This bill establishes a year-round Healthy Incentives Program aimed at improving access to nutritious food for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) beneficiaries in Massachusetts. The program enables SNAP recipients to receive matching benefits on their EBT cards for purchasing fruits and vegetables from participating vendors. An emphasis is placed on increasing vendor participation in areas with limited access to fresh produce and supporting historically underserved communities. To ensure equitable community outreach, the bill mandates collaboration with local food coalitions and nonprofit organizations.

To finance the program, the Massachusetts Healthy Incentives Fund is established, drawing revenue from public and private sources, federal reimbursements, and grants. The Department of Transitional Assistance is encouraged to pursue additional federal funding, including from the Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program. The bill requires the department to submit an annual report by January 31 to relevant legislative bodies and committees. This report must include details on program activities such as utilization demographics, transaction counts, vendor information, and strategies targeting underserved areas. Additionally, the department is responsible for developing the necessary rules and regulations for the program's implementation.

This legislative bill focuses on regulating private wells in Massachusetts to ensure water quality and public health. It defines "private well" and "private well facility" as wells serving fewer than 25 individuals or used intermittently. The bill directs the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to establish regulations setting minimum standards for private wells, encompassing drinking water quality criteria and testing requirements. This includes testing for new wells and prior to the transfer of property containing a private well. Local health boards are empowered to enforce these regulations or adopt stricter standards as they see fit.

The bill mandates inspections of private wells within two years before a property title transfer, with some exceptions, such as for mortgage refinancing or ownership changes among current owners. Compliance failures will not invalidate property transfers. Additionally, the legislation modifies existing laws to support financial assistance for homeowners needing water treatment systems to comply with drinking water standards. This includes loan guarantees and interest subsidies for eligible remediation projects, under the supervision of local health boards or the DEP.

This bill contains a number of provisions to strengthen Massachusetts' agricultural economy. It directs the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA), along with other state agencies, to create and update a resilience plan every five years. It establishes a full-time food system coordinator position, who will lead state food program oversight, enhance interagency collaboration, and present findings and recommendations periodically.

The bill calls for a comprehensive policy to optimize the distribution of local food through state food assistance programs, including partnerships with regional food banks and state departments to monitor and improve local food distribution, enhancing transparency through metrics and recommendations. It establishes the Food Security Infrastructure Grant Program, to increase access to healthy local foods and support Massachusetts' food supply and distribution networks through capital needs grants.

The bill creates the Next Generation Farmers Fund, offering grants to educational institutions and community organizations, with an emphasis on assisting historically underserved communities. It also amends regulations to include "agritourism" and supports agricultural preservation through enhanced valuation practices for agriculture-related infrastructure and land.

This bill establishes a year-round Healthy Incentives Program in Massachusetts, managed by the Department of Transitional Assistance in collaboration with the Department of Agricultural Resources and the Department of Public Health. The program provides Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients with matching benefits for purchasing fruits and vegetables, which may be fresh, canned, dried, or frozen, from participating vendors. Its goal is to enhance access to fresh produce, particularly in historically underserved areas. To support these efforts, the Massachusetts Healthy Incentives Fund is created, overseen by the commissioner of the Department of Transitional Assistance and financed by public and private sources. The department is authorized to pursue federal funding opportunities, such as the Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program, to augment the fund. The bill mandates an annual report to be submitted, detailing program activities including participant demographics, transaction data, vendor participation, and efforts to improve access in underserved regions. This report is to be presented to relevant legislative committees and made available publicly on the department’s website. The department is also responsible for developing the necessary rules and regulations to implement the program, working with local food coalitions and nonprofit organizations to ensure equitable access and high community awareness.