Massachusetts 2023-2024 Regular Session

Massachusetts Senate Bill S854 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	1 of 1
2	2	SENATE DOCKET, NO. 456 FILED ON: 1/16/2023
3	3	SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 854
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	Brendan P. Crighton
8	8	_________________
9	9	To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
10	10	Court assembled:
11	11	The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
12	12	An Act establishing a special commission to study racial segregation in housing and public
13	13	schools.
14	14	_______________
15	15	PETITION OF:
16	16	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Brendan P. CrightonThird Essex 1 of 5
17	17	SENATE DOCKET, NO. 456 FILED ON: 1/16/2023
18	18	SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 854
19	19	By Mr. Crighton, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 854) of Brendan P. Crighton for
20	20	legislation to establish a special commission to study racial segregation in housing and public
21	21	schools. Housing.
22	22	[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
23	23	SEE SENATE, NO. 870 OF 2021-2022.]
24	24	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
25	25	_______________
26	26	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
27	27	(2023-2024)
28	28	_______________
29	29	An Act establishing a special commission to study racial segregation in housing and public
30	30	schools.
31	31	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
32	32	of the same, as follows:
33	33	1 SECTION 1. (a) Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, there is
34	34	2hereby established a special commission on racial segregation in housing and public schools, the
35	35	3purpose of which shall be to make policy recommendations to: (i) combat the causes of housing
36	36	4segregation and increase racial integration in cities and towns; (ii) eliminate or significantly
37	37	5reduce interdistrict and intradistrict racial segregation, including at the school and classroom
38	38	6level; and (iv) to promote, as part of school integration plans, the development of racially
39	39	7inclusive school climates, including through: (A) culturally and racially responsive pedagogy and
40	40	8curriculum; (B) approaches to creating a safe and supportive school environments that do not
41	41	9rely on school discipline practices that have a disproportionate negative impact on students of
42	42	10color; and (C) access to racially diverse school staff, teachers and school leaders. 2 of 5
43	43	11 (b) The commission shall investigate the following for purposes of: (1) determining the
44	44	12extent to which the following contribute to housing and school segregation; and (2) making
45	45	13policy recommendations relevant to the following that would help eliminate or significantly
46	46	14reduce racial segregation in housing and public schools:
47	47	15 (A) existing state statute and regulations;
48	48	16 (B) state programs that financially support prospective tenants and prospective
49	49	17homeowners;
50	50	18 (C) state programs that finance or govern the development of affordable housing;
51	51	19 (D) discriminatory practices based on race in the banking industry, including
52	52	20underwriting practices and standards used to determine credit worthiness and interest rates for
53	53	21mortgages;
54	54	22 (E) discriminatory practices in the real estate industry, including the practices of real
55	55	23estate agents, property managers, and landlords, based on the race of prospective tenants or the
56	56	24participation of said tenants in a state or federal housing voucher program;
57	57	25 (F) violations and enforcement of the Fair Housing Act based on race;
58	58	26 (G) exclusionary zoning ordinances and bylaws;
59	59	27 (H) inadequate transportation infrastructure or inadequate access to affordable, reliable,
60	60	28and efficient public transportation;
61	61	29 (I) violations and enforcement of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964;
62	62	30 (J) Chapter 70 of the General Laws; 3 of 5
63	63	31 (K) Chapter 70B of the General Laws;
64	64	32 (L) the dissolution of historical policies and practices in the commonwealth that had led
65	65	33to substantial increases in school integration;
66	66	34 (M) public magnet schools or regional school districts;
67	67	35 (N) school district practices for assigning students to schools;
68	68	36 (O) interdistrict and intradistrict transfer and public school choice policies;
69	69	37 (P) the use of admissions practices for determining student attendance in selective public
70	70	38schools;
71	71	39 (Q) school district practices for determining student participation in different levels of
72	72	40coursework, such as ability grouping or tracking;
73	73	41 (R) the Metropolitan Council for Educational Opportunity (METCO) program; and
74	74	42 (S) any other topics that it deems relevant to housing and school segregation.
75	75	43 (c) The commission shall convene its first meeting within 30 days of the passage of this
76	76	44act and shall submit its report and recommendations not later than 1 year after the passage of this
77	77	45act.
78	78	46 (d) A copy of the report and recommendations shall be submitted to the joint committee
79	79	47on housing, the joint committee on education, and the joint committee on transportation. 4 of 5
80	80	48 (e) Prior to issuing its recommendations, the commission shall conduct not fewer than 4
81	81	49public hearings across regions of the Commonwealth, which shall take place in communities of
82	82	50color disproportionately impacted by racial segregation in housing and schools.
83	83	51 (f) The commission shall consist of: the house and senate chairs of the joint committee on
84	84	52housing and joint committee on education, who shall serve as the four co-chairs; the house and
85	85	53senate chairs of the joint committee on transportation; the secretary of housing and economic
86	86	54development; the commissioner of the department of housing and community development; the
87	87	55secretary of education; the commissioner of the department of elementary and secondary
88	88	56education; the commissioner of the department of early education and care; the secretary of
89	89	57transportation; the general manager of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority; the
90	90	58commissioner of banks; the attorney general or a designee; the executive director of
91	91	59MassHousing; the president of the senate or a designee; the speaker of the house of
92	92	60representatives or a designee; the minority leader of the house of representatives or a designee;
93	93	61the minority leader of the senate or a designee; the governor or a designee; 1 persons with
94	94	62relevant subject matter expertise appointed by the Massachusetts Black and Latino Legislative
95	95	63Caucus; 2 persons appointed by the commission on the status of African Americans; 2 persons
96	96	64appointed by the commission on the status of Latinos and Latinas; 1 person appointed by the
97	97	65Asian American commission; 1 person appointed by the Massachusetts commission on Indian
98	98	66affairs; 1 person with relevant subject matter expertise appointed by the president of the senate; 1
99	99	67person with relevant subject matter expertise appointed by the speaker of the house of
100	100	68representatives; 1 person with relevant subject matter expertise appointed by the governor; and 2
101	101	69members of the student advisory council. 5 of 5
102	102	70 (1) Members shall not receive compensation for their services but may receive
103	103	71reimbursement for the reasonable expenses incurred in carrying out their responsibilities as
104	104	72members of the commission.
105	105	73 (2) The commissioner of the department of housing and community development, the
106	106	74secretary of housing and economic development, the secretary of transportation, the general
107	107	75manager of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, the secretary of education, the
108	108	76commissioner of the department of early education and care, the commissioner of the department
109	109	77of elementary and secondary education, the commissioner of banks, the attorney general and the
110	110	78executive director of MassHousing shall furnish reasonable staff and other support for the work
111	111	79of the commission.