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SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1568 FILED ON: 1/16/2025
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1006
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Joan B. Lovely
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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 creating the Home Works Program.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Joan B. LovelySecond EssexMichael D. BradySecond Plymouth and Norfolk2/13/2025Russell E. Holmes6th Suffolk2/19/2025John F. KeenanNorfolk and Plymouth2/26/2025James B. EldridgeMiddlesex and Worcester3/3/2025 1 of 3
SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1568 FILED ON: 1/16/2025
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1006
By Ms. Lovely, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1006) of Joan B. Lovely, Michael
D. Brady, Russell E. Holmes, John F. Keenan and others for legislation to create the Home
Works Program. Housing.
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE SENATE, NO. 886 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 creating the Home Works Program.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 Notwithstanding any general or special law or any rule or regulation to the contrary,
2chapter 23B of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 30 the following
3new section:-
4 Section 31 (a). As used in this section, the following words shall have the following
5meanings unless the context clearly requires otherwise:-
6 “Youth Serving Organization,” an organization that provides recreational, cultural,
7charitable, social, or other activities or services for persons under 18 years of age, and is exempt
8from federal income tax. 2 of 3
9 “Out of School Time Program,” an established licensed or non-licensed daily week day
10program for persons under 18 years of age offered by a youth serving organization, school
11system, or municipality, offered before and after school and during school vacation.
12 “Summer Programs,” an established licensed or non-licensed daily week day program for
13persons under 18 years of age offered by a youth serving organization, school system, or
14municipality, offered during the months of summer vacation.
15 (b) Subject to appropriation, the Department shall create a program to address the needs
16of children, ages five through fourteen, residing in the Emergency Assistance program, as
17defined by 760 CMR 67.00. The program shall from herein be known as the Home Works
18Program. The Home Works Program shall allow out of school time and summer programs to
19apply for a certain number of slots funded by the Department. Each slot shall be used to provide
20out of school time and summer programming for an eligible participant, including transportation
21to and from the program. Each Home Works Program slot shall be funded at an adequate amount
22not less than 75% of local market value for out of school time and summer services and will
23cover transportation costs associated with transporting participants to and from the program.
24 The Department shall keep a waitlist of eligible program participants from which the out
25of school time and camp programs may draw from to fill their slots.
26 (c) Licensed and non-licensed out of school time and summer programs may apply for
27program slots through the Department. Said slots shall be allotted proportionally by the areas in
28the Commonwealth that have the highest number of children residing in the Emergency
29Assistance Program and through the out of school time or summer program’s capacity. However,
30a program shall not be limited in the amount of allowable slots it accepts. Said out of school time 3 of 3
31and summer programs shall be able to meet the transportation requirements set out by the
32Department before applying for slots. These include, but are not limited to, the capacity to
33transport participants from their current place of residence and back to said place within the time
34frame set out by the Department of Early Education and Care in 606 CMR 7.13.
35 If the participant is no longer eligible to remain in the Home Works program, the out of
36school time or summer program may draw another eligible participant from the Home Works
37waitlist to fill the slot.
38 If said program is unable to meet the transportation requirements set out by the
39Department, said program may work with the Emergency Assistance residence to provide out of
40school time and summer programs on site or at another facility deemed acceptable by the
41Department of Housing and Community Development.
42 (d) Said out of school time programs and summer programs shall require that all staff
43members in employment and direct care of children in the program have completed satisfactorily
44a criminal background check that includes a comprehensive check of the National Sexual
45Offender Registry.
46 The Home Works Program shall not be funded through the already existing funds in the
47Emergency Assistance program.
48 The Department shall promulgate regulations in accordance with this section within six
49months of the passage of this act.