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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3472 FILED ON: 1/20/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 167
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Paul K. Frost
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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 to provide a pilot program for low interest loans to families with a child suffering from a
terminal illness.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Paul K. Frost7th Worcester1/20/2023 1 of 2
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3472 FILED ON: 1/20/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 167
By Representative Frost of Auburn, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 167) of Paul K.
Frost relative to providing low interest loans to families with children suffering from terminal
illnesses. Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities.
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 215 OF 2021-2022.]
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)
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An Act to provide a pilot program for low interest loans to families with a child suffering from a
terminal illness.
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. The Commonwealth, through the Department of Health and Human
2Services, shall institute a pilot program to provide a one time loan, up to and not in excess of ten
3thousand dollars to thirty individuals in the Commonwealth to assist them in the payment of
4expenses directly resulting from expenditures incurred due to a child being diagnosed with a
5terminal illness.
6 SECTION 2. The application process for the purpose of meeting the eligibility
7requirements for this act shall be in accordance with the standards and guidelines established by
8the Department of Public Health. The definition of “terminal illness” for the purpose of this Act 2 of 2
9shall mean an illness which is likely, within a reasonable degree of medical certainty, to cause
10death within six months.
11 SECTION 3. The terms of the loan shall be determined by the Department of Health and
12Human Services and shall not exceed in any situation an amount greater than ten thousand
13dollars. Interest collected on the loan shall be set at either 2% or the current interest rate at the
14time of the loan; whichever is higher.
15 SECTION 4. The loan shall only be used for those expenditures incurred as a direct result
16of attending to the terminally ill family member. Receipts, bills, cancelled checks or any other
17form of payment shall be available to the Department of Public Health upon request to verify any
18expenditures relative to the loan.
19 SECTION 5. Upon meeting the eligibility requirements for the loan, said loan shall be
20placed in a separate account with access for both Department of Health and Human Services and
21the individual who accepted the loan.
22 SECTION 6. Repayment of the loan with the appropriate interest shall begin one year to
23the date after the loan was issued to the recipient. Payment will be due on the first of the month
24until the terms set in the loan agreement are paid in full. Failure to comply with the terms of the
25loan agreement at any time shall result in the rate of interest being set at 15% for the remainder
26of the loan.