Bill > S1980

This bill establishes the Massachusetts Service Alliance Commission (MSA), a statewide entity tasked with developing and implementing a comprehensive plan to promote volunteerism and citizen participation, acting as a liaison with national and state service organizations, and creating guidelines and programs to expand community service and volunteer opportunities across the commonwealth. The MSA will coordinate efforts among state departments and agencies to optimize resource allocation and will also establish a community service-learning advisory council to guide the integration of community service-learning into public schools and higher education institutions, with the goal of making Massachusetts a national leader in community service. Additionally, the bill expands the state employees voluntary program to address broader community needs and mandates the integration of curriculum-based community service-learning into all public schools, requiring students to participate at each grade level and ensuring that these experiences align with learning standards and school improvement plans. The bill also introduces programs for student loan repayment, scholarships, and housing vouchers for those participating in community service, and establishes a student award to recognize outstanding service, while clarifying that members of the commonwealth student corps are not considered state employees.