Massachusetts 2023-2024 Regular Session

Massachusetts House Bill H152 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	1 of 1
2	2	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2633 FILED ON: 1/19/2023
3	3	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 152
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	Paul J. Donato
8	8	_________________
9	9	To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
10	10	Court assembled:
11	11	The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
12	12	An Act to amend the structure of the Commission of Grandparents Raising Grandchildren.
13	13	_______________
14	14	PETITION OF:
15	15	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Paul J. Donato35th Middlesex1/19/2023 1 of 3
16	16	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2633 FILED ON: 1/19/2023
17	17	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 152
18	18	By Representative Donato of Medford, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 152) of Paul
19	19	J. Donato relative to the structure of the commission of Grandparents Raising Grandchildren.
20	20	Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities.
21	21	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
22	22	_______________
23	23	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
24	24	(2023-2024)
25	25	_______________
26	26	An Act to amend the structure of the Commission of Grandparents Raising Grandchildren.
27	27	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
28	28	of the same, as follows:
29	29	1 Chapter 3, Section 69 of the General Laws is hereby amended as follows:
30	30	2 Strike paragraph (a) and replace with the following:
31	31	3 There shall be a permanent commission on the status of grandparents raising
32	32	4grandchildren which shall consist of 21 persons as follows: 3 persons appointed by the secretary
33	33	5of elder affairs, 1 of whom shall be from the secretary's office; 3 persons appointed by the
34	34	6commissioner of children and families, 1 of whom who shall be from the department, 2 of whom
35	35	7shall be grandparents or kinship caregivers with current or past experience raising minor
36	36	8children; 1 person appointed by the commissioner of the department of transitional assistance; 2
37	37	9persons appointed by the governor; 2 persons appointed by the speaker of the house of
38	38	10representatives, 1 of whom shall be a member of the house; 1 person appointed by the house
39	39	11minority leader; 2 persons appointed by the president of the senate, 1 of whom shall be a member
40	40	12of the senate; 1 person appointed by the senate minority leader; 1 person appointed by the 2 of 3
41	41	13attorney general; 1 person appointed by the chief justice of the probate and family court who
42	42	14shall have a demonstrated commitment to the rearing of grandchildren by grandparents; 1 person
43	43	15to be appointed by the chief justice of the juvenile court who shall have a demonstrated
44	44	16commitment to the rearing of grandchildren by grandparents; and 3 persons who shall be
45	45	17grandparents or kinship caregivers with current or past experience raising minor children, who
46	46	18shall be nominated for appointment by the officers of the commission and appointed by a
47	47	19majority vote of the commissioners present and voting. Members of the commission shall be
48	48	20residents of the commonwealth who have demonstrated a commitment to the rearing of
49	49	21grandchildren by grandparents.
50	50	22 Strike paragraph (b) and replace with the following:
51	51	23 (b) Members shall serve terms of 4 years and until their successors are appointed.
52	52	24Vacancies in the membership of the commission shall be filled by the original appointing
53	53	25authority for the balance of the unexpired term. All appointments shall be made in consultation
54	54	26with the Commission on the Status of Grandparents Raising Grandchildren. Nominations for
55	55	27members shall be solicited by the appointing authorities between August 1 and September 16 of
56	56	28each year through an open application process.
57	57	29 Strike paragraph ( e) and replace with the following:
58	58	30 (e) The commission shall be a resource to the commonwealth on issues affecting
59	59	31grandparents raising grandchildren in the commonwealth. In furtherance of that responsibility,
60	60	32the commission shall: (1) foster unity among grandparents raising grandchildren communities
61	61	33and organizations in the commonwealth by promoting cooperation and sharing of information
62	62	34and encouraging collaboration and joint activities; (2) serve as a liaison between government and 3 of 3
63	63	35private interest groups with regard to matters of unique interest and concern to grandparents
64	64	36raising grandchildren in the commonwealth; (3) assess programs, regulations, and practices in all
65	65	37state agencies as they affect grandparents raising grandchildren, as the commission deems
66	66	38necessary and appropriate, and advocate for changes the commission deems necessary and
67	67	39appropriate; (4) advise executive and legislative bodies of the potential effect of proposed
68	68	40legislation on grandparents raising grandchildren, as the commission deems necessary and
69	69	41appropriate, and advocate for changes the commission deems necessary and appropriate; (5)
70	70	42investigate the merits of the establishment of a state agency dedicated to grandparents issues and
71	71	43determine how such agency would be set up; and (6) identify issues that are faced by relatives,
72	72	44other than parents, who are raising children