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S 121

Increases the amount of income property owners may earn for the purpose of eligibility for the property tax exemption for persons over sixty-five years of age

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Siela Bynoe and 3 co-sponsors

Mass. S.121 requires SSNs for cash aid, pursues automated verifications, and suspends benefits after 3 months without a valid SSN.

COMMITTED TO RULES
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Bill Summary · S 121

Summary — S.121 (2025): Strengthening Social Security Number Verification for Cash Assistance Eligibility

Status: Introduced Jan 16, 2025 — COMMITTED TO RULES (pending committee/hearing activity)

Note: The bill text attached to S.121 amends Section 33 of Chapter 18 of the Massachusetts General Laws and concerns Social Security Number (SSN) verification for cash assistance. Some header metadata provided with the request (title and sponsor list) appears inconsistent with a Massachusetts state bill; this summary is based on the bill text itself.

Purpose

To tighten SSN collection and verification requirements for applicants and recipients of state cash assistance programs, increase automated checks against federal/state data sources to detect fraud or ineligible applicants, and require the Department to adopt implementing regulations.

Key provisions

  • Applicants/recipients must provide their Social Security Number upon application for cash assistance.
  • Exception: the SSN requirement does not apply to recipients present in the U.S. as victims of domestic violence who have a pending Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) petition for legal status.
  • A temporary, 3-month placeholder SSN is available only for:
    • Expectant mothers in the third trimester of pregnancy, or
    • Children under 4 months of age.
  • If a valid SSN is not provided within 3 months, benefits are immediately suspended until a valid and verifiable SSN is provided.
  • The Department is required to verify all provided SSNs through specified federal and state databases, including (but not limited to):
    1. Social Security Administration (SSA) — to confirm identity and citizenship status;
    2. National Directory of New Hires (NDNH) — to verify earned income;
    3. Social Security Death Master File — to detect deceased-person fraud;
    4. State and federal incarceration databases — to identify disqualified applicants.
  • The Department must promulgate regulations to implement and enforce these provisions.

Who would be affected

  • Primary: Applicants and recipients of state cash assistance programs in Massachusetts.
  • Particularly affected groups: recent immigrants or noncitizens without SSNs, households with newborns or late-term pregnant applicants (temporary placeholder allowed), victims of domestic violence with pending VAWA petitions (exempt).
  • State agency operations: Department administering cash assistance would need IT, data-sharing, and verification workflows and to adopt regulations.

Procedural timeline / status (from provided record)

  • Introduced and read twice: Jan 16, 2025.
  • Referred to committees (judiciary; Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities; Aging noted in records).
  • Advanced to third reading and multiple calendar reports in late Jan–Feb 2025.
  • Hearing scheduled (per record) for Sept 16, 2025.
  • Committed to Rules as of June 13, 2025.
  • Record contains duplicate and somewhat inconsistent entries; consult the official Massachusetts Legislature website for the authoritative current status.

Potential impacts and considerations

  • Pros: enhanced fraud detection and income verification; potential reduction in improper payments.
  • Cons/risks: stricter SSN verification and the 3-month deadline could lead to benefit interruptions for eligible low-income households, immigrants, or people awaiting SSNs; privacy and data-security risks from increased database queries and information sharing; potential legal/administrative conflicts requiring careful regulatory drafting (e.g., protections for VAWA petitioners).
  • Implementation will require agency rulemaking, IT interfaces with federal/state databases, staff training, and outreach to affected populations to avoid unintended loss of benefits.

For further action, consult the official bill file and committee materials for amendments, fiscal notes, and agency testimony.

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

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