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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2647 FILED ON: 1/16/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 752
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_________________
PRESENTED BY:
Susannah M. Whipps
_________________
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 strengthening transitional planning and increasing accountability for persons with
disabilities and their families.
_______________
PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Susannah M. Whipps2nd Franklin1/16/2025Joanne M. ComerfordHampshire, Franklin and Worcester1/27/2025Sally P. Kerans13th Essex2/3/2025Natalie M. Higgins4th Worcester2/11/2025David Paul Linsky5th Middlesex2/11/2025Christopher Hendricks11th Bristol2/11/2025Colleen M. Garry36th Middlesex2/11/2025Hannah Kane11th Worcester2/12/2025James K. Hawkins2nd Bristol2/12/2025John J. Marsi6th Worcester2/18/2025Vanna Howard17th Middlesex2/18/2025Carmine Lawrence Gentile13th Middlesex2/18/2025Erika Uyterhoeven27th Middlesex2/20/2025James Arciero2nd Middlesex2/24/2025William C. Galvin6th Norfolk2/28/2025Manny Cruz7th Essex2/28/2025Bruce E. TarrFirst Essex and Middlesex2/28/2025 2 of 2
Michael D. BradySecond Plymouth and Norfolk2/28/2025Thomas M. Stanley9th Middlesex3/5/2025Sean Garballey23rd Middlesex3/12/2025Patrick Joseph Kearney4th Plymouth3/12/2025 1 of 4
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2647 FILED ON: 1/16/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 752
By Representative Whipps of Athol, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 752) of
Susannah M. Whipps and others for legislation to establish a special commission (including
members of the General Court) to study and review current practices and gaps in services of
disabled persons whose entitlement to services under special education programs has terminated
or will terminate. Education.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_______________
In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)
_______________
An Act strengthening transitional planning and increasing accountability for persons with
disabilities and their families.
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 12C of chapter 71B, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is
2hereby amended by striking out, in line 74, the word “six” and inserting in place thereof the
3following figure:- 12
4 SECTION 2. Said section 12C of said chapter 71B, as so appearing, is hereby further
5amended by adding the following paragraph:-
6 The chair of the transitional advisory committee, in consultation with the members of
7said committee, shall submit an annual report to the house and senate committees on ways and
8means, the joint committee on children, families and persons with disabilities and the clerks of
9the house and senate with the following aggregated data broken down by county: 2 of 4
10 (i) the number of disabled persons who have been receiving special education services
11under the provisions of this chapter who are anticipated to turn 22 or graduate from high school,
12whichever occurs first, for each of the following 2 years and who are anticipated to require
13habilitative services in Massachusetts;
14 (ii) the number of such disabled persons who are anticipated to turn 22 for each of the
15following 2 years or graduate from high school, whichever occurs first, and who are anticipated
16to require residential placement through the department of developmental services; and
17 (iii) the number of such disabled persons who are anticipated to turn 22 or graduate from
18high school, whichever occurs first, for each of the following 2 years and who are anticipated to
19require services from one or more member agencies of the transitional advisory committee,
20further broken down by said member agencies.
21 SECTION 3. (a) Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, there is
22hereby established a special commission to review current practices and gaps in services and
23prepare a comprehensive plan to address the complex and growing number and needs of disabled
24persons whose entitlement to services under special education programs has terminated or will
25terminate as a result of such person's graduation from high school or attainment of age 22,
26hereafter referred to as transition age youth, and to improve transition planning and outcomes for
27transition age youth and their families or guardians. The commission shall consist of: the
28secretary of health and human services, or a designee, and 1 representative of the transitional
29advisory committee within the bureau of transitional planning, who shall serve as co-chairs; 1
30member who shall be a member of the senate to be appointed by the senate president; 1 member
31who shall be a member of the house of representatives to be appointed by the speaker of the 3 of 4
32house of representatives; 1 member to be appointed by the minority leader of the senate; 1
33member to be appointed by the minority leader of the house of representatives; the chairs of the
34joint committee on children, families and persons with disabilities; the secretary of the executive
35office of education, or a designee; 1 member representing a program that serves transition age
36youth; 1 member representing The Arc of Massachusetts; and 1 member who is a transition age
37youth or their family member.
38 (b) The plan shall include, but not be limited to, strategies and solutions for: (i) ensuring
39more frequent and transparent agency communication with transition age youth and the families
40and guardians of transition age youth; (ii) increasing awareness of programs and services
41available both during the transition process and after the transition to adult service; (iii)
42enhancing the turning 22 service coordinator program within the department of developmental
43services to ensure that plans reflect the desires and needs of transition age youth and their
44families or guardians; (iv) improving the referral program established through chapter 688 of the
45acts of 1983 to increase transparency, advance planning and communication between all
46involved parties; (v) facilitating better information sharing between members of the bureau of
47transitional planning with the goal of better serving transition age youth and their families or
48guardians prior to, during and after their transition to adult services; (vi) limiting or eliminating
49the number of transition age youth who do not have a residential placement, if required by their
50transition plan, identified at least 6 months before their transition to adult services and ensuring
51that, when possible, if a residential placement is not immediately available at transition age, the
52transition age youth can remain in their current placement until a suitable alternative is secured;
53(vii) increasing options and opportunities for transition age youth in the adult residential system
54and their families or guardians to live reasonably near one another, provided that the transition 4 of 4
55age youth and the youth’s family members or guardians want to live near each other; (viii)
56addressing any unique transition challenges for transition age youth who are leaving the care of
57the department of children and families; (ix) promoting, when possible, geographic equity in
58services provided across the commonwealth including, but not limited to, habilitative services,
59residential living opportunities, employment and day program supports and family support; and
60(x) creating regular review processes within the members of the bureau of transitional planning
61regarding the efficacy and results of any transitional age services provided by those same
62member organizations.
63 (c) The executive office of health and human services shall submit a copy of the plan,
64including any budgetary or statutory needs, to the executive office of labor and workforce
65development, the executive office of education, the clerks of the house and senate, the house and
66senate committees on ways and means, the joint committee on education and the joint committee
67on children, families and persons with disabilities not later than 1 year after the effective date of
68this act.