HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3624        FILED ON: 1/17/2025

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No.         

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Natalie M. Blais

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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 establishing a special commission on paid family and medical leave for public employees.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3624        FILED ON: 1/17/2025

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No.         

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 establishing a special commission on paid family and medical leave for public employees.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

There shall be a special commission pursuant to section 2A of chapter 4 of the General Laws to study the socio-economic impacts of and possible funding mechanisms for providing public and quasi-public employees with universal paid family and medical leave, as established under chapter 175M of the General Laws.

The commission shall study and prepare a report including, but not limited to: (i) the costs associated with providing universal paid family medical leave to all public employees; (ii) the available or potential new funding mechanisms to establish state universal paid family medical leave for all public employees; (iii) the socio-economic impacts for workforce and economic development in the commonwealth of providing universal paid family and medical leave for all public employees, and the socio-economic impacts for workforce and economic development in the commonwealth of not providing universal paid family and medical leave for all public employees; (iv) the equity gap for women, individuals who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer and individuals from historically marginalized communities in paid family and medical leave coverage; and (v) recommendations to implement universal paid family and medical leave for all public and employees in the commonwealth.

The commission shall include the house and senate chairs of the joint committee on labor and workforce development, who shall serve as co-chairs, the governor or a designee, the speaker of the house of representatives or a designee, the president of the senate or a designee, the minority leader of the house of representatives or a designee, the minority leader of the senate or a designee, the house and senate chairs of the joint committee on education or a designee, the chairs of the joint committee on municipalities and regional government or a designee, a member of the commission on the status of women, a member of the commission on the status of African Americans, a member of the commission on the status of Latinos and Latinas, and 1 member to be appointed by each of the following organizations: the Massachusetts Municipal Association, the Massachusetts Taxpayer Foundation, the Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center, the Massachusetts Teachers Association, and SEIU Local 509. Members shall not receive compensation for their services but may receive reimbursement for the reasonable expenses incurred in carrying out their responsibilities as members of the commission. The department of revenue shall provide reasonable technical assistance, as needed, to the chairs of the commission.

Prior to issuing its recommendations, the commission shall conduct not fewer than 3 public hearings across regions of the commonwealth. The commission shall file its report on or before July 30, 2026. A copy of the report and recommendations shall be made publicly available on the Massachusetts legislature’s website, submitted to the secretary of the executive office of labor and workforce development, the secretary of administration and finance, the speaker of the house and the president of the senate and the clerks of the senate and house of representatives.