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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 255 FILED ON: 1/11/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2073
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Hannah Kane and James Arciero
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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 relative to protecting municipalities from unfunded mandates.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Hannah Kane11th Worcester1/11/2023James Arciero2nd Middlesex1/12/2023Kelly W. Pease4th Hampden1/25/2023Joseph D. McKenna18th Worcester1/31/2023David F. DeCoste5th Plymouth2/8/2023Colleen M. Garry36th Middlesex2/16/2023 1 of 2
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 255 FILED ON: 1/11/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2073
By Representatives Kane of Shrewsbury and Arciero of Westford, a petition (accompanied by
bill, House, No. 2073) of Hannah Kane, James Arciero and others for legislation to require that
fiscal notes be attached to legislation providing unfunded mandates on municipal governments.
Municipalities and Regional Government.
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 2180 OF 2021-2022.]
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)
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An Act relative to protecting municipalities from unfunded mandates.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 Chapter 3 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 38B the
2following section:-
3 Section 38B½.(a) For the purposes of this section, an unfunded mandate to a city or town
4is one that imposes a cost on municipal governments as a result of legislation being considered
5by the General Court, including, but not limited to the cost for the requisite staff necessary to
6administer or implement the legislation.
7 (b) Joint committees of the general court and the committees on ways and means of
8either branch thereof when referred bills that contain an unfunded mandate to municipalities 2 of 2
9shall, prior to a favorable report of such bill include a fiscal note or study which clearly explains
10any cost described in subsection (a).
11 (c) Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, in the event that there is a
12cost to any city or town regarding such legislation, the general court shall refrain from enacting
13the legislation until such time as an appropriation satisfying said cost is provided by the general
14court.