1 of 2
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2684 FILED ON: 1/19/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 135
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_________________
PRESENTED BY:
Antonio F. D. Cabral and Judith A. Garcia
_________________
To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
An Act establishing basic needs assistance for Massachusetts immigrant residents.
_______________
PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Antonio F. D. Cabral13th Bristol1/19/2023Judith A. Garcia11th Suffolk1/19/2023Joanne M. ComerfordHampshire, Franklin and Worcester1/25/2023Danillo A. Sena37th Middlesex1/25/2023James C. Arena-DeRosa8th Middlesex1/25/2023Sal N. DiDomenicoMiddlesex and Suffolk1/25/2023Jack Patrick Lewis7th Middlesex1/25/2023Michael D. BradySecond Plymouth and Norfolk1/26/2023Lindsay N. Sabadosa1st Hampshire1/26/2023Christopher Hendricks11th Bristol1/26/2023James K. Hawkins2nd Bristol1/27/2023Christine P. Barber34th Middlesex1/27/2023Christopher J. Worrell5th Suffolk1/27/2023Paul A. Schmid, III8th Bristol2/1/2023Vanna Howard17th Middlesex2/1/2023Tackey Chan2nd Norfolk2/1/2023Patricia A. Duffy5th Hampden2/2/2023Thomas M. Stanley9th Middlesex2/2/2023 2 of 2
Jon Santiago9th Suffolk2/6/2023Mindy Domb3rd Hampshire2/6/2023Michelle M. DuBois10th Plymouth2/7/2023Natalie M. Higgins4th Worcester2/9/2023Sean Garballey23rd Middlesex2/10/2023Steven Owens29th Middlesex2/12/2023Frank A. Moran17th Essex2/13/2023Mike Connolly26th Middlesex2/13/2023Adrian C. Madaro1st Suffolk2/13/2023Jay D. Livingstone8th Suffolk2/14/2023David Henry Argosky LeBoeuf17th Worcester2/16/2023James J. O'Day14th Worcester2/21/2023Rob Consalvo14th Suffolk2/23/2023Samantha Montaño15th Suffolk2/23/2023Dylan A. FernandesBarnstable, Dukes and Nantucket2/24/2023Susannah M. Whipps2nd Franklin2/27/2023Carlos González10th Hampden3/1/2023Angelo J. Puppolo, Jr.12th Hampden3/1/2023Michelle L. Ciccolo15th Middlesex3/2/2023James B. EldridgeMiddlesex and Worcester3/4/2023 1 of 2
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2684 FILED ON: 1/19/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 135
By Representatives Cabral of New Bedford and Garcia of Chelsea, a petition (accompanied by
bill, House, No. 135) of Antonio F. D. Cabral, Judith A. Garcia and others for legislation to
establish basic needs assistance for Massachusetts immigrant residents. Children, Families and
Persons with Disabilities.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_______________
In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)
_______________
An Act establishing basic needs assistance for Massachusetts immigrant residents.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 SECTION 1. Chapter 18 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2020 Official Edition,
2is hereby amended by inserting after section 39 the following new section:
3 Section 40. The department of transitional assistance shall, subject to appropriation,
4provide the following basic needs benefits to persons residing in the Commonwealth who are
5lawfully admitted for permanent residence or are otherwise permanently residing in the United
6States under color of law: a) cash assistance and related benefits to children, pregnant women
7and caretaker adults who meet the eligibility requirements of Chapter 118 of the General Laws
8except for the program requirements related to immigration status or citizenship and b)
9nutritional assistance benefits to persons who meet the eligibility requirements of the
10Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program except for the program requirements related to
11immigration status or citizenship. The basic needs benefits authorized under this section shall be
12provided at the same level and subject to the same requirements as benefits provided under 2 of 2
13Chapter 118 or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, with the exception of the
14immigration status or citizenship requirements of those programs.