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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2644 FILED ON: 1/16/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 3590
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Mindy Domb and David T. Vieira
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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 relative to the position of poet laureate for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Mindy Domb3rd Hampshire1/16/2025David T. Vieira3rd Barnstable1/16/2025 1 of 2
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2644 FILED ON: 1/16/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 3590
By Representatives Domb of Amherst and Vieira of Falmouth, a petition (accompanied by bill,
House, No. 3590) of Mindy Domb and David T. Vieira relative to the position of poet laureate
for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Tourism, Arts and Cultural Development.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)
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An Act relative to the position of poet laureate for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 SECTION 1. Chapter 6 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after Section
238, the following section:-
3 Section 38A. (a) Biennially, on or before March 31, the governor may appoint a poet
4laureate for the commonwealth of Massachusetts from a list of nominees submitted by the poet
5laureate nominating committee pursuant to subsection (b). The poet laureate shall seek to raise
6the consciousness of all commonwealth residents, especially school children, to a greater
7appreciation of the reading and writing of poetry. The poet laureate shall be appointed to serve
8for a term of 2 years or until a successor is appointed and qualified as provided in this section. In
9the event of a vacancy in the office of poet laureate, the vacancy shall be filled in the same
10manner as the original appointment.
11 (b) There shall be a poet laureate nominating committee consisting of the following 5
12members: the speaker of the house of representatives, or a designee; the senate president, or a 2 of 2
13designee; 2 members appointed by the governor; and the executive director of the Massachusetts
14center for the book, or a designee. Members of the poet laureate nominating committee shall
15serve without compensation.
16 (c) The poet laureate nominating committee shall advertise and receive nominations for
17the selection of the poet laureate for the commonwealth of Massachusetts. Nominees shall be
18residents of the commonwealth and shall provide biographical and professional information, as
19well as supporting representative material, explaining why, based on their poetic
20accomplishments, they deserve recognition as the poet laureate for commonwealth of
21Massachusetts. The poet laureate nominating committee shall review all nominations and select
223 nominees to submit to the governor biennially on or before February 1.
23 (d) The person appointed to the position of poet laureate may receive remuneration
24through the Massachusetts center for the book. The Massachusetts center for the book may
25establish an appropriate stipend for the poet laureate and may provide for the payment of the poet
26laureate's expenses incurred in fulfilling of their responsibilities, subject to appropriation.