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THE REVERE ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, JUNE 28, 2024 Page 19 tition the court for a harassment prevention order against a person who has violated this statute; and extends the statute of limitations to pursue criminal charges for certain domestic violence offenses from six years to 15 years. The measure adds coercive control to the defi nition of abuse. Coercive control is a nonphysical form of abuse that includes a pattern of behavior intended to threaten, intimidate, harass, isolate, control, coerce or compel compliance of a family or household member in a manner that causes the targeted individual to fear physical harm or to have a reduced sense of physical safety or autonomy. Examples of coercive control include threatening to share explicit images, regulating or monitoring a family or household member’s communications and access to services, and isolating a family or household member from friends or relatives. Another provision changes current law under which minors, under 18 years of age, who share explicit images of themselves or other minors, can be charged with violating Massachusetts child pornography laws and be required to register with the Sex Off ender Registry. The bill allows minors to be diverted to an educational program that would provide them with information about the consequences of posting or transmitting indecent visual depictions of minors. “This law will save lives and strengthens our eff orts to hold accountable those who would engage in abusive, coercive and deeply harmful behavior,” said Gov. Healey. “This is about stopping violence, because nobody deserves to be subjected to threats, abuse or control. We’re grateful … to all of the survivors who bravely came forward to share their powerful stories of pain, fear and trauma to make a diff erence for generations to come.” “The inclusion of coercive control in this bill is a vital advancement in safeguarding individuals from abuse,” said Vilma Uribe, Executive Director of the Governor’s Council to Address Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence and Human Traffi cking. “It acknowledges the severe impact of manipulative behaviors and provides crucial protections for victims-survivors. Equally important is the inclusion of media literacy for our youth, empowering them to navigate the digital world responsibly.” “No person’s life should devolve into chaos because a private photo was shared without their permission, and no person should fear coercion or be threatened with the sharing of such a photo,” said Senate President Karen Spilka (D-Ashland). “I’m proud that this legislation protects our residents and supports young people who make a mistake.” “This legislation modernizes our criminal laws by ensuring that those who share explicit images of others without their consent face punishment, while also educating minors on the dangers of sharing explicit images of themselves rather than imposing upon them some of the criminal justice system’s most severe consequences,” said House Speaker Ron Mariano (D-Quincy). “I’m also incredibly proud of this legislation’s bolstered protections for survivors, including the added consideration of nonphysical forms of abuse for those who are seeking restraining orders from their abusers. PROHIBIT SALE OF DOGS, CATS AND RABBITS IN NEW PET STORES (S 2820) — The House gave initial approval to a bill that would prohibit pet shops opened after January 1st, 2025 from off ering dogs, cats and rabbits for sale. Pet shops existing prior to January 1, 2025 would be exempt from the law. The new law would allow new pets shops to off er space to an animal rescue or shelter organization to showcase dogs, cats or rabbits for adoption as long as the pet shop does not have an ownership interest in the animals off ered for adoption. The bill imposes a penalty of $1,000 for a fi rst off ense, $2,500 for a second off ense and $5,000 for a third and subsequent off enses. “This legislation moving forward marks a signifi cant step towards ending the puppy mill to pet shop pipeline, ensuring the protection of both animals and consumers alike,” said sponsor Sen. Patrick O’Connor (R-Weymouth). “We are taking a stand against the promotion of animal cruelty, which is often overlooked, and I am confi dent that we will soon join our neighboring northeastern states in putting a stop to this inhumane practice by law. I am proud to be the primary sponsor of this bill and will continue to tirelessly advocate against the abuse of animals and for their protection as some of the most vulnerable members of our community.” “I take the matters of animal welfare and inhumane conditions very seriously,” said Sen. Mike Moore (D-Millbury). Given that puppy mills and other profi t-focused animal breeding operations have a demonstrated track record of substandard conditions and disregard for the wellbeing of the animals, anything we can do to disrupt this industry without harming responsible breeders is action we should take.” “Typically, pet shops obtain animals from substandard breeding facilities, which results in consumers unknowingly purchasing sick or genetically compromised pets,” said Rep. Natalie Higgins (D-Leominster). REQUIRE ADAPTIVE BEAM HEADLIGHT TECHNOLOGY (H 3419) — The House gave initial approval to a bill that would require all new automobiles sold in the state after January 1, 2026 to be equipped with adaptive beam headlight technology which is currently used in other parts of the world including Europe, China and Canada. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Adaptive Driving Beam Headlight Systems (ADBs) use automatic headlight beam switching technology to shine less light on occupied areas of the road and more light on unoccupied areas. The adaptive beam is particularly useful for distance illumination of pedestrians, animals and objects without reducing the visibility of drivers in other vehicles. As a CNN report noted, “Imagine if you could drive at night with your high beams on all the time, bathing the road ahead in bright light but without ever blinding other drivers.’ That’s what ADB accomplishes.” “The legislation seeks to address the problem with overly bright headlights,” said sponsor Rep. Lindsay Sabadosa (DNorthampton).” There are no shortage of news articles that speak to the growing problem of overly bright headlights on the highways of Massachusetts. While they improve driver safety in some respects, they also blind oncoming traffi c, which does not help with road safety. A solution is adaptive headlight technology or smart headlights. “The American Automobile Association research found ADBs illuminate the road 86 percent better than current headlight technology but without the glare,” continued Sabadosa. “Smart headlights make about 5,000 adjustments per second to curve light around the part of the road already lit up by an oncoming car. So, there’s no direct beam in the other driver’s face.” BEACON | SEE Page 20 Do You Need a Digital Will? Dear Savvy Senior, My wife and I had our estate plan — including a will, power ofattorney and advance directive — drawn up about 10 yearsago but haverecently read that our planshould include a digital will too. What can you tell us about this? Almost 80 Dear Almost, If you or your wife spend much time online, adding a separate digital will document to your estate plan that provides a list of your digital assets would be extremely helpful to your loved ones when you die, not to mention it will help protect your privacy. Here’s what you should know. Do You Have Digital Asset? The term “digital assets” refers to personal information that is stored electronically on either a computer or an online cloud server account that belongs to an individual. Anyone who uses email, has a PIN code protected cell phone, makes online purchases, or pays bills online has digital assets. Digital assets generally require a username, a password, or a PIN to access and can be diffi cult if not impossible to retrieve if someone is incapacitated or passes away. Creating a digital will (also known as a digital estate plan) will help your loved ones access your electronic devices and online accounts more easily so they can manage your electronic aff airs, according to your wishes, after you’re gone. This in turn will also protect your digital assets from hackers or fraud, which can happen to dormant accounts after you die. How to Write a Digital Will Your fi rst step in creating a digital will is to make an inventory list of your digital assets, which includes everything from hardware to email accounts. Here are a few categories to help kick-start your list: • Electronic devices (computer, smartphone, tablet, external hard drive). • Digital fi les (for photos, videos or documents) • Financial accounts (like bank and brokerage accounts, credit cards, cryptocurrency). • Bill paying accounts (utilities, mortgage accounts) • Social media accounts (like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn). • Email accounts (Gmail, Yahoo, Outlook, etc.). • Cloud-storage accounts (like Google Cloud, iCloud, Dropbox, Microsoft OneDrive) • Movie or music streaming services (like Netflix, Hulu, Spotify, Apple Music) • Online purchasing accounts (like Venmo or PayPal) • Subscription services (magazines, newspapers, Amazon Prime, etc.). • Reward programs (travel, stores, etc.). • Membership organizations (AARP, AAA, etc.). When making your list, you’ll need to include usernames, passwords, PINS, account numbers or security questions for accessing each account. And provide instructions on how you want your assets managed after your death. For example: Do you want certain accounts closed, archived or transferred? Do you want specific files or photos to be deleted or shared with loved ones? Do you want your social media profi les memorialized or deleted? Be clear and specifi c about your wishes. You’ll also need to appoint a digital executor that you trust to execute your wishes after you die. From a legal perspective, you should know that most states have enacted the Revised Uniform Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets Act (RUFADAA), which legally recognizes digital estates. This law gives your personal representative or executor legally protected access to your online accounts. Once your digital will is written, store it with your other estate plan documents either in a fi reproof safe or fi le cabinet at home, on your computer hard drive, with your estate planning attorney or online at a reputable digital estate planning service like Everplans.com or Clocr. com. But make sure your executor knows where it is and has access to it. Also remember to keep your digital will be updated regularly when you create any new digital accounts or change passwords. Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book.

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