Hearing DetailsJoint Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities

Event Details

Status:

Completed

Event Date:

Tuesday, October 21, 2025

Start Time:

1:00 PM

Location:

B-1 and Virtual

Event Description

EOHHS

The Joint Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities will hold a hybrid public hearing to solicit written and oral testimony in-person and remotely on the following bills that pertain to: EOHHS

This hearing will be chaired by Senate Chair Robyn Kennedy. CART services and ASL interpretation will be available. All matters filed in the House that are listed above are required to be reported on by December 20, 2025, subject to extensions consistent with House Rule 27.

The public is invited to participate in this hearing. To sign up to provide oral testimony, please fill out this link. Sign-ups for oral testimony will close on Friday, October 17th at 1:00 PM, but same-day, in-person testimony will be accepted, time permitting. Please note, you will not be able to sign up for virtual testimony on the day of the hearing.

The Chairs will limit testimony to 3 minutes per speaker and 6 minutes for a panel. There is no limit to the number of people permitted to be on a panel, although the Chairs do not recommend panels that are larger than 3 people. Please note, to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to testify, each person is only permitted to testify once throughout the entirety of the hearing.

Written testimony may be submitted to the Joint Committee via email and will be accepted until the bill is acted upon. Written testimony on House bills should be sent to Audrey Herrman (Audrey.Herrmann@mahouse.gov) and written testimony on Senate bills should sent to Olivia Mathot (Olivia.mathot@masenate.gov).

Note: All written testimony received by the Committee will be made publicly available, provided however, the Chairs may limit and redact testimony that includes sensitive personal information or information that may jeopardize the health, wellness, or safety of the testifier or others.

If you have any questions regarding the hearing, legislation, format of the hearing, or reasonable accommodations required to ensure people with disabilities can participate fully in the committee process, please email: Olivia Mathot in Chair Kennedy’s Office, at (Olivia.mathot@masenate.gov) or Audrey Herrman in Chair Livingstone’s Office, at (Audrey.Herrmann@mahouse.gov).

The bills will be heard in the order displayed on the hearing notice with House and Senate companion bills heard together. Please be advised that the schedule and agenda are subject to change at the discretion of the Chairs.

If you have Accessibility needs, click here.

Item Name	Start Time	Duration	Webcast
Joint Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities - 10-21-2025	10/21/2025 1:00 PM	01:57:11

EOHHS 1:00pm - 5:00pm

Bill	Bill Title	Sponsor
H.197	Resolve for a foster care liability insurance special commission	James C. Arena-DeRosa
H.199	An Act to amend the safe haven law to extend the timeframe for voluntary placement of newborns	Jennifer Balinsky Armini
H.217	An Act relative to ensuring resources and support for pregnant and parenting families	David F. DeCoste
H.233	An Act relative to children’s advocacy centers and the Massachusetts children’s alliance	Michael J. Finn
H.237	An Act authorizing the Executive office of Health and Human Services to establish a direct care worker medication administration program registry	Brandy Fluker-Reid
H.255	An Act relative to enabling access and empowering early educators	Michael P. Kushmerek
H.267	An Act to provide notice to counsel of changes in a child’s placement and other events	Joan Meschino
H.272	An Act to protect maternal health	Samantha Montaño
H.274	An Act establishing a bill of rights for individuals experiencing homelessness	Frank A. Moran
H.290	An Act allowing certain minors to consent to supportive services	Steven Ultrino
H.294	An Act to establish the Leslie law	Christopher J. Worrell
H.4216	An Act to promote equitable hair care for children in state custody	Brandy Fluker-Reid
H.4258	An Act relative to allowing spouses to serve as paid caregivers	Adam J. Scanlon
S.103	An Act to establish the Leslie law	Nick Collins
S.112	An Act relative to Children’s Advocacy Centers	Julian Cyr
S.115	An Act establishing a Massachusetts children’s cabinet	Sal N. DiDomenico
S.132	An Act allowing certain minors to consent to supportive services	Adam Gómez
S.145	An Act relative to supporting survivors of domestic violence and enhancing child welfare	Robyn K. Kennedy
S.152	An Act relative to preventing sexual abuse of children and youth by adults in positions of authority or trust	Joan B. Lovely
S.161	An Act providing for a guaranteed cash stipend for young adults transitioning out of foster care	Liz Miranda
S.162	An Act authorizing the Executive Office of Health and Human Services to establish a Direct Care Worker Medication Administration Program Registry	Liz Miranda
S.171	An Act to support maternal health	Rebecca L. Rausch
S.1413	An Act to promote victim service funding	Mark C. Montigny

Present (10)

Robyn K. Kennedy (SEN)

Jay D. Livingstone (HOU)

Kate Donaghue (HOU)

Michelle M. DuBois (HOU)

Lisa Field (HOU)

David Henry Argosky LeBoeuf (HOU)

John J. Marsi (HOU)

Thomas W. Moakley (HOU)

Patrick M. O'Connor (SEN)

Rebecca L. Rausch (SEN)

Hearing Conflicts (7)

Lydia Edwards (SEN)
*Another committee hearing

James B. Eldridge (SEN)
*Another committee hearing

Judith A. Garcia (HOU)
*Attended official visit of ICE Detention Center

Liz Miranda (SEN)
*Another committee hearing

Aaron L. Saunders (HOU)
*Legislative business outside of the State House

Danillo A. Sena (HOU)
*Attended official visit of ICE Detention Center/hearing conflict

Alyson M. Sullivan-Almeida (HOU)
*Maternity leave/district event

Hearing DetailsJoint Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities

Search the Legislature