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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2353 FILED ON: 1/19/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 3247
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_________________
PRESENTED BY:
Sarah K. Peake
_________________
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 the position of poet laureate for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
_______________
PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Sarah K. Peake4th Barnstable1/11/2023Rebecca L. RauschNorfolk, Worcester and Middlesex1/24/2023Dylan A. FernandesBarnstable, Dukes and Nantucket1/27/2023 1 of 2
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2353 FILED ON: 1/19/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 3247
By Representative Peake of Provincetown, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 3247) of
Sarah K. Peake, Rebecca L. Rausch and Dylan A. Fernandes for legislation to create the position
of poet laureate of the Commonwealth. Tourism, Arts and Cultural Development.
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 3383 OF 2021-2022.]
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_______________
In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)
_______________
An Act relative to the position of poet laureate for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 SECTION 1. Chapter 6 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2016 official edition, is
2hereby amended by inserting after Section 38, the following section:-
3
4 Section 38A. (a) Biennially, on or before March 31, the governor may appoint a poet
5laureate for the commonwealth of Massachusetts from a list of nominees submitted by the poet
6laureate nominating committee pursuant to subsection (b). The poet laureate shall seek to raise
7the consciousness of all commonwealth residents, especially school children, to a greater
8appreciation of the reading and writing of poetry. The poet laureate shall be appointed to serve
9for a term of 2 years or until a successor is appointed and qualified as provided in this section. In 2 of 2
10the event of a vacancy in the office of poet laureate, the vacancy shall be filled in the same
11manner as the original appointment.
12 (b) There shall be a poet laureate nominating committee consisting of the following 5
13members: the speaker of the house of representatives, or a designee; the senate president, or a
14designee; and 3 members appointed by the governor, 2 of whom shall be members of the board
15of directors of the Massachusetts cultural council. Members of the poet laureate nominating
16committee shall serve without compensation.
17 (c) The poet laureate nominating committee shall advertise and receive nominations for
18the selection of the poet laureate for the commonwealth of Massachusetts. Nominees shall be
19residents of the commonwealth and shall provide biographical and professional information, as
20well as supporting representative material, explaining why, based on their poetic
21accomplishments, they deserve recognition as the poet laureate for commonwealth of
22Massachusetts. The poet laureate nominating committee shall review all nominations and select
233 nominees to submit to the governor biennially on or before February 1.
24 (d) The poet laureate shall be an honorary position and the person appointed shall receive
25no remuneration. The person appointed to the position of poet laureate shall not be considered a
26state official or a state employee for such person's service in the position of poet laureate.