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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 855 FILED ON: 1/17/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 3102
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Smitty Pignatelli
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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 advancing equity for rural communities receiving state grants.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Smitty Pignatelli3rd Berkshire1/17/2023Lindsay N. Sabadosa1st Hampshire1/19/2023John Barrett, III1st Berkshire1/20/2023 1 of 2
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 855 FILED ON: 1/17/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 3102
By Representative Pignatelli of Lenox, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 3102) of
Smitty Pignatelli, Lindsay N. Sabadosa and John Barrett, III relative to state grants for rural
communities. State Administration and Regulatory Oversight.
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 advancing equity for rural communities receiving state grants.
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 7 of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding after section 62 the
2following section:-
3 Section 63. As used in this section the following words shall have the following
4meanings:-
5 “Rural communities”, municipalities with population densities of less than 500 persons
6per square mile.
7 The secretary shall direct all departments, commissions, offices, boards, divisions,
8institutions or other agencies administering grant programs to give preference to rural
9communities, particularly those that intend to use funds to regionalize or share services, and to
10grant applicants that serve rural communities. 2 of 2
11 The secretary shall direct all such agencies to identify and inform rural communities of
12discretionary grant programs and incentives for which rural communities wishing to regionalize
13or share services could benefit from preferences under this section.
14 The secretary shall annually, on or before July 1, report on the implementation of this
15section to the senate and house committees on ways and means, the joint committee on
16municipalities and regional government and members of the general court who represent rural
17communities.