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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1911 FILED ON: 1/15/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 776
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Jack Patrick Lewis and Hadley Luddy
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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 relative to LGBT and HIV-positive seniors in the Commonwealth.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Jack Patrick Lewis7th Middlesex1/15/2025Hadley Luddy4th Barnstable1/15/2025 1 of 1
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1911 FILED ON: 1/15/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 776
By Representatives Lewis of Framingham and Luddy of Orleans, a petition (accompanied by
bill, House, No. 776) of Jack Patrick Lewis and Hadley Luddy relative to racial and ethnic status,
sexual orientation, gender identity or expression or HIV status of seniors. Elder Affairs.
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 636 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 relative to LGBT and HIV-positive seniors in the Commonwealth.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 Chapter 19A of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the following section:-
2 Section 44. For the purposes of administering the federal Older Americans Act of 1965
3and subsequent amendments thereto, the term "greatest social need", as defined in 42 U.S.C.
43002(24), shall mean the need caused by non-economic factors that restrict an individual's ability
5to perform normal daily tasks or that threaten the individual’s capacity to live independently.
6These factors shall include, but are not limited to, physical or mental disability, language barriers
7and cultural or social isolation caused by, among other things, racial and ethnic status, sexual
8orientation, gender identity or expression or HIV status.