Massachusetts 2023-2024 Regular Session

Massachusetts House Bill H1863 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. 4072 FILED ON: 1/20/2023
3	3	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1863
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	Michael S. Day, (BY REQUEST)
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 for a minimum hourly health improvement wage.
13	13	_______________
14	14	PETITION OF:
15	15	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Vincent L. Dixon60 Lake Street Unit N Winchester
16	16	Massachusetts 01890
17	17	1/20/2023 1 of 3
18	18	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 4072 FILED ON: 1/20/2023
19	19	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1863
20	20	By Representative Day of Stoneham (by request), a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No.
21	21	1863) of Vincent L. Dixon relative to establishing minimum hourly health improvement wage.
22	22	Labor and Workforce Development.
23	23	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
24	24	_______________
25	25	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
26	26	(2023-2024)
27	27	_______________
28	28	An Act for a minimum hourly health improvement wage.
29	29	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
30	30	of the same, as follows:
31	31	1 SECTION 1. The Massachusetts General Laws are hereby amended by inserting the
32	32	2following new chapter:
33	33	3 An Act for a Minimum Hourly Health Improvement Wage.
34	34	4 1.) Healthcare costs, and insurance, are vital topics, and proper subjects of government
35	35	5operations, and public policy, for all residents of the Commonwealth; and so this Minimum
36	36	6Hourly Health Improvement Wage, is proposed, to assist in better health services, and financing.
37	37	7 2.) As economic conditions, have changed, sometimes in unfortunate ways, many
38	38	8individuals have found the need, or availability, to only be able to work at one or more, part-time
39	39	9jobs. Many, or even most of these positions, lack full benefits, further stressing these individual
40	40	10employees. In order to earn sufficient resources, and sometimes not enough, even then, many
41	41	11individuals are working, in excess of the number of hours of a full-time job, and despite the
42	42	12stress, and additional travel time, have challenged access to medical services. 2 of 3
43	43	13 3.) While various programs have been developed, and have varieties of value, medical
44	44	14services insurances, are still strongly associated with employment. Developments at the Federal
45	45	15level, as well as state circumstances, continue to evolve, and it is in this context that this
46	46	16legislation, is created.
47	47	17 4.) The Public Health Council (PHC), and the Department of Public Health (DPH), are
48	48	18hereby authorized, and empowered to analyze, and develop recommendations for a Minimum
49	49	19Health Care Improvement Wage. The PHC, and the DPH, shall have the power to establish
50	50	20suitable Regulations, for both the Pilot Programs, and implementation of full programs, after
51	51	21suitable Pilot Program development.
52	52	22 5.) An amount, shall be determined, by which each employee will receive a portable,
53	53	23health care insurance earning, for each, and every hour worked. In so doing, for example, if an
54	54	24employee worked two separate jobs, of 20 hours each, they would receive 40 hours of Minimum
55	55	25Health Care Improvement Wage. If an employee worked three separate jobs of 18 hours each,
56	56	26they would receive 54 hours of Minimum Health Care Improvement Wage, thereby also
57	57	27adjusting in some general way, for the risks, of excessive work hours, and stress.
58	58	28 6.) All employers, of at least 50 employees, would, and/or should find, an equality of
59	59	29operations, in terms of health care costs, since some amount would accrue to each employee, for
60	60	30each hour worked; in other words, a condition of business, would be the provision and/or
61	61	31contribution of some health care compensation.
62	62	32 7.) This Minimum Health Care Improvement Wage, can be first established, as a Pilot
63	63	33Program; after which, based on experience, it shall be recommended for full implementation. 3 of 3
64	64	34 8.) Costs of such a program, are a cost of doing business for an employer. Specific tax
65	65	35credits, during the Pilot Program period can, and should be, recommended, and implemented; to
66	66	36be further defined, and utilized, at the time of a more complete, comprehensive, and permanent
67	67	37program.
68	68	38 9.) Employers of less than 50 employees, would be entitled to voluntary participation,
69	69	39including specific tax credits, during the Pilot Program period.