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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 875 FILED ON: 1/13/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 3311
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_________________
PRESENTED BY:
Leigh Davis
_________________
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 advancing equity for rural communities receiving state grants.
_______________
PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Leigh Davis3rd Berkshire1/13/2025Natalie M. Blais1st Franklin1/14/2025Lindsay N. Sabadosa1st Hampshire2/18/2025Joanne M. ComerfordHampshire, Franklin and Worcester2/19/2025 1 of 2
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 875 FILED ON: 1/13/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 3311
By Representative Davis of Great Barrington, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 3311)
of Leigh Davis and others relative to state grants for rural communities. State Administration
and Regulatory Oversight.
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 3102 OF 2023-2024.]
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_______________
In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)
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An Act advancing equity for rural communities receiving state grants.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 Chapter 7 of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding after section 62 the
2following section:-
3 Section 63. As used in this section the following words shall have the following
4meanings:-
5 “Rural communities”, municipalities with population densities of less than 500 persons
6per square mile or a population of less than 7,000 persons, in each case as shown in the most
7recent U.S. decennial census.
8 The secretary shall direct all departments, commissions, offices, boards, divisions,
9institutions or other agencies administering grant programs to give preference to rural 2 of 2
10communities, particularly those that intend to use funds to regionalize or share services, and to
11grant applicants that serve rural communities.
12 The secretary shall direct all such agencies to identify and inform rural communities of
13discretionary grant programs and incentives for which rural communities wishing to regionalize
14or share services could benefit from preferences under this section.
15 The secretary shall annually, on or before July 1, report on the implementation of this
16section to the senate and house committees on ways and means, the joint committee on
17municipalities and regional government and members of the general court who represent rural
18communities.