For a program of cash assistance to certain residents of the commonwealth, entitled emergency aid to the elderly, disabled and children, who are found by the department of transitional assistance to be eligible for the aid under
chapter 117A of the General Laws and regulations promulgated by the department and subject to the limitations of appropriation for such purpose; provided, that recipients shall not be subject to sponsor income--deeming or related restrictions; provided further, that in implementing the program for fiscal year 2026, the department shall include all eligibility categories permitted in this item and the need standard and payment standard shall be not less than the standard that was in effect in fiscal year 2025; provided further, that any person experiencing homelessness, who: (i) has no established place of abode, or lives in a temporary emergency shelter; and (ii) is otherwise eligible under this item and said
chapter 117A, shall receive the same payment rate as recipients who incur shelter costs including, but not limited to, rent or a mortgage; provided further, that the department shall promulgate or revise any rules and regulations necessary to implement this provision; provided further, that rates for residential care facilities and rest homes effective July 1, 2025, established in
section 13D of chapter 118E of the General Laws, shall cumulatively total not less than rates effective January 1, 2025; provided further, that the department may provide benefits to persons who are the age of 65 or older who have applied for benefits under
chapter 118A of the General Laws, to persons suffering from a medically--determinable impairment or combination of impairments that is expected to last for a period determined by department regulations, which substantially reduces or eliminates such individuals' capacity to support themselves and which has been verified by a competent authority, to certain persons caring for a disabled person, to otherwise eligible participants in the vocational rehabilitation program of MassAbility, to dependent children who are ineligible for benefits under both
chapter 118 of the General Laws and the separate program under
section 210 of chapter 43 of the acts of 1997 and to parents or other caretakers of dependent children who are ineligible under said
chapter 118 and under said separate program; provided further, that no person incarcerated in a correctional institution shall be eligible for benefits under the program; provided further, that no funds shall be expended from this item for the payment of expenses associated with any medical review team, other disability screening process or costs associated with verifying disability for this program; provided further, that the department shall adopt emergency regulations under
chapter 30A of the General Laws to implement the changes to the program required by this item promptly and within the appropriation; provided further, that in promulgating, amending or rescinding its regulations with respect to eligibility or benefits, including the payment standard, medical benefits and any other benefits under this program, the department shall take into account the amount available to it for expenditure by this item so as not to exceed the amount appropriated in this item; provided further, that the department may promulgate emergency regulations under said
chapter 30A to implement these eligibility changes, benefit changes or both; provided further, that nothing in this item shall be construed to create any right accruing to recipients of the former general relief program; provided further, that reimbursements collected from the Social Security Administration on behalf of former clients of the emergency aid to the elderly, disabled and children program or unprocessed payments from the program that are returned to the department shall be credited to the General Fund; provided further, that notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, not less than 75 days prior to adopting any eligibility or benefit changes, the commissioner of transitional assistance shall submit to the house and senate committees on ways and means, the joint committee on children, families and persons with disabilities and the clerks of the senate and house of representatives a detailed and comprehensive report setting forth the text of and the basis and reasons for the proposed changes; provided further, that the report shall state exactly which components of the current benefit package will be altered and the department's most accurate assessment of the effects of benefit or eligibility changes upon recipient families; and provided further, that not later than January 2, 2026, the department of transitional assistance shall submit a report to house and senate committees on ways and means that shall include but not be limited to: (A) the number of participants in the program, including available demographic information; (B) the average benefit amount, including the methodology for determining an individual''s benefit amount; and (C) the amount of those who receive benefits under this program that also receive benefits from 7004--0101, 7004--0108, 7004--9024 and 7004--9316, prior appropriation continued
