Massachusetts H 542: An Act relative to accommodations for special needs students taking the MCAS examination

Bill Text

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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2108 FILED ON: 1/15/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 542

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_________________
PRESENTED BY:
Marjorie C. Decker
_________________
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 expanding access to family, friend, and neighbor-provided childcare.
_______________
PETITION OF:

NAME: DISTRICT/ADDRESS: DATE ADDED:
Marjorie C. Decker 25th Middlesex 1/15/2025
Sal N. DiDomenico Middlesex and Suffolk 1/30/2025
Donald R. Berthiaume, Jr. 5th Worcester 5/8/2025
Sean Garballey 23rd Middlesex 5/8/2025
Samantha Montaño 15th Suffolk 5/8/2025
Russell E. Holmes 6th Suffolk 5/19/2025
William F. MacGregor 10th Suffolk 5/19/2025
James C. Arena-DeRosa 8th Middlesex 5/28/2025
Estela A. Reyes 4th Essex 5/28/2025
Andres X. Vargas 3rd Essex 6/26/2025
Adrian C. Madaro 1st Suffolk 6/26/2025
Dennis C. Gallagher 8th Plymouth 9/3/2025
Natalie M. Higgins 4th Worcester 9/3/2025
Christopher J. Worrell 5th Suffolk 9/3/2025
Brandy Fluker-Reid 12th Suffolk 9/3/2025
Carmine Lawrence Gentile 13th Middlesex 9/3/2025
Amy Mah Sangiolo 11th Middlesex 10/23/2025
John J. Marsi 6th Worcester 11/18/2025

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Angelo J. Puppolo, Jr. 12th Hampden 11/20/2025
Steven Ultrino 33rd Middlesex 11/21/2025
Danillo A. Sena 37th Middlesex 11/21/2025
Lindsay N. Sabadosa 1st Hampshire 11/24/2025
Patricia A. Duffy 5th Hampden 11/24/2025
James B. Eldridge Middlesex and Worcester 11/24/2025
Hadley Luddy 4th Barnstable 11/25/2025
Michelle L. Badger 1st Plymouth 1/6/2026

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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2108 FILED ON: 1/15/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 542
By Representative Decker of Cambridge, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 542) of
Marjorie C. Decker and Sal N. DiDomenico for legislation to expand access to family, friend,
and neighbor-provided childcare administered by the Department of Early Education and Care.
Education.

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_______________
In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)
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An Act expanding access to family, friend, and neighbor-provided childcare.

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 1A of Chapter 15D, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is
2 hereby amended by inserting the following definitions:--
3 “Family, Friend and Neighbor Care” or “FFN Care” means child care which is exempt
4 from licensure by the department because the individual caregiver either provides care in the
5 child’s own home or is a relative of the child, other than family child care home care.
6 “FFN Caregiver” means a person providing FFN Care.
7 SECTION 2. Section 2 of said chapter 15D, as so appearing, is hereby amended by
8 inserting after subsection (u) the following subsections:--
9 (v) in addition to the department’s obligations under subsection (e), establish a payment
10 structure for FFN caregivers that (1) ensures families with child care vouchers, or other available
11 funding mechanisms, have full use of the daily value of such vouchers or other mechanisms; (2)

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12 is based on payment at an hourly rate; and (3) provides for a minimum hourly rate of
13 compensation for FFN caregivers that is equal or greater to the minimum hourly wage required
14 by section 1 of chapter 151. A public hearing under chapter 30A and the approval of the board
15 shall be required before the establishment or revision of the payment structure;
16 SECTION 3.
17 (1) The department shall, within 60 days of the passage of this act, convene a state
18 advisory committee on FFN Care, the members of which shall represent a reasonable geographic
19 balance and shall reflect the diversity of the commonwealth in race, ethnicity, gender and sexual
20 orientation. Members of the advisory committee shall, at minimum, include one person from
21 each of the following organizations, or their successor organizations, if applicable: Care That
22 Works, Inc., New England United for Justice; Service Employees International Union Local 509;
23 the Child Care Resource and Referral Network; and three or more FFN caregivers chosen by the
24 commissioner.
25 (2) Additional committee members may also be recommended by the commissioner and
26 appointed by the board. All appointees shall have special expertise, experience or interest in FFN
27 care and shall represent a mix of representatives of the FFN community, the civic, labor, and
28 business communities, academics, parents, teachers, social service providers, and health care
29 providers.
30 (3) Members of the committee shall not, by virtue of their membership, be considered
31 state employees under chapter 268A. The members of the committee shall serve without
32 compensation but may be reimbursed, su