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