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H214 • 2025

An Act to lift kids out of deep poverty

An Act to lift kids out of deep poverty

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Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor
Marjorie C. Decker
Last action
2026-01-12
Official status
Referred to House Committee on Ways and Means
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

An Act to lift kids out of deep poverty

An Act to lift kids out of deep poverty By Representative Decker of Cambridge, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No.

What This Bill Does

  • An Act to lift kids out of deep poverty By Representative Decker of Cambridge, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No.
  • 214) of Marjorie C.
  • Decker and others relative to the payment standards for monthly benefits for parents with dependent children.
  • Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2026-01-12 House

    Accompanied by H207 , H254 and H281

  2. 2026-01-12 House

    Bill reported favorably by committee and referred to the committee on House Ways and Means

  3. 2025-09-05 Joint

    Hearing scheduled for 09/16/2025 from 01:00 PM-05:00 PM in A-2

  4. 2025-02-27 House

    Referred to the committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities

  5. 2025-02-27 Senate

    Senate concurred

Official Summary Text

An Act to lift kids out of deep poverty
By Representative Decker of Cambridge, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 214) of Marjorie C. Decker and others relative to the payment standards for monthly benefits for parents with dependent children. Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities.
Status:
Referred to House Committee on Ways and Means

Current Bill Text

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Bill H.214

SECTION 1. Section 2 of chapter 118 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2020 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out the fourth paragraph and inserting in place thereof the following paragraph:--

Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the payment standards for monthly benefits for the program not including the rental allowance shall be increased effective July first of each year beginning with July 1, 2025 by 20 percent above the payment standard in effect in the previous fiscal year until the payment standard for the household size equals 50 percent of the federal poverty level for the household size; provided further, that once the payment standard for the household size equals 50 percent of the federal poverty level for the household size, the payment standard shall be increased effective July first of each year in order that the payment standard shall be no less than 50 percent of the poverty level for the household size as determined by the federal Department of Health and Human Services; provided further, that the need standard and the payment amounts shall be further increased by the amount of a clothing allowance in the month for which it is paid and by the rental allowance for households incurring a rent or mortgage expense and not residing in public or subsidized housing.

SECTION 2. Section 1 of chapter 117A of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after the first paragraph the following new paragraph:-

Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the payment standards for monthly benefits for the program shall be increased effective July first of each year beginning with July 1, 2025 by 20 percent above the payment standard in effect in the previous fiscal year until the payment standard for the household size equals 50 percent of the federal poverty level for the household size; provided further, that once the payment standard for the household size equals 50 percent of the federal poverty level for the household size, the payment standard shall be increased effective July first of each year in order that the payment standard shall be no less than 50 percent of the poverty level for the household size as determined by the federal Department of Health and Human Services.

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