An act relating to agricultural economic development

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Kesha Ram Hinsdale

The bill increases monthly benefit standards by 20% annually starting 2025 until the household size reaches 50% of the federal poverty level, then maintains at least 50% FPL.

Read 1st time & referred to Committee on Agriculture

Summary — S.118 (2025): "An Act lifting kids out of deep poverty"

Note: The docket lists the bill title as establishing a dementia/Alzheimer’s database, and some sponsor metadata appears inconsistent with a Massachusetts bill. This summary is based on the enacted text filed as “An Act lifting kids out of deep poverty” (Senate Docket No. 1818 / S.118) and the legislative actions provided.

Purpose / Intent

To substantially increase monthly benefit payment standards for specified Commonwealth benefit programs in order to reduce deep poverty among households with children and other eligible populations, and to ensure those payment standards reach and thereafter track at least 50% of the federal poverty level (FPL) for each household size.

Key provisions

Amends:

Section 2 of Chapter 118 of the General Laws (as in the 2022 Official Edition), and
Section 1 of Chapter 117A of the General Laws.

Annual increases: Beginning July 1, 2025, payment standards for monthly benefits under the two programs will be increased each July 1 by 20% above the prior fiscal year’s payment standard.

Phase‑in cap: The 20% annual increases continue until the payment standard for a given household size equals 50% of the federal poverty level for that household size.

Floor/indexing: Once the 50% FPL threshold is reached for a household size, future July 1 increases must ensure the payment standard remains no less than 50% of the FPL as determined by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Additional adjustments (Chapter 118): The “need standard” and payment amounts must also be increased by the amount of a clothing allowance in the month it’s paid and by a rental allowance for households incurring rent or mortgage expenses who are not residing in public or subsidized housing.

Who is affected

Recipients of the monthly benefit programs governed by Chapter 118 and Chapter 117A (households eligible under those statutes, including families with children and other specified beneficiaries).

State agencies that administer these programs (must implement the phased increases and incorporate clothing/rental allowance treatment).

State budget/treasury — increases will raise program expenditures (no cost estimate is provided in the text).

Timeline and procedural status (selected)

Introduced: Jan 16, 2025.

Referred to various committees (Judiciary; Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities; Aging); multiple committee actions recorded.

Passed by the Senate: Mar 20, 2025; delivered to the House/Assembly same day and referred to Aging.

Hearing scheduled (per record): Sept 16, 2025.

Reported favorably and referred to Senate Ways & Means: Oct 20, 2025.

Potential impact and considerations

Directly increases benefit levels and could materially reduce extreme poverty among beneficiary households once fully phased in to the 50% FPL floor.

Short‑term fiscal impact could be substantial because of the 20% compounded annual increases until the threshold is met; longer‑term costs will track the 50% FPL floor (indexed to HHS poverty guidelines).

Administrative changes required to incorporate clothing and rental allowances into need standards and to update annual adjustments tied to federal poverty levels.

If you’d like, I can:
- Produce an estimated cost model based on current program caseloads and baseline payment standards (requires baseline numbers), or
- Prepare a plain‑language explainer for affected families.