News: Benefits

In late 2018, the Massachusetts Law Reform Institute, together with Greater Boston Legal Services and many other legal services programs and community organizations, began a campaign to increase state cash assistance grants, which had been frozen for two decades. With the leadership of Sen. Sal DiDomenico (D-Everett) and Rep. Marjorie Decker (D-Cambridge), the Lift Our Kids Coalition secured a 10% increase – the first in a generation – in the FY21 budget, and then a further 9.1% increase in the FY22 budget.

Yesterday, in a unanimous decision, the Supreme Judicial Court ruled that a ballot initiative being funded by ride-share companies Uber and Lyft could not appear on the 2022 statewide ballot. The Court ruled that the initiative, which would have classified ride-share drivers as independent contractors and therefore not entitled to the strong protections generally afforded to employees under Massachusetts law, would have improperly presented voters with more than one policy decision to make, in violation of the state constitutional requirement that ballot questions may pertain only to a single issue.

MLRI was honored to join in one of the amicus briefs filed on behalf of worker groups opposing this effort by tech and business interests to exclude ride-share drivers from the protections of state law. We are gratified by the Court’s decision to protect workers across Massachusetts.

For Immediate Release: May 25, 2022
Contact: Meaghan Hohl
Meaghan@sevenletter.com | (617) 448-6973

Boston, MA – Since February 24th, thousands of Ukrainian migrants have entered the United States fleeing the horrific attacks on their homeland by the Russian government. The majority of those who made it to the US border have been granted an immigration status known as Humanitarian Parole, yet their Parole status did not qualify them for federal needs-based benefits to help support them as they transition to life in the United States.

Update 5/25/22: Due to the rising COVID-19 numbers, the Commission has postponed the June 8 luncheon to a later date. 

The Commission on Grandparents Raising Grandchildren will award MLRI Senior Policy Advocate Patricia Baker the 2020 John Lepper Advocacy Award on June 8, 2022 (award ceremony delayed due to the pandemic), in recognition of her successful advocacy on behalf of children with severe disabilities who are being raised by grandparents and other relatives.

On May 10, 2022, the Senate Committee on Ways and Means released its budget proposal for fiscal year 2023 (FY 23), which is referred to as Senate 4.  The Massachusetts Law Reform Institute prepared this analysis of selected budget topics impacting low-income residents of the Commonwealth:

• Cash Assistance, SNAP and Related Items Administered by DTA
• Child Welfare: DCF and Related Items
• Criminal Justice Reform
• Health Issues in MassHealth and ConnectorCare
• Homeless Services
• Housing
• Legal Services/Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation

BOSTON – Following years of advocacy by more than 150 anti-poverty and public health organizations, on February 15, 2022, the Baker Administration announced their plan to allow low-income households the right to apply for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits at the same time they sign-up for MassHealth. This implements a legislative directive included in both the FY21 and FY22 state budgets, representing a significant step toward a streamlined application process for means-tested benefits that has widespread bipartisan support in the legislature, impacting roughly 600,000 MassHealth recipients who likely qualify for SNAP.

For too long, Massachusetts households in need have faced bureaucratic obstacles in order to access benefits they need to make their rent payment or put food on the table. For anyone seeking assistance, times are already difficult for them and we should be doing everything we can to ease the burden.

The Boston Globe had it right in their January 25, 2022 editorial piece Ending welfare as we know it – again:  states should tie their cash assistance payments to inflation so that poor, vulnerable families don’t get squeezed by rising costs.