Massachusetts lawmaker pass -- and pass on -- flurry of bills in final hours of formal session

BOSTON (AP) — The Massachusetts Legislature ended its 19-month formal session early Thursday morning, approving a housing bond bill, but leaving other major pieces of legislation in limbo including an economic development bill, a renewable energy bill and a hospital bill.

The Legislature is now in an informal session for the rest of the year where a single lawmaker can block any bill from passing.

Here’s a look at some of the new laws and bills left unfinished:

PARENTAGE

Massachusetts lawmakers approved and sent to Gov. Maura Healey for her signature Wednesday a bill aimed at updating the state’s parentage laws to include LGBTQ+ parents and families that used methods such as assisted reproduction and surrogacy.

The bill would remove one of the last vestiges of Massachusetts law that treats same-sex parents and those who engage in assisted reproduction differently from every other parent, according to supporters

Parental rights include the ability to attend and make decisions during medical appointments, manage a child’s finances, participate in educational decisions and provide authorizations for a child’s travel.

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