HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 4269

1 1 of 165 HOUSE .. No. 4269 The Commonwealth of Massachusetts_____ The committee of conference on the disagreeing votes of the two branches with reference to the Senate amendment (striking out all after the enacting clause and inserting in place thereof the text contained in Senate document numbered 2580) of the HOUSE Bill relative to immediate COVID-19 recovery needs ( HOUSE , No. 4234, published as amended), reports recommending passage of the accompanying bill ( HOUSE , No. 4269) [Total appropriation (Fiscal Years 2021 to 2026, inclusive): $3,998,744, ]. December 1, 2021. Aaron Michlewitz Michael J. Rodrigues Daniel J. Hunt Cindy F. Friedman Todd M. Smola Patrick M. O Connor 2 of 165 FILED ON: 12/1/2021 HOUSE .. No. 4269 The Commonwealth of Massachusetts_____In the One Hundred and Ninety-Second General Court(2021-2022)_____An Act relative to immediate COVID-19 recovery , The deferred operation of this act would tend to defeat its purposes, which are forthwith to direct the expenditure of certain federal funds and to make certain changes in law, each of which is immediately necessary to carry out those appropriations or to accomplish other important public purposes, therefore it is hereby declared to be an emergency law, necessary for the immediate preservation of the public it enacted by the Senate and HOUSE of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:1 SECTION 1.

2 To provide for supplementing certain items in the general appropriation act 2and other appropriation acts for fiscal year 2022, the sums set forth in section 2 are hereby 3appropriated from the Transitional Escrow Fund established in section 16 of chapter 76 of the 4acts of 2021 unless specifically designated otherwise in this act or in those appropriations acts, 5for the several purposes and subject to the conditions specified in this act, and subject to the laws 6regulating the disbursement of public funds for the fiscal year in which the sums are disbursed. 7 These sums shall be in addition to any amounts previously appropriated and made available for 8the purposes of those items. The sums set forth in section 2 shall be made available until June 30, 92022. 10 SECTION 2. 3 of 16511 EXECUTIVE OFFICE FOR ADMINISTRATION AND FINANCE 12 Department of Revenue 131201-0122$213,000 14 EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES 15 Office of the Secretary of Health and Human Services 161599-6903$39,400,000 174000-0300$300,000 184003-0122$20,000,000 19 EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND SECURITY 20 Municipal Police Training Committee 218200-0200$500,000 22 SECTION 2A.

3 The sums set forth in this section are hereby appropriated from the federal 23 COVID-19 response fund established in section 2 JJJJJ of chapter 29 of the General Laws and the 24 Transitional Escrow Fund established in section 16 of chapter 76 of the acts of 2021 for the 25several purposes and subject to the conditions specified in this act, and subject to the laws 26regulating the disbursement of public funds for the fiscal year in which the sums are disbursed. 27 These sums shall be in addition to any amounts previously appropriated and made available for 28the purposes of those items. These sums set forth in this section shall be made available until 29 June 30, 2027. 4 of 16530 JUDICIARY 310321-1507 For the administration of public counsel programs and services; provided, 32that not less than $2,000,000 shall be expended to the Committee for Public Counsel Services for 33the Public Defender Division to address pandemic-related backlogged cases over the course of 34the forthcoming 3 fiscal years; provided, further, that not less than $1,000,000 be expended to 35the Committee for Public Counsel Services for the Children and Family Law program to 36temporarily fund, over a 3-year period, increased staffing levels to address an increased need for 37representation as a result of the pandemic.

4 And provided further, that not less than $1,500,000 38shall be expended to the committee on public counsel services for the finance billing 39modernization $4,500,000 410321-1620 For the administration of legal services in Massachusetts; provided, that 42not less than $5,000,000 shall be expended for Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation or 43the operation of the following programs for the periods covering fiscal years 2022, 2023 and 442024; provided further, that funds may be expended for a Medical Legal Partnership Program to 45address health harming legal needs and promote health equity and access to legal assistance to 46improve overall health outcomes for low income residents; provided further, that funds may be 47expended to fund a High-Quality Education for All Students Program to address barriers to fair, 48equitable and high quality education for low income students; provided further that funds may be 49expended for a Legal Services Family Preservation Program to provide legal assistance and 50related supportive services to families at the early stages of involvement with the department of 51children and families with the goal of keeping families intact; provided further, that the 52corporation shall be responsible for exercising oversight, implementing fiscal controls, and for 5 of 16553data collection, deliverables, and ongoing programmatic evaluation of each of these the 54programs.

5 And provided further, that the corporation shall submit a report on these expenditures 55to the HOUSE and senate committees on ways and means on an annual $5,000,000 57 EXECUTIVE OFFICE FOR ADMINISTRATION AND FINANCE 58 Reserves 591599-2020 For a reserve to create and maintain opportunities for homeownership for 60residents of communities disproportionately impacted by the 2019 novel coronavirus pandemic; 61provided, that funds shall be expended to create and enhance access to homeownership in order 62to foster a strong, inclusive and equitable recovery with long-term benefits for housing security, 63health and economic outcomes and to address a systemic homeownership gap that contributed to 64more severe impacts of the 2019 novel coronavirus pandemic in socially disadvantaged 65communities and among targeted populations; provided further, that funds shall be expended to 66create opportunities for first-time homebuyers; provided further, that funds may be expended for 67down payment assistance programs, mortgage insurance programs and mortgage interest subsidy 68programs administered by the Massachusetts Housing Finance Agency and the Massachusetts 69 Housing Partnership; provided further, that funds may be expended to first-time homebuyer 70counseling and financial literacy programs.

6 And provided further, that not less than 30 days prior 71to obligations being made from this item, the administering entity shall submit a report to the 72executive office for administration and finance, the joint committee on housing and the HOUSE 73and senate committees on ways and means on proposed allocations and spending plans for 6 of 16574programs within this item including, but not limited to, any program criteria and guidelines for 75the distribution of $65,000,000 761599-2021 For a reserve to support the production of for-sale, below market housing 77to expand homeownership opportunities for first-time homebuyers and socially disadvantaged 78individuals in communities disproportionately impacted by the 2019 novel coronavirus pandemic 79through the CommonWealth Builder Program administered by the Massachusetts Housing 80 Finance Agency; provided, that grants and loans to developers shall be used to facilitate 81production of affordable homeownership units for households earning between 70 per cent and 82120 per cent of the area median income; provided further, that projects with units restricted to 83households earning 70 percent of the area median income shall receive preference.

7 Provided 84further, that projects that include clean energy and sustainability initiatives, such as electric heat 85pumps, net-zero developments, Passive HOUSE or equivalent energy efficiency certification and 86all-electric buildings, shall receive preference; provided further, that the minimum number of 87units for qualifying projects under the program shall be 6 units; provided further, that funds in 88this item shall be distributed in a manner that promotes geographic equity; and provided further, 89that grants may include a requirement for matching $115,000,000 911599-2022 For a reserve to support the production and preservation of affordable 92rental housing for residents of communities disproportionately impacted by the 2019 novel 93coronavirus pandemic through programs administered by the department of housing and 94community development directly or through 1 or more of the following: (i) Massachusetts 95 Housing Finance Agency; (ii) Massachusetts Housing Partnership; and (iii) Community 96 Economic Development Assistance Corporation.

8 Provided, that funds shall be expended in the 7 of 16597form of grants, loans or other financial assistance to projects receiving federal or state low-98income housing tax credits, state tax-exempt bond financing or other state financial assistance in 99the form of grants or loans; provided further, that notwithstanding any general or special law to 100the contrary, funds from this item may be made available to increase the annual cap by up to 101$2,000,000 for the housing development incentive program under chapter 40V of the General 102 Laws; provided further, that projects that include clean energy and sustainability initiatives, such 103as electric heat pumps, net-zero developments, Passive HOUSE or equivalent energy efficiency 104certification and all-electric buildings, shall be prioritized; provided further, that funds in this 105item shall be distributed in a manner that promotes geographic equity.

9 And provided further, that 106not less than 30 days prior to obligations being made from this item, the administering entity 107shall submit a report to the executive office for administration and finance, the joint committee 108on housing and the HOUSE and senate committees on ways and means on proposed allocations and 109spending plans for programs within this item including, but not limited to, any program criteria 110and guidelines for the distribution of $115,000,000 1111599-2023 For a reserve to support the production of permanent supportive housing 112for individuals and families who may be classified as chronically homeless, individuals and 113families with behavioral health needs or substance addiction needs, survivors of domestic 114violence, survivors of human trafficking, survivors of sexual violence, individuals and families at 115risk of entering or transitioning out of the foster care system, youth and young adults, seniors and 116veterans through programs administered by the department of housing and community 117development directly or through 1 or more of the following: (i) Massachusetts Housing Finance 118 Agency; (ii) Massachusetts Housing Partnership; and (iii) Community Economic Development 119 Assistance Corporation; provided, that funds shall be expended in the form of grants, loans or 8 of 165120other financial assistance to projects that will provide stable housing options and supportive 121services to the populations prioritized in this item.

10 Provided further, that funds shall be expended 122in the form of grants that shall include rental assistance and funding for support services to 123projects that provide services to support long-term homelessness prevention; provided further, 124that said projects and services shall prioritize those communities most affected by the physical 125and mental health impacts of the pandemic and by prior physical and mental health disparities; 126provided further, that funds may be expended for the acquisition of temporary housing including, 127but not limited to, hotels, motels and nursing facilities, to be converted into permanent and 128affordable supportive housing; provided further, that funds for acquisition and development shall 129be encouraged to be integrated with other federal, state and municipal resources for operating 130subsidies and services; provided further, that a portion of these funds may be invested in the 131creation of non-congregate shelters as part of a transition to permanent supportive housing or as 132a small component of emergency units within a supportive housing project; provided further, that 133the department shall consult with Massachusetts Alliance for Supportive Housing LLC on 134evidence-based and evidence-informed best practices for creating and expanding permanent 135supportive housing for the populati