Amendment ID: S2708-56-R2

2nd Redraft Amendment 56

Creating a regional response to prevent homelessness and updating membership of the commission

Ms. Kennedy, Ms. Comerford, Mr. Oliveira, Ms. Jehlen and Messrs. Montigny and Payano move that the proposed new text be amended in section 2A, by inserting after the word “services”, in line 26, the following words:- “focused on equitable regional programs”; and

in said section 2A, by striking out, in lines 25 through 33, inclusive, the words “provided, that funds shall be expended for housing intervention services and workforce supports including, but not limited to, (i) financial and administrative assistance in applying for work authorization upon application for benefits through the emergency housing assistance program ; (ii) English language instruction to non-English speaking or limited English speaking families or pregnant women receiving benefits through the emergency housing assistance program; (iii) job-related skills training; and (iv) employment training, including programs offered by local workforce development boards and career centers; and provided further, that not less than $2,000,000 shall be expended for resettlement agencies”” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- “provided that $7,000,000 shall be expended to the resettlement agencies and providers with contracts through the emergency housing assistance program to support regional, flexible funds to preserve tenancies and rapidly house families through supports including but not limited to (i) housing intervention services; (ii) financial and administrative assistance in applying for federal work authorization upon application for benefits through the emergency housing assistance program; and (iii) English language instruction to non-English speaking or limited English speaking families or pregnant women receiving benefits through the emergency housing assistance program; provided further, that said funds shall be distributed in a manner that shall consider geographic equity; provided further that not less than $3,000,000 shall be expended for employment training programs, including programs offered by local workforce development boards and career centers; and provided further that funds appropriated in this item shall be distributed not later than the 30 days after the effective date of this act”; and

in section 3, by striking out, in line 38, the word “a”, and inserting in place thereof the following words:- “an individual”; and

in section 11, by striking out, in line 148, the word “the” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- a member of the executive branch to be appointed by the governor, who is leading efforts to respond to the humanitarian crisis in the shelter system, who shall serve as chair”; and

in said section 11, by striking out, in line 149, the words “, who shall serve as chair”; and

in said section 11, by striking out, in line 156, the words “study shall include” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- “commission shall consider the work and research of past commissions and further investigate, evaluate and make recommendations on items including”;  and

in said section 11, by inserting after the word “services”, in line 174, the following words:- “; (ix) identifying critical prevention strategies and necessary resources and structures to prevent homelessness among the emergency housing assistance program benefit recipients; and (x) identifying any necessary support systems to assist recipients of emergency housing assistance program benefits in making successful transitions to permanent housing within a specified timeframe”.