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| 2 | 2 | | SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1536 FILED ON: 1/16/2025 |
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| 3 | 3 | | SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 161 |
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| 4 | 4 | | The Commonwealth of Massachusetts |
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| 5 | 5 | | _________________ |
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| 6 | 6 | | PRESENTED BY: |
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| 7 | 7 | | Liz Miranda |
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| 8 | 8 | | _________________ |
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| 9 | 9 | | To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General |
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| 10 | 10 | | Court assembled: |
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| 11 | 11 | | The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill: |
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| 12 | 12 | | An Act providing for a guaranteed cash stipend for young adults transitioning out of foster care. |
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| 13 | 13 | | _______________ |
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| 14 | 14 | | PETITION OF: |
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| 15 | 15 | | NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Liz MirandaSecond Suffolk 1 of 2 |
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| 16 | 16 | | SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1536 FILED ON: 1/16/2025 |
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| 17 | 17 | | SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 161 |
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| 18 | 18 | | By Ms. Miranda, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 161) of Liz Miranda for legislation |
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| 19 | 19 | | to provide for a guaranteed cash stipend for young adults transitioning out of foster care. |
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| 20 | 20 | | Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities. |
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| 21 | 21 | | The Commonwealth of Massachusetts |
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| 22 | 22 | | _______________ |
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| 23 | 23 | | In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court |
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| 24 | 24 | | (2025-2026) |
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| 25 | 25 | | _______________ |
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| 26 | 26 | | An Act providing for a guaranteed cash stipend for young adults transitioning out of foster care. |
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| 27 | 27 | | Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority |
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| 28 | 28 | | of the same, as follows: |
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| 29 | 29 | | 1 Chapter 119 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is hereby |
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| 30 | 30 | | 2amended by inserting after section 23C the following section:- |
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| 31 | 31 | | 3 Section 23D. (a) The department shall, subject to appropriation, provide a cash stipend of |
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| 32 | 32 | | 4$1,000 per month for 5 years to any individual who was formerly under the custody, care or |
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| 33 | 33 | | 5responsibility of the department but has transitioned from the custody, care or responsibility of |
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| 34 | 34 | | 6the department any time between the ages of 18 and 23. Should such an individual at any time |
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| 35 | 35 | | 7return to the custody, care, or responsibility of the department, that individual’s monthly stipend |
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| 36 | 36 | | 8will be put on hold until such time as the individual again transitions from the custody, care or |
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| 37 | 37 | | 9responsibility of the department; provided, however, that no individual is eligible for more than |
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| 38 | 38 | | 1060 total monthly payments of this stipend during the individual’s lifetime. 2 of 2 |
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| 39 | 39 | | 11 (b) Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, this stipend shall not be |
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| 40 | 40 | | 12considered income for purposes of determining eligibility for any other benefit provided by the |
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| 41 | 41 | | 13Commonwealth. |
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| 42 | 42 | | 14 (c) The department shall inform all eligible foster care youth, in person and by writing, |
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| 43 | 43 | | 15and their counsel as appointed under section 29 of chapter 119, of the availability of this cash |
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| 44 | 44 | | 16stipend within 30 days of the youth attaining the age of 17 years and 6 months. The department |
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| 45 | 45 | | 17shall provide appropriate case management to support eligible youth within the department’s |
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| 46 | 46 | | 18custody, care, or responsibility in applying for this cash stipend and other support needed to |
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| 47 | 47 | | 19assist the youth in making the transition from foster care to a successful adulthood, including |
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| 48 | 48 | | 20setting up a personal bank account where this cash stipend may be deposited, making the youth |
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| 49 | 49 | | 21aware of other state benefits for which the youth may be eligible, and connecting youth to |
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| 50 | 50 | | 22financial literacy education or training. |
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| 51 | 51 | | 23 (d) The department shall not terminate or suspend the payment of this cash stipend for |
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| 52 | 52 | | 24any reason other than the return of the individual to the custody, care, or responsibility of the |
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| 53 | 53 | | 25department. |
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| 54 | 54 | | 26 (e) The department shall take steps to notify eligible former foster care youth of the |
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| 55 | 55 | | 27existence and availability of this cash stipend and shall publish data as to the number of eligible |
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| 56 | 56 | | 28young adults receiving this cash stipend. |
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