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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 78 FILED ON: 1/7/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 214
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_________________
PRESENTED BY:
Jeffrey N. Roy and Smitty Pignatelli
_________________
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 a loan repayment program for human services workers.
_______________
PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Jeffrey N. Roy10th Norfolk1/4/2023Smitty Pignatelli3rd Berkshire1/11/2023Mindy Domb3rd Hampshire1/19/2023Sean Garballey23rd Middlesex1/23/2023Hannah Kane11th Worcester1/26/2023Sal N. DiDomenicoMiddlesex and Suffolk1/26/2023Angelo J. Puppolo, Jr.12th Hampden1/26/2023Brian W. Murray10th Worcester2/6/2023Tackey Chan2nd Norfolk2/6/2023Margaret R. Scarsdale1st Middlesex2/6/2023Joseph D. McKenna18th Worcester2/6/2023Mathew J. Muratore1st Plymouth2/6/2023Susannah M. Whipps2nd Franklin2/6/2023Michael D. BradySecond Plymouth and Norfolk2/6/2023David Henry Argosky LeBoeuf17th Worcester2/6/2023James C. Arena-DeRosa8th Middlesex2/6/2023Michael J. BarrettThird Middlesex2/6/2023Vanna Howard17th Middlesex2/6/2023 2 of 2
Michael P. Kushmerek3rd Worcester2/6/2023Ryan M. Hamilton15th Essex2/6/2023William J. Driscoll, Jr.7th Norfolk2/6/2023Jennifer Balinsky Armini8th Essex2/6/2023Steven Owens29th Middlesex2/6/2023Daniel Cahill10th Essex2/6/2023William C. Galvin6th Norfolk2/6/2023Jack Patrick Lewis7th Middlesex2/6/2023James J. O'Day14th Worcester2/14/2023Kimberly N. Ferguson1st Worcester2/14/2023Natalie M. Higgins4th Worcester2/14/2023Thomas M. Stanley9th Middlesex2/14/2023Carole A. Fiola6th Bristol2/14/2023Christopher Hendricks11th Bristol2/14/2023Christopher J. Worrell5th Suffolk2/14/2023Patrick M. O'ConnorFirst Plymouth and Norfolk2/14/2023Michelle M. DuBois10th Plymouth2/14/2023Steven S. Howitt4th Bristol2/14/2023Tricia Farley-Bouvier2nd Berkshire2/14/2023Brian M. Ashe2nd Hampden2/14/2023Daniel M. Donahue16th Worcester2/14/2023Colleen M. Garry36th Middlesex2/14/2023Samantha Montaño15th Suffolk2/14/2023Carol A. Doherty3rd Bristol2/22/2023Adrian C. Madaro1st Suffolk2/22/2023 1 of 3
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 78 FILED ON: 1/7/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 214
By Representatives Roy of Franklin and Pignatelli of Lenox, a petition (accompanied by bill,
House, No. 214) of Jeffrey N. Roy, Smitty Pignatelli and others for legislation to establish a
student loan repayment program for human service workers to encourage individuals to enter the
field and maintain employment at human service programs. Children, Families and Persons with
Disabilities.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)
_______________
An Act relative to a loan repayment program for human services workers.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 Chapter 6A of the General Laws, as so appearing in the 2018 Official Edition, is hereby
2amended by inserting after section 16Z the following new section:-
3
4 Section 16AA. (a) As used in this section, the following words shall, unless the context
5clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings:
6 “human service provider,” a community-based human services organization with a
7human services program funded by the Executive Office of Health and Human Services, the
8Executive Office of Elder Affairs, the Department of Housing and Community Development or
9the Department of Early Education and Care. 2 of 3
10 “human services worker,” an employee of a human service provider who provides
11treatment, support or services to clients or their families.
12 “qualified education loan,” any indebtedness, including interest on such indebtedness,
13incurred to pay tuition or other direct expenses incurred in the connection with the pursuit of a
14certificate, undergraduate or graduate degree by an applicant. It shall not include loans made by
15any person related to the applicant.
16 (b) There shall be a student loan repayment program for human service workers to
17encourage individuals to enter the field and maintain employment at human service programs.
18The Executive Office of Health and Human Services shall administer the program in accordance
19with guidelines promulgate by the Department of Higher Education.
20 (c) To be eligible for the program, a participant must be working a minimum of 35 hours
21per week as a human services worker. Further, individuals must have maintained 12 consecutive
22months of employment as a human service worker at a minimum of 35 hours per week to be
23eligible for this program. This program will help defray costs from previously incurred student
24loans for graduates holding a certificate or undergraduate/graduate degrees.
25 (d) Priority for funding should be given to applicants who have an individual salary less
26than 50 percent of the median income; who are bilingual; who are living and/or working in a
27vaccine equity initiative community; or how have worked in the direct care field for three or
28more years.
29 (e) Applicants will be eligible for up to $6,000 if they have an associate degree, up to
30$20,000 if they have a bachelor’s degree and up to $30,000 if they have a master’s degree. 3 of 3
31 (f) Other eligibility criteria may created to determine how applicants to the program
32should be prioritized and how much funding each would be able to apply for.