HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 4442

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, March 4, 2024.

The committee on Labor and Workforce Development, to whom was referred the petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1913) of David Henry Argosky LeBoeuf and Bud L. Williams for legislation to establish a special commission (including members of the General Court) to conduct a study and make recommendations on the barriers faced by low-income workers to finding and maintaining jobs in the Commonwealth, reports recommending that the accompanying bill (House, No. 4442) ought to pass.

For the committee,

KIP A. DIGGS.

        FILED ON: 2/5/2024

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 4442

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)

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An Act creating a special legislative commission to study barriers to job retention for low-income workers.

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.   (a) Notwithstanding any special or general law to the contrary, there shall be a special commission established to conduct a study and make recommendations on the barriers faced by low-income workers to finding and maintaining jobs in the commonwealth. The commission shall consist of 17 members, as follows: the house and senate chairs of the joint committee on labor and workforce development, who shall serve as co-chairs; the secretary of executive office of labor and workforce development or their designee; the secretary of the executive office of transportation or their designee; the secretary of the executive office of economic development or their designee; the director of the department of transitional assistance or their designee; the secretary of the executive office of health and human services or their designee; 2 members appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives; 2 members appointed by the president of the senate;  6 persons appointed by the co-chairs, 2 of whom shall be members of the labor community, 2 of whom shall be members of the business community; and 2 of whom shall have expertise working with low-income workers.

b)  The commission shall examine and make recommendations on topics including, but not limited to: (i) barriers that exist in Massachusetts that prevent low-income workers from finding and retaining jobs with sustainable wages; (ii) strategies that the commonwealth could employ that would help to address barriers to job retention for low-income workers;  (iii) Massachusetts laws and regulations that are currently in place, or could be put in place, that assist or hamper this population from maintaining jobs with a sustainable wage; (iv) holistic and wraparound service approaches and programs that the commonwealth could explore to prevent a fragmented and inefficient response to addressing these barriers. 

c) The commission may hold hearings and invite testimony from experts and the public to gather information. The commission may involve other experts, stakeholders and members of the public in its work through listening and working group sessions or whatever other mechanisms the commission chooses.

d)  The commission shall file its recommendations, including any drafts of legislation or regulations necessary to carry out its recommendations, not later than March 1, 2025.