Page 16 THE MALDEN ADVOCATE–Friday, July 29, 2022 BHRC | FROM PAGE 12 The changes were proposed in response to a recent Supreme Court ruling in in New York Pistol and Riffle vs Bruen, that a state licensing authority could not ask applicants applying for a license to carry firearms to demonstrate they have a special need or proper cause to carry a firearm. The court also ruled that the licensing authority could not have unfettered discretion to decide whether that proper cause existed. The amendment reflects the court decision and eliminates the requirement that applicants demonstrate a “good reason” to apply for a license to carry and replaces existing, discretionary “may-issue” language with specific objective standards byremoving language that gives local police chiefs discretion to decide who is unsuitable for a license. The amendment replaces it with more codified specific standards that require “reliable, articulable and credible information that the applicant has exhibited or engaged in behavior suggesting that, if issued a license, they may create a risk to public safety or a risk of danger to their self or others.” Other provisions reduce the amount of time a gun license is valid from six to three years; codify a requirement for an in-person interview with a licensing authority before someone can obtain a gun license; and prohibit giving a license to persons currently subject to a temporary or permanent harassment prevention order and persons who pose a risk of danger to themselves or others by having a firearm. “Today’s action provides our HOUSE AMENDMENT #807 T here is amendment #807 to the Massachusetts House of Representatives Bill # 5007 that is intended to limit MassHealth estate recovery to only the federally required amounts and authorizes MassHealth to seek a waiver of estate recovery for a work incentive program for people with disabilities. Medicaid in the only public benefit program that requires properly paid benefits to be recovered from a deceased MassHealth recipient’s probate estate. MassHealth has an Estate Recovery Unit. Estate recovery for nursing home benefits is federally mandated. Massachusetts has adopted a statute requiring estate recovery for the costs of all medical services provided after a MassHealth recipient reaches the age of 55, even if at home and not in a nursing home. Most MassHealth recipients have income well below 100% of the federal poverty level ($13,596 in 2022) and those 65 and over must have countable assets of $2,000 or less. One can still qualify for MassHealth even though he or she owns a home. 90% of estate recovery collection is from the later sale of the home after the MassHealth recipient dies and the home was included in the probate estate. The amendment seeks to benefit low income MassHealth recipients owning a home by not allowing the Estate Recovery Unit to place a lien on the home in order to seek recovery for MassHealth benefits paid after the MassHealth recipient dies. This not does not apply to nursing home benefits paid but would apply to any MassHealth recipient living at home and receiving benefits upon reaching the age of 55. This amendment seeks to have MassHealth only seek recovery for federally mandated medical assistance (e.g. nursing home level care). Many people receiving MassHealth while age 55 or older and still living in the community are not aware that he or she can transfer their home to a Trust in order to avoid probate. Once the home is in a Trust, under current MassHealth regulations, the Estate Recovery Unit cannot recover from the sale of the home. If the amendment were to pass, even if the home were not placed into a Trust, a MassHealth recipient who dies with the home included in his or her probate estate would not have to worry about not being able to pass all of the equity in the home to loved ones as a result of a potentially significant MassHealth lien. This amendment and corresponding House Bill 5007 is currently working its way through the legislative process at this time. Joseph D. Cataldo is an Estate Planning/Elder Law Attorney, Certified Public Accountant, Certified Financial Planner, AICPA Personal Financial Specialist and holds a Master’s Degree in Taxation. licensing authorities with the clarity they need in the wake of the Bruen decision, and tells them that we continue to believe in them and to rely upon them to ensure that, while responsible gun owners will continue to receive the license to own firearms, those who cannot be entrusted with a deadly weapon will not be legally permitted to possess one,” said amendment sponsor Rep. Mike Day (D-Stoneham). “The Massachusetts House voted on a judicial technology bond bill that included some drastic changes to the commonwealth’s gun licensing scheme,” was the response posted on the website of the Gun Owner’s Action League (GOAL). “In a surprise move that surprised no one, with no warning the Democratic leadership proposed the amendment, which had nothing to do with the bill, in the morning and by the afternoon rammed it through. Although Republican leadership attempted to block the amendment, in the end it was included and the bill unfortunately passed with, disappointingly, some bipartisan support.” (A Yes" vote is for the amendment. A "No" vote is against it). Rep. Paul Donato Rep. Steven Ultrino Yes Yes ECONOMIC GROWTH AND TAX RELIEF (S 3018) Senate 40-0, approved a $4.57 billion economic development and tax relief package. The bill provides $500 million one-time tax rebates to an estimated 2 million eligible people. A $250 rebate would go, by September 30, to individual taxpayers and a $500 rebate to married taxpayers. Eligibility will be determined by annual income reported in 2021, with the minimum income required to be $38,000, and the maximum $100,000 for individual filers and $150,000 for joint filers. Beginning in 2023, several permanent tax reductions would take effect including increasing the Child and Dependent Care Credit from $180 per child to $310 per child, as well as eliminating the current cap of $360 for two or more children; increasing the Earned Income Tax Credit from 30 percent to 40 percent of the federal credit; increasing the senior circuit breaker tax credit cap from $1,170 to $2,340; increasing the rental deduction cap from $3,000 to $4,000; and increasing the estate tax threshold from $1 million to $2 million. Other provisions include $195 million for nursing facilities and rest homes; $80 million for ComBHRC | SEE PAGE 19 Legal Notice INVITATION TO BID Translation / Interpreter Services The Malden Housing Authority (MHA), the Awarding Authority, is seeking competitive sealed proposals for an Indefinite Quantity Contract from qualified companies for Translation / Interpreter Services MHA #072122 for the MHA, in Malden Massachusetts, in accordance with the bid documents prepared by MHA. This is both a Federal and State funded contract and Federal laws and regulations shall apply in addition to the laws and requirements of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The Contractor shall utilize qualified, certified translators/interpreters/Signers to translate/interpret/sign MHA provided documents and or scheduled appointment visits and/or telephony appointments, for the following languages: Albanian, Amharic, Arabic, Bengali, Burmese, Cantonese, Farsi, French Creole, Haitian Creole, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Kru (Liberia), Krio, Lingala, Mandarin, Nepalese, Portuguese, Swahili, Spanish, Tagalog, Tigrina, Toisanese, Vietnamese, Russian; Sign Language (American; African; Asian/Pacific; European; and Middle Eastern) and Brail services. While these are the languages and services specified in MHA’s Language Assistance Plan, MHA may request translation/interpreter services in other languages, as needed. Bidding procedures shall be in accordance with M.G.L. c. 30B, as most recently amended, and all other applicable laws. The estimated contract value is: $ 48,000.00 per contract year. Bid Documents will be available from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., Monday through Thursday, by email request at efahey@maldenhousing. org and may be examined at the MHA’s Main Administrative Offices, 630 Salem Street, Malden, MA from 8/1/22, Bidders requesting Contract Documents to be mailed to them shall first send a certified check or money order for $40.00 each set (or $65.00 per set for overnight), in the form of a certified check made payable to Malden Housing Authority, to cover shipping. Bidder’s written questions will be received until 3:00 pm, on 8/29/22 at the MHA. Please email efahey@maldenhousing.org with all questions. Sealed Proposals will be received at the MHA’s Main Administrative Offices, 630 Salem Street, Malden, MA until 2:00 PM on 9/8/22. The successful proposer will be required to furnish a Certificate of Insurance naming the Malden Housing Authority as additionally insured and shall be obtained from a surety licensed to do business in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the form shall be satisfactory to the MHA. The successful contractor(s) shall comply with all Federal and State “flow through” (and any other relevant) reporting requirements in a timely manner. Section 3 of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1968 (12 U.S.C. 1701u) (Section 3) Part 135 - Economic Opportunities for Low- and Very Low-Income Persons shall apply to this contract. Copies of the above are bound in the bid documents and are fully integral portions of the conditions of the contract with which each contractor and sub-contractor must comply. The MHA reserves the right to reject any or all general bids if it is in the public interest to do so. July 29, 2022 Legal Notice
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