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HD 4171

An Act relative to the emergency housing assistance program and universal background checks

194th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Donnie Berthiaume and 3 co-sponsors

Requires the executive office to perform comprehensive state and federal background checks (including CORI) on all emergency housing assistance applicants.

Senate concurred
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Bill Summary · HD 4171

Summary of Bill HD 4171: An Act relative to the emergency housing assistance program and universal background checks

Overview

  • Bill Number: HD 4171 (House Docket No. 4171; House No. 1503)
  • Title: An Act relative to the emergency housing assistance program and universal background checks
  • Status: Senate concurred
  • Introduced: February 27, 2025
  • Classification: Proposed bill (sponsored by Representatives Frost and Xiarhos)
  • Purpose: To expand background checks for applicants of the emergency housing assistance program and formalize universal background checks within the program’s intake process.

What the bill does

  • The bill adds a new subsection (h) to Section 30 of Chapter 30B of the General Laws (as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition).
  • Key requirement: The executive office must conduct comprehensive criminal background checks on all program applicants.
  • Scope of checks: Utilizes all relevant state and federal information systems, including the Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) system.

Who is affected

  • All applicants to the Commonwealth’s emergency housing assistance program (as administered under Chapter 30B).
  • The executive office responsible for administering the program would be responsible for performing and ensuring completion of the background checks.

Key provisions and changes

  • Mandatory background checks: Every program applicant must undergo a comprehensive criminal background check.
  • Information sources: Checks must draw from both state and federal information systems, explicitly including CORI.
  • Implementation actor: The executive office administering the emergency housing assistance program.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Legislative actions to date:
    • Introduced and filed: February 27, 2025
    • Referred to the Committee on Housing: February 27, 2025
    • Senate concurred (aligning with House action): February 27, 2025
  • Next steps (if enacted): The bill would proceed to enrollment and final enactment, requiring the Governor’s signature to become law, after which the background check requirement would be implemented for program applicants.

Potential impact and considerations

  • Administrative impact: The executive office would need to establish or modify processes to perform comprehensive background checks for all applicants, including coordination with state and federal information systems.
  • Timeliness: Requiring background checks could affect processing times for housing assistance applications.
  • Privacy and civil liberties: Expands use of personal criminal history in program eligibility determinations; may necessitate policies to address data privacy, accuracy, and rights to challenge or supplement records.
  • Policy intent: Aligns the emergency housing program with broader safety and screening considerations by ensuring thorough vetting of participants.

Notes

  • The bill’s text focuses specifically on adding subsection (h) to Section 30 of Chapter 30B and does not outline additional programmatic changes beyond the background check requirement.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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