SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1818        FILED ON: 1/16/2025

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 118

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Sal N. DiDomenico

_________________

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 lifting kids out of deep poverty.

_______________

PETITION OF:

SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1818        FILED ON: 1/16/2025

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 118

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE SENATE, NO. 75 OF 2023-2024.]

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)

_______________

An Act lifting kids out of deep poverty.

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 2 of chapter 118 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking the fourth paragraph and inserting in place thereof the following new paragraph:- "Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the payment standards for monthly benefits for the program not including the rental allowance shall be increased effective July first of each year beginning with July 1, 2025 by 20 percent above the payment standard in effect in the previous fiscal year until the payment standard for the household size equals 50 percent of the federal poverty level for the household size; provided further, that once the payment standard for the household size equals 50 percent of the federal poverty level for the household size, the payment standard shall be increased effective July first of each year in order that the payment standard shall be no less than 50% of the poverty level for the household size as determined by the federal Department of Health and Human Services; provided further, that the need standard and the payment amounts shall be further increased by the amount of a clothing allowance in the month for which it is paid and by the rental allowance for households incurring a rent or mortgage expense and not residing in public or subsidized housing."

SECTION 2. Section 1 of chapter 117A of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after the first paragraph the following new paragraph:- "Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the payment standards for monthly benefits for the program shall be increased effective July first of each year beginning with July 1, 2025 by 20 percent above the payment standard in effect in the previous fiscal year until the payment standard for the household size equals 50 percent of the federal poverty level for the household size; provided further, that once the payment standard for the household size equals 50 percent of the federal poverty level for the household size, the payment standard shall be increased effective July first of each year in order that the payment standard shall be no less than 50 percent of the poverty level for the household size as determined by the federal Department of Health and Human Services".