Massachusetts H 1023: An Act to promote economic mobility through matched savings

Bill Text

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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2637 FILED ON: 1/16/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1023

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_________________
PRESENTED BY:
Edward R. Philips
_________________
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 to establish a mattress recycling program in the Commonwealth.
_______________
PETITION OF:

NAME: DISTRICT/ADDRESS: DATE ADDED:
Edward R. Philips 8th Norfolk 1/16/2025
Leigh Davis 3rd Berkshire 5/30/2025

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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2637 FILED ON: 1/16/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1023
By Representative Philips of Sharon, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1023) of
Edward R. Philips for legislation to establish a mattress recycling program. Environment and
Natural Resources.

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 881 OF 2023-2024.]

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_______________
In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)
_______________

An Act to establish a mattress recycling program 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 SECTION 1. Definitions
2 1. “Brand” shall mean a name, symbol, word or mark that attributes a mattress as the
3 producer of the mattress.
4 2. “Consumer” means a person (including but not limited to individuals, families
5 and business entities) who purchases a mattress for use in this state.
6 3. “Department” means the Department of Environmental Protection
7 4. “Discarded mattress” means a mattress that has been used and abandoned or
8 discarded in this state, and does not include a mattress transported from outside this state to be
9 discarded in this state.

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10 5. “Environmentally sound management” includes, but is not limited to, the
11 following management practices, implemented in a manner that are designed to protect public
12 health and safety and the environment:
13 a. Keeping detailed documentation of the methods used to:
14 i. Recycle, reuse or renovate discarded mattresses to the extent feasible, cost-
15 effective, and environmentally efficient; and
16 ii. track and document the fate of program mattresses from collection through final
17 disposition.
18 b. Keeping adequate records;
19 c. Conducting performance audits and inspections as determined by a stewardship
20 organization;
21 d. Complying with worker health and safety requirements; and
22 e. Maintaining adequate liability insurance for a stewardship organization and
23 contractors working for the stewardship organization.
24 6. “Final disposition” shall mean the point beyond which no further processing takes
25 place and a discarded mattress and its components have been recycled, renovated or disposed of.
26 7. “Foundation” shall mean a ticking-covered structure that is used to support a
27 mattress or sleep surface and that may be constructed of frames, foam, box springs or other
28 materials, used alone or in combination.

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29 8. "Mattress" means a resilient material or combination of materials that is enclosed
30 by a ticking, is used alone or in combination with other products and is intended for sleeping
31 upon or a foundation.
32 a. “Mattress” includes a foundation and a renovated mattress or renovated
33 foundation.
34 b. “Mattress” does not mean the following:
35 i. An unattached mattress pad or unattached mattress topper, including items with
36 resilient filling, with or without ticking, intended to be used with or on top of a mattress.
37 ii. A sleeping bag or pillow.
38 iii. A car bed, crib, or bassinet mattress.
39 iv. Juvenile products, including a carriage, basket, dressing table, stroller, playpen,
40 infant carrier, lounge pad, or crib bumper, and the pads for those juvenile products.
41 v. A product containing liquid- and gaseous-filled ticking, including a water bed and
42 air mattress that does not contain upholstery material between the ticking and the mattress core.
43 vi. Upholstered furniture that does not otherwise contain a detachable mattress or that
44 is a fold out sofa bed or futon.
45 9. “Person” means the United States, the state, a public or private corporation, local
46 government unit, public agency, individual, partnership, association, firm, trust, estate or other
47 legal entity.

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48 10. “Premium service” means a service such as at-home pickup service, including
49 curbside pickup service.
50 11. “Producer” means any person, irrespective of the selling technique used,
51 including that of remote sale, that: (a)Manufactures a mattress that is sold, offered for sale or
52 distributed in this state; or (b) Is the owner of a trademark or brand under which a mattress is
53 sold, offered for sale or distributed in this state, whether or not such trademark or