Amendment #1278 to H4600

Immigrant Assistance Services Program

Mr. González of Springfield moves to amend the bill in section 2, in item 4003-0111, by adding the following: “; provided, that not less than $2,200,000 shall be expended for an immigrant assistance services program to be administered by the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition to provide limited legal and case management services to newly-arrived immigrants and asylum seekers who are in emergency shelter or who are eligible for emergency shelter assistance; provided further, that funds shall be subgranted to community-based organizations, refugee resettlement agencies, non-profit organizations, family resource centers, and local partners to provide these services, including but not limited to legal screenings, work authorization assistance, employment services programming and other non-housing-related supports for newly-arrived immigrants and refugees; provided further, that funds may be used for both direct assistance and administrative costs; and provided further, that the office of refugees and immigrants shall submit quarterly reports to the house and senate committees on ways and means identifying the recipient organizations of such funds, the amounts distributed to each, and the number of newly-arrived immigrants and refugees served by each until the exhaustion of funds in this item”; and in said item, by striking the figure “$1,002,210” and inserting in place thereof “$3,202,210”.

Additional co-sponsor(s) added to Amendment #1278 to H4600

Immigrant Assistance Services Program