| Bill |
Summary |
Sponsor |
Status- last session |
| H.137 An Act for passage to independence |
“Passage to Independence” focuses on adequate funding for Community First with a focus on those served by Dept. of Devel. Services (DDS) and Turning 22 ( transition from high school to adult life.) Turning 22 dollars are allocated to DDS and the Mass. Rehab. Commission (MRC). Some monies also set aside for those on the DDS tracking list. |
Rep. James O'Day; waiting on Senate Sponsors |
Reported out favorably from Committee |
| H.151 A Act Relative to Real Lives |
The “Real lives” bill expands the ability of people to direct their own public funds. It requires that the administration implement certain new policies and procedures so as to allow public funds to be used as flexibly as possible by the individual or family. |
Rep. Tom Sannicandro with Senator Clark and others |
Bill moved into 3rd Reading |
| H.87/S.24 An Act to Support the Transition to Adult Services for Persons with Disabilities |
Expands transition (Turning 22) services and supports to students with disabilities “without adult service agency ties” (688 process). It also updates and expands the types of “habilitative services” that must be provided under the 688 process. It assigns to EOHHS the obligation to monitor and collect data on the extent to which needed 688 services are not being provided, because of shortfalls in appropriations. |
Rep. Mark Cusack & Sen. Gale Candaras |
Reported out favorably from Committee |
| H.1941 An Act supporting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities |
Calls for Executive Office of Health & Human Services, Department of Public Health, and Office of Medicaid to improve access to high-quality health care and eliminate health care disparities among disability populations. Areas of focus will include care coordination, disability education requirements and cultural competence for professional licensure and renewal. |
Rep. Carolyn Dykema |
Didn't leave Joint Committee on Public Health |
| H.78/S.908 An Act to Permit the DDS to Provide Services to Persons with Developmental Disabilities |
Expands eligibility to add persons with Developmental Disabilities consistent with the federal definition. Reflects the rise in autism, and will assist those with Prader-Willi, cerebral palsy and other conditions. Expansion subject to appropriation. The bill also addresses language not yet changed to “intellectual disability” in statute. |
New bill -Rep. Kay Khan and Senator Flanagan |
New |
| H. 2839 An Act facilitating the development of underutilized facilities and state-owned property |
Proposes a mechanism to capture 50 percent of the proceeds of the sale or disposition of surplus property of the Dept. of Mental Health and Developmental Services for use in creating housing for persons served by the DDS or DMH. |
Rep. Kay Khan |
Went to State Administration |
| H.235/S.354 An Act for Healthy Families |
Preventative legislation that creates pragmatic and flexible program to replace toxic chemicals with safer alternatives wherever feasible. Targets only the most toxic chemicals. |
Rep. J. Kaufman/ Sen. K. Clark |
Reported out favorably from Committee |
| H. 149 An Act creating a means for tracking the unmet need of individuals with developmental disabilities |
Establishes the means to gather more data for assessing the unmet needs of individuals with developmental disabilities. Directs the Office of Disabilities and Community Services to maintain the system and articulates which agencies will submit information. |
Rep. Tom Sannicandro |
Reported out favorably from Committee |
| Bill |
Summary |
Sponsor |
Status- last session |
| H.1674 An Act to require national background checks |
Requires national background checks for all individuals who apply for work with DDS or its vendor agencies. Currently, DDS and vendor agencies are required to conduct statewide CORI checks, but no national check, which means applicant’s criminal record outside Massachusetts may not be identified. |
Rep. Martin Walsh |
2/14/2011: Referred to Joint Committee on Judiciary |
| H.106/S.30 An Act relative to the humane treatment of disabled persons |
Bans aversive therapy in Massachusetts. Prohibits the use of corporeal punishment, including shocking and pinching, for the purpose of changing the behavior of persons with physical or mental disabilities by any program funded, operated, licensed or approved by the Commonwealth. |
Rep. Danielle Gregoire and Senator Brian Joyce |
Reported out favorably from Committee |
| H.481 Act to Promote Inclusive Transition Programs for Students with Severe Disabilities |
Provides Inclusive Concurrent enrollment discretionary grant program to meet needs to students with severe disabilities through a school district-higher education partnership. It will allow such students the change to have an inclusive experience at a higher education setting in the least restrictive environment. |
Rep. Tom Sannicandro |
|
| S. 601 Resolve providing for an investigation and study by a special commission relative to the need for accessible homes etc. |
This bill will address need for accessible housing for several groups including for the elderly, returning veterans with disabilities, and families that includes persons with disabilities. |
Sen. Pat Jehlen |
|
| H1127 An Act financing the production and preservation of housing for low and moderate income residents |
This is a housing bond bill with many co-sponsors. It will help many groups. |
Rep. Kevin Honan |
|
| H 136 An Act to increase the Commonwealth's compliance with federal law meeting requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act |
This bill would require agencies or businesses which contract with the state to be measured against benchmarks for hiring people with disabilities. The benchmarks will be decided by a state agency or through regulation not in the bill itself. |
Rep. O'Day |
|