Bill > S142

This bill aims to provide a bill of rights for people experiencing homelessness in Massachusetts. The key provisions include: 1. Prohibiting discrimination against people based on their housing status, which is defined as their current ability to access a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence. 2. Granting people experiencing homelessness the right to use public spaces, access medical care, vote, engage in religious practices, and protect their personal property and records, among other rights. 3. Amending existing laws, such as the Massachusetts housing discrimination law (Chapter 151B), to include housing status as a protected characteristic. 4. Repealing certain laws, such as provisions that criminalized certain behaviors associated with homelessness, in order to align with the new bill of rights. The overall goal of this bill is to provide legal protections and ensure that people experiencing homelessness are treated equally and have their basic rights upheld, with a focus on preventing discrimination and ensuring access to essential services and public spaces.

Budget and Finance, Health and Social Services

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/192/S142