SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1843        FILED ON: 1/20/2023

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 117

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Michael O. Moore

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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 protecting safety net access for Massachusetts residents.

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PETITION OF:

SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1843        FILED ON: 1/20/2023

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 117

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE SENATE, NO. 134 OF 2021-2022.]

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 protecting safety net access for Massachusetts residents.

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 5 of chapter 18 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2020 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the fourth paragraph the following paragraph:-

Upon being notified by the Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance (DCAMM) that a lease is set to expire, and by which the Department decides not to renew a lease or close the community service office, at least 120 days before taking steps to not renew a lease for or close a community service office and at least 120 days before soliciting any proposals for a lease for a community service office, the commissioner shall notify the local legislators of that region and the regional legal services of the proposed action, the community service office that would be affected, and the reasons for the proposed action.  At the request of the legislature or legal services, the department shall provide testimony and data regarding its plans, including but not limited to a comparison of the current and proposed community service office locations for low-income households in the service area with respect to (a) transportation options, including the cost and frequency of public transit and travel time to and from the current and proposed location; (b) office hours; (c) access for seniors, persons with disabilities, persons who are needed to care for children or other family members; persons who are employed; (d) the availability of staff who speak the languages spoken by persons with limited English proficiency in the service area; (e) in areas where there are advisory boards the minutes showing that the board has been appraised of the intention to close or relocate; (f) surveys from its current recipients of how the proposed closure or relocation would affect them. The surveys shall be done in the recipients’ primary or preferred language in order to maximize participation and ensure equity; (g) a report of the community services, and community economic and social relations near the current and proposed community service office; (h) demographic and poverty rate data of the residents of both the current and proposed community service office location; and (i) other matters as requested by the said requester.