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Massachusetts · 194th Legislature (2025-2026) · Bill

S 979: An Act ensuring fair housing for homeless families

In committee Official data

  1. Introduced
  2. In committee
  3. Passed one chamber
  4. Passed both chambers
  5. Enacted

Last official action: ·Record last updated:

Plain-language summary

S 979 is a bill introduced in the Massachusetts Senate on February 27, 2025. According to its official title, it concerns: An Act ensuring fair housing for homeless families. Primary sponsor: Peter Durant (Republican). It lists 6 additional sponsors. Most recent recorded action (December 4, 2025): Accompanied a study order, see S2765.

Generated automatically from the official title, sponsor list, and status record only. It does not characterize the bill’s purpose or effects. How summaries are written

Official summary

Abstract published by the legislature (via Open States). Text as published by the legislature; reproduced verbatim.

By Mr. Durant, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 979) of Peter J. Durant, John R. Gaskey, Joseph D. McKenna, Donald R. Berthiaume, Jr. and others for legislation to mandate the emergency housing assistance program only be available to residents of the commonwealth who have resided in the commonwealth for at least 1 year. Housing.

Sponsors

Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Republican 7

NameRolePartyChamberDistrict
Peter DurantPrimary sponsorRepublicanSenateWorcester and Hampshire
Donnie BerthiaumeCo-sponsorRepublicanHouse5th Worcester
John GaskeyCo-sponsorRepublicanHouse2nd Plymouth
Joe McKennaCo-sponsorRepublicanHouse18th Worcester
Kelly PeaseCo-sponsorRepublicanHouse4th Hampden
Alyson Sullivan-AlmeidaCo-sponsorRepublicanHouse7th Plymouth
Steve XiarhosCo-sponsorRepublicanHouse5th Barnstable

“Support” is shown only as formal sponsorship recorded by the legislature. Roll-call votes are available on the official bill page.

Recent official actions

  1. Accompanied a study order, see S2765
  2. Hearing scheduled for 10/15/2025 from 01:00 PM-05:00 PM in A-1
  3. House concurred
  4. Referred to the committee on Housing

Sources

  1. Open States / Plural (data from the official legislature website)
  2. Official legislature source