HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3174        FILED ON: 1/18/2013

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3219

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

James J. Lyons, Jr. and Marc T. Lombardo

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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act to increase transparency and account for budget expenditures.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3174        FILED ON: 1/18/2013

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3219

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the Year Two Thousand Thirteen

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An Act to increase transparency and account for budget expenditures.

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. Chapter 7 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting, after section 61, the following section:-

Section 62. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the executive office of administration and finance shall prepare a report on the following: 1) the total amount of the state budget that is being used to fund individual, family, and other benefits or expenditures on behalf of citizens of the United States who are residents of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts; 2) the total amount of the state budget that is being used to fund individual, family, and other benefits or expenditures on behalf of persons holding Green Cards who are residents of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts; 3) the total amount of the state budget that is being used to fund individual, family, and other benefits or expenditures on behalf of citizens of the United States whose residence in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts cannot be established; and 4) the total amount of the state budget that is being used to fund individual, family, and other benefits and expenditures on behalf of all other persons. 

(b) Said report shall also itemize expenditures used to provide services to residents of the Commonwealth, non-residents, and those whose residence cannot be identified with respect to: legal services, including but not limited to criminal defense costs; translations and translator services; the detention of prisoners; and the Health Safety Net program, including cost to government, cost shifting to other payers or insurers, and the cost to hospitals, clinics, and other health-care providers.

(c) In calculating the amounts described in subsections (a) and (b), the executive office of administration and finance shall utilize generally accepted accounting principles encompassing all state spending. 

(d) Said report shall be filed with to the chair and ranking minority member of the house committee on ways and means, the chair and ranking minority member of the senate committee on ways and means, and the clerks of the house of representatives and senate no later than April 1, 2014.”