An Act relative to the reform of the personal care attendant system

This bill reformulates the Massachusetts personal care attendant system by establishing a council to manage referrals, training, and supervision for home care workers. It creates a mandatory online registry where attendants must be listed after meeting specific requirements, allowing consumers to search for and hire caregivers directly or through the council's referral service. The legislation also introduces a "personal care attendant pool" to provide backup workers when primary caregivers are absent, ensuring consistent coverage for clients. Additionally, the bill clarifies the legal status of these workers, designating them as public employees only for specific purposes like workers' compensation and unemployment benefits, while retaining the right of consumers to hire and fire their own attendants.