BOSTON –Senator Sal DiDomenico (D-Everett) and his colleagues in the Massachusetts Senate unanimously passed S.2320, An Act relative to social media privacy protection. Senator DiDomenico is a co-sponsor of this legislation that aims to protect the personal social media accounts of students and employees across the Commonwealth.

Specifically, the legislation prevents employers and schools from requesting and requiring access to the personal social media accounts of applicants, employees, and students as a condition of acceptance, employment, or participation in school activities.

“In today’s digital age, social media privacy has become more important than ever,” said Senator DiDomenico, Assistant Majority Leader of the Massachusetts Senate. “This bill will provide critical protection for employees and students to ensure that their personal social media accounts receive the same legal protections as all other forms of private communications.” 

“As social media users reveal more and more about themselves, it is important that we enact privacy protections,” said Senate President Harriette L. Chandler (D-Worcester). “While users must remain aware of how much information they divulge, it is also imperative that privacy protections be implemented and enforced to ensure that information contained on a social media account is not abused.”

More than twenty-five states have already enacted legislation addressing this issue, and bills on this topic are pending in many other jurisdictions. This is the third session in which the Senate has voted favorably on this bill. 

The legislation now goes to the House of Representatives for consideration.

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BOSTON-   Senator Sal DiDomenico (D-Everett) and his colleagues in the Massachusetts Senate unanimously adopted a bill designed to protect the health, safety and well-being of animals. S.2332, “An Act to protect animal welfare and safety in cities and towns” (PAWS II), expands on gains first secured in the original PAWS law which was filed in response to the Puppy Doe animal abuse case of 2014. 

“I was proud to support this important piece of legislation that strengthens and adds to the animal safety and welfare protections created under the original PAWS bill,” said Senator DiDomenico, Assistant Majority Leader of the Massachusetts Senate. “This bill sends a strong message that animal cruelty will not be tolerated, and we will continue working to ensure that all animals are treated humanely here in the Commonwealth.”

“The Puppy Doe animal torture case inspired strong legislative action designed to increase protections for animals and prevent animal cruelty and neglect.  PAWS II builds on the foundations of our original law and will ensure that abuse is reported and enforced, that animal drownings are outlawed, and that our animal control laws reflect the seriousness of animal torture and abuse,” said Senator Bruce Tarr (R-Gloucester), Minority Leader of the Massachusetts and the original sponsor of the bill.

“Our commitment towards ending the cruel and inhumane treatment of innocent animals is steadfast, and today we have taken significant action to protect their safety and welfare,” said Chairman Mark Montigny (D-New Bedford), a longtime champion of animal welfare legislation.  “There is zero tolerance for such despicable brutality and today’s action by the Senate sends a clear message.”

“We do not tolerate animal cruelty in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts,” said Senate President Harriette L. Chandler (D-Worcester). “This legislation ensures that animals are treated humanely and that those who engage in animal cruelty are punished. One animal that dies of mistreatment is one animal too many.”

PAWS II will enhance humane treatment of animals, expand the role of mandated reporters, and punish those who engage in animal cruelty. Key components of the bill include provisions to:

• ensure abuse is reported;

• ensure efficient enforcement of animal control laws;

• prohibit the drowning of wild and domestic animals;

• prohibit engaging in sexual contact with an animal;

• remove automatic killing of animals involved in animal fighting;

• add animal crimes to the list of offenses that serve as the basis for a request for a determination of detention and or release upon conditions;

• prohibit discrimination against specific dog breeds; and

• require abandoned animal checks in vacant properties.

The bill now moves to the House of Representatives for further consideration.

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BOSTON- Senator Sal DiDomenico recently spoke at Head Start Day at the State House. For 45 years, Head Start has provided educational and comprehensive child development services to young children from working families. Senator DiDomenico is a Head Start alumni and spoke about the important role this program has played in his own life, as well as the lives of countless other children and families across the country.

“When my parents enrolled me in Head Start over 40 years ago, representatives needed to recruit parents to give this new program a try,” said Senator DiDomenico. “Today, it has proven to be so successful, there aren't enough spots to meet the demand. We all know how important early education is for our children's future, and it's critical that we invest in programs like Head Start to put all our kids on a path to success.”

 After the event, Senator DiDomenico met with Head Start representatives, as well as children and families from his district who were at the State House to lobby for additional funding for early education and Head Start programs. Throughout his tenure in the Massachusetts Senate, Head Start and early education funding has been one of Senator DiDomenico’s top budget priorities, and he consistently been a champion of these programs in the Legislature. 

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