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SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1843 FILED ON: 1/20/2023
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 117
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Michael O. Moore
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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 protecting safety net access for Massachusetts residents.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Michael O. MooreSecond WorcesterVanna Howard17th Middlesex2/2/2023 1 of 2
SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1843 FILED ON: 1/20/2023
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 117
By Mr. Moore, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 117) of Michael O. Moore and
Vanna Howard for legislation to protect safety net access for Massachusetts residents. Children,
Families and Persons with Disabilities.
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE SENATE, NO. 134 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 protecting safety net access for Massachusetts residents.
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. Section 5 of chapter 18 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2020
2Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the fourth paragraph the following
3paragraph:-
4 Upon being notified by the Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance
5(DCAMM) that a lease is set to expire, and by which the Department decides not to renew a
6lease or close the community service office, at least 120 days before taking steps to not renew a
7lease for or close a community service office and at least 120 days before soliciting any
8proposals for a lease for a community service office, the commissioner shall notify the local
9legislators of that region and the regional legal services of the proposed action, the community
10service office that would be affected, and the reasons for the proposed action. At the request of 2 of 2
11the legislature or legal services, the department shall provide testimony and data regarding its
12plans, including but not limited to a comparison of the current and proposed community service
13office locations for low-income households in the service area with respect to (a) transportation
14options, including the cost and frequency of public transit and travel time to and from the current
15and proposed location; (b) office hours; (c) access for seniors, persons with disabilities, persons
16who are needed to care for children or other family members; persons who are employed; (d) the
17availability of staff who speak the languages spoken by persons with limited English proficiency
18in the service area; (e) in areas where there are advisory boards the minutes showing that the
19board has been appraised of the intention to close or relocate; (f) surveys from its current
20recipients of how the proposed closure or relocation would affect them. The surveys shall be
21done in the recipients’ primary or preferred language in order to maximize participation and
22ensure equity; (g) a report of the community services, and community economic and social
23relations near the current and proposed community service office; (h) demographic and poverty
24rate data of the residents of both the current and proposed community service office location; and
25(i) other matters as requested by the said requester.