Matters ▸ Attachment
SD2916 — File 210046
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SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2916 FILED ON: 4/14/2020
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_________________
PRESENTED BY:
James B. Eldridge
_________________
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 adoption of the accompanying bill:
An Act to provide equal stimulus checks to immigrant taxpayers.
_______________
PETITION OF:
NAME:
DISTRICT/ADDRESS:
James B. Eldridge
Middlesex and Worcester
Ruth B. Balser
12th Middlesex
Liz Miranda
5th Suffolk
Maria Duaime Robinson
6th Middlesex
4/16/2020
Jack Patrick Lewis
7th Middlesex
4/16/2020
Brendan P. Crighton
Third Essex
4/16/2020
Adrian C. Madaro
1st Suffolk
4/16/2020
Marcos A. Devers
16th Essex
4/16/2020
Michael D. Brady
Second Plymouth and Bristol
4/16/2020
José F. Tosado
9th Hampden
4/16/2020
Nick Collins
First Suffolk
4/16/2020
Patricia D. Jehlen
Second Middlesex
4/16/2020
Nika C. Elugardo
15th Suffolk
4/16/2020
Peter Capano
11th Essex
4/16/2020
Lindsay N. Sabadosa
1st Hampshire
4/16/2020
Tami L. Gouveia
14th Middlesex
4/17/2020
Denise Provost
27th Middlesex
4/17/2020
Harriette L. Chandler
First Worcester
4/17/2020
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Tricia Farley-Bouvier
3rd Berkshire
4/17/2020
Elizabeth A. Malia
11th Suffolk
4/17/2020
Kay Khan
11th Middlesex
4/19/2020
Carmine Lawrence Gentile
13th Middlesex
4/20/2020
Mike Connolly
26th Middlesex
4/20/2020
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SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2916 FILED ON: 4/14/2020
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No.
By Mr. Eldridge, a petition (accompanied by bill) (subject to Joint Rule 12) of James B.
Eldridge, Ruth B. Balser, Liz Miranda, Maria Duaime Robinson and other members of the
General Court for legislation to provide equal stimulus checks to immigrant taxpayers. Revenue.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_______________
In the One Hundred and Ninety-First General Court
(2019-2020)
_______________
An Act to provide equal stimulus checks to immigrant taxpayers.
Whereas, The deferred operation of this act would tend to defeat its purpose, which is to
provide stimulus checks to immigrant taxpayers who were excluded from the stimulus provisions
of the federal CARES Act, therefore it is hereby declared to be an emergency law, necessary for
the immediate preservation of the public convenience.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
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SECTION 1. (a) When used in this section the following words or terms shall have the
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following meanings:-
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“Commissioner'', the commissioner of revenue.
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“Eligible taxpayer”, a taxpayer who filed a Massachusetts income tax return for tax year
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2019 using an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (“ITIN”) and who is ineligible for the
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recovery rebate in section 2201 of the federal CARES act of 2020; provided that an estate or
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trust shall not be considered an eligible taxpayer.
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“Qualifying child”, an individual listed as a dependent by the taxpayer on Schedule D1 of
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the Massachusetts income tax return for tax year 2019 who is a child of the taxpayer or a
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descendant of such a child, or a brother, sister, stepbrother, or stepsister of the taxpayer or a
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descendant of any such relative, who lived in the same home as the taxpayer for more than half
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of tax year 2019, who has not provided over one-half of the individual’s own support for the
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calendar year in which the taxable year of the taxpayer begins, and who has not filed a joint
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return (other than only for a claim of refund) with the individual’s spouse under section 6013 for
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the taxable year beginning in the calendar year in which the taxable year of the taxpayer begins,
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and who had not attained the age of 17 years at the end of 2019.
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(b) Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, in the case of an eligible
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taxpayer, there shall be allowed as a refundable credit against the tax for tax year 2019 an
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amount equal to the sum of—
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(1) $1,200 ($2,400 in the case of an eligible taxpayer filing a joint return), plus
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(2) an amount equal to the product of $500 multiplied by the number of qualifying
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children.
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(c) The amount of the credit allowed by this section shall be reduced (but not below zero)
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by 5 percent of so much of the taxpayer’s adjusted gross income as exceeds—
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(1) $150,000 in the case of a joint return,
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(2) $112,500 in the case of a head of household, and
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(3) $75,000 in the case of a taxpayer not described in paragraph (1) or (2).
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(d) The commissioner shall disburse refunds payable under this section electronically to
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any account to which the payee authorized, on or after January 1, 2018, the delivery of a refund
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of income tax. In the case of an individual who, at the time of any determination made pursuant
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to subsections (b) and (c) has not filed a tax return for tax year 2019, the commissioner shall
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disburse refunds payable under this section by substituting ‘2018’ for ‘2019’ in the definitions of
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“eligible taxpayer” and “qualifying child” and in subsection (b).
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(e) For an eligible taxpayer to whom no electronic refund is disbursed pursuant to
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subsection (d), the commissioner shall notify such taxpayer by first class mail and provide
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information prominently listed on the website of the department of the availability of the refund
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provided for in this section together with instructions on the application process.
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(f) The commissioner may promulgate regulations to effectuate the purposes of this
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section.
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SECTION 2. The executive office of administration and finance shall distribute $10
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million to organizations serving immigrants within 90 days.