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| 2 | 2 | | SENATE DOCKET, NO. 296 FILED ON: 1/12/2023 |
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| 3 | 3 | | SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1977 |
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| 4 | 4 | | The Commonwealth of Massachusetts |
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| 5 | 5 | | _________________ |
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| 6 | 6 | | PRESENTED BY: |
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| 7 | 7 | | Joanne M. Comerford |
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| 8 | 8 | | _________________ |
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| 9 | 9 | | To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General |
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| 10 | 10 | | Court assembled: |
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| 11 | 11 | | The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill: |
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| 12 | 12 | | An Act advancing equity for rural communities receiving state grants. |
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| 13 | 13 | | _______________ |
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| 14 | 14 | | PETITION OF: |
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| 15 | 15 | | NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Joanne M. ComerfordHampshire, Franklin and Worcester 1 of 2 |
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| 16 | 16 | | SENATE DOCKET, NO. 296 FILED ON: 1/12/2023 |
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| 17 | 17 | | SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1977 |
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| 18 | 18 | | By Ms. Comerford, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1977) of Joanne M. Comerford |
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| 19 | 19 | | for legislation to advance equity for rural communities receiving state grants. State |
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| 20 | 20 | | Administration and Regulatory Oversight. |
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| 21 | 21 | | [SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION |
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| 22 | 22 | | SEE SENATE, NO. 2029 OF 2021-2022.] |
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| 23 | 23 | | The Commonwealth of Massachusetts |
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| 24 | 24 | | _______________ |
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| 25 | 25 | | In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court |
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| 26 | 26 | | (2023-2024) |
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| 27 | 27 | | _______________ |
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| 28 | 28 | | An Act advancing equity for rural communities receiving state grants. |
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| 29 | 29 | | Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority |
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| 30 | 30 | | of the same, as follows: |
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| 31 | 31 | | 1 Chapter 7 of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding after section 62 the |
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| 32 | 32 | | 2following section:- |
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| 33 | 33 | | 3 Section 63. As used in this section the following words shall have the following |
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| 34 | 34 | | 4meanings:- |
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| 35 | 35 | | 5 “Rural communities”, municipalities with population densities of less than 500 persons |
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| 36 | 36 | | 6per square mile. |
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| 37 | 37 | | 7 The secretary shall direct all departments, commissions, offices, boards, divisions, |
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| 38 | 38 | | 8institutions or other agencies administering grant programs to give preference to rural 2 of 2 |
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| 39 | 39 | | 9communities, particularly those that intend to use funds to regionalize or share services, and to |
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| 40 | 40 | | 10grant applicants that serve rural communities. |
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| 41 | 41 | | 11 The secretary shall direct all such agencies to identify and inform rural communities of |
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| 42 | 42 | | 12discretionary grant programs and incentives for which rural communities wishing to regionalize |
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| 43 | 43 | | 13or share services could benefit from preferences under this section. |
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| 44 | 44 | | 14 The secretary shall annually, on or before July 1, report on the implementation of this |
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| 45 | 45 | | 15section to the senate and house committees on ways and means, the joint committee on |
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| 46 | 46 | | 16municipalities and regional government and members of the general court who represent rural |
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| 47 | 47 | | 17communities. |
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