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Bill

S 357

Relates to certified registered nurse anesthetists

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Joe Addabbo and 23 co-sponsors

Requires Mass. to create and distribute a newborn care info pamphlet at hospital discharge, detailing licensed child care options, safety/licensing, and financial assistance.

REFERRED TO HIGHER EDUCATION
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Bill Summary · S 357

Summary — S.357 (Senate No. 357 / Docket No. 1889)

Title: An Act relative to licensed care and financial resource information for new parents and guardians
Filed / Presented by: Filed 1/16/2025; presented by Sen. Paul R. Feeney

Purpose / Intent

The bill requires the Commonwealth to create and distribute a concise, written informational pamphlet for parents and guardians of newborns. The pamphlet is intended to increase awareness of licensed early education and child care options, safety and licensing distinctions, and available financial supports — with the goal of helping families make informed child care choices immediately after birth.

Key provisions

  • Amends Chapter 15D of the General Laws by inserting a new Section 2A.
  • Directs the Department of Early Education and Care (referred to as “the department”), in consultation with the Department of Public Health, to develop a written early education and care informational pamphlet for parents/guardians of newborns.
  • Required content (non‑exclusive):
    • Information on short- and long-term developmental benefits of quality care and early education curricula.
    • Explanation of the department’s role in licensing providers and facilities, conducting background checks, and the safety distinctions between licensed and unlicensed care.
    • Information on availability of child care financial assistance for eligible families.
    • Contact information for each regional child care resource and referral agency.
    • Website address for an online, searchable directory of licensed child care programs across the Commonwealth.
  • The department must develop and make the pamphlet available for publication, printing, and distribution.
  • Distribution requirement: hospitals, birthing centers, or the hospital from which a newborn is discharged shall provide the informational pamphlet to all parents or guardians of newborn infants.

Who is affected

  • Primary beneficiaries: parents and guardians of newborn infants across Massachusetts.
  • State agencies: Department of Early Education and Care (lead) and Department of Public Health (consultation).
  • Health care providers: birthing hospitals and birthing centers (responsible for handing pamphlets to parents at discharge).
  • Child care system: licensed providers and child care resource/referral agencies (listed/contacted and made discoverable to families).

Implementation & fiscal notes

  • The bill instructs the department to develop and provide the pamphlet but does not appropriate specific funding or establish a timeline in the text; costs for development, printing, and distribution would fall to the department unless a separate appropriation is made.
  • No enforcement mechanism or penalties are set out for non‑distribution in the bill text.

Legislative status / timeline (selected)

  • Filed / Presented: 1/16/2025.
  • Read twice and referred to Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs: 2/03/2025 (Senate actions also show concurrent referrals to Education / Higher Education in processing).
  • Print number assigned: 357A (2/03/2025); later amended/reprinted as 357B (5/28/2025).
  • Hearing scheduled: 09/02/2025 (per committee calendar).
  • Reported favorably by committee and referred to Senate Ways & Means: 09/22/2025.

Potential impacts / considerations

  • Pros: improved parental access to curated information at a time (birth/discharge) when child care decisions begin; could increase use of licensed programs and available financial supports; may reduce reliance on unlicensed care by clarifying safety/licensing distinctions.
  • Cons / open questions: administrative burden on hospitals and the department; printing/distribution costs not specified; effectiveness depends on pamphlet design, language access, and promotion of the online directory.

For readers seeking the full statutory insertion: the bill adds a new Section 2A to Chapter 15D (General Laws) specifying the pamphlet requirement and distribution at hospital/birthing center discharge.

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

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