SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1741        FILED ON: 1/16/2025

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 147

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Robyn K. Kennedy

_________________

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 to replace stolen benefits.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

 

Robyn K. Kennedy

First Worcester

 

Bruce E. Tarr

First Essex and Middlesex

4/2/2025

Vanna Howard

17th Middlesex

4/3/2025

Susannah M. Whipps

2nd Franklin

4/4/2025

Joanne M. Comerford

Hampshire, Franklin and Worcester

4/8/2025


SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1741        FILED ON: 1/16/2025

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 147

By Ms. Kennedy, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 147) of Robyn K. Kennedy for legislation to replace stolen benefits relative to electronic benefit transfer fraud.  Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

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

_______________

 

An Act to replace stolen benefits.

 

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

Subsection (B) of Section 2 of chapter 18 of the General Laws, as so appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is hereby amended after line 172 by inserting the following new paragraph:-

(t). promptly replace the full amount of financial assistance or nutrition benefits stolen through electronic benefit transfer card skimming, card cloning or other fraudulent methods, including organized identity theft schemes, to the extent the federal government fails to provide  federal funds to replace stolen benefits, provided that the thefts have been reported to or identified by the Department in accordance with procedures for making and verifying replacement claims established by the department.