HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3155        FILED ON: 1/16/2015

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3380

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Shaunna L. O'Connell and Ryan C. Fattman

_________________

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 relative to the use of cash benefit assistance.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Shaunna L. O'Connell

3rd Bristol

1/16/2015

Ryan C. Fattman

Worcester and Norfolk

1/16/2015

David F. DeCoste

5th Plymouth

4/8/2015

Robert L. Hedlund

Plymouth and Norfolk

4/8/2015

Marc T. Lombardo

22nd Middlesex

4/8/2015


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3155        FILED ON: 1/16/2015

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3380

By Representative O’Connell of Taunton and Senator Fattman, a joint petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 3380) of Shaunna L. O’Connell, Ryan C. Fattman and others relative to the use of cash benefit assistance.  Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Eighty-Ninth General Court
(2015-2016)

_______________

 

An Act relative to the use of cash benefit assistance.

 

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. Subsection (a) of section 5I of chapter 18 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2012 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the definition of “Access device”, the following definition:

“Border state”, Connecticut, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island or Vermont.

SECTION 2. Said section 5I of said chapter 18 is hereby further amended by inserting after subsection (b) the following subsection:-

(b ½) No person shall knowingly use direct cash assistance funds held on an electronic benefit transfer card or access device in a state other than the commonwealth or a border state. The department shall track, on a monthly basis, the usage of direct cash assistance funds in violation of this subsection.  The department shall contact each recipient whose electronic benefit transfer card or access device has been used in violation of this subsection, and shall investigate the violation accordingly.

SECTION 3. The department of transitional assistance shall promulgate rules and regulations to implement the requirements of this act.