Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Massachusetts House Bill H221 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	1 of 1
2	2	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3936 FILED ON: 1/17/2025
3	3	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 221
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	Mindy Domb and Simon Cataldo
8	8	_________________
9	9	To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
10	10	Court assembled:
11	11	The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying
12	12	resolve:
13	13	Resolve providing for an investigation by a special commission relative to the feasibility of a
14	14	diaper allowance.
15	15	_______________
16	16	PETITION OF:
17	17	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Mindy Domb3rd Hampshire1/17/2025Simon Cataldo14th Middlesex1/17/2025 1 of 2
18	18	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3936 FILED ON: 1/17/2025
19	19	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 221
20	20	By Representatives Domb of Amherst and Cataldo of Concord, a petition (accompanied by
21	21	resolve, House, No. 221) of Mindy Domb and Simon Cataldo for an investigation by a special
22	22	commission (including members of the General Court) relative to an annual allowance to be used
23	23	to purchase diapers for recipients of the Transitional Aid to Families with Dependent Children
24	24	(TAFDC) program. Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities.
25	25	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
26	26	_______________
27	27	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
28	28	(2025-2026)
29	29	_______________
30	30	Resolve providing for an investigation by a special commission relative to the feasibility of a
31	31	diaper allowance.
32	32	1 Resolved, that a special commission is hereby established to study the feasibility and
33	33	2costs associated with establishing and distributing an annual allowance to be used to purchase
34	34	3diapers for recipients of the Transitional Aid to Families with Dependent Children (TAFDC)
35	35	4program with diaper-wearing children. The commission shall study and assess the method used
36	36	5to deliver the current clothing allowance as a model for a diaper allowance and the costs
37	37	6involved in delivering a diaper allowance by establishing a diaper need related increase in the
38	38	7Need and Payment Standards specified in 106 CMR 704.410 and 106 CMR 704.420.
39	39	8 Resolved, that the commission shall make recommendations to address the feasibility of
40	40	9providing such a benefit and include in their study: (i) the number of children under the age of
41	41	10two years six months who live in households receiving TAFDC, as a basis for understanding the
42	42	11prioritized population, (ii) the average number of daily diapers used by diaper-wearing children,
43	43	12as determined by the national diaper bank network, (iii) the cost burden to families to purchase 2 of 2
44	44	13diapers, (iv) the proposed amount of diapers that would be needed to meet the need per child, (v)
45	45	14projected costs, including administrative, technical and technological costs, that may be needed
46	46	15to implement such an allowance, and (vi) recommendations for legislation, regulation or budget
47	47	16appropriations as needed.
48	48	17 Resolved, the special commission shall consist of: 1 person who shall be the
49	49	18commissioner of the department of transitional assistance or a designee, who shall serve as chair;
50	50	191 of whom shall be the commissioner of the department of public health or a designee, 1 of
51	51	20whom shall be the deputy commissioner for policy and programs of the department of
52	52	21transitional assistance, 1 of whom shall be the director of the WIC program, 1 of whom shall be a
53	53	22member of the Massachusetts chapter of the American academy of pediatrics, 1 of whom shall be
54	54	23a representative of the national diaper bank network, 1 of whom shall be the executive director of
55	55	24the Massachusetts Association for Community Action, 1 of whom shall be the executive director
56	56	25of the Massachusetts law reform institute, 1 of whom shall be the commissioner or designee of
57	57	26the department of early education and care, 1 of whom shall be a representative of the
58	58	27Massachusetts child psychiatry access project for moms, and 2 of whom shall be the co-chairs of
59	59	28the joint committee on children, families, and persons with disabilities.
60	60	29 Within twelve months of enactment, the department shall report to the clerks of the house
61	61	30of representatives and senate, the chairs of the joint committees on children, families and persons
62	62	31with disabilities; and the chairs of the joint committee on public health.