SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2461        FILED ON: 1/17/2025

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1333

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Barry R. Finegold

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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 annual report on the labor market needs of the Commonwealth.

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PETITION OF:

SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2461        FILED ON: 1/17/2025

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1333

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 annual report on the labor market needs of the Commonwealth.

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

Chapter 23 of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the following new section:-

Section 27. (a) The secretary of labor and workforce development, in collaboration with the secretary of education and the secretary economic development, shall produce an annual report on the status of the commonwealth’s job market at the time of the report and an analysis of the labor market need for the ensuing  5-year period as necessary to ensure the economic competitiveness of the commonwealth. Said report should include, but not be limited to:

(i) recommendations related to policies and investments to ensure the state has the necessary workforce to address any known or reasonably anticipated future labor market needs, including identification of those business sectors poised to experience growth and anticipated gaps in filling employment need in such sectors;

(ii) a progress report on the status of career pathway programs in the commonwealth’s high schools, in higher education and in workforce training programs in targeted industries; and

(iii) an analysis of data regarding the skills required for jobs in key industries as identified by the secretary of labor and workforce development or enumerated in line 7002-8070 of section 2 of chapter 238 of the Acts of 2024.

(b) Not later than December 31, the secretary of labor and workforce development, in collaboration with the secretary of education and the secretary economic development, shall annually make such report, along with any related recommendations, available to the public. Not later than December 31, the secretary of labor and workforce development shall submit such annual report to the office of the governor and relevant state agencies for the purpose of guiding decision-making in said agencies with regard to policy adoption and development and state funding investments and to the house and senate committees on ways and means.