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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 671 FILED ON: 1/10/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2074
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_________________
PRESENTED BY:
Tackey Chan and Francisco E. Paulino
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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 wages of employees who receive wages through an electronic wage card.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Tackey Chan2nd Norfolk1/10/2025Francisco E. Paulino16th Essex1/10/2025 1 of 2
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 671 FILED ON: 1/10/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2074
By Representatives Chan of Quincy and Paulino of Methuen, a petition (accompanied by bill,
House, No. 2074) of Tackey Chan and Francisco E. Paulino for legislation to protect wages of
employees who receive wages through an electronic wage card. Labor and Workforce
Development.
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 1841 OF 2023-2024.]
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)
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An Act protecting wages of employees who receive wages through an electronic wage card.
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 1 of chapter 149 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022
2Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the word “apparel,” in line 88 the
3following words:-
4 "Payroll card account", a prepaid account that is directly or indirectly established through
5an employer to which transfers of the employee's wages, salary or other compensation are made,
6and which carries the consumer protections that apply to payroll card accounts under the
7Electronic Fund Transfer Act 15 U.S.C. § 1693 et seq., and Regulation E, 29 C.F.R. Part 1005,
8including the compulsory use provision, as may be amended. 2 of 2
9 SECTION 2. Section 148 of chapter 149 of is hereby amended in line 107 by inserting
10after the word “reasonable” the following words:- Any employer paying wages by payroll card
11account shall provide the employee with the ability to make at least one withdrawal from the
12payroll card account in each pay period, but not more frequently than once per week, without
13charge for any amount up to and including the full amount of the employee's net wages for the
14pay period. Any fees associated with usage of the card after the card’s initial transaction shall be
15disclosed in advance to the employee, except that the employer is not responsible for disclosing
16third party fees that are not within control of the employer. Employees who receive wages by
17credit to a payroll card account must be provided with a means of checking their payroll card
18account balances, either, through an automated telephone system, or online through the use of
19the Internet, without cost, irrespective of the number of inquiries made.