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| 2 | 2 | | HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1486 FILED ON: 1/15/2025 |
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| 3 | 3 | | HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 204 |
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| 4 | 4 | | The Commonwealth of Massachusetts |
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| 5 | 5 | | _________________ |
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| 6 | 6 | | PRESENTED BY: |
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| 7 | 7 | | Donald R. Berthiaume, Jr. |
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| 8 | 8 | | _________________ |
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| 9 | 9 | | To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General |
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| 10 | 10 | | Court assembled: |
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| 11 | 11 | | The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill: |
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| 12 | 12 | | An Act requiring the documentation of child counsel appointments. |
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| 13 | 13 | | _______________ |
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| 14 | 14 | | PETITION OF: |
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| 15 | 15 | | NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Donald R. Berthiaume, Jr.5th Worcester1/15/2025 1 of 1 |
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| 16 | 16 | | HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1486 FILED ON: 1/15/2025 |
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| 17 | 17 | | HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 204 |
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| 18 | 18 | | By Representative Berthiaume of Spencer, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 204) of |
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| 19 | 19 | | Donald R. Berthiaume, Jr. relative to the Department of Children and Families providing official |
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| 20 | 20 | | documentation of child counsel appointments. Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities. |
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| 21 | 21 | | [SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION |
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| 22 | 22 | | SEE HOUSE, NO. 133 OF 2023-2024.] |
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| 23 | 23 | | The Commonwealth of Massachusetts |
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| 24 | 24 | | _______________ |
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| 25 | 25 | | In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court |
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| 26 | 26 | | (2025-2026) |
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| 27 | 27 | | _______________ |
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| 28 | 28 | | An Act requiring the documentation of child counsel appointments. |
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| 29 | 29 | | Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority |
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| 30 | 30 | | of the same, as follows: |
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| 31 | 31 | | 1 Section 29 of Chapter 119 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2018 Official Edition, |
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| 32 | 32 | | 2is hereby amended by adding at the end thereof the following paragraph:- Counsel under the |
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| 33 | 33 | | 3department shall meet on a quarterly basis with any child currently in the custody of the |
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| 34 | 34 | | 4department. The department shall provide official documentation, which shall be subject to |
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| 35 | 35 | | 5approval to any relevant commission, social worker, foster parent, or guardian to confirm the |
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| 36 | 36 | | 6validity of said quarterly meeting. Counsel shall present documentation prior to compensation |
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| 37 | 37 | | 7for said quarterly meetings. |
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