1 of 1
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1138 FILED ON: 1/18/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1960
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_________________
PRESENTED BY:
Marcus S. Vaughn
_________________
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 relative to the prevention of unemployment fraud.
_______________
PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Marcus S. Vaughn9th Norfolk1/18/2023 1 of 2
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1138 FILED ON: 1/18/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1960
By Representative Vaughn of Wrentham, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1960) of
Marcus S. Vaughn for legislation to establish a special commission (including members of the
General Court) to study and report on the policies and procedures of the Department of
Unemployment Assistance to prevent and address unemployment fraud. Labor and Workforce
Development.
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 1965 OF 2021-2022.]
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_______________
In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)
_______________
An Act relative to the prevention of unemployment fraud.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 Notwithstanding any general or special laws to the contrary, there shall be established a
2commission to study and report on the policies and procedures of the department of
3unemployment assistance to prevent and address unemployment fraud. The commission shall:
4(1) identify and review current policies to prevent and address fraudulent unemployment claims;
5(2) compile and review data concerning the frequency and extent of unemployment fraud that
6has occurred during the 2019 novel coronavirus pandemic, also known as COVID-19; (3)
7evaluate the effectiveness of current policies to prevent unemployment fraud; and (4)
8recommend evidence-based strategies or policies that can be established to prevent future
9fraudulent unemployment claims. 2 of 2
10 The commission shall be composed of 8 members as follows: the secretary of labor and
11workforce development or a designee, who shall serve as chair; the speaker of the house of
12representatives or a designee; the president of the senate or a designee; the house minority leader
13or a designee; the senate minority leader or a designee; the director of the department of
14unemployment assistance or a designee; the state auditor or a designee; and the attorney general
15or a designee.
16 The commission shall submit a final report with its findings and any recommendations to
17the clerks of the house of representative and the senate and the joint committee on labor and
18workforce development not later than December 31, 2021.