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S 976

Relates to authorizing local or regional accidental fatality review teams

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Peter Oberacker and 1 co-sponsor

Requires pre-admission background checks for Emergency Housing Assistance Program applicants 18+, barring those with certain crimes or pending charges.

REFERRED TO HEALTH
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Bill Summary · S 976

Summary — S 976: "An Act enhancing security in emergency housing programs"

Status: Referred to Health (introduced March 12, 2025)
Primary sponsor (state-level filing): Kelly A. Dooner
Note: Provided materials mix jurisdictional elements (Massachusetts bill text and a list of federal senators as cosponsors). The bill text below appears to be a Massachusetts statutory amendment; verify the official legislative website for final chamber and sponsor records.

Purpose

To require pre-admission background screening of adult applicants to the Emergency Housing Assistance Program and to make persons with specified criminal histories ineligible for program participation. The stated intent is to enhance safety and security in emergency housing.

Key provisions

  • Amends Section 30 of Chapter 23B of the Massachusetts General Laws by adding subsection (H) applying to the Emergency Housing Assistance Program.
  • Requires the Executive Office (the relevant state executive office administering emergency housing) to conduct background checks on all applicants aged 18 and older prior to admission.
  • Minimum check components:
    • State and federal criminal history checks
    • Sex offender registry checks
    • Verification for outstanding warrants or pending criminal charges
  • Requires coordination with:
    • Department of Criminal Justice Information Services (state)
    • U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)
    • Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) — for verification of background information and immigration status.
  • Eligibility bar:
    • Applicants with pending charges or convictions for violent crimes, drug trafficking, or sex offenses are ineligible.
  • Directs the Executive Office to promulgate regulations to implement and enforce the new subsection.

Who is affected

  • Adults (18+) seeking admission to the Emergency Housing Assistance Program.
  • Emergency housing operators and the state executive office administering the program (new administrative duties and compliance requirements).
  • Law enforcement and federal agencies (information sharing obligations).
  • Immigrant applicants, who may be subject to immigration-status verification and referral to federal authorities.

Potential impacts and considerations

  • Access: Could reduce immediate shelter access for individuals with the specified criminal histories or pending charges, potentially increasing barriers for vulnerable populations.
  • Public safety vs. access tradeoff: Aims to increase perceived safety in shelters but may push some individuals into unsheltered homelessness.
  • Privacy and civil liberties: Mandatory checks and ICE coordination raise privacy and immigration-enforcement concerns; potential chilling effect on immigrants seeking shelter.
  • Administrative burden and costs: Implementation will require staff time, systems for background checks, interagency agreements, and regulatory rulemaking.
  • Regulatory follow-up: The Executive Office must adopt implementing regulations before full effect; timing and content of regulations will determine operational impact.

Procedural / timeline notes

  • Introduced March 12, 2025 and referred to Health (per provided record).
  • The bill text requires the Executive Office to promulgate regulations; no specific regulatory timeline is included in the statute.
  • Provided legislative action history appears inconsistent in places (mixed federal and state actions). Confirm current status and sponsorship on the official state legislative website for the authoritative record.

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

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