H267 • 2025

An Act to provide notice to counsel of changes in a child’s placement and other events

Children

Active

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

Sponsor: Joan Meschino
Last action: 2026-02-05
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 provide notice to counsel of changes in a child’s placement and other events

An Act to provide notice to counsel of changes in a child’s placement and other events By Representative Meschino of Hull, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No.

What This Bill Does

An Act to provide notice to counsel of changes in a child’s placement and other events By Representative Meschino of Hull, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No.
267) of Joan Meschino and Colleen M.
Garry for legislation to require the Department of Children and Families to provide notice to counsel of changes in a child’s or a young adult’s placement and other events.
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

2026-02-05 House
Bill reported favorably by committee and referred to the committee on House Ways and Means
2025-10-09 Joint
Hearing scheduled for 10/21/2025 from 01:00 PM-05:00 PM in B-1
2025-02-27 House
Referred to the committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities
2025-02-27 Senate
Senate concurred

Official Summary Text

An Act to provide notice to counsel of changes in a child’s placement and other events
By Representative Meschino of Hull, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 267) of Joan Meschino and Colleen M. Garry for legislation to require the Department of Children and Families to provide notice to counsel of changes in a child’s or a young adult’s placement and other events. Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities.
Status:
Referred to House Committee on Ways and Means

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

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Bill H.267

SECTION 1. Section 29 of chapter 119 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2020 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the second paragraph the following paragraphs:

No later than five business days before any non-emergency change in a child’s or a young adult’s placement or any non-emergency hospitalization, and no later than one business day after any emergency change in a child’s or a young adult’s placement or any emergency hospitalization, the department shall provide notice of the change in placement or hospitalization to the child’s or the young adult’s attorney.

No later than the first business day thereafter, the department shall provide notice to a child’s attorney if it receives a report under section 51A and the child is the subject of the report. No later than the first business day thereafter, the department shall provide notice to a child’s attorney or a young adult’s attorney if it receives a report under section 51A that raises substantial questions regarding the suitability of the child’s or young adult’s current placement or any of the child’s or young adult’s service providers.

No later than the first business day thereafter, the department shall provide notice to a child’s or young adult’s attorney whenever it becomes aware of: (1) the child or young adult being arrested; (2) the child’s or young adult’s potential involvement in any proceeding under this chapter or any criminal investigation or proceeding; (3) the child or young adult being suspended from school; or (4) the child or young adult being the subject of any proceeding that could result in his or her suspension or expulsion from school.

SECTION 2. The department of children and families shall promulgate regulations to implement section 1 of this act no later than six months from the effective date of this act.

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