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S 1793

Designates April eighth as Co-Occurring Disorders Awareness Day

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Nathalia Fernández

Requires EOAF to fund the HRD civil service unit so it preserves an independent appeals process and improves recruitment and outreach for public service careers.

REFERRED TO FINANCE
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Bill Summary · S 1793

Summary — S.1793 (Massachusetts) — “An Act relative to the Human Resources Division's civil service unit”

Status: Filed in Massachusetts Senate (Senate Docket No. 284 / Senate No. 1793). Presented by Sen. Michael D. Brady (Second Plymouth & Norfolk). Referred to committee(s) (see Procedural Status). Filed 01/10/2025; legislative actions listed below.

Main purpose

To require the Executive Office for Administration and Finance (EOAF) to appropriately fund the Human Resources Division’s civil service unit so the unit can (1) maintain a budget that preserves an independent and objective process for resolving civil‑service appeals and disputes, and (2) improve advertising, communication, and marketing of careers in state public service.

Key provision(s)

  • Amends Section 5 of Chapter 31 of the Massachusetts General Laws (as in the 2022 Official Edition) by adding a new subsection (q).
  • New subsection (q) directs the EOAF to “appropriately fund the human resource division's civil service unit such that the civil service unit may maintain a budget to permit it to continue to provide an independent and objective process of resolving appeals and disputes, and also better advertise, communicate, and market opportunities for careers in public service.”
  • No specific dollar amounts, funding sources, appropriation schedule, or enforcement mechanism are specified in the text.

Who would be affected

  • Human Resources Division — civil service unit (administratively and operationally).
  • Executive Office for Administration and Finance — charged with providing the requested funding.
  • State agencies that rely on civil service hiring and appeal processes.
  • Current and prospective Massachusetts civil‑service employees (benefit from continued independence of appeals and enhanced recruitment outreach).
  • State budget/taxpayers — potential fiscal impact depending on appropriations.

Potential impact and considerations

  • Intended to preserve or strengthen the civil service unit’s independence and capacity to resolve appeals, potentially improving fairness and timeliness of dispute resolution.
  • May expand recruitment/outreach efforts to attract applicants to public service.
  • Fiscal impact unspecified; implementation would depend on subsequent appropriations and EOAF budget decisions. A fiscal note or appropriation language would normally accompany actual funding.
  • No changes to substantive civil‑service law (eligibility, classifications, appeal standards) beyond funding directive.

Procedural status & timeline (as provided)

  • Filed (Senate Docket No. 284 / Sen. Michael D. Brady): 01/10/2025.
  • Legislative actions in supplied metadata include referrals to Finance, Public Service, and other committees and various hearing dates. (Note: the provided action history and sponsor list contain inconsistent entries that appear to conflate materials from other jurisdictions or bills — see Notes below.)

Notes and data inconsistencies

  • The bill text and docket clearly identify a Massachusetts state bill introduced by Sen. Michael D. Brady to amend Mass. Gen. Laws Chapter 31.
  • Other metadata attached to the request (title referencing “Co‑Occurring Disorders Awareness Day,” a federal‑style “COUNTER Act” title, a long list of U.S. Senate cosponsors, and references to federal committees) appear unrelated or conflated with this Massachusetts bill. Those items should be treated as separate and not part of the MA S.1793 text summarized here.
  • For tracking and final action, consult the Massachusetts Legislature’s official website or the Office of the Senate Clerk for accurate committee referrals, hearing schedules, and any fiscal notes.

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

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