HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3732        FILED ON: 6/25/2013

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3617

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Linda Campbell

_________________

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 pertaining to the verification of residency in conjunction with the receipt of transitional assistance.

_______________

PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3732        FILED ON: 6/25/2013

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3617

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_______________

In the Year Two Thousand Thirteen

_______________

An Act pertaining to the verification of residency in conjunction with the receipt of transitional assistance.

Whereas, The deferred operation of this act would tend to defeat its purpose, which is to To ensure the identity of those receiving benefits from the Commonwealth, 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.  (a) A recipient of assistance under any of the programs administered by the department of transitional assistance shall provide annual verification of the recipient’s residency within the commonwealth.  Every application for residency verification made under this section shall be in writing, signed, under the penalties of perjury, on a form prescribed by the department of transitional assistance and consistent with the following:

(1)Each application for verification shall be submitted in person at the recipient’s closest regional office, branch office or outreach arrangement, as defined in section 5 of chapter 18 of the General Laws; provided, however, that a disabled recipient may submit the application for verification by mail;

(2)Proof of residency may include a current utility bill, signed statement from a landlord with the landlord’s contact information, bank statement, government check, paycheck or other government document that shows the name and address of the recipient, and other such similar documentation; provided, however, that a driver’s license shall not be accepted as sole proof of residency;

(3)The recipient shall provide all personal contact information; and

(4)Each application for verification shall be signed by an employee of the department of transitional assistance, include copies of all supporting documentation and be maintained in said department’s records.

(b) If there is no record that the recipient: (i) is a citizen of the United States or (ii) has filed a declaration of intention to become a citizen of the Unites States, the recipient shall present evidence of such with his or her annual application for residency verification.

(c) The required date for each recipient’s annual application for residency verification shall be determined by the department of transitional assistance.

(d) The department of transitional assistance shall promulgate reasonable rules and regulations to implement the provisions of this section.

SECTION 2. Section 1 of this act is hereby repealed.

SECTION 3. Section 2 shall take effect on January 1, 2016.