Session Laws

Whereas, The deferred operation of this act would tend to defeat its purpose, which is to immediately authorize the expenditure of funds from the Children's Trust Fund, therefore it is hereby declared to be an emergency law, necessary for the immediate preservation of the public convenience.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:

SECTION 1. Section 202 of Chapter 6 of the General Laws as appearing in the 1988 official edition is hereby amended by striking out in line 3 the words "twenty-five" and inserting in place thereof the words "between twenty-five and fifty, to be appointed by the Governor from recommendations by the Board, with particular attention given to appointing members who reflect the ethnic and racial diversity of the Commonwealth's children, youth and their families, provided that such appointments are made no sooner than February first, nineteen hundred and ninety-one".

SECTION 2. Section 203 of Chapter 6 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting in line 23 after the word "neglect;" the following;- such agencies shall provide information requested by the Board to carry out its duties, particularly its duty to maximize all federal funds available for reimbursement to the Children's Trust Fund for prevention activities;.

SECTION 3. Section 203 of Chapter 6 of the General Laws is hereby further amended by striking clause (4) in the first sentence of the second paragraph and inserting in place thereof the following clause; (4) to authorize the expenditure of all funds deposited into the Children's Trust Fund;.

SECTION 4. Chapter 10 of the General Laws as so appearing is hereby amended by deleting section 50 and inserting in place thereof the following section:

Section 50. There shall be established upon the books of the Commonwealth a separate fund to known as the Children's Trust Fund, which shall not be subject to further appropriation. These funds shall be expended for the purposes set forth in the fourth paragraph of section 202 and subsections (1) through (9) of section 203 of chapter 6.

The Child Abuse Prevention Board, established pursuant to section 202 and 203 of Chapter 6, is authorized to receive and expend monies received from (1) state appropriations; (2) gifts, grants and donations from public or private sources; (3) federal reimbursements, grants-in-aid, or other monies credited or transferred from any other fund or source pursuant to law; (4) and any interest earned from the Children's Trust Fund. These funds shall be impressed with a trust and held for the Board in the Children's Trust Fund. The State treasurer may receive, deposit and invest funds held for the Board in such a manner that will insure the highest interest rate available consistent with the safety of the fund.

The books and records of the Children's Trust Fund shall be subject to an annual audit be the state auditor.

The comptroller is hereby authorized to transfer to the Children's Trust Fund all monies, including interest, in the Child Abuse Prevention Fund.