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Bill

S 164

State Agency Rule Making

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Chip Campsen

Creates the Harmony Commission to study MA care-and-protection cases and petition-to-dispense with consent, and issue reforms with public hearings and a final report by Jan 1, 2026.

Act No. 13
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Bill Summary · S 164

Summary — S.164 (2025): “Resolve establishing the Harmony Commission to study and make recommendations related to the welfare and best interests of children in care and protection cases”

Note: the bill metadata provided (title, sponsors, and some actions) appears inconsistent with the full bill text. This summary is based on the bill text included in your submission, which is a Massachusetts Resolve to create the “Harmony Commission” and not a federal loan-forgiveness program.

Purpose

Creates the Harmony Commission to study how children’s rights, welfare, and best‑interest considerations are handled in Massachusetts care-and-protection proceedings and “petition to dispense with consent” cases (citing G.L. c.119, §29C and G.L. c.210, §3). The commission will build on the Trial Court’s Care and Protection Working Group and recommend reforms, including draft legislation where appropriate.

Key provisions

  • Establishes a special commission (the Harmony Commission) to study, examine and make recommendations regarding care-and-protection and petition-to-dispense cases.
  • Requires review of existing constitutional provisions, statutes, case law, executive orders, court rules/standing orders, agency policies, intergovernmental agreements, and trainings.
  • Requires focused examination of disproportionate impacts on children of color, immigrant children, children with disabilities, LGBTQ youth, children who have experienced trauma, and children living in poverty.
  • Directs analysis of how to protect constitutional rights of parents and children while prioritizing child safety and well‑being, including while a child is in DCF custody.
  • Includes a study of sibling visitation rights.
  • Public engagement: at least three public hearings (geographically diverse), one after issuance of a draft report; opportunity for written testimony; commission subject to Massachusetts open meeting law.
  • Reporting: final report and recommendations (including racial impact statements for recommendations) due January 1, 2026; must be filed with legislative clerks, the governor, and the chief justice of the juvenile court department and posted on the Department of Children and Families website.

Membership and appointments

  • Co‑chairs: chairs of the Joint Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities.
  • Includes chairs of the Joint Committee on the Judiciary, leadership from the Massachusetts Black and Latino Legislative Caucus, the Attorney General (or designee), the Child Advocate, DCF Commissioner, Chief Counsel of Committee for Public Counsel Services, and others.
  • Governor-appointed members: 5 appointees (including 2 who were in foster care; 2 who are foster parents).
  • Additional appointments from organizations: Massachusetts Bar Association (3 former juvenile court judges), Committee for Public Counsel Services, Massachusetts Court Appointed Special Advocates, Massachusetts Alliance of Juvenile Court Clinics, Massachusetts Commission on LGBTQ Youth, Jane Doe, Inc., Disability Law Center, Massachusetts Association of Guardians ad Litem, Massachusetts Child Welfare Coalition, and the National Association of Counsel for Children.
  • All appointments to be made within 30 days of the resolve’s effective date. Members serve without compensation.

Procedural requirements and timeline

  • First meeting: within 60 days of the effective date.
  • Frequency: at least monthly meetings.
  • Public hearings: minimum of three, geographically diverse; at least one after a draft report is released.
  • Final report due January 1, 2026.

Who is affected

  • Children involved in care-and-protection and petition-to-dispense-with-consent proceedings in Massachusetts (including specific attention to vulnerable and historically marginalized groups).
  • State agencies and courts (e.g., DCF, juvenile courts), legal service providers, foster parents, and advocacy organizations — all may be affected by commission recommendations and any follow‑on legislation or administrative changes.

Potential impact

  • May produce recommendations and draft legislation to change court practices, agency policies, training, visitation rules, and safeguards intended to improve child welfare outcomes and equity.
  • No funding or implementation provisions are included in the resolve itself; follow‑up legislative or executive action would be required to adopt recommended reforms.

Additional notes

  • The document specifies the commission shall “build upon” prior Trial Court work and requires racial impact statements for proposals.
  • Because the bill text is a Massachusetts resolve, federal sponsor listings and some legislative-action entries in the materials provided appear to be incorrect or mixed with other records. This summary reflects the content of the text filed in the Massachusetts Senate (Senate Docket No. 69 / Senate No. 164).

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

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