Bill H.55

FILED ON: 2/4/2013

HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 55

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the Year Two Thousand Thirteen

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An Act making appropriations for the fiscal year 2013 to provide for supplementing certain existing appropriations and for certain other activities and projects.

Whereas, The deferred operation of this act would tend to defeat its purpose, which is to forthwith implement fiscal stability measures for fiscal year 2013, 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.To provide for supplementing certain items in the general appropriation act and other appropriation acts for fiscal year 2013, the sums set forth in section 2 are hereby appropriated from the General Fund unless specifically designated otherwise in this act or in those appropriation acts, for the several purposes and subject to the conditions specified in this act or in those appropriation acts, and subject to the laws regulating the disbursement of public funds for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2013. These sums shall be in addition to any amounts previously appropriated and made available for the purposes of those items.

JUDICIARY

Committee for Public Counsel Services.

0321-1510............................................................................... $18,350,318

0321-1520............................................................................... $6,649,682

EXECUTIVE OFFICE FOR ADMINISTRATION AND FINANCE

Reserves.

1599-3384................................................................................ $5,000,000

EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS

Department of Fish and Game.

2310-0200................................................................................ $515,000

Inland Fisheries and Game Fund………………100%

EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Department of Developmental Services.

5930-1000............................................................................... $11,000,000

EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF HOUSING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Department of Housing and Community Development

7004-0101............................................................................... $39,000,000

7004-0108................................................................................ $5,300,000

EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF EDUCATION

Department of Higher Education

7066-0021............................................................................... $1,017,551

EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND HOMELAND SECURITY

Military Division.

8700-1150................................................................................ $2,500,000

SHERIFFS

Middlesex Sheriff’s Office.

8910-0107................................................................................ $155,835

Hampshire Sheriff’s Office.

8910-0110................................................................................ $472,718

Berkshire Sheriff’s Office.

8910-0145................................................................................ $697,353

Franklin Sheriff’s Office.

8910-0108................................................................................ $1,277,768

Essex Sheriff’s Office.

8910-0619................................................................................ $1,600,000

Barnstable Sheriff’s Office.

8910-8200................................................................................ $1,028,036

Bristol Sheriff’s Office.

8910-8300................................................................................ $2,728,490

Dukes Sheriff’s Office.

8910-8400................................................................................ $102,678

Norfolk Sheriff’s Office.

8910-8600................................................................................ $1,855,578

Plymouth Sheriff’s Office.

8910-8700................................................................................ $5,836,139

Suffolk Sheriff’s Office.

8910-8800................................................................................ $1,854,299

SECTION 2A. To provide for certain unanticipated obligations of the commonwealth, to provide for an alteration of purpose for current appropriations, and to meet certain requirements of law, the sums set forth in this section are hereby appropriated from the General Fund unless specifically designated otherwise in this section, for the several purposes and subject to the conditions specified in this section, and subject to the laws regulating the disbursement of public funds for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2013. These sums shall be in addition to any amounts previously appropriated and made available for the purposes of those items.

EXECUTIVE OFFICE FOR ADMINISTRATION AND FINANCE

Reserves

1599-0054For a reserve for costs of the investigation and response related to the breach at the Drug Analysis Laboratory at the Dr. William A. Hinton State Laboratory Institute; provided, that the secretary of administration and finance may transfer funds from this item to state agencies, as defined in section 1 of chapter 29 of the General Laws, and municipalities for this purpose; provided further, that these transfers shall occur on a monthly basis in incremental amounts based on costs to investigate or respond to the Hinton Laboratory breach unless the secretary determines that funds must be transferred more or less frequently in order to meet necessary funding needs of state agencies and municipalities; provided further, that transfers shall be made in accordance with an executed memorandum of agreement between the secretary and each entity receiving funding, documenting the types of costs eligible for funding pursuant to this item and other terms of funding that the secretary considers appropriate, a copy of which shall be filed with the chairs of the house and senate committees on ways and means within 10 days after the agreement’s execution; provided further, that requests for funding of eligible costs pursuant to any such memoranda of agreement shall include documentation evidencing these eligible costs that the secretary, in his sole discretion, determines to be sufficient; provided further, that no transfers shall be made from this item before the filing of the applicable memorandum of agreement with the house and senate committees on ways and means; and provided further, that the secretary shall file a quarterly report with the chairs of the house and senate committees on ways and means which identifies, by funding recipient: (a) all funding requests and transfers made for the quarter that has most recently ended; (b) the total funding requested and transfers by fiscal year; and (c) projected funding required for the forthcoming quarter...……....…$30,000,000

1599-1712 For a reserve for costs incurred in response to Hurricane Sandy storms; provided, that the comptroller shall transfer funds made available in this item to other departments for this purpose upon the written request of the secretary of administration and finance; and provided further, that expenditures from this item shall be offset by federal reimbursements to the extent available ........................................... $3,000,000

1599-2007 For a reserve for costs incurred in implementing chapter 224 of the acts of 2012...............................................................................................................$2,949,889

EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF HOUSING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Division of Professional Licensure.

7006-0065 The division of standards may retain not more than $655,000 in revenue from registration fees and fines that it collects under sections 184B to 184E, inclusive, of chapter 94, and sections 56D and 56E of chapter 98, of the General Laws to support its enforcement activities as provided in subsection (h) of section 184D of said chapter 94, and, notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, for the purpose of accommodating timing discrepancies between the receipt of revenues and related expenditures, the department may incur expenses and the comptroller may certify for payment the amounts not to exceed the lower of this authorization or the most recent revenue estimate, as reported in the state accounting system; provided, that notwithstanding said subsection (h), the division shall not fund the municipal grant program provided in said subsection (h).................................................$655,000

SHERIFFS

Bristol Sheriff’s Office.

8910-8318 For a cost of living adjustment to supplement existing salaries for employees of the Bristol sheriff’s department; provided, however, that all payments for the purpose described herein shall only be expended in the AA object class; provided further, that prior to the distribution of funds from this line item the sheriff shall submit a compensation spending plan to the house and senate committees on ways and means and the executive office of administration and finance detailing the amount and schedule of disbursement of these funds amongst each salaried employee; and, provided further, that funds shall only be distributed to the members of the collective bargaining units of the Massachusetts Correction Officers Federated Union……………………………………………………….....................$1,600,000

SECTION 3. Chapter 10 of the General Laws is hereby amended by striking out section 28B, as appearing in the 2010 Official Edition, and inserting in place thereof the following section:-

Section 28B. The commission shall, on a monthly basis, transmit to the department of transitional assistance, the executive office of health and human services, office of Medicaid, and the IV-D agency, as set forth in chapter 119A, a list of all persons who were the holders of any winning ticket in excess of $600 in the prior month. The information shall be provided in a format which is compatible with the automated data processing systems of these departments, or in any other form and format requested by the departments and offices to ensure the immediate identification of persons who may be receiving public assistance benefits. The information provided shall include the name, address and social security number of the holder of the winning ticket and the face value of the winning ticket.

SECTION 4. The last sentence of paragraph (f) of subsection (2) of section 59 of chapter 23K of the General Laws, as inserted by section 16 of chapter 194 of the acts of 2011, is hereby amended by striking out the figure “25” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- 20.

SECTION 5. Paragraph (2) of subsection (b) of section 5 of chapter 44B, as amended by section 77 of chapter 139 of the acts of 2012, is hereby further amended by inserting after the word “prohibited” the following words:- ; provided that projects approved by a municipality for the acquisition of artificial turf for athletic fields prior to July 1, 2012, shall be authorized as a permitted use of community preservation funding.

SECTION 6. Section 65 of chapter 143 of the General Laws is hereby amended by striking out the second and third paragraphs, inserted by section 95 of chapter 68 of the acts of 2011, and inserting in place thereof the following 3 paragraphs:-

No elevator licensed under this chapter shall be operated without a valid inspection certificate. An elevator shall be deemed to be operating for the purposes of this section unless it has been placed out of service or decommissioned in accordance with a procedure approved by the board. If a certificate has expired, no new certificate shall be issued until a new inspection has been completed and no elevator shall be operated until a new certificate has been issued by a qualified state inspector. The owner or operator of an elevator who fails to comply with this section shall be punished by a fine of $100 for each day that an elevator is in operation without a valid certificate. Fines shall begin to accrue on the date that the elevator is determined to be unsafe. Fines shall stop accruing on the date on which the owner or operator has, in writing or in any manner prescribed by the department, requested an inspection of the elevator by the department. For any unit that has a travel distance of 25 feet or less and is located in a single- family owner-occupied residence in accordance with section 64, the maximum fine shall be $5,000. For all other units, the maximum fine shall be $20,000. The commissioner or the commissioner's designee, or another person as the commissioner may specifically authorize, may issue a written notice of violation under section 21 of chapter 22 for a violation of this section.

The commissioner may assess a fee for appeals filed under this section, to be determined by the secretary of administration and finance under section 3B of chapter 7.

Upon application for annual inspection, owners shall provide to the department a current mailing address for the location of the unit.

SECTION 7. Chapter 146 of the General Laws is hereby amended by striking out section 82, as appearing in the 2010 Official Edition, and inserting in place thereof the following section:-

Section 82. The bureau shall adopt regulations for the examining and licensing of fire sprinkler contractors, pipefitters, refrigeration technicians and sprinkler fitters, including the classification of pipefitter licenses, which shall include, but not be limited to, pipefitter welder, process piping and apprentice.

SECTION 8. Section 4 of chapter 176J of the General Laws, as amended by section 32 of chapter 118 of the acts of 2012, is hereby amended by striking out subsection (a) and inserting in place thereof the following:-

(a)(1) Every carrier shall make available to every eligible individual and every small business, including an eligible small group or eligible individual, a certificate that evidences coverage under a policy or contract issued or renewed to a trust, association or other entity that is not a group health plan, as well as to their eligible dependents, every health benefit plan that it provides to any other eligible individual or eligible small business. No health plan may be offered to an eligible individual or an eligible small business unless it complies with this chapter. Upon the request of an eligible small business or an eligible individual, a carrier must provide that group or individual with a price for every health benefit plan that it provides to any eligible small business or eligible individual. Except under the conditions set forth in paragraph (3) of subsection (a) and paragraph (2) of subsection (b), every carrier shall enroll any eligible small business or eligible individual which seeks to enroll in a health benefit plan. Every carrier shall permit every eligible small business group to enroll all eligible employees and all eligible dependents; provided that the commissioner shall promulgate regulations which limit the circumstances under which coverage must be made available to an eligible employee who seeks to enroll in a health benefit plan significantly later than he was initially eligible to enroll in a group plan. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this section shall not apply to health benefit plans sold exclusively as child-only plans or catastrophic plans.

(2) (i) A carrier shall enroll eligible individuals, as defined by section 1, and eligible individuals, as defined in section 2741 of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, 42 U.S.C. section 300gg-41(b), into a health plan if such individuals request coverage within 63 days of termination of any prior creditable coverage. A carrier shall also enroll eligible individuals, as permitted under the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, as well as any rules, regulations or guidance applicable thereto, into a health plan offered through the Exchange.

(ii) A carrier shall also enable an eligible individual to renew his or her coverage if that coverage is available to other eligible individuals. Coverage shall become effective within 30 days of the date of application, subject to reasonable verification of eligibility, and shall be effective through December 31 of that same year.

(iii) Carriers shall notify eligible individuals of the following:

(1) coverage will be in effect only through December 31 in the year of enrollment;

(2) if the individual is in a health plan with a plan-year deductible or out-of-pocket maximum, an explanation of how that deductible or out-of-pocket maximum and premiums will be impacted for the period between the plan effective date and December 31 of the enrollment year; and

(3) the next open enrollment period during which the individual will have the opportunity to enroll in a health plan that will begin on January 1 of the following calendar year.

(iv) As of January 1, 2014, a carrier may not impose a pre-existing condition exclusion or waiting period of any duration on a health plan.

(3) (i) Notwithstanding the requirements set forth in paragraph (2) of this subsection, a carrier shall only enroll an eligible individual who does not meet the requirements of paragraph (2) of this subsection into a health plan during the following annual open enrollment periods for eligible individuals and their dependents:

(1) There shall be two open enrollment periods during 2013, with the first period taking place beginning July 1, 2013 through August 15, 2013 and the second period taking place beginning October 1, 2013 through December 31, 2013;

(2) There shall be two open enrollment periods during 2014, with the first period taking place beginning January 1, 2014 through March 31, 2014 and the second period taking place beginning October 15, 2014 through December 7, 2014;

(3) In years following calendar year 2014, the open enrollment period shall be from October 15 through December 7, unless otherwise designated by the commissioner.

(ii) Notwithstanding the requirements set forth in paragraph (2) of this section, for coverage issued or renewed to eligible individuals that has an effective date beginning February 1, 2013 through March 31, 2013, carriers shall notify those individuals of the following:

(1) coverage will be effective for a 12-month plan year from the date of the individual’s health plan effective date;

(2) if the individual maintains coverage for the full 12-month plan year:

(A) the individual only may enroll for coverage to be effective after the plan year in a health plan that will be effective through December 31, 2014;

(B) the individual may enroll in a health plan effective on January 1, 2015 during the open enrollment period taking place beginning October 15, 2014 through December 7, 2014; and

(3) the individual has the choice within the 12-month plan year to enroll in a different health plan during the open enrollment periods, and the carrier shall provide an explanation of the coverage effective dates that would apply during each open enrollment period, as well as the potential impact that such changes may have on the individual’s coverage and premiums, including an explanation of the impact on any health plans with plan year deductibles or plan year out-of-pocket maximums.

(iii) (1) Notwithstanding the requirements set forth in paragraph (2) of this section, for coverage issued or renewed to eligible individuals that has an effective date beginning April 1, 2013 through December 31, 2013, carriers shall make coverage effective through March 31, 2014.

(2) If the individual’s coverage includes a plan year deductible or plan year out-of-pocket maximum, the carrier shall issue a policy endorsement effective through the end of the coverage period, approved as to form and content by the commissioner, that modifies such coverage to pro-rate the deductible and out-of-pocket maximum to reflect that coverage will be in effect for less than a 12-month period; this policy endorsement shall only be available to individuals with coverage subject to this paragraph.

(3) Carriers further shall notify such eligible individuals of the following:

(A) coverage will be in effect only through March 31, 2014;

(B) if the individual is in a health plan with a plan year deductible or plan year out-of-pocket maximum, the carrier shall describe how the deductible or out-of-pocket maximum and premiums would be impacted for the period between the health plan’s effective date in 2013 and March 31, 2014; and

(I) the individual only may enroll during the January through March 2014 open enrollment period for coverage effective on April 1, 2014, which coverage will be effective only through December 31, 2014;

(II) if the individual is in a health plan with a plan-year deductible or plan-year out-of-pocket maximum, the carrier shall provide an explanation of how that deductible or out-of-pocket maximum and premiums would be impacted for the period between April 1, 2014 and December 31, 2014;

(III) the individual may enroll in a health plan effective on January 1, 2015 during the open enrollment period taking place beginning October 15, 2014 through December 7, 2014; and

(IV) coverage issued to individuals will be effective on January 1 in calendar years subsequent to 2014.

(D) the individual has the choice prior to March 31, 2014 to enroll in a different health plan during the open enrollment periods, and the carrier shall provide an explanation of the coverage effective dates that would apply for each open enrollment period, as well as the potential impact that such changes may have on the individual’s coverage and premiums, including an explanation of the impact on any health plans with plan year deductibles or plan year out-of-pocket maximums.

(iv) (1) Notwithstanding the requirements set forth in paragraph (2) of this section, for coverage issued during the 2013 and 2014 open enrollment periods with an effective date beginning January 1, 2014 through May 31, 2014, carriers shall make coverage effective through December 31, 2014.

(2) If the individual’s coverage includes a plan year deductible or out-of-pocket maximum, the carrier shall issue a policy endorsement effective through the end of the coverage period, approved as to form and content by the commissioner, that modifies such coverage to pro-rate the deductible and out-of-pocket maximum to reflect that the coverage will be in effect for less than a 12-month period; this policy endorsement shall only be available to individuals with coverage subject to this paragraph.

(3) Carriers further shall notify such eligible individuals of the following:

(A) coverage will be effective only through December 31, 2014;

(B) if the individual is in a health plan with a plan year deductible or plan-year out-of-pocket maximum, the carrier shall describe how that deductible or out-of-pocket maximum and premiums would be impacted for the period beginning with the health plan’s effective date through December 31, 2014; and

(v) (1) Notwithstanding the requirements set forth in paragraph (2) of this section, for coverage issued with an effective date beginning June 1, 2014 through December 31, 2014, carriers shall make coverage effective through December 31, 2014.

(2) Carriers further shall notify such eligible individuals of the following:

(A) coverage will be effective only through December 31, 2014;

(B) if the individual is in a health plan with a plan year deductible or out-of-pocket maximum, an explanation of how that deductible or out-of-pocket maximum and premiums will be impacted for the period between the plan effective date and December 31, 2014; and

(4) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section or any general or special law, the office of patient protection may administer and grant enrollment waivers to permit enrollment not during a mandatory open enrollment period, to the extent permitted under the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, or any rules, regulations or guidance applicable thereto, and in accordance with Chapter 6D and any other applicable laws.

SECTION 9. Section 5B of chapter 271 of the General Laws, inserted by chapter 187 of the acts of 2012, is hereby amended by striking out the words “or (5)” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- (5) under chapter 23K; or (6).

SECTION 10. Chapter 194 of the acts of 2011 is amended by striking out section 100 and inserting in place thereof the following section:-

Section 100. There shall be established and set up on the books of the commonwealth a Healthcare Payment Reform Trust Fund, in this section called the fund. The fund shall be credited with any monies transferred under section 97 and any monies credited or transferred to the fund from any other fund or source. The health policy commission shall be the trustee of the fund and may expend from the fund, without further appropriation, to carry out the purposes of chapter 224 of the acts of 2012. For the purpose of accommodating discrepancies between the receipt of revenues and related expenditures, the commission may incur obligations and the comptroller may certify payment amounts not to exceed the most recent revenue estimate submitted by the commission and approved by the comptroller, but the fund shall be in balance by the close of fiscal year 2014 and all subsequent fiscal years.

SECTION 11. Item 0699-0015 of section 2 of chapter 139 of the acts of 2012 is hereby amended by striking out the figure “$2,010,444,553” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- $1,968,056,853.

SECTION 12. Item 0699-9100 of said section 2 of said chapter 139 is hereby amended by striking out the figure “$29,131,247” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- $16,384,477.

SECTION 13. Said section 2 of said chapter 139 is hereby amended by striking out item number “8910-7100” and inserting in place thereof the following item number:- 8910-7110.

SECTION 14. Item 1595-1068 of section 2E of said chapter 139 is hereby amended by striking out the figure “$566,306,556” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- $565,006,556.

SECTION 15. Item 1595-6368 of said section 2E of said chapter 139 is hereby amended by striking out the figure “$166,591,136” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- $161,713,136.

SECTION 16. The first sentence of subsection (a) of section 160 of said chapter 139 is hereby amended by striking out the figure “$350,000,000” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- $550,000,000.

SECTION 17. Section 187 of said chapter 139 is hereby repealed.

SECTION 18. Section 221 of chapter 139 of the acts of 2012 is hereby amended by striking out the number “2013” and inserting in place thereof the following number:- 2014.

SECTION 19. Section 91 of chapter 238 of the acts of 2012 is hereby amended by striking out the words “December 31, 2012” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- July 31, 2013.

SECTION 20. Section 2C.I of chapter 239 of the acts of 2012 is hereby amended by striking out the words “Department of Housing and Community Development”.

SECTION 21. Said section 2C.I of said chapter 239 is hereby further amended by inserting after item 7002-0035 the following sub-heading:- Department of Housing and Community Development.

SECTION 22. Chapter 239 of the acts of 2012 is hereby amended by striking out section 52 and inserting in place thereof the following section:-

Section 52. The bureau of pipefitters, refrigeration technicians and sprinkler fitters shall adopt regulations and issue procedures related to the process piping pipefitter license, under section 82 of chapter 146 of the General Laws, not later than July 1, 2013. A person who was not required to be licensed under section 84 of said chapter 146, who submits satisfactory proof to the bureau of pipefitters, refrigeration technicians and sprinkler fitters that the person has been actively engaged in process piping for a period of 4 years before the effective date of this act, and who has applied for a license within 180 days after the effective date of the regulations adopted under this section, shall, upon payment of the applicable fee and after demonstrating sufficient knowledge of the regulations related to the process piping pipefitter license, be issued a process piping pipefitter license. Any proof required to be submitted under this section shall be accompanied by a statement under the penalties of perjury.

SECTION 23. Section 4 of chapter 254 of the acts of 2012 is hereby repealed.

SECTION 24. Notwithstanding the last paragraph of section 2H of chapter 29 of the General Laws, for the purpose of covering the costs authorized under item 1599-0054 of section 2A, the comptroller shall transfer to the General Fund the amount of those authorized costs from the proceeds of one-time settlements or judgments that would otherwise be transferred to the Commonwealth Stabilization Fund, according to a schedule approved by the secretary of administration and finance and considering the cash flow needs of the commonwealth. If the costs authorized under that item exceed the funds available from the proceeds of one-time settlements or judgments that would otherwise be transferred to the Commonwealth Stabilization Fund, the balance of the amount of the authorized costs, not exceeding a total of $30,000,000 of authorized costs, shall be transferred from the Commonwealth Stabilization Fund for this purpose. Funds from the reserve created in said item 1599-0054 may be spent in anticipation of deposits under this section.

SECTION 25. Notwithstanding subsection (e) of section 20 of chapter 304 of the acts of 2008, the net cash proceeds of the sale of the former Edward J. Sullivan Courthouse in the city of Cambridge shall be deposited in the General Fund.

SECTION 26. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the secretary of administration and finance may reduce the transfer to the Commonwealth Care Trust Fund in item 1595-5819 of section 2E of chapter 139 of the acts of 2012, if the secretary determines that expenditures from the fund are lower than anticipated or that revenue to the fund is higher than anticipated.

SECTION 27. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the total amount appropriated for fiscal year 2013 for the following constitutional offices, departments, agencies or institutions of higher education not subject to section 9C of chapter 29 of the General Laws shall be reduced by 1 per cent; provided that the reduction may be within any item of appropriation: (1) office of the state comptroller; (2) center for health information and analysis; (3) house of representatives; (4) state senate; (5) joint legislative account; (6) state ethics commission; (7) office of campaign and political finance; (8) commission on the status of women; (9) victim and witness assistance board; (10) disabled persons protection commission; (11) Massachusetts cultural council; (12) board of library commissioners; (13) Massachusetts commission against discrimination; (14) Massachusetts office of disability; (15) University of Massachusetts; (16) Bridgewater State University; (17) Fitchburg State University; (18) Framingham State University; (19) Massachusetts College of Art and Design; (20) Massachusetts Maritime Academy; (21) Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts; (22) Salem State University; (23) Westfield State University; (24) Worcester State University; (25) Berkshire Community College; (26) Bristol Community College; (27) Bunker Hill Community College; (28) Cape Cod Community College; (29) Greenfield Community College; (30) Holyoke Community College; (31) Massachusetts Bay Community College; (32) Massasoit Community College; (33) Middlesex Community College; (34) Mount Wachusett Community College; (35) Northern Essex Community College; (36) North Shore Community College; (37) Quinsigamond Community College; (38) Roxbury Community College; and (39) Springfield Technical Community College.

SECTION 28. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the secretary of administration and finance may transfer funds among items 1599-4440, 1599-4441, 1599-4442, 1599-4443, and 1599-4444 of section 2 of chapter 139 of the acts of 2012.

SECTION 29. Notwithstanding section 14 of chapter 151A of the General Laws, for calendar year 2013, the experience rate of an employer qualifying therefor under subsection (b) of said section 14 of said chapter 151A shall be the rate which appears in column “E” of clause (1) of subsection (i) of said section 14 of said chapter 151A.

SECTION 30. The executive office of health and human services shall promulgate regulations within six months of the effective date of this act to ensure that any programs that provides direct services to clients and is operated, licensed, certified or funded by a department or division of the executive office of health and human services has a workplace violence prevention and crisis response plan, updated at least annually, for social workers, human services workers, volunteers, and all other employees. Each such program shall provide a copy of the current plan to any employee of the program upon request.

A workplace violence prevention and crisis response plan may include: (1) the establishment of a system for centrally recording all incidents of workplace violence or threats of workplace violence against social workers, human services workers, volunteers, and all other employees providing direct services; (2) preparation of a written violence prevention and crisis response plan that includes measures the program intends to take to respond to any incident of workplace violence against social workers, human services workers, volunteers, and all other employees providing direct services; (3) implementation of a training program to educate social workers, human services workers, volunteers, and all other employees providing direct services about workplace violence and ways to reduce the risks; and (4) the development and maintenance of a violence prevention and response team or committee to monitor ongoing compliance with the violence prevention and crisis response plan and to assist any social workers, human services workers, volunteers, and all other employees providing direct services who may be victimized by or threatened with workplace violence. A program that does not have a training plan in place shall require its employees to enroll in training program to be developed and offered by the executive office of health and human services.

SECTION 31. Section 29 shall take effect as of January 1, 2013.

SECTION 32. Section 5 shall take effect upon passage.