HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3100        FILED ON: 1/20/2017

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3527

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Aaron Vega

_________________

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 reduce recidivism.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Aaron Vega

5th Hampden

1/20/2017

Evandro C. Carvalho

5th Suffolk

1/17/2018

Bud Williams

11th Hampden

1/17/2018

Juana B. Matias

16th Essex

1/17/2018

Gerard Cassidy

9th Plymouth

3/27/2017

William L. Crocker, Jr.

2nd Barnstable

3/22/2017

Carmine L. Gentile

13th Middlesex

3/23/2017

Carlos González

10th Hampden

3/22/2017

Natalie Higgins

4th Worcester

3/27/2017

Mary S. Keefe

15th Worcester

3/24/2017

José F. Tosado

9th Hampden

3/27/2017

Steven Ultrino

33rd Middlesex

3/22/2017


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3100        FILED ON: 1/20/2017

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3527

By Mr. Vega of Holyoke, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 3527) of Aaron Vega and others for legislation to provide for employer tax credits for the employment of individuals formerly incarcerated.  Revenue.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninetieth General Court
(2017-2018)

_______________

 

An Act to reduce recidivism.

 

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. Section 6 of chapter 62 of the General Laws, as most recently amended by section 72 of chapter 219 of the acts of 2016, is hereby amended by adding the following subsection:-

(u)(1) As used in this subsection, the following words shall, unless the context clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings:-

“Eligible individual”, a person who has been released from county, state or federal incarceration, including, but not limited to incarceration in the jail of house of correction of any county in the commonwealth or the state prison, within 6 months of the date of hire.

“Existing employment opening”, an employment opening: (i) which existed prior to the employment search process of the eligible individual and (ii) in which a business previously employed an individual.

“New employment opening”, an employment opening which was created immediately prior to the employment search process of the eligible individual.

(2) A business that employs an eligible individual in an existing employment opening for 10 or more months shall be allowed a credit against the tax liability imposed by this chapter in an amount equal to $1,500. A business that employs an eligible individual in a new employment opening for 10 or more months shall be allowed a credit against the tax liability imposed by this chapter in an amount equal to $3,000.

(3) Credits under this subsection shall be allowed for the taxable year in which the employment occurs; provided, however, that in no taxable year may the amount of the credit allowed exceed the total tax due of the taxpayer for the relevant taxable year. A taxpayer allowed a credit pursuant to this subsection for a taxable year may carry over and apply against such taxpayer’s tax liability in any of the succeeding 5 taxable years, the portion, as reduced from year to year, of those credits which exceed the tax for the taxable year.

SECTION 2. Chapter 63 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 38FF the following section:-

Section 38GG. (a) As used in this section, the following words shall, unless the context clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings:-

“Eligible individual”, a person who has been released from county, state or federal incarceration, including, but not limited to incarceration in the jail of house of correction of any county in the commonwealth or the state prison, within 6 months of the date of hire.

“Existing employment opening”, an employment opening: (i) which existed prior to the employment search process of the eligible individual and (ii) in which a business previously employed an individual.

“New employment opening”, an employment opening which was created immediately prior to the employment search process of the eligible individual.

(b) A business that employs an eligible individual in an existing employment opening for 10 or more months shall be allowed a credit against the tax liability imposed by this chapter in an amount equal to $1,500. A business that employs an eligible individual in a new employment opening for 10 or more months shall be allowed a credit against the tax liability imposed by this chapter in an amount equal to $3,000.

(c) The credit allowed in this section for any taxable year shall not reduce the excise to less than the amount due under subsection (b) of section 39, section 67 or any other applicable section.

(d) Credits under this section shall be allowed for the taxable year in which the employment occurs. A taxpayer allowed a credit pursuant to this section for a taxable year may carry over and apply against such taxpayer’s tax liability in any of the succeeding 5 taxable years, the portion, as reduced from year to year, of those credits which exceed the tax for the taxable year.