Bill Text: MA H171 | 2009-2010 | 186th General Court | Introduced

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Bill Title: Increasing assistance by the Department of Public Welfare for certain elderly, disabled persons and children

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2010-08-30 - Accompanied a study order, see H05006 [H171 Detail]

Download: Massachusetts-2009-H171-Introduced.html

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The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Kathi-Anne Reinstein

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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 passage of the accompanying bill:

An Act To Protect And Improve Emergency Aid to Elderly Disabled and Children (EAEDC) Program.

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PETITION OF:

 

Name:	District/Address:
Kathi-Anne Reinstein	16th Suffolk
Patricia A. Haddad	5th Bristol
Ruth B. Balser	12th Middlesex
Theodore C. Speliotis	13th Essex
Barbara A. L'Italien	18th Essex
Mary E. Grant	6th Essex
William N. Brownsberger	24th Middlesex
Frank I. Smizik	15th Norfolk
Elizabeth A. Malia	11th Suffolk
Cheryl A. Coakley-Rivera	10th Hampden
Martha M. Walz	8th Suffolk
Peter v. Kocot	1st Hampshire
Pam Richardson	6th Middlesex
Mark V. Falzone	9th Essex
Kay Khan	11th Middlesex
Kevin G. Honan	17th Suffolk
Paul McMurtry	11th Norfolk
Joyce A. Spiliotis	12th Essex
William Lantigua	16th Essex
Ann-Margaret Ferrante	5th Essex
Kevin Aguiar	7th Bristol
Patricia D. Jehlen	Second Middlesex
Susan C. Tucker	Second Essex and Middlesex
Anthony D. Galluccio	Middlesex, Suffolk and Essex
Thomas M. McGee	Third Essex and Middlesex
Kate Hogan	3rd Middlesex

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the Year Two Thousand and Nine

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An Act To Protect And Improve Emergency Aid to Elderly Disabled and Children (EAEDC) Program.

                Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:

SECTION 1: Section 1 of chapter 117A of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2004 Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding at the end thereof the following words:- 

A person who is eligible for assistance under the provisions of this chapter, and who is maintaining his or her own home, shall receive monthly benefits no less than the payment standard in effect in fiscal year 2009. The Department is further authorized and directed,  subject to appropriation, to increase said payment standard through an annual cost of living adjustment until said payment standard is equal to the same amount of benefits otherwise provided to an assistance unit of the same size eligible under chapter one hundred and eighteen of the general laws.  

SECTION 2: Said chapter 117A is further amended by inserting after section 10 the following section:-  

Section 11:   Representation to secure federal disability benefits 

To maximize the receipt of federal benefits and to maximize reimbursement of interim assistance paid by the Commonwealth under this chapter, the Department shall implement a program to provide legal advice and representation to disabled recipients in order for said recipients to secure Supplemental Security Income benefits administered by the Social Security Administration.

SECTION 3:  Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, in determining eligibility for the program of emergency aid to elders, disabled and children under chapter 117A of the General Laws, the department of transitional assistance shall provide benefits to persons under age 21 who are regularly attending a full time grade school, high school, technical or vocational school not beyond the secondary level, and who the department determines are homeless or in immigrant risk of becoming homeless  or are otherwise considered unaccompanied youth as defined by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education in accordance with federal law. Such students must meet other generally applicable eligibility requirements for the program and the income of assets of any legally liable persons who live with said student shall be considered in determining the financial eligibility for benefits under this chapter.