposed seven-year minimum became a maximum in the final law.

August 20, 2014Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.2008 for juvenile murder parole after at least 35 years, with additional proof requirements. It joined H.4184 in June 2014; later H.4307 became Chapter 189 on July 25. The final law used different minimums of 20–30, 30 or 25–30 years by offense category, rather than enacting his blanket 35-year proposal.

July 25, 2014Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.876 and S.807 to create a renewable animal-abuser registry, annual fees, seller and adoption checks, and criminal penalties for nonregistration. The first entered study; the second joined the broader PAWS drafting process in July 2014. The final 2014 law ordered a study and created no registry.

July 7, 2014Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.871 to revise police response to domestic abuse, retaining mandatory or preferred arrest rules and directing officers facing multiple complainants to identify the primary aggressor and protect reasonable self-defense. The bill entered study on October 15, 2012.

October 15, 2012Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.1817 and S.883 to combine public-contract work-authorization checks with immigration-enforcement agreements, prisoner status checks, housing-priority restrictions and increased identification-document penalties. Both entered study, most recently on October 15, 2012.

October 15, 2012Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.891 to revise parole-board membership, public decisions and vote disclosures, life-sentence hearings, victim notice, approval thresholds and reconsideration intervals, with habitual-offender restrictions. The seven-section bill entered study on October 15, 2012.

October 15, 2012Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.1819 and S.885 to revise repeat drunk-driving sentencing, with mandatory imprisonment, escalating penalties and restrictions on release, and to count specified treatment and out-of-state convictions. Both entered study, most recently on October 15, 2012.

October 15, 2012Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.884 to impose a 15-year minimum for child rape, broaden aggravated child-rape penalties with a 30-year minimum, and impose life without release for a third listed sex offense. It included prior-conviction proof rules. The bill entered study on October 15, 2012.

October 15, 2012Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored a bill criminalizing Internet procurement or promotion of a sexual performance by a person under 18, or enticement into unlawful sexual interaction. It proposed three to five years in a house of correction, a fine up to $2,500, or both. It went to study on October 15, 2012.

October 15, 2012Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.982 and S.1231 to establish District One docking-pilot licensing and training, require licensed pilots for specified large vessels using tug assistance, and set fees and administrative fines while preserving private rates and vessel choice. Both entered study, most recently on September 20, 2012.

September 20, 2012Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.980 and S.1229 to create a District One docking-pilot licensing commission with credential and experience criteria. The 2009 Senate successor narrowed the proposal to a commission and grandfathering process; its last recorded House stage was Ways and Means. The 2011 refile entered study on September 20, 2012.

September 20, 2012Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored two bills allowing law-enforcement and public-safety personnel and tax assessors to request removal of their names and addresses from street lists and barring disclosure of that information. They went to study on September 2, 2010 and July 23, 2012.

July 23, 2012Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored boating-enforcement bills in 1995–2011 to remove the harbor-patrol assignment restriction from a police-officer category. Early copies used an imprecise statutory citation. A 2005 version passed the Senate but stalled; the 2007 refile also stalled. Earlier versions drew an unfavorable report or entered study; the latest entered study on May 15, 2012.

May 15, 2012Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.68 to prohibit EBT cash purchases of alcohol, tobacco and lottery tickets, with retailer fines or incarceration and possible future benefit disqualification for recipients. It also required public notices. The bill entered study on May 7, 2012.

May 7, 2012Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored a motor-vehicle penalty bill proposing a $500 first-offense fine, $500 to $1,000 and up to ten days in jail for a second offense, and $1,000 to $2,000 and up to 30 days for later offenses. Its stated subject was unlicensed driving or registration violations. The bill went to a study order on October 15, 2012.

January 24, 2011Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: malegislature.gov

Filed S.383 in 2011 after S.434 in 2009 to require fee-free, three-year registration of commercial fuel carriers, disclosures and municipal notice, with fines up to $10,000 per violation payable to affected towns. The earlier bill received no further action; the later published history ended with a hearing notice.

January 19, 2011Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored a statewide positive-parenting public-awareness campaign, including materials provided when newborns were discharged from hospitals and guidance on nonviolent, solution-focused discipline. A committee reported the bill with changes on March 18, 2010; it went to study on October 28, 2010.

October 28, 2010Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored bills in 1999–2009 authorizing toll-free reporting placards or stickers as a sentencing condition for repeat impaired-driving offenders. They proposed a State Police reporting line and distribution of registry information to municipal police. The 1999, 2005 and 2009 bills entered study, most recently October 18, 2010; exact outcomes for the 2001 and 2003 refiles remained unverified.

October 18, 2010Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.1820 for a corporate-manslaughter fine up to $250,000 and contractor debarment up to ten years. The Senate substituted S.2565, retaining those provisions and broadening the debarment trigger, then passed it July 22, 2010, 37–0. Its published House history ended at Ways and Means on July 26.

July 22, 2010Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored a bill proposing current CPR and defibrillator certification for athletic coaches, with an exception for physically disabled coaches. The introduced text accepted training from the Red Cross, American Heart Association or another health-department-approved agency. A committee reported a changed version favorably in July 2009. The bill ended without further action on January 4, 2011.

January 20, 2009Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: malegislature.gov

Joined a 2007 disaster-response package. It set a 72-hour declaration deadline and authorized emergency orders and procurement waivers. It proposed repayable General Fund loans of up to $10 million per disaster and $20,000 per person. It also addressed damaged-property tax relief, federal-relief payments, emergency communications, vulnerability reviews and continuity planning. The bill accompanied a study order in April 2008.

January 11, 2007Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Joined a 2007 school-safety bill requiring current building plans in a central emergency registry. It provided plans to local fire and police departments, restricted public access and required annual cost reports. The bill accompanied an Education study order in March 2008.

January 11, 2007Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored reciprocal restraining-order service bills in 1999–2005. They directed officials to negotiate a multistate compact, including neighboring states, providing service without charge to the issuing state. Each participating state’s legislature and governor had to ratify the compact. The 2005 bill went to study on March 21, 2006.

January 5, 2005Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Presented a Wilmington-approved 2004 safe-infant-placement bill covering unharmed infants up to seven days old surrendered at a hospital emergency room, police station or fire station. It proposed hospital transfer and child-protection care, confidential and voluntary information, identification bracelets and reunification safeguards, without automatic parental-rights termination or an abandonment offense from safe placement alone. It retained independent reporting of suspected abuse and used grants and donations for public information. The bill received no further action by January 3, 2005.

May 26, 2004Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored bills in 2001 and 2003 adding relevant probation or parole officers to the statutory notifications concerning crimes at mental-health facilities. The earlier bill ended without further action in December 2002; the refile entered study on May 13, 2004. No new criminal sentence was proposed in these clauses.

May 13, 2004Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored dive- and underwater-rescue studies in 2001 and 2003 to inventory teams, assess equipment condition and replacement needs, and recommend legislation within eight months. Both bills entered study, most recently March 29, 2004. They did not themselves appropriate equipment funding.

March 29, 2004Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Presented Ipswich’s town-approved bill authorizing Trustees of Reservations employees as special police solely at Crane Reservation, with private employment, liability and training, annual terms and town revocation. Act 452, approved January 1, 2003, added monthly activity reports to the town police chief with jointly developed reporting parameters. No actual appointments were established.

January 1, 2003Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored a bill adding motor-vehicle license suspensions up to 10 years to the cited serious-bodily-injury offenses. A committee recommended against passage in May 2001; the Senate accepted that report on July 12, 2001. No new imprisonment term or enacted suspension was inferred.

July 12, 2001Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored bills favoring employer access to criminal histories involving sexual assaults on children or obscenity when positions involved supervising or disciplining minors. The proposals included nonprofit and volunteer organizations and presumed disclosure outweighed security and privacy interests. The 1999 bill ended without further action on January 2, 2001; a 2001 refile retained the same clause.

January 2, 2001Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored a three-year prevention network and fund in 1997 and 1999 for nonprofits addressing substance abuse, tobacco, violence and intolerance. The bills proposed a public database, up to $2 million subject to appropriation, competitive grants up to $25,000 per organization and outcome evaluations. The latest entered study on June 28, 1999.

June 28, 1999Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored domestic-violence record bills requiring courts to check warrants, probation and parole status, notify agencies, share defendants’ whereabouts and direct action when imminent injury was found. The proposals linked parole data to law-enforcement and domestic-violence systems, with interim monthly sharing. Refiles kept expired implementation dates while changing report deadlines. The latest went to study on June 24, 1999.

June 24, 1999Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored bills proposing live-in personnel responsible for safety and well-being in public housing for older residents. The proposals offered those personnel reduced-rent apartments and department-set stipends. The 1997 and 1999 versions went to study, most recently June 2, 1999.

June 2, 1999Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored constitutional proposals in 1997 and 1999 for search-and-seizure exceptions involving exigent circumstances and possible destruction of evidence, or an officer’s good-faith reliance on a later-invalidated warrant. Committees reported both proposals adversely; the latest was placed on file on April 29, 1999.

April 29, 1999Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored nuclear-safety bills in 1995–1999 for 20-mile emergency planning areas, public hearings and special-needs evacuation, real-time radiation monitoring and operator-funded costs, including $1.5 million initially per plant. The bills also proposed accident-modeling studies. The latest entered study on April 22, 1999.

April 22, 1999Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored a feasibility study and implementation plan for computer access to domestic-abuse protection orders across District, Superior, and Probate and Family courts. The proposed system provided authorized court personnel with entry, access and exchange of order information. The bill required a six-month study and a one-year plan. It recorded no further action on January 2, 2001.

January 6, 1999Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored 1999 and 2001 bills favoring nursing-home and assisted-living employers’ access to employee criminal-history information about sexual assaults on children or obscenity. The proposals presumed that the public interest in disclosure outweighed security and privacy interests for those requests. The 1999 bill went to study on June 24, 1999.

January 6, 1999Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored and refiled a third-felony sentencing rule requiring life imprisonment or 25–99 years after two final felony convictions or guilty pleas, preserving any more severe punishment. It contained no violent-offense limitation. The 1999 version went to a study order on June 28.

January 6, 1999Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored 1999 and 2001 bills creating an offense for property controllers knowingly, wantonly or recklessly allowing underage alcohol service that caused substantial bodily injury. The 1999 bill proposed up to ten years in state prison or up to 2.5 years in a house of correction. The 2001 refile instead printed a house-of-correction term of more than 2.5 years. The 1999 bill went to study on June 28; the later bill’s terminal outcome remained unverified.

January 6, 1999Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored two bills proposing at least five years in jail or a house of correction upon a third specified firearm-related conviction within five years, arising from separate incidents. The text also used a more-than-three combined-instances formulation. The 1999 version went to study in June; no new possession ban was established.

January 6, 1999Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored underage-alcohol and false-identification penalty bills in 1999–2005. They prescribed up to $500 for specified identification misuse, up to $1,000 or three months for subsequent violations, and a felony carrying up to $5,000 or five years for making, selling or distributing false identification. They also amended historical underage-alcohol penalty references; the precise earlier numeric baseline remained unverified. The 1999 bill accompanied H.4506 on July 7, and the 2005 refile went to study on July 10, 2006.

January 6, 1999Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored a requirement that municipalities contract with private commercial for-profit firefighting units only if the Department of Public Safety certified them. Although the title referred to volunteer nonprofit departments, the operative restriction covered for-profit units. The Senate accepted an adverse committee report on September 16, 1999.

January 6, 1999Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored and refiled additional felony sentences for carrying or using firearms: 5–10 years, with ten years for a second offense; machine-gun terms were 10–15 years and 15–20 for a second offense. The proposal barred specified early-release options and generally required consecutive terms, with stated exceptions. The 1997 version went to study in July.

January 1, 1997Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored two bills expressly covering telecommunications in the stalking law; the later version also included mail. The Senate consolidated the 1997 proposal with Senate 134 after a third reading on July 3. The reviewed history did not establish a final enactment.

January 1, 1997Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored three bills in 1993–1995 adding consecutive sentences for crimes committed while released on a felony charge: up to ten years for a new felony or one year for a misdemeanor. The 1993 history recorded no further action; the 1994 refile went to study on June 27, 1994. The 1995 bill’s first referral was documented, but its terminal outcome remained unverified.

January 4, 1995Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored bills in 1993 and 1994 making school administrators, including faculty, liable for a misdemeanor fine up to $100 for failing to notify local police of a student’s possession of narcotics with intent to sell on school grounds. Both went to study, most recently May 9, 1994.

May 9, 1994Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored a driving-under-the-influence bill setting a presumption of intoxication at blood alcohol of 0.08% or above. It required release and a presumption against intoxication at 0.05% or below, left the middle range without a presumption, and protected arresting officers who had reasonable grounds. It accompanied new draft H.4306 on February 17, 1994.

February 17, 1994Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored a bill creating a presumption of intoxication for drivers under 21 whose blood alcohol exceeded 0.02%. It accompanied new draft H.4306 on February 17, 1994.

February 17, 1994Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored legislation requiring district attorneys to receive written child-abuse notices after an investigation found reasonable cause. It retained discretion for immediate notices involving serious injury and specified fractures, burns, internal injuries, life support, endangered physical evidence and sexual-abuse disclosures or evidence. The reviewed own-petition entry established January 6, 1994 referral; the remaining history was incomplete.

January 6, 1994Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored a felony proposal covering knowing transfer or attempted transfer of infectious bodily fluids or tissue by a person with HIV or AIDS, and exposure with intent to infect. It prescribed five to fifteen years’ imprisonment and a $5,000 to $15,000 fine, with informed-consenting-adult, medical-advice and research exceptions. A coherent own-petition entry established referral on January 6, 1994; its terminal outcome remained unresolved.

January 6, 1994Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored 1994 and 1995 capital-punishment bills for adults convicted of premeditated murder or murder with extreme atrocity, including guilty pleas. They required unanimous statutory-aggravator and beyond-reasonable-doubt findings, sentencing hearings, notice, and insanity and pregnancy safeguards. Second-degree murder carried life imprisonment; first-degree life sentences excluded parole absent commutation. A 1997 refiling survives only in a partial source; its history recorded substitution of S.193 on October 21. Missing central procedures were not reconstructed.

January 5, 1994Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored a bill requiring first-aid training for public-transportation vehicle operators and removing obsolete statutory deadlines. The House accepted an adverse committee report on April 6, 1992.

January 2, 1992Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored S.1462 and S.1645 for standardized training and accreditation of police drug-recognition experts used in court testimony. Both received favorable reports and later no further action, most recently January 3, 2023. The refile retained an already-passed 2019 recommendation deadline.

January 3, 2023Supports Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored four versions of a bill continuing protective custody through necessary transport, screening and evaluation for emergency treatment. The latest bill went to study on September 22, 2022.

September 22, 2022Opposes Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored successive habitual-traffic-offender rules with graduated license suspensions of five to fifteen years or possible lifetime loss, driver-improvement and testing requirements, and sanctions after restoration. The recent bills entered study or received no further action; S.2378 entered study July 5, 2022. Judicial appeal language was retained.

July 5, 2022Opposes Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored legislation establishing three-year terms for Ipswich's town manager, permitting successive reappointments and barring political-belief tests for appointment or removal. The proposal also required an oath and bond. It ended without further action in January 2023.

June 29, 2022Supports Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties

Source: malegislature.gov

Offered 2020 and 2022 budget amendments revising pretrial release, bail and detention procedures. They expanded dangerousness eligibility, allowed detention through a case's end, increased electronic-monitoring tampering penalties and added victim-notification and reminder provisions. They also retained financial-ability, counsel, hearing and appeal safeguards. The 2022 version added judicial fingerprinting and photography and restrictions on sentence reductions for specified offenses. Both amendments were rejected.

May 26, 2022Opposes Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored two bills creating offenses for sexual assault or rape obtained through false claims of a medical purpose during treatment or counseling. The proposals covered a broad group of health professionals and clergy, with prison terms up to five years for indecent assault and twenty years for rape. The later bill joined H1661 on April 21, 2022.

April 21, 2022Opposes Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties

Source: malegislature.gov

Filed SD.2973 in 2020 and refiled S.1643 in 2021 for police civil-rights oversight, training review, consideration of force and civil-rights histories in personnel decisions, protected abuse reporting, compliance officers and periodic attorney-general review. The first stalled; the refile entered study March 17, 2022.

March 17, 2022Supports Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored three versions of drug-death liability legislation. The 2017 bill treated specified drug provision causing death as second-degree murder and separately proposed a ten-year minimum for serious injury. Later versions narrowed the death predicate to specified trafficking or unlawful distribution and removed the injury clause, retaining the rule against a prior-health-condition defense. The latest bill went to study on February 7, 2022.

February 7, 2022Opposes Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored three bills adding drug trafficking to offenses eligible for wiretap orders without requiring an organized-crime connection. The latest bill went to study on February 7, 2022.

February 7, 2022Opposes Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored two bills allowing clinicians to hold an overdose patient involuntarily for up to seventy-two hours for treatment, evaluation and counseling after another opiate overdose or potential overdose within thirty days. The latest bill went to study on February 7, 2022.

February 7, 2022Opposes Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored repeated bills forfeiting remaining unpaid lottery prizes after specified sex-crime convictions and extending crime-related property forfeiture and victim-restitution provisions. The lottery clause covered unpaid winnings rather than only criminal proceeds. The latest bill went to study on February 7, 2022.

February 7, 2022Opposes Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties

Source: malegislature.gov

Offered S.2549, a 28-section election alternative covering five-day registration deadlines, early and mail voting, accessibility, voter assistance and municipal reimbursement, alongside offense investigations and a conspiracy penalty up to ten years. The Senate rejected amendment 42 to S.2545 on October 6, 2021, 3–35.

October 6, 2021Opposes Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored and refiled a court remedy for frail adults aged 60 or older facing unreasonable caregiver denial of visits. The proposal required consideration of the adult's wishes and best interests, guardian-ad-litem protections and specified notice procedures, with cost shifting for malicious conduct. The latest version entered a study order in February 2022.

March 29, 2021Supports Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored and refiled amendments increasing specified hate-crime fine and imprisonment figures. His 2021 version also inserted community-service wording into the numerical replacements. Some insertions appeared inside monetary-unit phrases, leaving the alternative-penalty wording unclear rather than establishing a clean separate sentencing scheme.

March 29, 2021Opposes Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored two bills permitting review of child-abuse central-registry entries after seven years, excluding specified serious-injury cases. Applicants had to show no child-safety risk, with professional assessments, evidence, appeal rights and at least three years between requests. The later version broadened recognized mental-health professionals and went to study on February 13, 2020.

February 13, 2020Supports Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored a juvenile-proceedings amendment adding serious bodily harm to an animal alongside harm to a person in a specified complaint and indictment provision. It addressed the threshold for that procedure, rather than creating a separate animal-cruelty penalty.

January 22, 2019Opposes Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored and refiled mandatory life imprisonment after three qualifying sexual-offense convictions, including specified convictions from other jurisdictions. The proposal barred parole, sentence reduction and several alternative case dispositions. Certified prior-conviction records were self-authenticating without an additional live corroborating witness.

January 22, 2019Opposes Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored and refiled higher prison and fine penalties for specified crimes against people aged 60 or older. The proposals covered dangerous-weapon assaults, armed assaults with intent to rob or murder, and unarmed robbery, including a life term for specified repeat robbery. Exact historical line alignment remained bounded; the bills established no actual convictions.

January 22, 2019Opposes Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored and refiled a three-year sheriff-run 24/7 sobriety pilot for selected second or subsequent impaired-driving defendants or offenders. It combined treatment and conditional driving with testing at least twice daily, as an alternative to incarceration or a release or probation condition. Any user fees were restricted to programme-related costs, and evaluation was required.

January 22, 2019Supports Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored deadlines and standing requirements for zoning appeals, including Boston appeals. The proposal required plaintiff affidavits and responses within 30 days and a standing hearing within 90 days, with a preponderance standard and no standing presumption. It also limited later joinder, affecting access to an appeal as well as its timing.

January 22, 2019Opposes Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored and refiled stronger penalties for specified habitual drunk-driving and revoked-license offenses. They increased fines for owners allowing unlicensed or interlock-restricted driving and proposed additional jail and prison terms for repeat violations. Some stated release-ineligibility periods conflicted with the accompanying sentence ranges; those drafting inconsistencies were not resolved by assumption.

January 22, 2019Opposes Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored repeated bills adding driving-license suspensions of 60 days to two years for supplying alcohol to people under 21. The proposals provided hardship-license hearings and exceptions for specified licensed servers. The latest bill went to study on June 14, 2018.

June 14, 2018Opposes Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored repeated bills expanding drug-impaired-driving chemical tests, court-ordered testing after refusal, consecutive refusal suspensions, 12-hour vehicle impoundment and evidence rules, with administrative review safeguards. Earlier versions used a broad definition of impairing drugs; later versions listed drug categories and amended narrower statutory provisions. The latest bill went to study on April 30, 2018.

April 30, 2018Opposes Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored two tax-administration bills accepting specified preparer due-diligence forms in earned-income-credit audits, improving notices and explanations to taxpayers and their representatives, and providing in-person audit assistance at six regional offices at least twice monthly. The latest bill went to study on April 30, 2018.

April 30, 2018Supports Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored a bill protecting properly licensed weapon or assault-weapon transactions approved through the state record-check system before July 21, 2016. The same bill proposed higher firearm-transfer penalties and additional five-to-ten-year terms for specified armed offenses involving unlicensed possession or illegally purchased firearms. It went to study on February 7, 2018.

February 7, 2018Opposes Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored three bills establishing an independent forensic-laboratory oversight board, accreditation requirements and quarterly reports on testing, staffing, costs and incidents. The proposals provided anonymous complaints, annual public hearings and referral of suspected criminal wrongdoing to the attorney general. The latest bill went to study on February 7, 2018.

February 7, 2018Supports Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored regular inspector-general and state-auditor review of state forensic laboratories, requested through the forensic-services board at least every three years. The proposal sought reports on accuracy, integrity and recommended improvements. It did not itself establish wrongdoing by an individual.

April 27, 2017Supports Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties

Source: malegislature.gov

Filed 2016 and 2017 versions criminalizing solicitation or communication of crimes dangerous to people, property or critical infrastructure. They included ten- and twenty-year prison ceilings, parole-eligible life imprisonment when death resulted, limitations exceptions for specified harm or risk, restitution with consideration of resources and attorney-general review of terrorism-related laws. The earlier filing ended without further action; the 2017 refile entered study.

January 23, 2017Opposes Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored and refiled a child-endangerment amendment adding a state-prison sentencing alternative of two-and-a-half to ten years. Existing house-of-correction punishment remained relevant. The proposal established no actual conviction or sentence.

January 23, 2017Opposes Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored mandatory sentencing provisions for forcible rape of a child under 14. The text specified a 30-year minimum, a 45-year minimum for armed offenses and life imprisonment for specified adult repeat offenders, with restrictions on early release and case dispositions. Its ending sentence was incomplete, so no additional requirement was inferred.

January 23, 2017Opposes Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored medical-amnesty protection against specified under-21 alcohol-possession prosecutions for people seeking emergency help for an overdose. It required good faith, identification, remaining at the scene and cooperation. Other arrest, search and seizure authority remained intact.

January 23, 2017Supports Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.820 and S.922 to criminalize soliciting murder, with up to 20 years in prison. The later bill joined H.4005, which broadened the offense to soliciting felonies with graduated penalties. The House passed that draft June 22, 2016, 156–0; it received no further Senate action by January 3, 2017.

January 3, 2017Opposes Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties

Source: malegislature.gov

Filed SD.1987 to authorize protective custody without consent for people under 21 who had consumed alcohol, with testing, telephone access, guardian notification and safety-search rules. It specified that custody was not a criminal arrest. The proposal received no further action by January 3, 2017.

January 3, 2017Opposes Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored bills in 1997–2015 for a $2 daily incarceration charge for nonindigent adults, with financial review, appeals and medical exclusions. Nonpayment did not block release or trigger probation or parole violations. The 1997/1999 texts expressly provided service of the balance and ordinary-debt collection; later versions omitted both. The 2005 bill stalled; earlier and later bills entered study, most recently June 23, 2016.

June 23, 2016Opposes Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.1299 to revise firearm carry licensing, eligibility checks, court review of police unsuitability claims, decision deadlines, renewal protections and fees. Its text retained conflicting license and police-revocation provisions. The bill entered study on June 23, 2016; it did not establish unrestricted carry rights.

June 23, 2016Supports Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored four bills extending the prohibition on possession with intent to manufacture Class B drugs to constituent ingredients. They specified that possessing ingredients alone established no presumption of intent. The versions went to study in 2010, 2012, 2014 and May 9, 2016.

May 9, 2016Opposes Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties

Source: malegislature.gov

Filed SD.2253 in June 2012 and refiled it as S.923 and S.1054 to criminalize small marijuana possession by people under 21, with fines, warrantless arrest and a 90-day license suspension, plus first-offender diversion. The initial filing received no further action; later bills entered study, most recently May 9, 2016.

May 9, 2016Opposes Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.821 in 2013 and S.923 in 2015 to let represented consumer defendants seek venue transfers in unsecured-credit cases and coordinate hearings and trials involving the same lawyer. Both entered study, most recently on April 4, 2016.

April 4, 2016Supports Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored sex-offender classification bills in 2003–2015 for notice 90 days before release, evidence deadlines and pre-release hearings where possible. Both early full replacements and later targeted amendments proposed 15 days to petition for a hearing. The 2005 and all four later bills entered study, most recently April 4, 2016.

April 4, 2016Supports Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.872, S.812 and S.916 in 2011–2015 to repeal the restriction on requesting criminal-record information on initial written job applications. The first targeted the original 2010 enactment; later bills deleted the same codified provision. All entered study, most recently on April 4, 2016.

April 4, 2016Opposes Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored and refiled a bill requiring a 35-year minimum term for a life sentence for first-degree murder committed at ages 14–17, regardless of the offense date. The 2014 docket ended without further action on January 6, 2015; the 2015 refile went to study on April 4, 2016.

April 4, 2016Opposes Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.815 in 2013 and S.918 in 2015 to change sex-offender registration and assessment: prompt postrelease registration, repeated verification, expanded disclosures, a presumptive classification for child sex offenses, and expedited grave-risk review. Both entered study, most recently on April 4, 2016.

April 4, 2016Opposes Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored three bills requiring Massachusetts courts to record all proceedings by audio or video and make recordings available to the public for a reasonable fee. The bills went to study orders in 2012, 2014 and, most recently, April 4, 2016.

April 4, 2016Supports Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.935 to apply the juvenile-murder sentencing, parole, custody and treatment provisions of Chapter 119, section 72B regardless of when a person was found guilty. The proposal entered study on April 4, 2016.

April 4, 2016Supports Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored two bills adding marijuana odor in a vehicle as a possible basis for probable cause of criminal activity. They went to study orders on June 30, 2014 and April 4, 2016.

April 4, 2016Opposes Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored construction-defect bills in 2005–2015 requiring advance notice, inspections and repair offers before specified homeowner lawsuits, with damages and fee limits after rejecting reasonable offers, association voting rules and exceptions. Later versions changed the proposed chapter number while retaining the old number in the consumer notice. Earlier bills entered study, most recently April 4, 2016.

April 4, 2016Opposes Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored and refiled bills expanding eligibility for maximum habitual-offender sentences without parole. They replaced prior sentences of at least three years with at least one day served for each prior conviction and broadened the qualifying offenses. The bills also proposed publishing parole-board decisions online when reasonably practical, or explaining why publication was impractical. The 2013 bill went to a study order in 2014; the 2015 version went to a study order on April 4, 2016.

April 15, 2015Opposes Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored a bill requiring written consent from a long-term-care resident, health care proxy and designated contact before prescribing or administering psychotropic medication. It required documented physician discussions of risks and two professional signatures after a facility violated consent rules. His bill accompanied a narrower bill he co-sponsored on September 17, 2013. That version accepted consent from the resident, proxy or court-appointed guardian and omitted several earlier safeguards. The narrower measure ended without further action on January 6, 2015. He refiled the original consent safeguards in 2015; that bill went to a study order on June 6, 2016.

April 15, 2015Supports Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored the original PAWS bill S.1914 and offered the Senate's five-section S.2345 substitute in July 2014. The final Chapter 293, approved August 20, required veterinary abuse reports, changed cruelty penalties, expanded court jurisdiction and created a task force. Earlier registry, hotline, impoundment and entry provisions were removed; his proposed seven-year minimum became a maximum in the final law.

August 20, 2014Opposes Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.2008 for juvenile murder parole after at least 35 years, with additional proof requirements. It joined H.4184 in June 2014; later H.4307 became Chapter 189 on July 25. The final law used different minimums of 20–30, 30 or 25–30 years by offense category, rather than enacting his blanket 35-year proposal.

July 25, 2014Opposes Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.876 and S.807 to create a renewable animal-abuser registry, annual fees, seller and adoption checks, and criminal penalties for nonregistration. The first entered study; the second joined the broader PAWS drafting process in July 2014. The final 2014 law ordered a study and created no registry.

July 7, 2014Opposes Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.871 to revise police response to domestic abuse, retaining mandatory or preferred arrest rules and directing officers facing multiple complainants to identify the primary aggressor and protect reasonable self-defense. The bill entered study on October 15, 2012.

October 15, 2012Supports Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.1817 and S.883 to combine public-contract work-authorization checks with immigration-enforcement agreements, prisoner status checks, housing-priority restrictions and increased identification-document penalties. Both entered study, most recently on October 15, 2012.

October 15, 2012Opposes Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.891 to revise parole-board membership, public decisions and vote disclosures, life-sentence hearings, victim notice, approval thresholds and reconsideration intervals, with habitual-offender restrictions. The seven-section bill entered study on October 15, 2012.

October 15, 2012Opposes Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.1807 in 2009 and S.877 in 2011 to require judicial recusal for supported bias claims or specified personal, financial, family and professional conflicts, with limited disclosure and waiver exceptions. Both entered study, most recently on October 15, 2012.

October 15, 2012Supports Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.1819 and S.885 to revise repeat drunk-driving sentencing, with mandatory imprisonment, escalating penalties and restrictions on release, and to count specified treatment and out-of-state convictions. Both entered study, most recently on October 15, 2012.

October 15, 2012Opposes Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.884 to impose a 15-year minimum for child rape, broaden aggravated child-rape penalties with a 30-year minimum, and impose life without release for a third listed sex offense. It included prior-conviction proof rules. The bill entered study on October 15, 2012.

October 15, 2012Opposes Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored a bill criminalizing Internet procurement or promotion of a sexual performance by a person under 18, or enticement into unlawful sexual interaction. It proposed three to five years in a house of correction, a fine up to $2,500, or both. It went to study on October 15, 2012.

October 15, 2012Opposes Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.68 to prohibit EBT cash purchases of alcohol, tobacco and lottery tickets, with retailer fines or incarceration and possible future benefit disqualification for recipients. It also required public notices. The bill entered study on May 7, 2012.

May 7, 2012Opposes Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored a motor-vehicle penalty bill proposing a $500 first-offense fine, $500 to $1,000 and up to ten days in jail for a second offense, and $1,000 to $2,000 and up to 30 days for later offenses. Its stated subject was unlicensed driving or registration violations. The bill went to a study order on October 15, 2012.

January 24, 2011Opposes Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored bills in 1999–2009 authorizing toll-free reporting placards or stickers as a sentencing condition for repeat impaired-driving offenders. They proposed a State Police reporting line and distribution of registry information to municipal police. The 1999, 2005 and 2009 bills entered study, most recently October 18, 2010; exact outcomes for the 2001 and 2003 refiles remained unverified.

October 18, 2010Opposes Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties

Source: malegislature.gov

Joined a separate 2007 bill to restrict property takings benefiting private economic development. It retained specified common-carrier and nonprofit open-space exceptions. It restricted later transfers, provided a court route to reclaim unused property after five years, and restricted repeat takings for 50 years. The bill accompanied a Judiciary study order in March 2008.

January 11, 2007Supports Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Joined a 2007 constitutional proposal to exclude private commercial and economic-development projects from the public-use grounds for taking property. The proposal received a favorable committee report. The June 2007 constitutional session adjourned without acting on it.

January 11, 2007Supports Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Presented a Wilmington-approved 2004 safe-infant-placement bill covering unharmed infants up to seven days old surrendered at a hospital emergency room, police station or fire station. It proposed hospital transfer and child-protection care, confidential and voluntary information, identification bracelets and reunification safeguards, without automatic parental-rights termination or an abandonment offense from safe placement alone. It retained independent reporting of suspected abuse and used grants and donations for public information. The bill received no further action by January 3, 2005.

May 26, 2004Supports Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored a bill adding motor-vehicle license suspensions up to 10 years to the cited serious-bodily-injury offenses. A committee recommended against passage in May 2001; the Senate accepted that report on July 12, 2001. No new imprisonment term or enacted suspension was inferred.

July 12, 2001Opposes Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored automobile-insurance bills in 1994–2001 for eight-member advisory review, commissioner approval and public hearings on policy changes, plus costs and attorney fees for successful challenges to unlawful wording or interpretations. Some earlier texts omitted a required negative; later versions restored it. The 2001 refile entered study on May 23, 2001.

May 23, 2001Supports Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored education-loan collection bills authorizing administrative default claims, court judgments, property liens and wage attachment, including public employees’ wages. Garnishment was capped at 10% of disposable pay absent written consent. The proposals included notice, arbitration, appeal and employer-retaliation safeguards but removed collection time limits. His 1999 version joined S253 on August 9; that successor’s substance was not verified here.

August 9, 1999Opposes Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored housing-authority removal bills in 1995–1999 addressing municipal officials and the inspector general, with written charges, at least 14 days’ notice, a hearing and counsel for members accused of inefficiency, neglect or misconduct. Later versions omitted earlier express city-council approval language. The latest entered study on June 2, 1999.

June 2, 1999Supports Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored constitutional proposals in 1997 and 1999 for search-and-seizure exceptions involving exigent circumstances and possible destruction of evidence, or an officer’s good-faith reliance on a later-invalidated warrant. Committees reported both proposals adversely; the latest was placed on file on April 29, 1999.

April 29, 1999Opposes Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored and refiled a third-felony sentencing rule requiring life imprisonment or 25–99 years after two final felony convictions or guilty pleas, preserving any more severe punishment. It contained no violent-offense limitation. The 1999 version went to a study order on June 28.

January 6, 1999Opposes Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored and refiled a complete small-claims procedure covering venue, transfers, motor-vehicle property damage, clerk hearings and evening or Saturday sessions. Earlier bills used $3,000 limits; later refiles printed $5,000 in the opening clause but retained $3,000 for commencing a claim. The 1999 version went to study in June; the conflicting limits remained in later versions.

January 6, 1999Supports Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored 1999 and 2001 bills creating an offense for property controllers knowingly, wantonly or recklessly allowing underage alcohol service that caused substantial bodily injury. The 1999 bill proposed up to ten years in state prison or up to 2.5 years in a house of correction. The 2001 refile instead printed a house-of-correction term of more than 2.5 years. The 1999 bill went to study on June 28; the later bill’s terminal outcome remained unverified.

January 6, 1999Opposes Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored and refiled a youth-services and corrections programme exposing committed young people to prison life, alongside education, training and rehabilitation objectives. The 1999 version accompanied House 2905 in April; the reviewed history did not establish implementation or outcomes.

January 6, 1999Supports Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored two bills proposing at least five years in jail or a house of correction upon a third specified firearm-related conviction within five years, arising from separate incidents. The text also used a more-than-three combined-instances formulation. The 1999 version went to study in June; no new possession ban was established.

January 6, 1999Opposes Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored underage-alcohol and false-identification penalty bills in 1999–2005. They prescribed up to $500 for specified identification misuse, up to $1,000 or three months for subsequent violations, and a felony carrying up to $5,000 or five years for making, selling or distributing false identification. They also amended historical underage-alcohol penalty references; the precise earlier numeric baseline remained unverified. The 1999 bill accompanied H.4506 on July 7, and the 2005 refile went to study on July 10, 2006.

January 6, 1999Opposes Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored and refiled authority for the corrections commissioner to contract with private entities for prisoner labor after finding beneficial training, rehabilitation and improved employment prospects after release. The text supplied no separate wage or consent safeguards. The Senate accepted an adverse report on the 1999 version in September; a 2001 refile retained the framework.

January 6, 1999Supports Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored public-adjuster licensing and consumer protections for property-insurance claims. The package proposed examined three-year licenses, approved written contracts, restrictions on immediate and overnight solicitation, a three-business-day cancellation right, later revocation subject to earned-fee liens, and financial-interest disclosures. Violations carried up to $10,000 or six months’ imprisonment and consumer-law remedies. On July 15, 1997, it accompanied new draft S.1885.

July 15, 1997Opposes Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored a civil damages action for producers harmed by false food-safety statements unsupported by reasonable scientific inquiry, facts or data. Liability used a knew-or-should-have-known standard and allowed punitive damages and attorney fees. Intentional disparagement to harm producers permitted up to triple compensatory damages. Producer associations had notice and opt-out requirements, and claims had a two-year limit. The bill went to study on July 10, 1997.

July 10, 1997Opposes Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored and refiled additional felony sentences for carrying or using firearms: 5–10 years, with ten years for a second offense; machine-gun terms were 10–15 years and 15–20 for a second offense. The proposal barred specified early-release options and generally required consecutive terms, with stated exceptions. The 1997 version went to study in July.

January 1, 1997Opposes Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored and refiled protection against child-abuse reports based solely on a parent seeking domestic-violence services or a restraining order. Earlier versions also required screening out reports based only on that help-seeking; the 1997 refile omitted that direction and accompanied House 1718 in June.

January 1, 1997Supports Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Co-petitioned a 1995 order opening Senate sessions to commercial radio and television coverage. The proposal limited restrictions to avoiding disruption and coverage at no cost to the Commonwealth. It was referred to Senate Rules on January 4, 1995; the history reported no committee report.

January 4, 1995Supports Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored three bills in 1993–1995 adding consecutive sentences for crimes committed while released on a felony charge: up to ten years for a new felony or one year for a misdemeanor. The 1993 history recorded no further action; the 1994 refile went to study on June 27, 1994. The 1995 bill’s first referral was documented, but its terminal outcome remained unverified.

January 4, 1995Opposes Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored legislation with Thomas Palumbo replacing two $1,500 amounts in the small-claims jurisdiction provision with $3,000. The bill accompanied H.1136 on November 28, 1994.

November 28, 1994Supports Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored bail bills in 1993 and 1994 requiring the least restrictive further release conditions reasonably assuring court appearance and public safety when ordinary release was insufficient. Options included supervision, work or education, travel and contact limits, reporting, curfews, weapon and substance restrictions, treatment, bonds, house arrest and electronic monitoring. An unfavorable report was accepted in 1993; the refile went to study on June 27, 1994.

June 27, 1994Supports Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored bills in 1993 and 1994 awarding reasonable litigation costs, attorney fees and lost wages to people who prevailed in civil actions against them for reporting abuse, mistreatment or neglect of patients or residents in specified facilities. The 1993 bill stalled; the 1994 bill went to study on June 16.

June 16, 1994Supports Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored electronic home-incarceration bills for people committed to the Department of Correction for nonviolent crimes in 1993–1995. They assigned program rules to the commissioner and gave the legislature 60 days to disapprove them. The report deadline remained September 1993 in the 1994 bill and changed to September 1995 in the refile. The 1993 bill stalled; the 1994 bill accompanied S.1078 on May 9.

May 9, 1994Supports Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored a 1994 bill amending removal procedures for housing and redevelopment authority members. It assigned written charges, resignation acceptance and removal hearings to the mayor and council in cities and to the inspector general for towns, with at least 14 days' written notice, counsel and an opportunity to defend against inefficiency, neglect or misconduct charges. It also addressed referral of charges against department-appointed members to the department. The bill accompanied a study order in May 1994.

January 10, 1994Supports Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored 1994 and 1995 bills requiring the next printing of the juror handbook to explain jurors’ right to act according to conscience, including a belief that a law was unjust or wrongly applied, under a Jurors Rights heading. The House accepted an adverse report on the 1994 proposal on May 2; the reviewed 1995 source did not establish its outcome.

January 6, 1994Supports Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored a felony proposal covering knowing transfer or attempted transfer of infectious bodily fluids or tissue by a person with HIV or AIDS, and exposure with intent to infect. It prescribed five to fifteen years’ imprisonment and a $5,000 to $15,000 fine, with informed-consenting-adult, medical-advice and research exceptions. A coherent own-petition entry established referral on January 6, 1994; its terminal outcome remained unresolved.

January 6, 1994Opposes Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored 1994 and 1995 capital-punishment bills for adults convicted of premeditated murder or murder with extreme atrocity, including guilty pleas. They required unanimous statutory-aggravator and beyond-reasonable-doubt findings, sentencing hearings, notice, and insanity and pregnancy safeguards. Second-degree murder carried life imprisonment; first-degree life sentences excluded parole absent commutation. A 1997 refiling survives only in a partial source; its history recorded substitution of S.193 on October 21. Missing central procedures were not reconstructed.

January 5, 1994Opposes Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored a temporary municipal option to waive interest and penalties on late property taxes, excise taxes, assessments and specified utility charges during payment windows from May through September 2021. The bill received a favorable report but ended without further action on January 3, 2023.

January 3, 2023Supports Housing Affordability

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored Boxford's Small Repair Trust programme for health-and-safety repairs that help older or permanently disabled residents remain at home. The trust authorized grants up to $7,500 for qualifying households at or below 100% of area median income, including eligible trust beneficiaries and households where one partner was at least 60. It included confidential applications, public oversight and recovery of misused funds. The revised measure became law on January 5,2023.

December 22, 2022Supports Housing Affordability

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored successive deductions for private mortgage-insurance payments on primary homes, phased out above $100,000 of income. Most versions covered contracts from January 2007; one 2021 alternative used January 2020. Recent versions entered study, most recently on October 3, 2022.

October 3, 2022Supports Housing Affordability

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored Hamilton property-tax relief for qualifying older homeowners, approved as Chapter 91 on April 28, 2010. It capped eligible taxes at 10% of household income and limited reductions to half the tax bill. Sponsored a 2021 revision letting the town board set household income and asset limits and the annual exemption cap after a public hearing. It moved applications to March 31 and required tax returns and household income records. It excluded state circuit-breaker credits from its rule allowing combinations with other exemptions. That revision was signed as Chapter 112 on December 23, 2021.

December 23, 2021Supports Housing Affordability

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored and repeatedly refiled Housing Priority Zones requiring at least 50% higher residential density, lots no larger than half an acre and 40% affordable units. The framework granted 1.75 affordable-housing inventory credits per permitted unit and required periodic transfer-income certifications. The 2009–2011 versions expressly used an 80%-of-area-median-income limit and five-year sunset. Later bills relied on the statutory affordable-housing definition, omitted that sunset and added occupancy-prorated property taxes. The latest entered study in September 2022.

March 29, 2021Supports Housing Affordability

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored and repeatedly refiled first-home savings accounts with an annual deduction up to $4,000 and tax-free qualifying distributions. The programme included a prior-tax credit for eligible existing balances and closing grants up to $2,500 for qualifying households at or below 90% of area median income. Nonqualifying withdrawals incurred income recognition and possible penalties. Versions changed proposed effective years; the latest entered study orders in September 2022.

March 29, 2021Supports Housing Affordability

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored and refiled by-right accessory dwellings for older or disabled occupants on qualifying lots, with minimum and maximum size rules and a two-bedroom limit. The proposal constrained extra parking requirements and municipal limits while retaining building, wetlands and septic protections. The 2021 bill joined a House carrier in March 2022. That carrier ended without further action in January 2023.

March 29, 2021Supports Housing Affordability

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored and refiled an increase in the local property-tax reduction for qualifying volunteer services from $1,500 to $2,000. The 2021 version amended a second matching reference in the same section. The proposals did not establish that a municipality had adopted or paid the larger reduction.

March 29, 2021Supports Housing Affordability

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored successive affordable assisted-living master-plan proposals, retaining a draft eligibility provision stating 300%below the poverty line. The text did not supply a workable replacement for that wording. Versions changed reporting deadlines; the latest entered a study order in June 2022.

March 29, 2021Supports Housing Affordability

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored temporary mortgage forbearance for rental-backed residential and commercial properties losing more than half their rent during COVID-19. The proposal required sworn documentation and leases, prohibited added interest and penalties, and used the earlier of ninety days after enactment or thirty days after the emergency ended as its sunset. It ended without further action on January 5, 2021.

January 5, 2021Supports Housing Affordability

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored legislation increasing the senior property-tax volunteer credit from $1,500 to $2,000 and allowing municipalities to increase specified senior exemptions by up to 50%. The combined proposal entered a study order in February 2020.

January 22, 2019Supports Housing Affordability

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored bills allowing qualifying elderly residents of nonprofit housing in Boxford to receive existing property-tax exemptions through their leased units. A successor law approved August 30, 2018 required the nonprofit to credit the resulting tax reduction against the resident's rent or charges, retained other eligibility requirements and covered qualifying manufactured-home land.

August 30, 2018Supports Housing Affordability

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored three bills directing at least 10% of inflation-adjusted growth in baseline tax revenue to a fund for local property-tax relief on principal residences, subject to appropriation. The proposals included annual reporting and taxpayer enforcement. The latest contained a conflicting fund reference and was sent to a committee redraft on December 7, 2017.

December 7, 2017Supports Housing Affordability

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored three bills allowing a municipal legislative body, subject to its charter, to set a lower interest rate on deferred property taxes. The proposals specified local discretion rather than a fixed rate. The 2017 bill joined broader property-tax legislation; a successor passed the Senate but ended in the House without further action on January 1, 2019.

July 20, 2017Supports Housing Affordability

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored local-option property-tax credits in 2003–2015 for unremarried public-safety survivors remaining in the original home. The five-year cap rose from $500 annually in 2003 to $1,000. Earlier bills entered study; the latest published history ended with a hearing notice. No enacted credit was established.

April 15, 2015Supports Housing Affordability

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored the Ipswich affordable housing trust proposal in 2003 and supplied its replacement text on June 3, 2004. The proposal financed housing for low- and moderate-income households through loans, grants and subsidies. It retained five trustees and annual independent audits. The replacement allowed town appropriations and gifts, removed the minimum-necessary financing condition and narrowed trustees’ property powers. It required recommendations to the selectmen for property disposal and omitted broader claim-settlement powers. The terminal legislative outcome remained unverified.

June 3, 2004Supports Housing Affordability

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored a 2003 bill accelerating disposal of surplus state land outside Article 97 protection through locally approved MassDevelopment plans or a fallback state-management process. It required at least 25 percent of housing units to remain affordable to households at or below 80 percent of area median income for at least 30 years, valuation accounting for project feasibility, housing-fund allocations and transferee expenses. It accompanied a new draft in April 2004; it did not establish an actual disposal or completed housing units.

January 1, 2003Supports Housing Affordability

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Presented an Ipswich-approved 2003 bill permitting sale or a lesser interest in the former Middle School Annex at 25 Green Street to North Shore Housing Trust for affordable elderly rental housing. The resulting two-section law authorized a minimum consideration of one dollar, access, utility and parking easements, and exemptions from specified construction and designer-selection requirements for lessee improvements. It became law without the governor's signature in December 2003; no completed conveyance or housing construction was established.

January 1, 2003Supports Housing Affordability

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored local options to adjust senior property-tax eligibility, including a qualifying age as low as 65, higher specified financial thresholds and additional dwelling-unit exclusions. The bill entered study on July 9, 2001. The precise operation of every amended threshold under the historical exemption was not independently established.

July 9, 2001Supports Housing Affordability

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored residential-development bills keeping zoning rules fixed at a plan’s submission while it underwent subdivision review or appeal, and for three years after the planning board endorsed that subdivision approval was unnecessary. The proposals covered land zoned for one- to four-family homes. His 1994 version went to study; the Senate accepted an unfavorable report on the 1999 version on August 4, 1999.

August 4, 1999Supports Housing Affordability

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored mandatory municipal cluster-zoning legislation permitting development by right at the site’s existing bedroom-equivalent density, with additional density through special permits for open space, affordable housing or other amenities. It required permanent open-land protections and allowed planned-unit-development special permits. This differed from his optional zoning framework. The bill went to study on September 2, 1999.

January 6, 1999Supports Housing Affordability

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored an optional cluster- and planned-unit-development framework in 1994, 1995 and 1999. It permitted special permits or development by right with site-plan review, local safeguards, protected open land and density increases tied to amenities such as low-income housing, solar access or transportation improvements. Later text shortened some definitions and restriction language. Unlike his separate mandatory zoning bill, municipalities retained the option to adopt this framework. The 1999 bill went to study on September 2.

January 6, 1999Supports Housing Affordability

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored a series of bills authorizing Rockport to lease its Broadway school administration building for low- and moderate-income elderly housing. His 1992 version proposed a 55-year lease and a two-thirds town meeting vote for terms over ten years. The 1993 version omitted that voting condition; the matching lease authorization became Chapter 72 on June 18, 1993. His 1994 bill expressly amended that law to extend the maximum lease to 65 years. The matching amendment became Chapter 337 of the 1994 Acts, approved January 11, 1995.

January 11, 1995Supports Housing Affordability

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored a 1995 refundable property-tax and rent credit for principal-residence owners and tenants whose eligible costs exceeded 10 percent of defined income. The credit was capped at 200 dollars, with income limits of 20,000 dollars for single filers and 30,000 dollars for joint filers. The calculation included qualifying water and sewer charges and treated 20 percent of rent as real-estate-tax payment.

January 4, 1995Supports Housing Affordability

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored a local-option property-tax freeze for owner-occupiers aged 65 or older who met income limits set by the revenue commissioner. The proposed tax ceiling used the later of the year the owner turned 65 or the law took effect, with annual eligibility certification and an exclusion for tax-evasion transfers. It was referred on January 6, 1994 and ended without further action.

January 6, 1994Supports Housing Affordability

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored local-option property-tax exemptions of $500 for Massachusetts residents with paraplegia or quadriplegia who owned and occupied their home, including joint owners. The bills barred transfers made to evade tax and proposed $87.50 in Commonwealth reimbursement per exemption. The 1993 and 1994 versions ended without further action.

January 6, 1994Supports Housing Affordability

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored 1993 and 1994 bills offering adults aged twenty or older a personal income-tax credit of up to $75 for qualifying private long-term-care insurance, limited to the policy cost when lower. They also prohibited the Commonwealth from seizing a primary residence to recover nursing-home costs. Both reviewed histories ended with no further action.

January 6, 1994Supports Housing Affordability

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored 1994 and 1995 bills easing zoning approval for alterations to one- and two-family homes within their existing footprint. They also addressed nonconforming structures, assigning permit authorities a finding that changes were not substantially more detrimental to the neighborhood, and excluded signs from this treatment. The 1994 proposal went to study on May 9.

January 6, 1994Supports Housing Affordability

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored a home-mortgage interest deduction for individuals owning their principal home in Massachusetts. The bill printed an amount to exceed $3,000, leaving the proposed limit unclear. It was referred on January 11, 1993 and ended without further action.

January 11, 1993Supports Housing Affordability

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored S.2595 for personal and corporate tax deductions when farmers donated wholesome food to Massachusetts charities serving people in need, including an optional fair-market-value calculation. It received a favorable report in April 2022 and no further action by January 3, 2023.

January 3, 2023Supports Social Programs and Welfare

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored Boxford's Small Repair Trust programme for health-and-safety repairs that help older or permanently disabled residents remain at home. The trust authorized grants up to $7,500 for qualifying households at or below 100% of area median income, including eligible trust beneficiaries and households where one partner was at least 60. It included confidential applications, public oversight and recovery of misused funds. The revised measure became law on January 5,2023.

December 22, 2022Supports Social Programs and Welfare

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.1787 and two 2021 refiles for adoptive-parent tax credits, including $3,600 for one adopted dependent or $7,200 for two or more and a phased disability-adoption credit reaching $10,000. Refiles changed its final start year and retained a duplicated draft year. All entered study, most recently October 3, 2022.

October 3, 2022Supports Social Programs and Welfare

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.2598 to create electronic education records for foster youth and review DCF disability practices, reunification, risk assessments and virtual visits, with public findings and staged review deadlines. It entered study on January 31, 2022.

January 31, 2022Supports Social Programs and Welfare

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored Hamilton property-tax relief for qualifying older homeowners, approved as Chapter 91 on April 28, 2010. It capped eligible taxes at 10% of household income and limited reductions to half the tax bill. Sponsored a 2021 revision letting the town board set household income and asset limits and the annual exemption cap after a public hearing. It moved applications to March 31 and required tax returns and household income records. It excluded state circuit-breaker credits from its rule allowing combinations with other exemptions. That revision was signed as Chapter 112 on December 23, 2021.

December 23, 2021Supports Social Programs and Welfare

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored and refiled a court remedy for frail adults aged 60 or older facing unreasonable caregiver denial of visits. The proposal required consideration of the adult's wishes and best interests, guardian-ad-litem protections and specified notice procedures, with cost shifting for malicious conduct. The latest version entered a study order in February 2022.

March 29, 2021Supports Social Programs and Welfare

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored and refiled state reimbursement of school districts' federally mandated transportation costs for homeless students, less available federal aid. The proposal created local reimbursement funds with a one-year carryforward. Successive versions entered study orders, most recently in March 2022.

March 29, 2021Supports Social Programs and Welfare

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored successive affordable assisted-living master-plan proposals, retaining a draft eligibility provision stating 300%below the poverty line. The text did not supply a workable replacement for that wording. Versions changed reporting deadlines; the latest entered a study order in June 2022.

March 29, 2021Supports Social Programs and Welfare

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored a bill adding fetal opioid exposure and addiction to the developmental-services definition of closely related developmental conditions and allowing the commissioner to add other diagnoses. The bill received an unfavorable report on July 23, 2020 and ended without further action on January 5, 2021.

January 5, 2021Supports Social Programs and Welfare

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored a bill directing the state to seek a federal waiver amendment allowing spouses to serve as paid family caregivers in covered home- and community-based services for older adults. The proposal required federal approval rather than immediately creating payments. It received an unfavorable report and ended without action on January 5, 2021.

January 5, 2021Supports Social Programs and Welfare

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored a MassHealth eligibility-checking bill requiring periodic review of lottery, vital-records, unemployment and public-assistance information, case reviews after changed circumstances and possible vendor or interstate cooperation. It also called for facilitating SNAP benefits when eligibility was confirmed. The bill received an unfavorable report and ended without action on January 5, 2021.

January 5, 2021Supports Social Programs and Welfare

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored a broad healthcare bill referred on March 12, 2020. It proposed drug-pricing investigations, pharmacy-benefit-manager certification and audits, public cost data, pharmacy price disclosures and prescription cost-sharing limits. It included telehealth coverage rules excluding audio-only calls, independent nurse prescribing after qualifying experience, and expanded optometrist prescribing with training and safety restrictions. It proposed wellness and long-term-care premium tax credits and medical-supply sales-tax exemptions. It enlarged insurance purchasing cooperatives while deleting a rating-rule provision, and created association health plans with employer liability and financial safeguards. It also proposed a larger premium discount for restricted-network plans and extended permission for certain drug discounts to 2030. Other provisions addressed behavioral-health services, care-management pilots and a federal waiver to pay spouses as caregivers. The committee recommended against passage on December 29, 2020. The bill ended without further action on January 5, 2021.

March 12, 2020Supports Social Programs and Welfare

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored legislation increasing the senior property-tax volunteer credit from $1,500 to $2,000 and allowing municipalities to increase specified senior exemptions by up to 50%. The combined proposal entered a study order in February 2020.

January 22, 2019Supports Social Programs and Welfare

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored a refundable family-caregiver tax credit covering eligible adult-relative care expenses up to $1,500, with income limits of $75,000 for individuals and $150,000 for couples. Eligible expenses included home adaptations, equipment and care services, with allocation and double-deduction restrictions. A committee combined the proposal with two other bills; the resulting draft ended without further action in January 2021.

January 22, 2019Supports Social Programs and Welfare

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored bills allowing qualifying elderly residents of nonprofit housing in Boxford to receive existing property-tax exemptions through their leased units. A successor law approved August 30, 2018 required the nonprofit to credit the resulting tax reduction against the resident's rent or charges, retained other eligibility requirements and covered qualifying manufactured-home land.

August 30, 2018Supports Social Programs and Welfare

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored bills raising the state earned-income tax credit to 30% of the federal credit: from 15% in the 2015 proposal and from 23% in the 2017 proposal. The later bill joined a committee redraft proposing higher rates rather than his exact text. Separately, Chapter 154, approved in part on July 26, 2018, set the state credit at 30% for tax years beginning January 2019.

August 3, 2017Supports Social Programs and Welfare

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored assisted-living planning bills in 1999–2015 covering all income levels, 25-year capacity and public/private financing. Most proposed at least $200,000 subject to appropriation and a two-year report; the 2005 version omitted both. The latest joined broader older-adult task-force drafts H.4155/H.4460. The House passed that draft in July 2016; the Senate recorded no further action by January 3, 2017.

January 3, 2017Supports Social Programs and Welfare

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.1016 to revise unemployment-benefit eligibility, cap benefits at 26 weeks during lower unemployment, and condition additional weeks on unpaid internships, with waivers and employer-response deadlines. The five-section proposal included a federal-funding condition and entered study on September 12, 2016.

September 12, 2016Opposes Social Programs and Welfare

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored local-option property-tax credits in 2003–2015 for unremarried public-safety survivors remaining in the original home. The five-year cap rose from $500 annually in 2003 to $1,000. Earlier bills entered study; the latest published history ended with a hearing notice. No enacted credit was established.

April 15, 2015Supports Social Programs and Welfare

Source: malegislature.gov

Offered S.2125 to combine minimum-wage increases to $8.75 in 2015 and $9.50 in 2016, tipped-wage and health-coverage exceptions, an earned-income supplement and unemployment-insurance changes. The Senate rejected his substitute amendment 1 to S.2123 on May 1, 2014, 5–33; its original rate table was blank.

May 1, 2014Supports Social Programs and Welfare

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.289 to extend the long-term-care ombudsman to all residents of HHS-licensed or certified facilities, require complaint tracking and referrals, and escalate unresolved complaints after 90 days. It removed the funding qualifier. Committees reported it favorably in 2012; no further action followed by January 1, 2013.

January 1, 2013Supports Social Programs and Welfare

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.68 to prohibit EBT cash purchases of alcohol, tobacco and lottery tickets, with retailer fines or incarceration and possible future benefit disqualification for recipients. It also required public notices. The bill entered study on May 7, 2012.

May 7, 2012Opposes Social Programs and Welfare

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored bills in 2003–2009 extending employment-support services, including childcare, to cash-ineligible families, with sliding fees and agency methods to avoid work disincentives. The 2005 and 2007 versions entered study; the 2009 bill received a favorable report on March 4, 2010 and no further action by January 4, 2011.

January 4, 2011Supports Social Programs and Welfare

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored S.587 to extend Health Safety Net assessment and payment provisions to ambulatory surgery, specialty providers and laboratories, with revised surcharge-payer definitions and regulatory administration. The bill entered a study order on October 28, 2010.

October 28, 2010Supports Social Programs and Welfare

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored health-eligibility bills in 2001 and 2003 changing a statutory threshold from 200 to 250. The refile expressly proposed graduated medical assistance through 250% of the federal poverty level, decreasing assistance above 200%. It received a favorable report in March 2004 and ended without further action on January 4, 2005. The full affected population remained unverified.

January 4, 2005Supports Social Programs and Welfare

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored the Ipswich affordable housing trust proposal in 2003 and supplied its replacement text on June 3, 2004. The proposal financed housing for low- and moderate-income households through loans, grants and subsidies. It retained five trustees and annual independent audits. The replacement allowed town appropriations and gifts, removed the minimum-necessary financing condition and narrowed trustees’ property powers. It required recommendations to the selectmen for property disposal and omitted broader claim-settlement powers. The terminal legislative outcome remained unverified.

June 3, 2004Supports Social Programs and Welfare

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Presented a Wilmington-approved 2004 safe-infant-placement bill covering unharmed infants up to seven days old surrendered at a hospital emergency room, police station or fire station. It proposed hospital transfer and child-protection care, confidential and voluntary information, identification bracelets and reunification safeguards, without automatic parental-rights termination or an abandonment offense from safe placement alone. It retained independent reporting of suspected abuse and used grants and donations for public information. The bill received no further action by January 3, 2005.

May 26, 2004Supports Social Programs and Welfare

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored a 2003 bill accelerating disposal of surplus state land outside Article 97 protection through locally approved MassDevelopment plans or a fallback state-management process. It required at least 25 percent of housing units to remain affordable to households at or below 80 percent of area median income for at least 30 years, valuation accounting for project feasibility, housing-fund allocations and transferee expenses. It accompanied a new draft in April 2004; it did not establish an actual disposal or completed housing units.

January 1, 2003Supports Social Programs and Welfare

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Presented an Ipswich-approved 2003 bill permitting sale or a lesser interest in the former Middle School Annex at 25 Green Street to North Shore Housing Trust for affordable elderly rental housing. The resulting two-section law authorized a minimum consideration of one dollar, access, utility and parking easements, and exemptions from specified construction and designer-selection requirements for lessee improvements. It became law without the governor's signature in December 2003; no completed conveyance or housing construction was established.

January 1, 2003Supports Social Programs and Welfare

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored local options to adjust senior property-tax eligibility, including a qualifying age as low as 65, higher specified financial thresholds and additional dwelling-unit exclusions. The bill entered study on July 9, 2001. The precise operation of every amended threshold under the historical exemption was not independently established.

July 9, 2001Supports Social Programs and Welfare

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored repeated bills withholding lottery winnings until Revenue certified that the recipient was not delinquent on child support. His 1997 and 1999 versions joined committee redrafts, the latter on October 12, 1999. A 2001 refile retained the same certification requirement; its exact dated outcome was not established.

October 12, 1999Supports Social Programs and Welfare

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored bills shielding up to $200,000 of principal-residence value for people aged 65 or older from consideration or payment for state medical and other assistance. The property had to be owned and occupied for at least three years. The proposals also barred state assistance liens or attachments on that property. The latest bill went to study on June 28, 1999.

June 28, 1999Supports Social Programs and Welfare

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored bills proposing live-in personnel responsible for safety and well-being in public housing for older residents. The proposals offered those personnel reduced-rent apartments and department-set stipends. The 1997 and 1999 versions went to study, most recently June 2, 1999.

June 2, 1999Supports Social Programs and Welfare

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored a 1999 bill adding help purchasing health insurance to specified medical-assistance benefits, including Medicare supplemental policies covering prescription drugs. The bill went to study on May 24, 1999.

January 6, 1999Supports Social Programs and Welfare

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored three bills in 1994–1997 providing an additional $3,000 income-tax exemption for homeowners or tenants caring for an infirm person aged 70 or older who lived with them for more than six months. Income limits were $50,000 individually or $75,000 jointly. The 1994 history recorded no further action; the 1997 bill went to study on June 30.

January 1, 1997Supports Social Programs and Welfare

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored two bills setting MBTA fares for residents aged 65 or older at 20 cents for rapid transit or local buses and 50 cents for commuter rail, with half-price zone, express, other fares and parking, and an identification charge capped at 50 cents. The 1997 bill accompanied a new draft in July; the reviewed history did not establish changed fares.

January 1, 1997Supports Social Programs and Welfare

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored and refiled protection against child-abuse reports based solely on a parent seeking domestic-violence services or a restraining order. Earlier versions also required screening out reports based only on that help-seeking; the 1997 refile omitted that direction and accompanied House 1718 in June.

January 1, 1997Supports Social Programs and Welfare

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Filed two replacement amendments to H. 6107 on July 1, 1996. They proposed medical savings accounts, health-insurance tax credits for low-income employers and self-employed people, Medicare-supplement credits for eligible seniors, MassHealth coverage and cost-sharing changes, expanded child coverage, and repeal of the employer mandate. They also set insurer and hospital free-care assessments, restricted premium increases based solely on those assessments, and proposed health-benefit funding and a $15 million General Fund transfer. S. 2339 added a nonbinding district referendum on a 25-cent cigarette-tax increase for child and senior coverage and specific effective dates. Tarr moved that version on July 2. The Senate rejected it, 12–24, with Tarr voting for it.

July 2, 1996Supports Social Programs and Welfare

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored a series of bills authorizing Rockport to lease its Broadway school administration building for low- and moderate-income elderly housing. His 1992 version proposed a 55-year lease and a two-thirds town meeting vote for terms over ten years. The 1993 version omitted that voting condition; the matching lease authorization became Chapter 72 on June 18, 1993. His 1994 bill expressly amended that law to extend the maximum lease to 65 years. The matching amendment became Chapter 337 of the 1994 Acts, approved January 11, 1995.

January 11, 1995Supports Social Programs and Welfare

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored a 1995 refundable property-tax and rent credit for principal-residence owners and tenants whose eligible costs exceeded 10 percent of defined income. The credit was capped at 200 dollars, with income limits of 20,000 dollars for single filers and 30,000 dollars for joint filers. The calculation included qualifying water and sewer charges and treated 20 percent of rent as real-estate-tax payment.

January 4, 1995Supports Social Programs and Welfare

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored a local-option property-tax freeze for owner-occupiers aged 65 or older who met income limits set by the revenue commissioner. The proposed tax ceiling used the later of the year the owner turned 65 or the law took effect, with annual eligibility certification and an exclusion for tax-evasion transfers. It was referred on January 6, 1994 and ended without further action.

January 6, 1994Supports Social Programs and Welfare

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored local-option property-tax exemptions of $500 for Massachusetts residents with paraplegia or quadriplegia who owned and occupied their home, including joint owners. The bills barred transfers made to evade tax and proposed $87.50 in Commonwealth reimbursement per exemption. The 1993 and 1994 versions ended without further action.

January 6, 1994Supports Social Programs and Welfare

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored bills in 1993 and 1994 offering residents aged 65 or older who rented their principal home in Massachusetts and earned no Part B income a deduction equal to 50% of rent, up to $4,000. Both ended without further action.

January 6, 1994Supports Social Programs and Welfare

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored an additional $2,200 personal income-tax exemption for people with a physical impairment substantially limiting walking or with a hearing impairment constituting deafness. The bill included individual and joint returns. It was referred to the Taxation Committee on January 6, 1994; the reviewed history recorded no further action.

January 6, 1994Supports Social Programs and Welfare

Source: archives.lib.state.ma.us

Sponsored S.1997 to give qualifying licensed K–12 educators an expense deduction of $500 each or $1,000 jointly for supplies, training, online instruction and protective equipment, with a 2025 sunset. After an adverse report and recommittal, it entered study on October 6, 2022.

October 6, 2022Supports Public Education Quality

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored and refiled child-abduction and sexual-abuse awareness instruction for grades 2–8, with annual staff training and parents' access to materials and an option to withdraw their children. The latest version entered a study order in March 2022.

March 29, 2021Supports Public Education Quality

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored and repeatedly refiled charter-school accountability legislation requiring written legal-compliance explanations, prohibiting cash or gift recruitment, addressing grant violations and requiring a two-thirds board vote and written reasons for exceptional regulatory waivers. The 2017,2019 and 2021 versions entered study orders.

March 29, 2021Supports Public Education Quality

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored and repeatedly refiled Finish Line scholarships covering one year of public-college tuition and fees after the first year. Most versions targeted household income below the state median; one 2017 variant used 125% of that threshold. Awards were limited to once per student, protected existing aid and used a lottery if funds were insufficient. The latest version entered a study order in February 2022.

March 29, 2021Supports Public Education Quality

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored and refiled studies of special-education delivery, costs and service models. Earlier versions included proactive services without requiring an individual education plan. He also offered a rejected October 2019 study amendment with a May 2020 reporting deadline. The 2021 version added analysis of race, ethnicity, gender, immigration status and socioeconomic background in disability identification. It addressed inclusive and separate placements, Section 504, individualized supports and a public higher-education partner. These were study proposals, rather than enacted service changes.

March 29, 2021Supports Public Education Quality

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored and refiled state reimbursement of school districts' federally mandated transportation costs for homeless students, less available federal aid. The proposal created local reimbursement funds with a one-year carryforward. Successive versions entered study orders, most recently in March 2022.

March 29, 2021Supports Public Education Quality

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored and repeatedly refiled statewide curriculum standards for nonviolent resolution of interpersonal disputes across grade levels. The proposal assigned curriculum development to the education department. The latest version entered a study order in March 2022.

March 29, 2021Supports Public Education Quality

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored Gloucester's Mattos Field school-and-park exchange, approved August 7, 2020. The law authorized about 2.7 acres for school use, required about 2.8 acres of replacement protected parkland and softball upgrades, and included a four-year construction reversion. His later bill became Chapter 284 on January 7, 2021, moving upgrades until after field closure and delaying the replacement-land transfer until school use ended.

January 7, 2021Supports Public Education Quality

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored repeated foundation-budget financing proposals redirecting gaming and specified budget surpluses, including a 40% higher-education and 60% school-funding split that removed earlier anti-offset protections. LIFT versions added a dedicated innovation and foundation-implementation fund, gifts, line-item spending and annual benchmarks. His October 3, 2019 amendment retained the financing but narrowed spending to that education act and omitted annual benchmarks; it was rejected. A standalone funding version went to study February 18, 2020.

February 18, 2020Supports Public Education Quality

Source: malegislature.gov

Offered an October 3,2019 amendment requesting review of school-building reimbursement rates, construction costs, eligible lead, safety and asbestos work and incentives for effective practices. The Senate adopted his redraft with a March 2020 reporting deadline. The final education law required a revised authority-and-education-department review, with recommendations due June 30,2020. This was a review requirement, not a construction-grant award.

October 3, 2019Supports Public Education Quality

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored bills requiring foundation-budget reviews every three years, with hearings, reports and conflict safeguards. His October 3, 2019 amendments proposed five-year reviews, one without prior legislative action, and a separate adequacy review starting within 60 days and finishing within 24 months. The Senate rejected these amendments after his standalone bill joined committee legislation.

October 3, 2019Supports Public Education Quality

Source: malegislature.gov

Offered an October 3,2019 amendment increasing the minimum school-aid amount and adjustment from $30 to $50 per pupil by fiscal 2027. The redraft's operative amount was $50, despite its $100 title. The Senate rejected the amendment.

October 3, 2019Supports Public Education Quality

Source: malegislature.gov

Offered an October 3,2019 amendment adding strong institutional leadership, active student engagement and differentiated instruction to preferential grant criteria for the Twenty-First Century Education Program. The Senate rejected the proposal. It did not itself award grants or demonstrate improved student outcomes.

October 3, 2019Supports Public Education Quality

Source: malegislature.gov

Offered two October 3,2019 amendments to the special-education reimbursement formula. One reduced the fiscal 2020 approved-cost threshold from $45,793 to $34,345; the other increased reimbursement above that threshold from 75% to 80%. The parent formula covered eligible instructional and required out-of-district transportation costs, subject to appropriation, with specified 100% reimbursement exceptions. The Senate rejected both amendments.

October 3, 2019Supports Public Education Quality

Source: malegislature.gov

Offered an October 3,2019 amendment setting regional-school transportation reimbursement at no less than 85% and increasing it to 100% by fiscal 2025 in consistent, equitable increments as state revenues permitted. The Senate rejected the redraft. The proposal was distinct from his adopted reimbursement-analysis request.

October 3, 2019Supports Public Education Quality

Source: malegislature.gov

Offered an October 3,2019 amendment requesting analysis of regional-school transportation, homeless-student transportation, special-education circuit-breaker and smart-growth reimbursements. It required funding histories, shortfalls, three-year estimates and recommendations, with a report due April 15,2020. The Senate adopted the redraft; it requested analysis rather than guaranteeing a reimbursement percentage.

October 3, 2019Supports Public Education Quality

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored and refiled a school-reform package covering challenge schools and Horace Mann charter schools. It proposed turnaround plans for qualifying schools in the lowest-performing 20%, with designations capped at 4%. Negotiated labor waivers required two-thirds teacher approval, alongside specified exclusions and interim rules. It changed local-union approval and agreement requirements for Horace Mann schools. Social, health and workforce supports depended on appropriations. The later version changed the improvement baseline from 2011 to 2012.

January 22, 2019Supports Public Education Quality

Source: malegislature.gov

Sponsored and refiled legislation reserving 10% of the Commonwealth Stabilization Fund to prevent reductions in state aid to cities and towns, including school and lottery aid. The 2017 and 2019 versions entered study orders; the proposal did not itself distribute local aid.

January 22, 2019Supports Public Education Quality

Source: malegislature.gov