SENATE DOCKET, NO. 720        FILED ON: 1/15/2015

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 286

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Linda Dorcena Forry

_________________

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 providing immediate childcare assistance to homeless families.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

 

Linda Dorcena Forry

First Suffolk

 

Marjorie C. Decker

25th Middlesex

 

Paul R. Heroux

2nd Bristol

 

Benjamin Swan

11th Hampden

 

James B. Eldridge

Middlesex and Worcester

 

Thomas M. McGee

Third Essex

 

William N. Brownsberger

Second Suffolk and Middlesex

 

Barbara A. L'Italien

Second Essex and Middlesex

 

Jason M. Lewis

Fifth Middlesex

 

Brian A. Joyce

Norfolk, Bristol and Plymouth

 

Daniel Cullinane

12th Suffolk

 

Denise Provost

27th Middlesex

 

Sal N. DiDomenico

Middlesex and Suffolk

 

Joan B.  Lovely

Second Essex

 

Anne M. Gobi

Worcester, Hampden, Hampshire and Middlesex

 

Chris Walsh

6th Middlesex

 

Thomas P. Kennedy

Second Plymouth and Bristol

3/4/2015


SENATE DOCKET, NO. 720        FILED ON: 1/15/2015

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 286

By Ms. Forry, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 286) of Linda Dorcena Forry, Marjorie C. Decker, Paul R. Heroux, Benjamin Swan and other members of the General Court for legislation to provide immediate childcare assistance to homeless families.  Education.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

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

_______________

 

An Act providing immediate childcare assistance to homeless families.

 

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 15D of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the following section:-

Section 19. (a) A Family placed  in temporary emergency assistance shelter, domestic violence shelter or non-emergency assistance shelter by the department of transitional assistance  shall be eligible for the department of early education and care’s homeless child care assistance vouchers when the family first arrives at the shelter and at any time the family chooses while residing in the shelter.

(b)  A family living in a shelter shall be eligible for full-time child care.

(c) It shall not be necessary for a family placed in a shelter to document the family’s income in order to access homeless child care assistance.

(d) The initial voucher shall be written for up to 12 months or up to 30 days after the family's scheduled departure date, whichever period is shorter.

SECTION 2. The department shall adopt regulations or policies for the administration of this act within 90 days of the effective date of this act.