The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Thomas M. Stanley

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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
                Court assembled:

                The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the passage of the accompanying bill:

An Act providing outreach to seniors relative to property tax credits .

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PETITION OF:

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the Year Two Thousand and Nine

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An Act providing outreach to seniors relative to property tax credits .

                Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:

            Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:

SECTION 1.   Chapter 59 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2002 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after section 5K the following section:-

“Section 5L. There is hereby established the elderly persons’ tax relief outreach program for the purposes of assisting elderly residents of the commonwealth in obtaining information about available options designed to provide limited relief from state and local taxes.  The state secretary shall administer the program in consultation with the secretary of the executive office of elder affairs and the commissioner of revenue. In order to assist interested persons in obtaining such information, the outreach program shall:  (a) create literature outlining tax relief programs for the elderly, including those providing relief from state and local taxes and describing the benefits and eligibility criteria for each option; and  (b) create presentations and workshops to better facilitate the awareness and education of elderly persons in the tax-related issues that concern them, what relief is available to them and the application process for such relief programs.  The state secretary shall arrange for the literature, presentations and workshops created by the program to be distributed to the elderly through the various local councils on aging.  The local councils on aging may also organize presentations and workshops to present the work of the outreach program.  The Massachusetts Councils on Aging shall oversee the work of the local councils and coordinate the local councils to promote dissemination of the information created through this program. The state secretary, in consultation with the secretary of the executive office of elder affairs and the commissioner of revenue, shall promulgate such regulations as are necessary to implement the elderly persons’ tax relief outreach program.”