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| 2 | 2 | | HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2143 FILED ON: 1/15/2025 |
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| 3 | 3 | | HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1670 |
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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 | | Kate Donaghue |
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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 relative to the repeal or reform of certain unenforceable or unconstitutional archaic laws |
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| 13 | 13 | | on religion, piety, and morality. |
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| 14 | 14 | | _______________ |
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| 15 | 15 | | PETITION OF: |
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| 16 | 16 | | NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Kate Donaghue19th Worcester1/15/2025 1 of 2 |
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| 17 | 17 | | HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2143 FILED ON: 1/15/2025 |
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| 18 | 18 | | HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1670 |
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| 19 | 19 | | By Representative Donaghue of Westborough, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1670) |
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| 20 | 20 | | of Kate Donaghue relative to the repeal or reform of certain archaic laws on religion, piety, and |
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| 21 | 21 | | morality. The Judiciary. |
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| 22 | 22 | | [SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION |
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| 23 | 23 | | SEE HOUSE, NO. 1469 OF 2023-2024.] |
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| 24 | 24 | | The Commonwealth of Massachusetts |
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| 25 | 25 | | _______________ |
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| 26 | 26 | | In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court |
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| 27 | 27 | | (2025-2026) |
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| 28 | 28 | | _______________ |
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| 29 | 29 | | An Act relative to the repeal or reform of certain unenforceable or unconstitutional archaic laws |
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| 30 | 30 | | on religion, piety, and morality. |
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| 31 | 31 | | Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority |
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| 32 | 32 | | of the same, as follows: |
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| 33 | 33 | | 1 SECTION 1. Section 30 of Chapter 71 of the General Laws is hereby repealed. |
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| 34 | 34 | | 2 SECTION 2. Section 31 of Chapter 71 of the General Laws is hereby amended by |
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| 35 | 35 | | 3striking the first sentence. |
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| 36 | 36 | | 4 SECTION 3. Section 15 of Chapter 233 is hereby amended by striking the wording in its |
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| 37 | 37 | | 5entirety and inserting in place thereof the following:- In all cases in which an oath or affirmation |
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| 38 | 38 | | 6of truthfulness is required by law, the oath or affirmation shall make no religious reference and |
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| 39 | 39 | | 7the person administrating the oath or affirmation shall require only that the person taking the |
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| 40 | 40 | | 8oath or affirmation hold up his or her hand and affirm that the testimony or declaration is truthful |
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| 41 | 41 | | 9and, when appropriate, made under the penalties of perjury. 2 of 2 |
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| 42 | 42 | | 10 SECTION 4. Sections 16 through 19 of Chapter 233 of the General Laws are hereby |
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| 43 | 43 | | 11repealed. |
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| 44 | 44 | | 12 SECTION 5. Section 26 of Chapter 272 of the General Laws is hereby repealed. |
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| 45 | 45 | | 13 SECTION 6. Section 29 of Chapter 272 of the General Laws is hereby repealed. |
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| 46 | 46 | | 14 SECTION 7. Section 34 of Chapter 272 of the General Laws is hereby repealed. |
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| 47 | 47 | | 15 SECTION 8. Section 35 of Chapter 272 of the General Laws is hereby repealed. |
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| 48 | 48 | | 16 SECTION 9. Section 36 of Chapter 272 of the General Laws is hereby repealed. |
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