Word Aid may be continued, when. Further powers and duties of the local board. Same subject. aid as aforesaid. The word "Mother" as used in this section shall include any person standing in loco parentis to any child or children under sixteen years of age. Where the child is in school with a satisfactory record of attendance and scholarship the local board may at its option continue such aid until such child has reached the age of sixteen years. SEC. 4. The local board shall determine if the mother is fit to bring up her children and the other members of the household and the surroundings of the home are such as to make for good character, and aid from the local board is necessary to enable her to properly care for her children by making an immediate and careful inquiry into the resources of the family and the ability of its other members, if any, to work or otherwise contribute to its support, the existence of relatives able to assist the family, and of individuals, societies or agencies who may be interested therein; shall take all lawful means to compel all persons bound to support the mother and children to support them, and to enforce any other legal rights for their benefit; shall press all members of the family who are able to work to secure employment; shall endeavor to secure employment for them; and shall secure all necessary aid for the mother and children which can be secured from relatives, organizations or indviduals. SEC. 5. The local boards, either by one of their own number or by their duly appointed agents, shall visit at least once in every three months at their homes or other place or places where they may be living, each mother and her dependent children who are being aided financially or otherwise by said local board and after each visit shall make and keep on file as a part of their official records a detailed statement of the condition of the home and family and all other data which may assist in determining the wisdom of the measures taken and the advisability of their continuance; and said local board shall at least once in each year reconsider the case of each mother with dependent children with whom they are dealing, and enter their determination with the reasons therefor on their official records, and may discontinue such aid when deemed advisable. This act to mothers. SEC. 6. This act shall apply to all mothers of apply to what dependent children, whether or not they have a settlement within this state, who are citizens of this state and shall have resided in the town in which they live not less than one year. SEC. 7. No mother shall receive the benefits of this act who shall be employed in any factory, manufacturing, mechanical, business or mercantile establishment in violation of any law of this state. Mother employed in violation of laws of state benefits. not to receive fraudulently benefits. SEC. 8. Any person or persons fraudulently ob- Penalty for taining or attempting to obtain any benefits under obtaining this act, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof shall be punished by a fine of not less than five dollars nor more than one hundred dollars, or imprisonment in the county jail for a term not exceeding six months, or both. SEC. 9. Every city or town making an appropriation for the purpose of providing aid for mothers of dependent children, available for expenditure by the local board, and conforming to all requirements of this act shall be reimbursed by the state for one-half of the amount expended for such aid in accordance with and subject to the provisions of chapter 114 of the general laws as amended. SEC. 10. Chapter 114 of the general laws entitled "Of the state home and school," is hereby amended by adding thereto the following sections: State to retown for oneappropriated. imburse city or half of amount Bureau of mothers aid, how established. salary, powers and duties of, etc. "Sec. 6. The commission shall establish a bureau of mothers' aid for dependent children which shall function as a division of the state home and school for children and shall appoint a woman, qualified by State Director; training and experience as state director who shall hold office during the pleasure of said commission and receive an annual salary of not exceeding twentyfive hundred dollars. Said state director shall devote all her time to the duties of the office and shall have general supervision of the operations of said bureau and subject to the approval of the commission may employ such assistants and agents as may be necessary, and fix their compensation within the amounts appropriated therefor by the general assembly. State director to have access to certain records. Further powers and duties of the "Sec. 7. The state director subject to the approval of the commission shall have access to all records of the state home and school for children, and the employees of the 'placing out department' so called, shall co-operate with and render such assistance to the state director as may be required in carrying out the provisions of this chapter. "Sec. 8. Said state director shall have general state director. supervision over the work of the local boards of the several cities and towns, and shall act as general field organizer, and shall formulate and issue to said local boards rules of procedure by which they shall be governed, to the end that uniformity of interpretation and practice shall be obtained throughout the state. She shall have access to any records and other data kept by the local boards or their representatives relating to such aid and shall visit at least twice a year the local boards of each city and town accepting the provisions of this chapter and shall personally or by a duly appointed agent visit and inspect all families aided under this chapter. She shall make a report annually to the commission reviewing the To make report. work done under the provisions of this chapter by the local boards of the various cities and towns laying special stress upon the educational progress of the children in families receiving assistance. Detailed state ment to be local board. "Sec. 9. A detailed statement of the amount expended for such aid by the cities and towns in each rendered by calendar month shall be rendered by the local board on or before the fifteenth day of the month following to the director together with such certificates and other guaranties as said director may require, and upon approval by said director the cities and towns shall be reimbursed by the state, for one-half of the amount so expended, out of the amount appropriated therefor by the general assembly. Cities and reimbursed by expended." towns to be state for onehalf amount amount ex "Sec. 10. If the mother so aided has a lawful One-half of settlement in another city or town the other one-half of the amount of such aid given may be recovered by the town giving it in an action of contract against the city or town liable for her support in accordance with the provisions of section twenty-seven, chapter one hundred five of the general laws, and of any acts in amendment thereof or in addition thereto. "Sec. 11. The general assembly shall annually appropriate the sum of twenty-five hundred dollars for the purpose of paying the salary of said director and such sum as it may deem necessary for the employment of assistants and agents, and for necessary traveling expenses authorized by sections six to eleven inclusive of this chapter, and such further sum as the general assembly may deem necessary for the purpose of reimbursing the cities and towns in accordance with the provisions of sections six to eleven inclusive of this chapter; and the state auditor is hereby directed to draw his orders upon the general treasurer for the payment of said sums or so much thereof as may from time to time be required upon pended by recovered, city or town may be when. Annual appro- priation for the provisions Appropriation for carrying out the provisions of this act for fiscal year. Appropriation receipt by him of proper vouchers and certificates duly approved by said director." SEC. 11. For the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this act during the fiscal year ending November 30, 1923, the sum of ten hundred fifty dollars for the payment of the salary of the director, the sum of four thousand dollars for the payment of assistants and agents and necessary traveling expenses, and a further sum of fifty thousand dollars for the reimbursement of cities and towns in accordance with the provisions of this act, or so much of the several sums as may be necessary, be, and the same hereby is appropriated out of any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated; and the state auditor is hereby authorized and directed to draw his orders upon the general treasurer for the payment of said sums or so much thereof as may from time to time be required upon receipt by him of proper vouchers. SEC. 12. For the purpose of continuing and rendering effective the provisions of this act during the months of December, A. D. 1923, and January and February, A. D. 1924, sums equal to one-fifth of the different sums appropriated by section 11 of this act shall be available for expenditure for each such month, and amounts sufficient therefor are hereby appropriated out of any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated. The state auditor is hereby authorized and directed to draw his orders on the general treasury for the payment of such sums or so much thereof as may from time to time be required upon receipt by him of proper vouchers required by this act, and the general treasurer shall charge such expenditures authorized by this section to the proper items of appropriations when made for the fiscal year ending on the thirtieth day of November, A. D. 1924. |