Bill > H4160

This bill makes supplemental appropriations for fiscal year 2018 to provide additional funding for certain existing appropriations and to fund certain other activities and projects. Key provisions include: - Appropriating additional funds for the Committee for Public Counsel Services and the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination. - Creating a $15 million reserve to provide extraordinary relief to school districts that have enrolled students who are residents of Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands due to the impacts of Hurricanes Maria and Irma. - Temporarily increasing the hourly rate of compensation for private counsel appointed or assigned to care and protection cases in counties where the Committee for Public Counsel Services declares an emergency due to a limited availability of qualified private counsel. - Allowing the Committee for Public Counsel Services to waive the annual cap on billable hours for private counsel appointed or assigned to represent clients in care and protection cases in the specified county during the emergency. - Repealing the provisions related to the temporary increase in compensation and billable hour cap for private counsel in care and protection cases, effective July 1, 2018.

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/190/H4160