Amendment #24 to H5562

Barriers to employment for low-income workers

Mr. LeBoeuf of Worcester moves to amend the bill by adding the following section:

“SECTION XXXX.

SECTION 1. (a) Notwithstanding any special or general law to the contrary, there shall be a special commission established to conduct a study and make recommendations on the barriers faced by low-income workers to finding and maintaining jobs in the commonwealth. The commission shall consist of 17 members, as follows: the house and senate chairs of the joint committee on labor and workforce development, who shall serve as co-chairs; the secretary of executive office of labor and workforce development or their designee; the secretary of the executive office of transportation or their designee; the secretary of the executive office of economic development or their designee; the director of the department of transitional assistance or their designee; the secretary of the executive office of health and human services or their designee; 2 members appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives; 2 members appointed by the president of the senate; 6 persons appointed by the co-chairs, of whom 2 whom shall be members of the business community; 2 shall have expertise working with low-income workers; and 2 shall be members of the labor community, of which 1 shall be a shall be recommended by the Massachusetts AFL-CIO.

(b) The commission shall examine and make recommendations on topics including, but not limited to: (i) barriers that exist in Massachusetts that prevent low-income workers from finding and retaining jobs with sustainable wages, with attention given to the distinct needs of immigrant workers; (ii) strategies that the commonwealth could employ that would help to address barriers to job retention for low-income workers; (iii) Massachusetts laws and regulations that are currently in place, or could be put in place, that assist or hamper this population from maintaining jobs with a sustainable wage; (iv) holistic and wraparound service approaches and programs that the commonwealth could explore to prevent a fragmented and inefficient response to addressing these barriers; and (v) the financial repercussions of and recommended formulaic assistance to mitigate the “cliff effect” in which low-income persons securing minimal income increases suddenly become ineligible for critical benefits programs that are needed to support themselves and their families.

(c) The commission may hold hearings and invite testimony from experts and the public to gather information. The commission may involve other experts, stakeholders and members of the public in its work through listening and working group sessions or whatever other mechanisms the commission chooses.

(d) The commission shall file its recommendations, including any drafts of legislation or regulations necessary to carry out its recommendations, not later than March 1, 2027."".