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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 5468 FILED ON: 10/31/2024
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 5098
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Frank A. Moran
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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 defining a governing structure for the Lawrence School Board upon the exit of state
receivership.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Frank A. Moran17th Essex10/31/2024Pavel PayanoFirst Essex10/31/2024Estela A. Reyes4th Essex10/31/2024 1 of 3
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 5468 FILED ON: 10/31/2024
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 5098
By Representative Moran of Lawrence, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 5098) of
Frank A. Moran, Pavel Payano and Estela A. Reyes (with approval of the mayor and city
council) relative to defining a governing structure for the Lawrence School Board upon the exit
of state receivership. Municipalities and Regional Government. [Local Approval Received.]
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 defining a governing structure for the Lawrence School Board upon the exit of state
receivership.
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. Section 5 of chapter 425 of the acts of 1983 is hereby amended by striking
2out subsection 5.1 and inserting in its place the following subsection:
3 5.1 Composition; Eligibility; Election and Term of Office.
4 (a) Composition. There shall be a school committee consisting of seven members which
5shall exercise general management and control of the public schools of the city. Three of these
6members, to be known as at large members, shall be nominated and elected by and from the
7voters of the City at large. Three of these members shall be appointed members, and shall be
8known as the appointed members, and shall be appointed by a vote of the City Council. The
9mayor shall serve as the seventh member of the school committee and as its chairman with full
10power to vote. 2 of 3
11 (b) Eligibility. All members, whether at large members or appointed members shall be
12voters and residents of the city of Lawrence at the time of his or her election or appointment; a
13member who moves from the city shall be considered to have vacated his or her position, and the
14vacancy shall be filled in the manner provided in section 5.7. In addition, the appointed members
15should also have a background or expertise in either finance, the law, or education.
16 (c) Election and Term. The term of office of all members of the school committee
17provided for in section 1 shall be for two years beginning at 7:00 o'clock in the evening on the
18first secular day in January following their election or appointment and shall continue until their
19successors have been chosen and qualified.
20 SECTION 2. Section 5 of chapter 425 of the acts of 1983 is hereby amended by striking
21out subsection 5.7 and inserting in its place the following subsection:
22 5.7Filling of Vacancies.
23 (a)At-Large School Committee Member. If a vacancy occurs in the office of an
24elected school committee member, it shall be filled in the same manner as is provided in section
253.9(a) for the filling of a vacancy in the office of a city councilor at large.
26 (b)Appointed School Committee Member. If a vacancy occurs in the office of an
27appointed school committee member, it shall be filled with a call for candidates by the Lawrence
28City Council at the next regular meeting of the Council. Said appointee shall be confirmed by an
29affirmative vote of the majority of the City Council. The Council shall appoint a new member at
30its first opportunity but in no event shall the completion of this appointment process exceed
31thirty days from the date that notice of a vacancy is received by the Council. 3 of 3
32 (c)In general, no vacancy which occurs after the first eighteen months of the term for
33which the member was elected or appointed shall be filled unless failure to fill such vacancy
34would result in fewer than four persons serving as members of the school committee, in that
35event, all such vacancies shall be filled in the manner provided above.
36 (d)Whenever a vacancy of an elected member exists on the school committee which
37is not filled at the time of city election, the person elected at large with the highest vote shall
38forthwith be sworn in, and shall, in addition to the term for which he or she was elected, serve
39the balance of the then unexpired term.
40 SECTION 3. Except as specifically amended herein, all other portions of Section 5 of
41chapter 425 of the acts of 1983 shall remain in full force and effect.
42 SECTION 4. This act shall take effect upon its passage