SENATE DOCKET, NO. 442        FILED ON: 1/13/2009

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1295

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the Year Two Thousand Nine

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An Act Establishing a Special Commission on Payment in Lieu of Taxes to Municipalities in Which Group Homes Are Located..

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.  There shall be a special commission to make a study and investigation of establishing a payment in lieu of taxes mechanism for municipalities in which group homes are located.  The commission shall be charged with evaluating options and the practices of other states, collecting data, and making policy recommendations that will be used to develop a statewide procedure to compensate municipalities for the properties and buildings occupied by group homes. 

SECTION 2. The commission shall consist of the secretary of administration and finance or his designee, the secretary of health and human services or his designee, the commissioner of the department of mental health or his designee, the commissioner of department of developmental services or his designee, the commissioner of the department of housing and community development or his designee, the commissioner of the department of revenue or his designee, the chairs of the joint committee on mental health and substance abuse, the chairs of the joint committee on revenue, the senate minority leader or his designee, the house minority leader or his designee, and the executive director of the Massachusetts Municipal Association or his designee.

SECTION 3. The commission shall report its findings, recommendations, and annual cost of its recommendations, as well as any proposed legislation, to the clerks of the senate and house of representatives and to the chairs of the house and senate committees on ways and means on or before December 31, 2009.