Bill
S 241
DP H must annually report how Public Health Trust Fund–funded problem‑gambling treatment programs are funded, who they serve, and outcomes to legislative leaders and committees.
Note on inputs and scope
- The materials provided appear to combine text and metadata from multiple, different bills (federal Montana water-settlement language; a Massachusetts Senate No. 241 amendment about problem gambling; and a separate line about school resource officer tax-levy treatment). The substantive bill text included in full concerns an amendment to Massachusetts General Laws (chapter 23K) regarding reporting on problem‑gambling treatment funded by the Public Health Trust Fund. This summary focuses on that substantive text and flags other inconsistent items for clarification.
Summary — primary substantive text provided
- Title (in text): An Act relative to problem gambling and the public health trust fund.
- Legal change: Amends Section 58 of chapter 23K of the Massachusetts General Laws (as in the 2022 Official Edition) by adding required annual reporting by the Department of Public Health (DPH) on treatment programs funded by the Public Health Trust Fund (the “Fund”).
Main purpose and intent
- To increase transparency and legislative oversight of problem‑gambling treatment spending by requiring DPH to produce an annual, detailed report to legislative leaders and relevant committees on programs funded by the Fund, who they serve, and outcomes.
Key provisions (what the amendment requires)
- DPH must make annual reports to:
- Speaker of the House; President of the Senate; Joint Committee on Public Health; Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies.
- Reports must include, at minimum:
1. The treatment programs funded by the Fund and the amounts each program receives.
2. The number of individuals served by each treatment program funded by the Fund, distinguishing new clients from continuing clients.
3. Demographic information of those served, including sex, age, race, ethnicity, income, education, and geography.
4. Outcomes obtained for individuals enrolled in treatment programs funded by the Fund.
Who would be affected
- Department of Public Health: new annual reporting duties and data‑collection/analysis responsibilities.
- Treatment providers receiving Fund monies: required to supply program, client, demographic, and outcome information to DPH.
- Legislature and oversight committees: receive regular, standardized data to inform policy and budgeting decisions.
- Individuals receiving treatment: their de‑identified demographic and outcome data would be used for reporting and program evaluation (the bill text does not specify privacy protections; typical practice would require compliance with health‑information privacy laws).
Procedural status and timeline (as provided; appears inconsistent)
- Introduced: January 24, 2025 (text lists Paul R. Feeney as the presenting legislator for Massachusetts S.241).
- Committee referral(s): materials show multiple, conflicting referrals (Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure; Education; Indian Affairs). A hearing was scheduled 06/23/2025 in one entry.
- Legislative actions listed are internally inconsistent and appear to refer to other bills (including federal/state Indian affairs matters). Clarification of the correct jurisdiction, bill number, and current committee assignment is recommended.
Other content present in the packet (requires clarification)
- Separate headings/text reference a “Northern Montana Water Security Act of 2025” and a “Fort Belknap Indian Community Water Rights Settlement Act of 2025” (TITLE I) and “Blackfeet Tribe Wastewater Facilities” (TITLE II). Those are distinct federal/state-level items and are not part of the Massachusetts Section 58 amendment text.
- The packet also includes a header about excluding expenditures for school resource officers from tax levy limitations—no substantive text for that measure was provided.
Recommendation
- Confirm which specific bill the requester wants summarized (Massachusetts S.241 amendment to ch. 23K, the school‑resource‑officer levy exemption, or the Northern Montana water/Indian settlement legislation). If additional/full text is provided for any of the other items, a focused summary of that measure can be produced.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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