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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 4443 FILED ON: 2/21/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 3980
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Carmine Lawrence Gentile
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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 establishing LGBTQIA+ parent advisory councils in the Commonwealth.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Carmine Lawrence Gentile13th Middlesex2/21/2025Liz MirandaSecond Suffolk2/26/2025Samantha Montaño15th Suffolk3/5/2025 1 of 2
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 4443 FILED ON: 2/21/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 3980
By Representative Gentile of Sudbury, a petition (subject to Joint Rule 12) of Carmine Lawrence
Gentile, Liz Miranda and Samantha Montaño for legislation to establish LGBTQIA+ parent
advisory councils in public schools. Education.
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 establishing LGBTQIA+ parent advisory councils in the Commonwealth.
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 71 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after
2section 1D the following section:
3 Section 1E. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the school
4committee of any city, town, or school district shall establish a LGBTQIA+ (Lesbian, Gay,
5Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual, or another identity on the Queer spectrum)
6parent advisory council. Membership shall be offered to all parents who identify themselves as
7LGBTQIA+ or have children who identify as LGBTQIA+, and other interested parties.
8 The duties of the council shall include, but not be limited to: (i) advising the school
9committee on matters that pertain to the education and safety of LGBTQIA+ students; (ii)
10meeting regularly with school officials to participate in the planning, development and
11evaluation of the school district’s programs; (iii) participating in the review of school
12improvement plans under section 59C of chapter 71 and district improvement plans under 2 of 2
13section 1I of chapter 69. Upon request from a parent advisory council, each school committee or
14school council within that parent advisory council's district shall meet at least annually with the
15council; provided, however, that if the parent advisory council advises a charter school the board
16of the charter school shall, upon request from the parent advisory council, meet not less than
17annually with the council. The parent advisory council shall establish by-laws regarding officers
18and operational procedures. In the course of its duties under this section, the council shall receive
19assistance from the school committee without charge, upon reasonable notice, and subject to the
20availability of staff and resources. SECTION 2. The department of elementary and secondary
21education shall adopt, promulgate, amend and rescind rules and regulations or formulate policies
22and make recommendations as necessary to implement this act. SECTION 3. This act shall take
23effect on January 1, 2027