News

Chapter 58, An Act Promoting Access to Health Care

1. Procedural History and Bill Versions

2. Committee Documents

Key Effective Dates and Other Dates

3. Floor Documents and Conference Committee Documents

4. Executive Action Documents

5. Press Reports (links only)

State House News Service: DETAILS OF AMBITIOUS HEALTH CARE ACCESS PLANS BEGIN TO EMERGE By: Amy Lambiaso - APRIL 6, 2005
State House News Service: SENATORS OFFER PLAN TO DELIVER HEALTH COVERAGE TO HALF OF STATES UNINSURED By: Amy Lambiaso and Michael P. Norton - APRIL 7, 2005
State House News Service: HOUSE SESSION - MONDAY, MAY 2, 2005
State House News Service: INSURANCE REQUIREMENT, ASSESSMENTS IN HOUSE HEALTH CARE PLAN By: Michael P. Norton - OCT. 30, 2005
State House News Service: SENATE OFFERS ITS PLAN TO EXPAND ACCESS TO HEALTH INSURANCE By: Amy Lambiaso - NOV. 8, 2005

Chapter 434: An Act Relative to Penalties for Animal Fighting

1. Procedural History and Bill Versions

2. Committee Documents

House Journals:
Senate Journals:
- December 4, 2006
- December 28, 2006

3. Floor Documents and Conference Committee Documents

Testimony

4. Executive Action Documents

5. Press Reports (links only)

State House News Service: HOUSE SESSION - MONDAY, MAY 10, 2004
State House News Service: HOUSE SESSION - MONDAY, NOV. 6, 2006
State House News Service: STATE CAPITOL BRIEFS - MONDAY, NOV. 6, 2006
State House News Service: HOUSE SESSION - THURSDAY, NOV. 30, 2006
State House News Service: STATE CAPITOL BRIEFS - THURSDAY, NOV. 30, 2006
State House News Service: HOUSE SESSION - TUESDAY, DEC. 26, 2006
State House News Service: HOUSE SESSION - THURSDAY, DEC. 28, 2006
State House News Service: SENATE SESSION - THURSDAY, DEC. 28, 2006
State House News Service: STATE CAPITOL BRIEFS - THURSDAY, DEC. 28, 2006
State House News Service: STATE CAPITOL BRIEFS - THURSDAY, FEB. 7, 2008
State House News Service: DELAHUNT URGES SWIFT ACTION TO STOP ANIMAL FIGHTING FOR SPORT (5-18-06)
State House News Service: MSPCA WRITTEN TESTIMONY ON AN ACT RELATING TO PENALTIES FOR ANIMAL FIGHTING (11-30-06)
State House News Service: LETTER FROM LEGISLATORS TO LEGISLATIVE LEADERS REGARDING ANIMAL FIGHTBILL (11-30-06)
State House News Service: STATE HOUSE HEARING TARGETS ANIMAL FIGHTING (2-6-08)

Chapter 169, An Act Relative to Green Communities

1. Procedural History and Bill Versions

2. Committee Documents

3. Floor Documents and Conference Committee Documents

4. Executive Action Documents

5. Press Reports (links only)

State House News Service: HOUSE SESSION - WEDNESDAY, JAN. 3, 2007
State House News Service: WITH 6,308 WAYS TO IMPROVE MASSACHUSETTS, LEGISLATORS AVERAGE 32 BILLS APIECE By: Gintautas Dumcius, Priscilla Yeon, and Michael Norton - JAN. 10, 2007
State House News Service: STATE CAPITOL BRIEFS - THURSDAY, JAN. 11, 2007
State House News Service: STATE CAPITOL BRIEFS - MONDAY, MARCH 19, 2007
State House News Service: SPEAKER FILES SWEEPING ENERGY LEGISLATION By: Kyle Cheney and Jim O'Sullivan MARCH 20, 2007
State House News Service: HOUSE SESSION - WEDNESDAY, NOV. 7, 2007
State House News Service: STATE CAPITOL BRIEFS - WEDNESDAY, NOV. 7, 2007
State House News Service: HOUSE SESSION - THURSDAY, NOV. 15, 2007
State House News Service: ADVANCES - WEEK OF DEC. 9, 2007
State House News Service: STATE CAPITOL BRIEFS - THURSDAY, JAN. 3, 2008
State House News Service: COASTAL REPS CHALLENGE DiMASI OVER ENERGY AMENDMENT By: Jim O'Sullivan - JAN. 9, 2008
State House News Service: SENATE SESSION - WEDNESDAY, JAN. 9, 2008
State House News Service: CLEAN ENERGY BILL CLEARS SENATE By: Michael Norton - JAN. 9, 2008
State House News Service: SENATE POISED TO OKAY ENERGY POLICY COMPROMISE By: Jim O'Sullivan - JUNE 24, 2008
State House News Service: SENATE UNANIMOUSLY APPROVES ENERGY POLICY COMPROMISE By: Jim O'Sullivan - JUNE 24, 2008
State House News Service: HOUSE SESSION - THURSDAY, JUNE 26, 2008
State House News Service: HOUSE APPROVES ENERGY COMPROMISE, AND BILL HEADS TO PATRICK By: Jim O'Sullivan - JUNE 26, 2008
State House News Service: MASSACHUSETTS ATTORNEY GENERAL REMAINS COMMITTED TO ROLE AS RATEPAYER ADVOCATE ON ENERGY ISSUES (3-21-07)
State House News Service: HOUSE SPEAKER SALVATORE DIMASI'S TESTIMONY ON THE GREEN COMMUNITIES ACT OF 2007 (4-2-07)
State House News Service: COST & AVAILABILITY OF ELECTRICITY A CONCERN TO ALL (4-2-07)
State House News Service: CLF STATEMENT ON THE MASSACHUSETTS ENERGY BILL (11-8-07)
State House News Service: ENVIRONMENT NORTHEAST LAUDS MASSACHUSETTS SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE SALVATORE F. DIMASI FOR HIS RELEASE OF GROUNDBREAKING ENERGY BILL (11-8-07)
State House News Service: SPEAKER DIMASI, GOVERNOR PATRICK, SENATE PRESIDENT MURRAY, AG COAKLEY, KEY STAKEHOLDERS UNVEIL BOLD ENERGY REFORM (11-8-07)
State House News Service: AIM APPLAUDS INTRODUCTION OF COMPREHENSIVE ENERGY BILL (11-8-07)
State House News Service: HOUSE TO DEBATE SIGNIFICANT ENERGY REFORM PACKAGE TODAY (11-15-07)
State House News Service: AIM COMMENTS ON H. 4365 (11-15-07)
State House News Service: MASSACHUSETTS HOUSE PASSES STRONG ENERGY POLICY (11-16-07)
State House News Service: HOUSE PASSES SWEEPING ENERGY REFORM BILL (11-16-07)
State House News Service: MASSACHUSETTS HOUSE PASSES STRONG ENERGY POLICY (11-16-07)
State House News Service: SENATE APPROVES GROUNDBREAKING ENERGY BILL (1-9-08)
State House News Service: SENATE APPROVES ENERGY REFORM BILL (1-9-08)
State House News Service: SENATOR O'LEARY VOTES FOR ENERGY REFORM (1-9-08)
State House News Service: AIM CONCERNED ABOUT SEGMENTS OF SENATE ENERGY BILL (1-9-08)
State House News Service: STATEMENT OF DIANA CONNETT OF ENVIRONMENT MASSACHUSETTS ON PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO STATE ENERGY BILL (1-9-08)
State House News Service: TARR AMENDS, SUPPORTS ENERGY REFORM BILL (1-9-08)
State House News Service: ANTI-COAL POSTCARDS DELIVERED TO MASSACHUSETTS' LEGISLATURE (2-19-08)
State House News Service: HOUSE, SENATE TO DEBATE SWEEPING ENERGY REFORM (06-24-08)
State House News Service: SENATOR O'LEARY VOTES TO REFORM MASSACHUSETTS ENERGY POLICY (6-25-08)
State House News Service: MA POISED TO PASS SWEEPING ENERGY BILL (6-26-08)
State House News Service: ENVIRONMENT NORTHEAST (ENE) LAUDS LEGISLATORS FOR FINAL PASSAGE OF LANDMARK ENERGY REFORM BILL (6-26-08)
State House News Service: MASSACHUSETTS LEGISLATURE PASSES COMPREHENSIVE ENERGY BILL (06-26-08)
State House News Service: ENE STATEMENT ON GOVERNOR PATRICK'S SIGNING OF THE GREEN COMMUNITIES ACT, ENE APPLAUDS THE GOVERNOR AND LEGISLATORS FOR LEADING MASSACHUSETTS INTO THE CLEAN ENERGY AGE (7-2-08)
State House News Service: GOVERNOR PATRICK SIGNS ENERGY BILL PROMOTING COST SAVINGS, RENEWABLE AND CLEAN ENERGY TECHNOLOGY (7-2-08)
State House News Service: AIM ENCOURAGED BY NEW ENERGY LAW (7-2-08)
State House News Service: DPU ISSUES ORDER 'DECOUPLING' REVENUES FROM SALES FOR ALL ELECTRIC AND NATURAL GAS UTILITIES (7-16-08)
State House News Diary Entries (Links no longer exist, descriptions can be found here by searching for the respective month and year)
- PAIR OF REPS ADD THEIR PLAN TO GROWING PILE OF ENERGY PROPOSALS - TUESDAY, JAN. 9, 2007
- DIMASI ENERGY BILL STILL IN THE WORKS - THURSDAY, JAN. 11, 2007
- DiMASI TO FILE ENERGY BILL TUESDAY - MONDAY, MARCH 19, 2007
- SPEAKER FILES SWEEPING ENERGY LEGISLATION - TUESDAY, MARCH 20, 2007
- DIMASI UNVEILS LONG-AWAITED ENERGY POLICY - TUESDAY, MARCH 20, 2007
- BOWLES, POLITELY, KNOCKS DiMASI ENERGY BILL - MONDAY, APRIL 2, 2007
- DiMASI SAYS HE'LL WAIT BEFORE PUSHING ENERGY BILL - TUESDAY, APRIL 17, 2007
- LAWMAKERS STILL WORKING ON DiMASI ENERGY BILL - TUESDAY, MAY 22, 2007
- ENERGY COMMITTEE CHAIR OFFERS FEW DETAILS ON SPEAKER'S BILL - THURSDAY, OCT. 18, 2007
- SENATOR SEES ENERGY BILL SURFACING NEXT WEEK - WEDNESDAY, OCT. 31, 2007
- DiMASI: ENERGY BILL DUE OUT THURSDAY - MONDAY, NOV. 5, 2007
- REDRAFTED HOUSE ENERGY REFORM BILL EMERGING - WEDNESDAY, NOV. 7, 2007
- ENERGY BILL DUE OUT THURSDAY, FOR DEBATE NEXT THURSDAY - WEDNESDAY, NOV. 7, 2007
- WITH MORE SUPPORT, HOUSE LEADERS RE-LAUNCH ENERGY PLAN - THURSDAY, NOV. 8, 2007
- ADVANCES - WEEK OF NOV. 11, 2007 - FRIDAY, NOV. 9, 2007
- HOUSE PLAN TO MOVE RENEWABLE ENERGY TRUST STIRS DEBATE ON HILL - MONDAY, NOV. 12, 2007
- PROMISING LENGTHY TENURE, DiMASI NOT BASHFUL ON AGENDA - TUESDAY, NOV. 13, 2007
- HEATING AID ON GOVERNOR'S DESK, FORMALS IN BOTH BRANCHES THURSDAY - WEDNESDAY, NOV. 14, 2007
- HOUSE PASSES SWEEPING ENERGY BILL - THURSDAY, NOV. 15, 2007
- CRITICS TARGET BIOFUELS BILL, SENATOR LOOKS TO ROLL IT INTO LARGER PACKAGE - MONDAY, NOV. 19, 2007
- MASS. TECH COLLABORATIVE BOARDS VOTES MORE RENEWABLE FUNDS - THURSDAY, DEC. 13, 2007
- SENATOR: HOUSE ENERGY BILL TO EMERGE IN NEXT TWO WEEKS - WEDNESDAY, DEC. 26, 2007
- SENATE ENERGY BILL EMERGES, ALONG WITH SOME DIFFERENCES WITH THE HOUSE BILL - FRIDAY, DEC. 28, 2007
- DiMASI CONSIDERING SPECIAL STOP ON TRIP TO 'SAUDI ARABIA OF WIND ENERGY' - WEDNESDAY, MARCH 12, 2008
- LAWMAKERS CONSIDER SUGGESTIONS TO AVERT DOOMSDAY FUEL OUTLOOK - MONDAY, MARCH 31, 2008
- SENATOR: ENERGY COMPROMISE BILL NEARING COMPLETION - WEDNESDAY, JUNE 4, 2008
- DiMASI CLEAN ENERGY BILL SENT TO COMMITTEE - TUESDAY, JUNE 10, 2008
- SENATE UNANIMOUSLY APPROVES ENERGY BILL - TUESDAY, JUNE 24, 2008
- PATRICK SIGNS ENERGY LAW, CALLS IT "THE BEST" IN THE U.S. - WEDNESDAY, JULY 2, 2008

Chapter 376, An Act Ensuring Consumer Protection in Life Insurance Contracts

1. Procedural History and Bill Versions

2. Committee Documents

Senate journals

3. Floor Documents and Conference Committee Documents

4. Executive Action Documents

5. Press Reports (links only)

Chapter 105, An Act Further Regulating the Placement of Certain Children

An Act Further Regulating the Placement of Certain Children Memorandum

1. Procedural History and Bill Versions

2. Committee Documents

House and Senate journals

3. Floor Documents and Conference Committee Documents

Testimony
Sen. Creem Office Files
Files and Testimony of Charles Click (Charles Group Consulting)

4. Executive Action Documents

5. Press Reports (links only)

The Boston Globe: "For-profits to compete in child placements: Measure was approved without public hearing By: Patricia Wen - September 17, 2006
The Boston Globe: Concern over for-profit groups handling adoption - September 24, 2006
Charles Group Consulting: A lobbying success story By: Charles Glick - Jan. 2008
State House News Service: SENATE SESSION - WEDNESDAY, MAY 9, 2007
State House News Service: SENATE SESSION - THURSDAY, MAY 10, 2007
State House News Service: HOUSE SESSION - TUESDAY, JULY 31, 2007
State House News Service: HOUSE SESSION - MONDAY, AUG. 20, 2007

Chapter 120, An Act Relative to Certain Written Majority Authorization Evidence of Collective Bargaining Results

1. Procedural History and Bill Versions

Bill
- History
- Summary
H2465

2. Committee Documents

House Journals:
Senate Journals:

3. Floor Documents and Conference Committee Documents

Testimony

4. Executive Action Documents

5. Press Reports (links only)

Greater Southeastern Massachusetts Labor Council: Governor Patrick signs historic Majority Authorization Bill at Massachusetts AFL-CIO Convention
National Labor Caucus of State Legislators: "Majority Sign-Up for Public Sector Workers: Expanding Collective Bargaining Rights"
State House News Service: ADVANCES - WEEK OF MARCH 11, 2007
State House News Service: HOUSE SESSION - WEDNESDAY, MAY 16, 2007
State House News Service: HOUSE SESSION - THURSDAY, JULY 19, 2007
State House News Service: HOUSE SESSION - THURSDAY, JULY 26, 2007
State House News Service: SENATE SESSION - MONDAY, JULY 30, 2007
State House News Service: HOUSE SESSION - MONDAY, AUGUST 6, 2007
State House News Service: HOUSE SESSION - THURSDAY, AUG. 9, 2007
State House News Service: STATE CAPITOL BRIEFS - THURSDAY, AUG. 9, 2007
State House News Service: HOUSE SESSION - TUESDAY, SEPT. 18, 2007
State House News Service: SENATE SESSION - THURSDAY, SEPT. 20, 2007
State House News Service: ADVANCES: WEEK OF SEPT. 23, 2007
State House News Service: HOUSE SESSION - WEDNESDAY, OCT. 17, 2007
State House News Service: A.I.M. TO CONGRESS & MASS. LEGISLATURE WORKERS' RIGHTS AT RISK (6-20-07)
State House News Service: A.I.M. LETTER TO GOV. DEVAL PATRICK REQUESTING VETO OF PUBLIC EMPLOYEE DISENFRANCHISEMENT BILL (9-24-07)
State House News Service: GOVERNOR PATRICK SIGNS LAW TO BENEFIT MASSACHUSETTS WORKERS (9-27-07)

Chapter 183, An Act Relative to Volunteers at State Parks

1. Procedural History and Bill Versions

Final bill and history

2. Committee Documents

3. Floor Documents and Conference Committee Documents

4. Executive Action Documents

5. Press Reports (links only)

State House News Service: SENATE SESSION - MONDAY, APRIL 30, 2007
State House News Service: SENATE SESSION - TUESDAY, MAY 1, 2007
State House News Service: SENATE SESSION - WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2007
State House News Service: HOUSE SESSION - JUNE 13, 2007
State House News Service: HOUSE SESSION - JULY 26, 2007
State House News Service: STATE CAPITOL BRIEFS - TUESDAY, AUG. 7, 2007
State House News Service: SENATE SESSION - THURSDAY, SEPT. 20, 2007
State House News Service: HOUSE PASSES LATEST ITERATION OF VOLUNTEER CORPS BILL By: Gintautas Dumicius OCT. 25, 2007
State House News Service: SENATE SESSION - THURSDAY, NOV. 8, 2007
State House News Service: GOVERNOR PATRICK ANNOUNCES CREATION OF COMMONWEALTH CORPS (1-8-07)

6. Misc.

Westlaw: Determining whether immunity applies (Corpus Juris Secundum - April 2008 | Charitable Corporations and Associations | Liability for Tort; Immunity | Where Immunity Doctrine Not Abrogated | Determining whether immunity applies)
Westlaw: "No-immunity" view (Corpus Juris Secundum - April 2008 |Charitable Institutions and Organizations | Tort Liability or Immunity | General or Broad Views As to Immunity)
Westlaw: Applicability of principle of respondeat superior (Corpus Juris Secundum - April 2008 | Charitable Institutions and Organizations | Tort Liability or Immunity | Partial or Limited Immunity; Effect of Particular Circumstances | "Corporate" or Subordinates' Negligence | Applicability of principle of respondeat superior)

Chapter 109, An Act Further Regulating Access to Birth Certificates

1. Procedural History and Bill Versions

2. Committee Documents

3. Floor Documents and Conference Committee Documents

4. Executive Action Documents

5. Press Reports (links only)

State House News Service: STATE CAPITOL BRIEFS - WEDNESDAY, MARCH 21, 2007
State House News Service: BIRTH CERTIFICATE ACCESS BILL ADVANCES IN SENATE, BUT QUESTIONS REMAIN By: Kyle Cheney APRIL 30, 2007

Chapter 155, An Act Relative to Public Safety at Reproductive Health Care Facilities

1. Procedural History and Bill Versions

2. Committee Documents

Senate Journals:
- November 5, 2007
- November 8, 2007
Committee summary and legal analysis testimony

3. Floor Documents and Conference Committee Documents

4. Executive Action Documents

5. Press Reports (links only)

The Boston Globe: Mass. Senate OK's expanded limits on abortion protesters By: April Simpson October 24, 2007
Planned Parenthood: Governor Patrick Signs Buffer Zones Bill Into Law 11/13/07
State House News Service: LAWMAKERS REVIVE FIRST AMENDMENT CLASH WITH STRONGER BUFFER-ZONE BILL By: Kyle Cheney MAY 16, 2007
State House News Service: STATE CAPITOL BRIEFS - WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2007
State House News Service: ADVANCES WEEK OF OCT. 21, 2007
State House News Service: SENATE SESSION - TUESDAY, OCT. 23, 2007
State House News Service: STATE CAPITOL BRIEFS - TUESDAY, OCT. 23, 2007
State House News Service: ADVANCES - WEEK OF OCT. 28, 2007
State House News Service: STATE CAPITOL BRIEFS - WEDNESDAY, OCT. 31, 2007
State House News Service: HOUSE SESION - THURSDAY, NOV. 1, 2007
State House News Service: STATE CAPITOL BRIEFS - THURSDAY, NOV. 1, 2007
State House News Service: STATE CAPITOL BRIEFS - FRIDAY, NOV. 2, 2007
State House News Service: ADVANCES - WEEK OF NOV. 4, 2007
State House News Service: STATE CAPITOL BRIEFS - MONDAY, NOV. 5, 2007
State House News Service: HOUSE SESSION - WEDNESDAY, NOV. 7, 2007
State House News Service: STATE CAPITOL BRIEFS - WEDNESDAY, NOV. 7, 2007
State House News Service: STATE CAPITOL BRIEFS - THURSDAY, NOV. 8, 2007
State House News Service: ADVANCES - WEEK OF NOV. 11, 2007
State House News Service: PATRICK SIGNS BILL EXPANDING NO-PROTEST AREAS AROUND ABORTION CLINICS By: Jim O'Sullivan NOV. 13, 2007
State House News Service: ADVANCES - WEEK OF NOV. 18, 2007
State House News Service: PRO-LIFE ADVOCATES CALL NEW BUFFER ZONE LAW AN "IMPEDIMENT" By: Catherine Williams DEC. 6, 2007
State House News Service: BUFFER ZONES BILL PASSED BY HOUSE WITH OVERWHELMING SUPPORT (11-1-07)
State House News Service: BUFFER ZONES BILL REACHES GOVERNOR'S DESK (11-8-07)
State House News Service: GOVERNOR PATRICK SIGNS BUFFER ZONES BILL INTO LAW (11-13-07)
State House News Service: MCFL NO EXPANSION OF BUFFER ZONE IN MASSACHUSETTS (11-13-07)
Telegram & Gazette: Abortion protestors may have to back up By: John J. Monahan May 17, 2007

Chapter 63, An Act Providing Incentives to the Motion Picture Industry

1. Procedural History and Bill Versions

Final bill
- Summary and drafts

2. Committee Documents

3. Floor Documents and Conference Committee Documents

4. Executive Action Documents

5. Press Reports (links only)

State House News Service: LAWMAKERS WARM TO FILM INDUSTRY'S PUSH FOR TAX CREDITS, EXEMPTIONS By Cyndi Roy MAY 10, 2005
State House News Service: SENATE SESSION - MONDAY, JUNE 27, 2005
State House News Service: HOUSE SESSION - JULY 12, 2005
State House News Service: ADVANCES - WEEK OF AUG. 1, 2005
State House News Service: SENATE CHIEF: DRUNK DRIVING, FILM TAX CREDITS, WELFARE AT TOP OF AGENDA By: Amy Lambiaso SEPT. 14, 2005
State House News Service: SENATE SESSION - THURSDAY, SEPT. 15, 2005
State House News Service: SENATE SESSION - TUESDAY, SEPT. 20, 2005