HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3752 FILED ON: 1/17/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 251
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The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Bradley H. Jones, Jr.
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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 requiring an audit to review the utilization of welfare benefits out-of-state.
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PETITION OF:
Name: | District/Address: | Date Added: |
Bradley H. Jones, Jr. | 20th Middlesex | 1/17/2025 |
Kimberly N. Ferguson | 1st Worcester | 1/17/2025 |
Paul K. Frost | 7th Worcester | 1/31/2025 |
Todd M. Smola | 1st Hampden | 3/10/2025 |
David F. DeCoste | 5th Plymouth | 1/28/2025 |
David K. Muradian, Jr. | 9th Worcester | 1/29/2025 |
Hannah Kane | 11th Worcester | 1/30/2025 |
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3752 FILED ON: 1/17/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 251
By Representative Jones of North Reading, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 251) of Bradley H. Jones, Jr., and others that the Office of the State Auditor annually conduct an audit of and report on the Department of Transitional Assistance. Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities. |
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)
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An Act requiring an audit to review the utilization of welfare benefits out-of-state.
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. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the office of the state auditor shall conduct an annual audit of the department of transitional assistance. The scope of the audit shall include a review of the following information from the previous fiscal year: the processes and internal controls that the department uses to verify and issue benefits to eligible recipients; how many individuals currently hold EBT cards; how many of those with cards are actively receiving benefits; the total amount of benefits that have been utilized out-of-state; how frequently benefits are used out-of-state; a list of locations where benefits are being spent out of state; and a breakdown of the demographic information of those receiving benefits.
SECTION 2. The office of the state auditor shall submit an annual report with its findings no later than January 1st each year, including any recommendations for how the department of transitional assistance can improve its processes to help detect and reduce potential recipient and retailer fraud, waste, or abuse, including improper use of benefits out-of-state. Additionally, the report shall examine factors that may be driving increased enrollment for benefits, and what projected fiscal and operational challenges the department of transitional assistance may face as a result.