An Act relative to Housing Authority

194th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by David DeCoste

The bill is a placeholder in early drafting with no published provisions yet, so its exact changes to the Housing Authority are not known.

Overview

An Act relative to Housing Authority is a proposed bill in the Massachusetts General Court, identified as House Docket No. 3971. The bill is authored by Representative David F. DeCoste (5th Plymouth). The current public text indicates the measure is in an early drafting stage, with no substantive provisions publicly released at this time.

Key details

Bill number: HD 3971

Title: An Act relative to Housing Authority

Sponsor: Representative David F. DeCoste (5th Plymouth)

House Docket/File: House Docket No. 3971; filed January 17, 2025

Legislative session: Massachusetts General Court, 194th (2025-2026)

Status: Draft/working on House Counsel; no enacted text available yet

Public text status: The bill text provided to date indicates a placeholder or draft stage (“DRAFT BEING WORKED ON BY HOUSE COUNSEL”). No specific provisions are published publicly.

What the bill is intended to do

The title indicates a focus on the Housing Authority; however, no detailed provisions are available in the public text to specify what changes or reforms would be enacted (e.g., governance structure, funding, oversight, reporting requirements, eligibility, or operational reforms).

As of now, the exact purpose, scope, and policy changes are not published beyond the general aim implied by the title.

Known provisions and changes (to date)

No specific sections, provisions, or fiscal impact details have been released. The available material shows a draft status with no enacted text.

The only explicit contextual item is that it is “An Act relative to Housing Authority” and that the bill was filed and presented in the 194th General Court; a “Pin Slip” notation appears in the text, reinforcing that the document is in early drafting.

Who/what would be affected

Without published provisions, the precise affected entities, programs, or populations cannot be identified. Typically, a bill with this title would target Massachusetts housing authorities, possibly affecting governance, funding, oversight, or operations related to public housing or housing authority programs. Until text is released, specific affected parties remain undefined.

Procedural and timeline aspects

Introduction/date: Filed January 17, 2025; listed for the 194th General Court (2025-2026).

Status: Draft in progress; no final language or committee actions publicly recorded at this stage.

Next steps: Monitor for publication of the complete bill language, committee assignments/hearings, amendments, and any fiscal impact statements. If advancing, expect standard legislative steps: referral to a committee (likely Housing or Government Operations), hearings, potential votes in the House and Senate, and eventual conference committee if needed.

Bottom line

HD 3971 is a proposed Massachusetts bill titled “An Act relative to Housing Authority” introduced in the 194th General Court. As of the latest available public material, it remains in early drafting with no substantive provisions released. Readers should watch for the release of full text and subsequent legislative actions to understand the bill’s precise changes and impacts.

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