SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2610

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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

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SENATE, September 22, 2025.

The committee on Education to whom was referred the petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 406) of Joan B. Lovely for legislation relative to recovery high schools, report the accompanying bill (Senate, No. 2610).

For the committee,

Jason M. Lewis

        FILED ON: 9/17/2025

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2610

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_______________

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

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An Act relative to recovery high schools.

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

Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the department of elementary and secondary education, in consultation with the principals of the 5 recovery high schools in the commonwealth, shall: (i) examine the costs associated with sending students to a recovery high school, as defined in subsection (a) of section 91 of chapter 71 of the General Laws; (ii) determine the average cost per pupil at recovery high schools in the commonwealth; and (iii) determine, in consultation with the department of public health, whether enrollment in a recovery high school should require a medical diagnosis of “substance use disorder or dependency, as defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders IV-TR”.  

The department shall submit its findings to the chairs of the house and senate committees on ways and means, the chairs of the joint committee on education and the chairs of the joint committee on mental health, substance use and recovery not later than June 30, 2026.