WeVote
Log In

Bill

Bill

S 1780

Provides for mental home health care services for the aging

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Patricia Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick

Creates a Massachusetts Public Safety Building Authority with a dedicated trust fund to finance construction, modernization, and improvement of public safety facilities using a sec

REFERRED TO MENTAL HEALTH
0
WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · S 1780

Note on source material
The text supplied contains inconsistent metadata (a heading that mentions “mental home health care services for the aging,” disparate committee actions and sponsors, and multiple referral entries). The full bill text included in your document, however, is a Massachusetts bill (Senate No. 1780 / Senate Docket No. 2602) to create a Massachusetts Public Safety Building Authority and a dedicated trust fund. This summary is based on that bill text (creation of a Public Safety Building Authority / Public Safety Building Modernization and Reconstruction Trust Fund). Verify jurisdictional and procedural metadata with the originating legislative clerk if needed.

Summary — S.1780 (Massachusetts): Massachusetts Public Safety Building Authority

Primary purpose

Establish a new independent state authority — the Massachusetts Public Safety Building Authority — and create a dedicated trust fund to finance the construction, modernization and improvement of public safety facilities (e.g., police stations, fire stations) and to support related financing and debt service.

Key provisions

  • Creates a new chapter (40Y) establishing the Massachusetts Public Safety Building Authority as an independent public instrumentality; exercise of powers is an essential public function.
  • Authority composition (partial text): State Treasurer serves as chair; Secretary of Administration and Finance (in coordination with Secretary of Public Safety); additional members appointed by the Treasurer, including at least two with practical experience in public safety facilities planning (full composition truncated in supplied text).
  • Establishes the Public Safety Building Modernization and Reconstruction Trust Fund (Chapter 10, new Section 35QQQ).
  • Dedicated revenue stream:
    • Credits to the fund “dedicated sales tax revenue amount” equal to 1% of receipts from sales taxes under chapters 64H and 64I (with specified exclusions).
    • A separate carve-out for marijuana sales: 33% of receipts from sales under chapter 64N (as described in the bill).
  • Fund administration:
    • Funds held by the State Treasurer (or designee) as trustee, not on account of the Commonwealth; disbursements to the Authority without further appropriation upon request of the Authority’s executive director.
    • All amounts—including investment earnings—available to pay lawful Authority purposes, including debt service on bonds or notes issued by the Authority; amounts may be pledged to secure Authority debt.
    • Authority must annually certify to the Treasurer (and legislative clerks/ways & means committees) that its budget/capital plan provides for required debt service and financing obligations.
    • If the fund balance exceeds needs (per applicable agreements), the Authority may transfer excess amounts to the Commonwealth.
  • Credit protection covenant: while bonds/notes remain outstanding, the Commonwealth covenants not to divert sums credited to the fund and provides that the excise rates supporting those receipts shall not be reduced below the rates established in the section while obligations remain unpaid (subject to applicable bond/security agreements).

Who is affected

  • Municipalities and regional districts: potential access to financing/grants for public safety building construction and upgrades.
  • State finances/taxpayers: a permanent allocation of a portion of sales tax and marijuana tax receipts to the Trust Fund alters how those revenues are distributed.
  • Bondholders/credit markets: bonds issued by the Authority would be secured by pledged trust fund receipts and the statutory covenant, potentially improving marketability.
  • State agencies: Treasurer, Administration & Finance, and Public Safety offices have governance and operational roles.

Procedural / timeline notes (from supplied record)

  • Bill filed in Massachusetts Senate: docketed as No. 2602 and Senate No. 1780 (filed 1/17/2025; presented by Senator Bruce E. Tarr).
  • Referred to Public Safety and Homeland Security (text shows referral); hearing scheduled in supplied record for 06/26/2025.
  • The supplied legislative actions list includes entries that appear out of jurisdiction or inconsistent (e.g., references to Foreign Relations, Mental Health referrals, and different sponsors). Confirm current committee referrals and calendar status with the Legislature’s official online docket.

Potential impacts / considerations

  • Facilitates municipal investment in public safety infrastructure without direct annual appropriation by using dedicated excise revenues and Authority-issued bonds.
  • Creates a statutory revenue pledge and covenant that could constrain future flexibility over sales- and marijuana-tax allocations while Authority obligations remain outstanding.
  • Requires careful fiscal modeling of expected trust receipts and demand for grants/loans to avoid under- or over-commitment of funds.

If you want, I can:
- Extract and summarize the full membership/board composition and powers if you provide the remainder of Chapter 40Y text, or
- Draft a one-page explainer focused on fiscal impacts and estimated annual revenue flows given state sales-tax and marijuana-tax data.

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

Sign in to ask a question.