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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1125 FILED ON: 1/14/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 568
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Tricia Farley-Bouvier
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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 student representative voting rights.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Tricia Farley-Bouvier2nd Berkshire1/14/2025 1 of 2
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1125 FILED ON: 1/14/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 568
By Representative Farley-Bouvier of Pittsfield, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 568)
of Tricia Farley-Bouvier relative to student representative voting rights on school committees.
Education.
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 474 OF 2023-2024.]
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 student representative voting rights.
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 71 Section 38M of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2020 official edition, is
2hereby amended by striking the words “Said chairperson shall be an ex-officio, nonvoting
3member of the school committee, without the right to attend executive sessions unless such right
4is expressly granted by the individual school committee. Said chairperson shall be subject to all
5school committee rules and regulations and shall serve without compensation.” in lines 9 through
614 and inserting in their place the following:
7 “School committees of cities, towns and regional school districts shall recognize two (2)
8student representatives, to be elected by the student bodies of all secondary schools within the
9district, prior to the first day of June in each year. Said representatives shall be allowed to vote
10on all matters before the committee. Student representatives shall be subject to all school 2 of 2
11committee rules and regulations, shall serve without compensation, and without the right to
12attend executive sessions unless such right is expressly granted by the individual school
13committee.
14 There shall also be a student advisory committee with members numbered as determined
15by the district, to be elected by the students of the secondary school or schools within the district.
16The purpose of said student advisory committee will be to assist the elected student
17representatives with their regular duties and to assist their constituents with accessing resources
18as well as connecting students with the student representatives.”