HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3438        FILED ON: 1/18/2019

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 146

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Paul W. Mark

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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 a supportive technology commission.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3438        FILED ON: 1/18/2019

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 146

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninety-First General Court
(2019-2020)

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An Act relative to a supportive technology commission.

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. There is hereby established a special commission to be known as the Massachusetts Supportive Technology Commission, which shall consist of three members of the Senate, one of whom shall be a member of the minority party appointed by the minority leader, three members of the House of Representatives, one of whom shall be a member of the minority party appointed by the minority leader, the commissioner of the department of developmental services, the commissioner of the department of public health, the commissioner of the department of mental health, or their designees, all of whom shall serve as ex-officio members, and ten persons to be appointed by the governor, one of whom shall be a representative of an organization that works with or advocates on behalf of persons with autism and related conditions, one of whom shall be from the department of developmental services with significant experience using supportive technology to provide services to people with developmental disabilities, one of whom shall be a representative of an intellectual or developmental disability advocacy organization, one of whom shall be familiar with supportive technology research and represents a Massachusetts institution of higher learning, four of whom shall represent service providers who have significant experience using supportive technology to provide services to people with developmental disabilities and one each of whom shall reside or work respectively in greater Boston, southeastern or northeastern Massachusetts, central Massachusetts, and western Massachusetts, one of whom shall be the parent of guardian of a child with a developmental disability and who has significant experience with supportive technology, and one of whom shall be a person with a developmental disability who has significant experience with the use of supportive technology.

SECTION 2. The commission is hereby established for the purpose of making an investigation and study relative to supportive technology that positively impacts the lives of residents with developmental disabilities at home and in our communities, including but not limited to: (i) making recommendations to develop state policy to encourage the use of supportive technology; (ii) identifying and addressing areas where sufficient support is not currently available or where additional options may be needed to assist those with developmental disabilities to gain access to supportive technology; (iii) identifying best practices, effective partnerships, and opportunities for shared services among existing providers and relevant state agencies to increase supportive technology opportunities for those with developmental disabilities; (iv) recommending ways to integrate supportive technology into existing programs to move with children as they grow into adulthood, with a focus on transition-age youth; (v) developing educational materials for relevant state agencies, providers, and families about how supportive technology can have a positive impact on the independence, skills, and abilities of persons with developmental disabilities; (vi) recommending system-level benchmarks for monitoring use of supportive technology and person-centered outcomes that demonstrate increased quality of life for persons with developmental disabilities. Said commission shall provide guidance and advice to the governor, the general court, the secretary of health and human services and commissioner of the department of developmental services relative to current research on supportive technology.  The commission may conduct public hearings, forums, or meetings to gather information and to raise awareness of supportive technology, including the sponsorship of or participation in statewide or regional conferences.  Said commission shall file an annual report at the end of each state fiscal year with the governor and the clerks of the house of representatives and the senate, who shall forward the same to the appropriate joint committees along with recommendations, if any, together with drafts of legislation necessary to carry those recommendations into effect.  The special commission may file such interim reports and recommendations as it considers appropriate.