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S 2142

Relates to a sales tax exemption for certain fundraising organized by school-based volunteer organizations

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Rob Ortt

Massachusetts bill restricts relocating call centers, requires 120-day notice, imposes penalties, and blocks state incentives; operations must stay in MA for contractors.

REFERRED TO INVESTIGATIONS AND GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · S 2142

Note on source materials / inconsistencies
The materials you provided contain conflicting metadata. The top-level “Bill Information” lists S 2142 as a sales-tax exemption for school-based fundraising. The full bill text, however, is a Massachusetts proposal titled (in part) “Save Massachusetts Call Center Jobs” addressing relocation of call centers and customer-service operations. Sponsor and committee listings mix state and federal names/dates. This summary is based on the actual bill text you supplied (the Massachusetts call-center relocation measure). If you intended the other measure, tell me and I’ll summarize that instead.

Bill summary — S.2142 (text provided)

Short title (in text): Save Massachusetts Call Center Jobs (inserted as new Section 204 into Chapter 149 of the Massachusetts General Laws). Effective 180 days after enactment.

Purpose / intent

To discourage employers from relocating call centers or substantial portions of call-center operations out of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (either to other U.S. states or abroad), to protect jobs, and to require state contractors to perform call-center/customer-service work within Massachusetts.

Key provisions

  • Definitions: “Employer” means businesses with (a) 50+ employees (excluding part-time), or (b) 50+ employees who in aggregate work at least 1,500 hours/week (excl. overtime). “Part-time” = <20 hours/wk average or employed <6 of prior 12 months.
  • Notice requirement: Employers intending to relocate a call center or any operating unit representing at least 30% of call-center volume (measured vs previous 12-month average) must notify the Massachusetts Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development at least 120 days before relocation.
  • Penalty: Failure to notify may trigger civil penalties up to $10,000 per day; Secretary may reduce for just cause.
  • Public list: The Secretary must compile and distribute a semiannual list of employers that relocate qualifying call-center operations out of the Commonwealth.
  • Economic consequences: Employers appearing on that list are ineligible for any direct or indirect State grants, state-guaranteed loans, or tax benefits for 5 years after publication.
  • Recoupment: Affected employers must remit the unamortized value of any previously received grants, guaranteed loans, tax benefits, or other governmental support.
  • Waiver: The Secretary (with relevant agencies) may waive ineligibility if denial would (i) cause substantial job loss in MA or (ii) harm the environment.
  • State contractors: Heads of agencies must ensure all state-related call-center/customer-service work by contractors (and their agents/subcontractors) is performed entirely within Massachusetts. Contractors currently doing such work outside MA have two years to comply; new hires added to those contracts must be in MA immediately.
  • Worker protections: The Act does not permit denial of unemployment, disability, or retraining benefits to workers affected by relocation.

Who is affected

  • Employers operating qualifying call centers in MA (especially firms with ≥50 employees).
  • State contractors providing call-center/customer-service support to MA government.
  • Employees of call centers (potentially protected by notice and retention objectives).
  • State agencies (must enforce procurement/location requirements).
  • Taxpayers and economic-development programs (may gain/lose recipients of incentives).

Timeline / procedure

  • Notice: 120 days prior to relocation.
  • Semiannual publication of relocating employers.
  • Ineligibility window: 5 years after listing.
  • Compliance window for existing state contractors: 2 years after enactment.
  • Effective date: 180 days after enactment.

Potential impacts and considerations

  • Likely to deter offshoring or interstate relocation of call-center jobs or impose administrative/financial costs for employers considering relocation.
  • May reduce the attractiveness of Massachusetts to some employers dependent on flexibility to offshore or relocate operations.
  • State procurement rules would be tightened; contractors may need to restructure operations or hire locally.
  • Legal challenges could arise (preemption, contract/recoupment disputes, constitutional claims).
  • Administrative burden on the Secretary to monitor, publish lists, adjudicate waivers, and collect recouped funds.

If you want, I can: (a) produce a one-page fact sheet, (b) draft potential stakeholder impacts (employers, unions, state agencies), or (c) reconcile the conflicting metadata and assemble a cleaned legislative timeline.

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

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