Legislation
Below are the bills Senator Spilka filed for the 2011-2012 legislative session. To see the Senate’s accomplishments from last session, please click here.
Tax Relief for Working Families, Seniors, Homeowners and Persons with Disabilities
An act strengthening working families by increasing tax exemptions and dependent care tax credits
Senate Docket 826
This legislation provides greater tax relief for working families. For middle income families, the bill increases the income tax exemptions for dependents and increases the dependent and child care tax credit.
An Act to include trash removal as a tax credit for seniors
Senate Docket 592
Refile of S1336
Many cities and towns in the Commonwealth charge a per-unit fee for every bag or barrel of trash over a 1 barrel limit. Some elderly residents cannot afford any increase in taxation or fees, let alone one so high as this per-unit trash fee. This bill mitigates the financial burden imposed on residents who pay any additional per unit fee for trash removal by allowing the inclusion of all trash removal and other such fees in the calculation of tax credits for real estate payments. This credit is not to exceed $750 and is only available for people older than 65, whose real estate payments exceed 10 percent of their annual income.
An Act to allow single family homeowners to deduct their water, sewer and trash fees from their state income tax
Senate Docket 415
Refile of S1710
This bill allows homeowners to deduct municipal fees for water, sewer and refuse collection incurred at their principal place of residence from their state income tax.
An Act to create property tax credits for individuals with disabilities
Senate Docket 589
Refile of S1332
This bill allows disabled property taxpayers the ability to use the same property tax credit available to seniors in M.G.L. c. 62 § 6(k) regardless of their age. Many persons with disabilities are living on a fixed income and need protection from the increasing property taxes in order to maintain their daily living expenses.
Consumer Protection
An act to protect the commonwealth’s residents from identity theft
Senate Docket 1671
This bill improves Massachusetts law pertaining to identity crime. The bill provides additional tools to law enforcement, encourages collaboration between officials and training on identity crime, empowers identity theft victims, restricts the use and dissemination of social security numbers, and criminalizes tactics used by identity thieves.
An Act to prevent unlawful and unnecessary foreclosures
Senate Docket 1293
This bill protects the best interests of creditors, investors, borrowers and taxpayers, by requiring creditors to take commercially reasonable steps to avoid foreclosure. This will ensure that creditors maximize the value of their loans, and protect homeowners by avoiding unnecessary foreclosures. The bill will also prohibit foreclosures where creditors lack the documents supporting their purported right to foreclosure, and prohibit passing on certain fees and costs to homeowners. A violation of the legislation would constitute a violation of G. L. c. 93A, § 2(a).
An Act to form a commission on for-profit schools
Senate Docket 737
This bill establishes a special commission to study the impact of proprietary schools receiving public investments, in the form of federal and state financial aid, on residents of the Commonwealth who are or have been enrolled in these institutions. The Commission will make recommendations concerning the regulation and oversight of Massachusetts proprietary schools, enforcement of the Massachusetts Consumer Protection laws with respect to these schools, methods to increase transparency, adequacy of support for students at risk or in default on student loans, and education provided to potential students about the financial risks.
An Act to preclude contractors from retaining rebates that would undermine the integrity of the public procurement process
Senate Docket 1276
This bill prevents the trustees or officers of the University of Massachusetts, a state college or community college, and officials of the Commonwealth, from entering into contracts unless the contract provides the state universities with any rebates received by the contractor. The bill also requires any natural person, joint venture, partnership, corporation, or other business or legal entity submitting a proposal for the sale, lease or provision of supplies, equipment or other property, to certify that any rebates it receives will be fully disclosed and turned over to the governmental body.
An Act to protect consumers that hold credit cards
Senate Docket 410
Refile of S177
This bill develops an effective system for enabling Massachusetts consumers to make informed decisions regarding the acceptance of credit card contracts and the acquisition and management of credit card debt. This bill creates an Office of Credit Card Information Services to manage consumer interaction with credit card issuers, as well as a rubric and grading mechanism for credit card issuers. It also sets disclosure requirements in credit card advertisements and solicitation materials and educates the public on services and debt management options.
An Act establishing a cell phone user’s bill of rights
Senate Docket 418
Refile of S1982
This bill establishes a cell phone user’s bill of rights to afford consumers better disclosure regarding rates and fees, contract terms, and wireless coverage area. It provides recourse to resolve billing disputes and errors, eliminates long term contracts and provides less restrictive contract terms, such as a risk-free trial period to test the phone and service.
An Act to promote consumer rights and enhance exemptions in small claims courts
Senate Docket 447
Refile of S1802
This bill corrects certain imbalances that occur for both substantive and procedural reasons in the area of debt collection in Massachusetts. It modernizes the exemptions, which have not been changed since the 1970s, for certain personal property by increasing the value which a debtor may retain. It also prohibits the arrest of a debtor for failing to appear at a court session and prohibits jailing a debtor who does not immediately pay debts. The bill improves the notice provisions—by restoring the requirement of certified mail—to ensure that creditors actually make reasonable attempts at notice.
An Act to protect children from bisphenol-A
Senate Docket 1273
Refile of S432
This bill is specifically intended to protect children under the age of three, one of the Commonwealth’s most vulnerable populations. More than 130 studies suggest that low-dose exposure to bisphenol-A—common in baby bottles, toys, and other child care articles—is linked to a staggering number of health problems. This bill prohibits the manufacture, sale or distribution in commerce of any toy, child care article, infant formula bottle and baby food container that is intended for a child under 3 years of age if that product contains bisphenol-A. This bill would also require manufacturers to use the least toxic alternative when replacing bisphenol-A in their products.
An Act to establish a foreclosure mediation program
Senate Docket 1274
Refile of S1805
This bill creates a foreclosure mediation program in the Commonwealth that will be available to mortgagors of residential real property during the 90 day right-to-cure default period. Homeowners can opt-in to the program when their mortgage is foreclosed upon once every five years. The lender and the homeowner are required to meet with a trained mediator for at least one mediation session, and have the authority to reach a settlement which could include a change in sale date, change in terms of payment, modification of the mortgage or agreement to restructure the mortgage debt. This would ensure that the parties meet face to face and a neutral third party is involved to facilitate the best solution possible.
Public Safety
Heather’s Bill (An Act relative to the release of a body by the medical examiner to a person charged with an offense which resulted in the death of the deceased)
Senate Docket 1275
This bill addresses the injustices which occurred in the aftermath of the domestic violence murder of Heather Alleyne, 19, of Framingham on August 9, 2010. Heather’s husband was charged with the murder and then refused to allow Heather’s body to be released to her family for burial. Despite being charged with her murder, her husband still had control over her body as next of kin. This bill would exclude a next of kin charged with the murder of a deceased victim from the order of priority of those to whom the decedent can be released. The bill also addresses another fairness issue discovered after a domestic violence multiple murder. In this case, Thomas Mortimer is alleged to have killed his wife, his two young children, and his mother-in-law on June 16, 2010 in Winchester. Mortimer has since sought to use his children’s college fund to pay for his legal fees and bail. This bill would prevent a person charged with murder from accessing a family victim’s estate for their legal defense fees.
An Act providing for protection from domestic violence
Senate Docket 1277
This bill will improve the state’s ability to properly serve victims of domestic violence and ensure that victims of repeat, violent domestic batterers are protected. The bill creates a new aggravated assault and battery felony charge for repeat offenders punishable by up to five years in state prison where the victim is a household or family member, and where the defendant has previously been convicted of certain enumerated crimes, including sexual crimes and crimes that cause serious bodily injury. This bill also amends the existing aggravated assault and battery statute to include no-contact orders issued as a condition of bail as aggravating factors.
An Act to enhance safety and security in courthouses
Senate Docket 1286
This bill deters criminal conduct in court houses to ensure that those who work in the court system or come to our courts as jurors, witnesses, parties or attorneys will be safe and secure. The bill makes assaults and assault and battery offenses, committed on court property while courts are in session or open to the public, felony offenses. The bill also increases the potential penalty for willful disruption of court proceedings, and for certain threats to do bodily harm to court staff, jurors, prosecutors and attorneys, due to their performance of official duties, to a felony punishable by up to 3 years in state prison.
An Act to permit the setting of both cash bail and pretrial conditions in domestic violence matters
Senate Docket 683
Refile of S1804
This bill amends certain chapters of the criminal law to allow judges to set both cash bail and pretrial conditions in cases of domestic violence. Currently, the domestic violence bail statute only allows the judge to impose a cash bail or to set pretrial conditions of release. Because the purpose of setting cash bail is to address the defendant’s flight risk and the setting of pretrial conditions is to ensure the safety of the victim/witnesses/community – two completely separate purposes – a judge should be authorized to address both purposes regardless of the statute under which bail is imposed. This change will make the law consistent with the recent amendment to MGL 276:58 (the general bail statute) which added the authority to impose pretrial conditions in addition to cash bail.
Education
An Act concerning financial literacy in schools
Senate Docket 1281
This bill authorizes the Department of Education to implement programs on personal financial literacy to equip students with the knowledge and skills needed to become self-supporting, and help students make critical decisions regarding personal finances. The Department is required to incorporate personal financial literacy concepts and skills within the existing mathematics framework, and encourage school districts to select text books which contain substantive provisions on personal finance. The bill also establishes a financial literacy advisory group, comprised of leaders in the field of financial planning, banking, and education, to submit recommendations for the inclusion of personal financial literacy concepts and standards, assist the Department with a review of existing financial literacy curriculum materials and programs, develop a plan for the dissemination of these recourses, and design a strategy for identifying and sharing best practices and successful programs that effectively teach financial literacy concepts and skills.
An Act relative to special education reimbursements
Senate Docket 1285
This bill provides a financial incentive to encourage school districts to create programs to serve students in more cost effective district placements. Current law states that municipalities will be reimbursed at 75 percent of all approved costs that exceed 4 times the state average per pupil foundation budget. This legislation adjusts the formula to provide 75 percent of costs exceeding 2 times the average student costs for all students served by collaborative programs statewide, and 75 percent of costs exceeding the average student cost for in-district or substantially separate programs. As costs for special education continue to rise and circuit breaker funding has decreased by 50 %, this bill would make available funds more cost effective.
An Act relative to increasing the benefit to cities and towns from the special education circuit breaker and including regional transportation network costs
Senate Docket 599
Refile of S275
Assistance to cities and town for extraordinary special education costs has been funded in recent years through the so-called ‘circuit breaker.’ This bill increases aid by increasing the reimbursement from 75% to 80%, including transportation costs if communities use a regional program, and reducing the threshold for payment by 25% a year over four years. Special education expenses are currently eligible for reimbursement once they reach 4x the foundation budget. This bill would reduce that requirement to 3x the foundation budget by FY14.
An Act establishing a charter school working group
Senate Docket 367
Refile of S272
This bill would establish a Charter School Working Group to examine the current charter school financing and funding cap system, ways charter schools can be innovative, and the obstacles to establishing new charter schools based on the Horace Mann model. The Working Group will make recommendations regarding any legislative or regulatory changes to be consistent with the conclusions of the report.
An Act to improve STEM education in the Commonwealth
Senate Docket 598
Refile of S273
This bill creates a task force to study ways to improve curricula and facilities for science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education in grades kindergarten through twelve. The commission is specifically charged with exploring improvements to STEM curricula, studying current science laboratory facilities and equipment, and examining current professional development programs for STEM teachers. In addition, the School Building Authority and Department of Elementary and Secondary Education are required to develop standards and regulations for science education facilities servicing grades kindergarten through 12.
Health Care
The Gift of Life Act (An Act establishing an income tax deduction for individuals who donate a human organ)
Senate Docket 369
Refile of S1333
This bill creates an individual income tax deduction for certain expenses incurred by an organ donor. Under the bill, an individual who donates all or part of his or her human organs, while living, to another human being for human organ transplantation may deduct up to $10,000 in related expenses from their state income taxes. The deduction may be claimed for travel expenses, lodging expenses, and lost wages that are incurred by the claimant and related to his or her organ donation.
An Act relative to women’s health and cancer recovery
Senate Docket 586
Refile of S896
This bill would put an end to “drive through mastectomies” by requiring that health insurance plans provide coverage for a minimum hospital stay in relation to inpatient hospital care for a mastectomy, lumpectomy, and lymph node dissection for the treatment of breast cancer, as determined to be medically appropriate between a physician and patient, and to require the provision of coverage for secondary consultations, reconstructive surgery, prosthetic devices, and lymphedema therapy. It also prohibits health insurance plans from either rewarding doctors who determine a short length of stay is medically appropriate or penalizing doctors who determine a long length of stay is medically appropriate for a specific patient.
An Act relative to recognizing the importance of public vision awareness
Senate Docket 600
Refile of S583
This bill adds a member of the Massachusetts Society of Optometrists to the Public Health Advisory Council, which currently does not have an individual dedicated to bringing attention to vision conditions and eye care concerns. The inclusion of an optometrist will increase the ability of the Health Advisory Council to understand and serve the needs of Massachusetts citizens.
An Act regarding the all-payer claims database
Senate Docket 1289
The bill codifies the all payer claims database and establishes the division of health care finance and policy as the sole repository of the Commonwealth’s health care data. Where possible all state agencies must utilize the database for all health care data needs, reducing administrative costs from multiple state agencies making similar, but different, data requests to plans and providers. The bill would also create an advisory board for the APCD comprised of stakeholders to guide the use and distribution of the data.
Economic Development
An Act extending single sales factor apportionment to retail and wholesale corporations
Senate Docket 784
This bill simplifies and improves taxation of certain corporations. Under the current system, Massachusetts based companies are taxed more than those based out-of-state who earn the same amount of income. This bill would reduce taxes on Massachusetts based companies, leveling the playing field so that both Massachusetts and out-of-state retailers and wholesalers pay the same amount of tax on the same amount of income. Many other states have adopted this “single sales factor” apportionment and Massachusetts has already adopted it for the defense, manufacturing and financial services related industries.
An Act to strengthen tax administration and promote taxpayer fairness
Senate Docket 1283
This bill contains four tax reform proposals that will help alleviate inequities in the state tax system and spur economic development, including: (1) establishing parity in the calculation of interest on overpayments and underpayments, (2) establishing parity between the statute of limitations to assess a tax return and the statute of limitations to amend a tax return, (3) shortening the tax audit cycle by automatically waiving taxpayer penalties for substantial underpayment of tax if the state takes more than 18 months to issue a proposed assessment and (4) maximizing early opportunities for taxpayer input in tax policy development by requiring the Department to publish regular reports on tax policies it is considering and require that draft regulations and directives be released only after they have been noticed in such reports.
Municipal Tools, Public Land & Environmental Stewardship
An Act providing for disposition of surplus state real property based on smart growth land use policies
Senate Docket 747
The bill would empower local communities and key stakeholders, benefit the public while generating revenue for the Commonwealth, and promote smart growth principles by reforming the current procedure in chapter 7 of the General Laws for declaring state land surplus and effecting dispositions of this land. The bill would create a Surplus Land Coordination Committee to guide the disposition process and enhance coordination among state agencies, establish a professional smart growth review by the regional planning agency for significant parcels, and set consistent timeframes for parcel disposition. The bill would also allow a right of first refusal for municipalities to purchase surplus parcels, direct funding to the Smart Growth Housing Trust Fund, and create a Capital Projects Trust Fund to be used to meet the capital improvement needs of the Commonwealth, consisting of a portion of net cash proceeds of the Commonwealth’s disposition of surplus real property.
An Act regarding the public use of the commonwealth’s aqueducts
Senate Docket 750
This bill would allow the public to use all aqueducts owned by the MWRA for passive recreation, free of charge, unless the board of directors of the Authority votes to prohibit access on a particular area for security reasons.
An Act expanding the ability of communities to use community preservation funds
Senate Docket 781
This bill expands definitions within the Community Preservation Act, so that CPA funds are more accessible to municipalities. The bill adds buildings owned by a city or town, determined by the community preservation committee to be significant public buildings, to the definition of historic resources. The bill also amends the definition of rehabilitation to allow for capital improvements to historic resources that increase energy efficiency and capital improvements to land making it more functional for recreational use.
An Act to assist public water suppliers and to safeguard adequate water supplies
Senate Docket 583
Refile of S786
The long-term sustainability of the Commonwealth’s public water supplies may be seriously threatened if local towns are not provided with the tools to meet the increased demand for water. This bill supplies local authorities with the tools to safeguard the long-term sustainability of public water supplies. It provides water districts with the ability to require permits for the digging of private wells, allows them to regulate private well operation and requires them to consider long-term sustainability in adopting a water supply distribution system. This bill also allows communities to create Sustainable Water Resource Funds. The community may assess reasonable fees to be used exclusively by the fund to support local projects that can offset the impacts of the increased water use.
An Act relative to reusable beverage containers
Senate Docket 594
Refile of S1535
Bottle redemption handling fees have remained the same for 19 years. These current fees do not reflect the increased cost of doing business, which has forced many redemption centers to close. Bottle redemption centers not only provide a business opportunity and a source of revenue for many in the Commonwealth, but they also offer an environmental benefit by increasing recycling rates.
This bill would update the bottle redemption laws to reflect changes in cost of doing business today by increasing the handling fee by 1 cent, requiring a review of the handling fee every five years, and requiring distributors to pick up containers from redemption centers free of charge.
An Act assisting towns to create quiet zones for at-grade rail crossings
Senate Docket 595
Refile of S1960
A “quiet zone” at a rail crossing, as defined by the U.S. Secretary of Transportation, is a location where the use of train whistles is prohibited if the public safety can be assured. Under this bill, any public authority eligible to apply to the Federal government for the creation of a quiet zone may also apply for a quiet zone assistance grant. This grant provides financial aid to municipalities in making the improvements necessary to create the quiet zone.
An Act regarding the method in which a city or town may meet its low or moderate income housing requirement
Senate Docket 602
Refile of S659
This bill provides additional methods for municipalities to use to meet their low or moderate income housing requirement under the Commonwealth’s Comprehensive Permitting System. Currently, the low or moderate income housing requirement provides that municipalities must have 10 percent of their current housing be affordable. This would broaden the definition of affordable housing to include “adjunct apartment” housing, which would allow municipalities to provide affordable housing, manage increased growth and make it easier to meet the low or moderate income housing requirement.
An Act to Promote Reusable Energy Use in the Commonwealth
Senate Docket 604
Refile of S1340
This bill creates a one-time tax credit, not exceeding $1000 for single-unit dwellings or $1500 for multi-unit residential properties, for the purchase of energy efficient heating items. The bill also provides a property tax exemption for residential or commercial property owners that install solar, geothermal, wind, water, fuel cell energy systems. The property tax exemption would be equal to the increase in property value resulting from the installation.
An Act relative to the repair, removal and replacement of dams
Senate Docket 637
Refile of S431
The bill requires that the Commissioner of the Department of Conservation and Recreation, in conjunction with the Commissioner of Fish and Game, the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife and the Riverways Program to complete a detailed report of all dams on public and private property in the Commonwealth. The report must include the owner and location of each dam or list the dam as abandoned and classify the status of all hazardous dams together with the schedule for their repair or removal. It will also designate dams that are no longer needed and may be removed, as well as those that are designated abandoned or a threat to the environment.
The bill expands the commissioner’s enforcement powers by increasing the fine for failure to repair or remove a high hazard potential dam from $500 to $25,000, and to $5000 for less hazardous dams.
Transportation
An Act relative to freezing the tolls
Senate Docket 624
Refile of S1961
This bill would freeze all tolls in the Commonwealth, including the Massachusetts Turnpike, the 128 and Allston/Brighton tolls, the tunnels and the Tobin Bridge, at January 1, 2008 levels.
An Act to grant authority to the secretary of the executive office of transportation and public works to charge and collect tolls at the borders of the Commonwealth
Senate Docket 626
Refile of S1962
This bill would give Massachusetts Department of Transportation the authority to place tolls on all major routes at the Commonwealth’s borders with New York, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont.
An Act relative to fairness and equity in regional transportation planning
Senate Docket 789
Refile of S1959
This bill seeks to more fully accomplish a comprehensive and coordinated intermodal transportation plan for the Commonwealth, by directing the secretary of housing and economic development and the secretary of transportation to develop coordination mechanisms for both sub-regional and joint transportation planning by metropolitan planning organizations in order to better maintain, expand and improve transportation within the state. It also directs DOT to study the MPO structure in Massachusetts and the methods used to decide when and where transportation projects are built.
Children, Families & Persons with Disabilities
An Act regarding families and children engaged in services
Senate Docket 1292
The Child in Need of Services (CHINS) system was established to provide assistance to children who are “habitually truant, runaway from home or refuse to obey the lawful and reasonable commands of their parent(s) or guardian(s) and or the rules of their school”. The CHINS system has long been failing to meet its intended goals and is widely regarded as at best ineffectual and at times harmful to the children it seeks to help.
This provision would transform the CHINS system in to one which is community-based and meets the program’s objectives of keeping children healthy and safe; supporting and strengthening family connections; providing services in the least restrictive environment possible; helping children succeed in school, preventing children from becoming criminally involved; and eliminating the necessity for parents to lose custody of their children in order to get the help they need from services already available in the community.
An act establishing a work family council
Senate Docket 821
This bill will promote successful policies and practices in the public and private sectors to address problems facing working families in the Commonwealth. This bill establishes a work family council in the executive office of labor and workforce development to develop broadly shared understandings of critical work-family issues in the commonwealth through privately funded research, experimentation, and education. The council would submit a bi-annual written report of its activities to the secretary of economic development and housing and the secretary of labor and workforce development.
An Act to expand juvenile jurisdiction, increase public safety and protect children from harm
Senate Docket 697
This bill would improve public safety, while bringing the Commonwealth’s approach to young criminal offenders in line with most other states, recent developmental research, and many other legal age limits in the Commonwealth. The bill would amend current law requiring all 17 year-old persons accused of a crime to be automatically tried as adults in criminal court, regardless of the circumstances or severity of the offense, by raising juvenile court jurisdiction to include 17 year-old offenders, and make corresponding changes to the General Laws.
An Act regarding the reinstatement of parental rights for certain children
Senate Docket 188
The bill provides a mechanism to ensure that in some situations children who have been removed from their parents care, but have never and will never be adopted may petition the court for reinstatement. The child must be at least 12 and at least 2 years without adoption. The court must determine that adoption is not the child’s permanency plan and that reinstatement is in the child’s best interest. This change would allow such children a chance, with the courts consent, to be part of a family and have access to any related financial benefits especially as they age out of the foster care system.
An Act to make habilitative services available to the children of the commonwealth
Senate Docket 232
Refile of S70
Private health insurers have traditionally denied coverage for: occupational therapy, physical therapy, and speech therapy to children born with developmental delays. Insurers do so because they distinguish between “rehabilitation” and “habilitation” in their insurance contracts. Children with congenital or genetic disabilities have never attained a specific level of skill to lose, so treatment is not considered “rehabilitative” and insurers deny reimbursement for these vital services. Last year, the autism bill (Ch. 207 of 2010) required private health insurance to cover habilitative services for individuals who are diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder.
This bill would extend that coverage to developmentally delayed children. It will require insurance coverage for services to help a child to attain or retain the capability to function age appropriately.
An Act revising the interstate compact on the placement of children
Senate Docket 427
Refile of S2211
The goal of this legislation is to ensure a more effective, efficient and fair process for the interstate movement of children. The Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children (ICPC), as adopted in 1960 and as currently implemented, is not an effective mechanism for states to ensure that children placed across state lines for purposes of foster care or adoption are placed with safe, suitable parents that can provide proper care. This bill would revise the ICPC. The revised version will make the application of the compact more uniform, create an interstate administrative body to promulgate rules and regulations, clarifies the state responsibilities and establishes timeframes for approval. Ultimately, this revision of the ICPC will ensure that children placed out-of-state need to be assured of that they will receive the same protections and services as if they remained in their home states.
An Act relative to spousal waiver for home and community-based services for physically disabled adults age 60 and under
Senate Docket 456
Refile of S582
Adults with chronic, disabling conditions such as MS, ALS, Parkinson’s and epilepsy are often ineligible for Medicaid because of their working spouse’s income. The existing rule penalizes these disabled, married individuals because it forces them to choose between Mass Health or their marriage.
This bill would require the Division of Medical Assistance to apply to Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services for approval to waive the rules so that spousal income and assets are excluded when determining Medicaid eligibility for physically disabled adults aged 19-60 who meet the criteria for nursing home care.
An Act relative to civil commitment for alcoholism or substance abuse at certain facilities
Senate Docket 597
Refile of S748
Currently, people who are civilly committed are subject to incarceration at either MCI Framingham or Bridgewater. Since the main purpose of civil commitment is to provide detoxification and remove the danger of harm to oneself or others, placing an individual in either facility is unduly punitive and not conducive to substance abuse treatment. This bill would prohibit the placement of civilly committed individuals to these facilities and would formalize the civil commitment process by requiring that the Department of Mental Health (DMH), in collaboration with the Department of Public Health (DPH), create a standardized evaluation tool to provide basic guidelines for assessment.
An Act to promote higher education among employees of human services provider organizations
Senate Docket 601
Refile of S614
This bill would allow employees who work for a state-contracted provider and the employees’ spouse to receive tuition reimbursement for any courses or programs taken at either a community college or a state college or university.
