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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3474 FILED ON: 1/20/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 168
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 establishing the employability task force.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Paul K. Frost7th Worcester1/20/2023 1 of 2
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3474 FILED ON: 1/20/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 168
By Representative Frost of Auburn, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 168) of Paul K.
Frost for legislation to establish a special task force (including members of the General Court) to
review and report on the economic impact of welfare reform in the Commonwealth. Children,
Families and Persons with Disabilities.
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 216 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 establishing the employability task force.
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. There shall be a special task force to review and report on the economic impact
2of welfare reform in the state of Massachusetts. The task force shall consist of 10 members: the
3house and senate chairs of the joint committees on economic development and emerging
4technologies and labor and workforce development, or their designees, who shall serve as the co-
5chairs of the task force; a member of the general court appointed by the senate minority leader; a
6member of the general court appointed by the house minority leader; the executive director of the
7Massachusetts Workforce Development Board, or a designee; the executive director of the
8RaiseUp Massachusetts, or a designee; and 2 persons to be appointed by the secretary of labor
9and workforce development, 1 of whom shall be an employee of the commonwealth in the office 2 of 2
10of the secretary of labor and workforce development, and 1 of whom shall be selected from the
11Board of Directors of the Massachusetts Economic Development Council .
12 The task force shall: (i) identify and review the state laws, regulations, and administrative
13directives that relate to welfare; (ii) review the connection between the low unemployment rate
14as well as the current need for employees in key Massachusetts labor sectors and identify the
15welfare minimum eligibility requirements potentially impeding employment; (iii) identify and
16propose new welfare eligibility requirements based on updated economic and labor statistics; and
17(iv) develop recommendations to establish legislative procedures that reduce citizens on welfare
18while maintaining a low unemployment rate in the state of Massachusetts.
19 The task force shall submit a report, including any draft legislation and regulations, to the
20clerks of the house of representatives and the senate within 12 months of the passage of this act.