Massachusetts S 84: An Act relative to a livable wage for human services workers

Bill Text

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SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1120 FILED ON: 1/18/2023
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 84

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_________________
PRESENTED BY:
Cindy F. Friedman
_________________
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 a livable wage for human services workers.
_______________
PETITION OF:

NAME: DISTRICT/ADDRESS:
Cindy F. Friedman Fourth Middlesex
Rebecca L. Rausch Norfolk, Worcester and Middlesex 1/24/2023
Robyn K. Kennedy First Worcester 1/26/2023
Angelo J. Puppolo, Jr. 12th Hampden 1/26/2023
Mathew J. Muratore 1st Plymouth 1/26/2023
Michael D. Brady Second Plymouth and Norfolk 1/26/2023
Patrick M. O'Connor First Plymouth and Norfolk 1/26/2023
Brian W. Murray 10th Worcester 1/27/2023
Susannah M. Whipps 2nd Franklin 1/27/2023
John F. Keenan Norfolk and Plymouth 2/1/2023
Michael O. Moore Second Worcester 2/2/2023
Jack Patrick Lewis 7th Middlesex 2/6/2023
Thomas M. Stanley 9th Middlesex 2/7/2023
Anne M. Gobi Worcester and Hampshire 2/7/2023
James B. Eldridge Middlesex and Worcester 2/15/2023
Adam Gomez Hampden 2/21/2023
Liz Miranda Second Suffolk 2/28/2023
Patricia D. Jehlen Second Middlesex 3/2/2023

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Paul W. Mark Berkshire, Hampden, Franklin and
Hampshire
3/13/2023
Brendan P. Crighton Third Essex 3/13/2023
Jacob R. Oliveira Hampden, Hampshire and Worcester 3/22/2023
Joanne M. Comerford Hampshire, Franklin and Worcester 5/12/2023
Joan B. Lovely Second Essex 5/22/2023

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SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1120 FILED ON: 1/18/2023
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 84
By Ms. Friedman, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 84) of Cindy F. Friedman,
Rebecca L. Rausch, Robyn K. Kennedy, Angelo J. Puppolo, Jr. and other members of the
General Court for legislation relative to a livable wage for human services workers. Children,
Families and Persons with Disabilities.

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE SENATE, NO. 105 OF 2021-2022.]

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_______________
In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)
_______________

An Act relative to a livable wage for human services workers.

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. Chapter 6A of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the
2 following section:-
3 Section 105. (a) As used in this section, the following words shall, unless the context
4 clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings:
5 “Human service provider,” a community-based human services organization with a
6 human services program funded by the executive office of health and human services, the
7 executive office of elder affairs or the department of housing and community development.

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8 “Human services worker,” an employee of a human service provider who provides
9 treatment, support or services to clients or their families.
10 “Disparity amount,” the monetary calculation of the average difference in salary between
11 human services workers and direct care workers, nurses, clinicians or other comparable
12 employees employed by the commonwealth’s state-operated programs for human services.
13 “Rate,” the reimbursement rate paid by the executive office of health and human services,
14 the executive office of elder affairs, the department of housing and community development or
15 the department of early education and care to a human service provider to deliver services to
16 clients on the commonwealth’s behalf.
17 (b) Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the executive office of
18 health and human services, the executive office of elder affairs and the department of housing
19 and community development shall increase the rate of reimbursement for human services
20 providers by an amount that reduces the disparity amount, as defined by subsection (a), to:
21 (1) 50 percent on or before July 1, 2024;
22 (2) 30 percent on or before July 1, 2025;
23 (3) 10 percent on or before July 1, 2026;
24 (4) Zero percent on or before July 1, 2027, and shall remain at 0 percent thereafter.
25 (c) All increases in the rate of reimbursement provided for in this section shall be used to
26 increase the compensation of human services workers.

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27 (d) The executive office of health and human services, the executive office of
28 administration and finance, the executive office of elder affairs and the department of housing
29 and community development shall adopt regulations to implement this section.
30 (e) Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit the elimination of the disparity
31 amount prior to July 1, 2027.
32 SECTION 2. On or before January 1, 2024, the executive office of health and human
33 services in conjunction with, the executive office of administration and finance,