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Bill

S 134

School Curriculum

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Allen Blackmon and 3 co-sponsors

Creates an Acquired Brain Injury Advisory Board to coordinate policy, monitor service access, review progress on prior recommendations, and advise state agencies and lawmakers.

Referred to Committee on Education
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Bill Summary · S 134

Bill Summary — S.134 (2025) — "An Act to establish an acquired brain injury advisory board"

Note on sources: the materials provided include several unrelated texts (e.g., New Jersey alcohol-license language and inconsistent sponsor/committee listings). This summary focuses on the Massachusetts bill text filed as Senate No. 134 (filed 1/16/2025 by Sen. Adam Gómez) titled “An Act to establish an acquired brain injury advisory board.”

Purpose / Intent

Create a standing Acquired Brain Injury Advisory Board to advise state agencies and the legislature on public policy, services, and supports for individuals with acquired brain injury (ABI) and their families. The board is intended to improve coordination, monitor access to services, and track implementation of prior commission recommendations.

Key provisions

  • Establishes an Acquired Brain Injury Advisory Board with membership drawn from legislators, state agency heads (or designees), disability advocacy/insurance and health data officials, service providers, the Brain Injury Association of Massachusetts, and governor-appointed stakeholders.
    • Legislative members: 2 state senators (appointed by Senate President and Minority Leader) and 2 House members (appointed by Speaker and Minority Leader).
    • Executive/agency members: Secretaries or designees from Health & Human Services, Public Safety, Elder Affairs, Veterans Services; Commissioners or designees from Public Health, Developmental Services, Mental Health; representatives from MassAbility, MassHealth (2 members), Division of Insurance, and CHIA; CEO/designee of the Brain Injury Association of Massachusetts.
    • Governor-appointed members (8) to include at least: 2 family/caregivers, 2 individuals with ABI, 2 community-based providers (one serving underserved populations), 1 from a disability/protection & advocacy group, and 1 clinician.
  • Board directives: review ABI epidemiology and needs; assess access to rehabilitative, residential and integrated community-based supports; monitor implementation of prior ABI commission recommendations; review state initiatives and funding affecting ABI services.
  • Reporting: Board must file a biennial report to the Governor, Secretary of Health & Human Services, legislative leaders, and clerks. Report must summarize ongoing needs, progress increasing access to services, and status of implementing commission recommendations.
  • Operations: minimum quarterly meetings; ability to form subcommittees.

Who is affected

  • Primary: individuals with acquired brain injuries (e.g., traumatic brain injury, stroke, brain tumors) and their families/caregivers.
  • Secondary: community-based providers, clinicians, state agencies (HHS, DPH, DDS, DMH, MassHealth, etc.), disability advocacy organizations, and policymakers.
  • The board is advisory — it does not itself create regulatory authority or new benefit entitlements.

Timeline / Procedural notes

  • Filed: 1/16/2025 (Senate No. 134).
  • The bill requires appointments to populate the board before it can begin work; the statutory reporting cycle is biennial and meetings are required at least quarterly.
  • No appropriation or explicit staffing/fiscal provisions are included in the text; any administrative or operational costs (meeting support, data analysis, staff time within agencies) would need to be addressed separately.

Potential impact

  • Expected to improve cross-agency coordination and oversight of ABI-related services and policy, increase visibility of ABI needs, and guide future legislative or budgetary actions.
  • The advisory nature limits immediate statutory changes; impact depends on follow-up by agencies and the Legislature in response to board recommendations.

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

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