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| 2 | 2 | | SENATE DOCKET, NO. 119 FILED ON: 1/10/2023 |
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| 3 | 3 | | SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 441 |
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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 | | Bruce E. Tarr |
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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 to fairly fund early voting. |
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| 13 | 13 | | _______________ |
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| 14 | 14 | | PETITION OF: |
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| 15 | 15 | | NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Bruce E. TarrFirst Essex and Middlesex 1 of 2 |
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| 16 | 16 | | SENATE DOCKET, NO. 119 FILED ON: 1/10/2023 |
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| 17 | 17 | | SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 441 |
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| 18 | 18 | | By Mr. Tarr, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 441) of Bruce E. Tarr for legislation to |
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| 19 | 19 | | fairly fund early voting. Election Laws. |
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| 20 | 20 | | [SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION |
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| 21 | 21 | | SEE SENATE, NO. 427 OF 2019-2020.] |
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| 22 | 22 | | The Commonwealth of Massachusetts |
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| 23 | 23 | | _______________ |
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| 24 | 24 | | In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court |
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| 25 | 25 | | (2023-2024) |
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| 26 | 26 | | _______________ |
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| 27 | 27 | | An Act to fairly fund early voting. |
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| 28 | 28 | | Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority |
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| 29 | 29 | | of the same, as follows: |
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| 30 | 30 | | 1 SECTION 1. Section 25B of Chapter 54 of the General Laws is hereby amended by |
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| 31 | 31 | | 2inserting at the end thereof the following new subsection:- |
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| 32 | 32 | | 3 “(r) The Commonwealth shall reimburse each city and town to the full extent of the |
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| 33 | 33 | | 4amounts expended for mandated early voting procedures and operations. The state treasurer shall |
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| 34 | 34 | | 5annually, on or before July 1st of the year following the election for which reimbursement is |
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| 35 | 35 | | 6being sought, pay to cities and towns, the sums required for such reimbursement and approved |
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| 36 | 36 | | 7by the secretary of state pursuant to section 2 herein. Each city and town may establish an Early |
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| 37 | 37 | | 8Voting Reimbursement Fund. Reimbursements made by the commonwealth pursuant to this |
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| 38 | 38 | | 9section may be deposited into the fund and may carry forward for 1 fiscal year.” 2 of 2 |
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| 39 | 39 | | 10 SECTION 2. Section 25B of Chapter 54 of the General Laws is hereby amended by |
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| 40 | 40 | | 11inserting in subsection (o) the following at the end thereof:- “including the means to seek, |
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| 41 | 41 | | 12process and approve reimbursement subject to subsection (r)”. |
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