An Act establishing basic needs assistance for Massachusetts immigrant residents
Generates a plain-language summary of the bill text and history.
| Date | Branch | Action |
|---|---|---|
| 10/20/2025 | Senate | Bill reported favorably by committee and referred to the committee on Senate Ways and Means |
| 9/5/2025 | Joint | Hearing scheduled for 09/16/2025 from 01:00 PM-05:00 PM in A-2 |
| 2/27/2025 | House | House concurred |
| 2/27/2025 | Senate | Referred to the committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities |
| Committee | Recommendation | Vote |
|---|---|---|
| J13 | Favorable | 1 entries |
Chapter 18 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after section 39 the following new section:-
The department of transitional assistance shall, subject to appropriation, provide the following basic needs benefits to persons residing in the Commonwealth who are lawfully admitted for permanent residence or are otherwise permanently residing in the United States under color of law: a) cash assistance and related benefits to children, pregnant women and caretaker adults who meet the eligibility requirements of Chapter 118 of the General Laws except for the program requirements related to immigration status or citizenship, and b) nutritional assistance benefits to persons who meet the eligibility requirements of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program except for the program requirements related to immigration status or citizenship. The basic needs benefits authorized under this section shall be provided at the same level and subject to the same requirements as benefits provided under Chapter 118 or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, with the exception of the immigration status or citizenship requirements of those programs.
Chapter 18 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after section 39 the following new section:- Section 40. The department of transitional assistance shall, subject to appropriation, provide the following basic needs benefits to persons residing in the Commonwealth who are lawfully admitted for permanent residence or are otherwise permanently residing in the United States under color of law: a) cash assistance and related benefits to children, pregnant women and caretaker adults who meet the eligibility requirements of Chapter 118 of the General Laws except for the program requirements related to immigration status or citizenship, and b) nutritional assistance benefits to persons who meet the eligibility requirements of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program except for the program requirements related to immigration status or citizenship. The basic needs benefits authorized under this section shall be provided at the same level and subject to the same requirements as benefits provided under Chapter 118 or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, with the exception of the immigration status or citizenship requirements of those programs.