Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Massachusetts House Bill H649 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	1 of 1
2	2	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 766 FILED ON: 1/13/2025
3	3	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 649
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	Samantha Montaño
8	8	_________________
9	9	To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
10	10	Court assembled:
11	11	The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
12	12	An Act providing for the creation of a permanent commission relative to the education of
13	13	American Indian and Alaska Native residents of the Commonwealth.
14	14	_______________
15	15	PETITION OF:
16	16	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Samantha Montaño15th Suffolk1/13/2025 1 of 4
17	17	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 766 FILED ON: 1/13/2025
18	18	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 649
19	19	By Representative Montaño of Boston, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 649) of
20	20	Samantha Montaño relative to the creation of a permanent commission relative to the education
21	21	of American Indian and Alaska Native residents. Education.
22	22	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
23	23	_______________
24	24	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
25	25	(2025-2026)
26	26	_______________
27	27	An Act providing for the creation of a permanent commission relative to the education of
28	28	American Indian and Alaska Native residents of the Commonwealth.
29	29	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
30	30	of the same, as follows:
31	31	1 Chapter 6 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2016 Official Edition, is hereby
32	32	2amended by inserting after section 159 the following section:-
33	33	3 Section 159A. There shall be a permanent commission on American Indian and Alaska
34	34	4Native education, which shall consist of 17 persons as follows: 1 person appointed by
35	35	5Department of Early Education and Care, 1 person appointed by Department of Elementary and
36	36	6Secondary Education, 1 person appointed by Department of Higher Education, 2 persons
37	37	7appointed by Department of Public Health, 1 person appointed by Department of Mental Health,
38	38	81 person appointed by Department of Youth Services, 1 person appointed by Department of
39	39	9Veterans' Services, 1 person appointed by Division of Prevention and Wellness, 1 person
40	40	10appointed by Interagency Council on Housing and Homelessness, 7 persons appointed by
41	41	11Massachusetts Commission on Indian Affairs in consultation with tribal governments and
42	42	12intertribal organizations. Members of the commission shall be drawn from diverse racial, ethnic, 2 of 4
43	43	13religious, age, sexual-orientation and socio-economic backgrounds from throughout the
44	44	14commonwealth. Members shall be considered special state employees for purposes of chapter
45	45	15268A of the General Laws. The commission shall be an independent agency of the
46	46	16commonwealth and shall not be subject to the control of any other department or agency.
47	47	17 Members shall serve terms of 2 years and until their successors are appointed. Vacancies
48	48	18in the membership of the commission shall be filled by the original appointing authority for the
49	49	19balance of the unexpired term. Appointments shall be made in consultation with tribal
50	50	20governments and intertribal organizations. Nominations shall be solicited between August 1 and
51	51	21November 1 of each year through an open application process using a uniform application that is
52	52	22widely distributed throughout the state. The commission shall elect annually from among its
53	53	23members a chair. The chair of the commission may designate on an annual basis 1 or more
54	54	24commission members as vice-chairs of the commission, and may appoint on an annual basis
55	55	25members of the commission as chairs of advisory committees on high school education, higher
56	56	26education, human services and youth. The chair of the commission may create other advisory
57	57	27committees as needed after consultation with the commission. The members of the commission
58	58	28shall receive no compensation for their services, but shall be reimbursed for any usual and
59	59	29customary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties.
60	60	30 The commission shall investigate the use of resources from both the public and private
61	61	31sectors to enhance and improve the ability of state agencies to provide educational opportunities
62	62	32and improving educational outcomes for all American Indian and Alaska Native students in
63	63	33order to further tribal self-determination and to help ensure that students have an opportunity to
64	64	34learn their heritage languages and histories and to receive complete and competitive educations
65	65	35that prepare them for college, careers, and productive satisfying lives. In furtherance of that 3 of 4
66	66	36responsibility, the commission shall: (1) work in partnership with the department of education
67	67	37and the department of public health to create school-based and community-based programs
68	68	38focusing on suicide prevention, violence intervention, and the promotion of zero-tolerance
69	69	39policies regarding harassment and discrimination against American Indians and Alaska Natives;
70	70	40and (2) make recommendations about policies and programs supporting American Indians and
71	71	41Alaska Natives on an ongoing basis to the department of education, the department of public
72	72	42health and the executive office of health and human services. The commission shall annually, on
73	73	43or before June 2, report the results of its findings and activities of the preceding year and make
74	74	44recommendations relating to the concerns of American Indians and Alaska Natives to the
75	75	45governor and to the clerks of the senate and house of representatives.
76	76	46 The powers of the commission shall include but not be limited to the following: (1) to use
77	77	47voluntary and uncompensated services of private individuals, agencies and organizations that
78	78	48may from time to time be offered and needed; (2) to recommend policies and make
79	79	49recommendations to agencies and officers of the commonwealth and local subdivisions of
80	80	50government to effectuate its purposes; (3) to select an executive director and to acquire adequate
81	81	51staff to perform its duties, subject to appropriation; (4) to establish and maintain offices that it
82	82	52considers necessary, subject to appropriation; (5) to enact by-laws for its own governance; (6) to
83	83	53appoint members to regional chapters of the commission; and (7) to hold regular, public
84	84	54meetings and to hold fact-finding hearings and other public forums as it may consider necessary.
85	85	55 The commission may request from all state agencies such information and assistance as
86	86	56the commission may require. The commission may accept and solicit funds, including any gifts,
87	87	57donations, grants or bequests or any federal funds, for any of the purposes of this section. These
88	88	58funds shall be deposited in a separate account with the state treasurer, be received by the 4 of 4
89	89	59treasurer on behalf of the commonwealth, and be expended by the commission in accordance
90	90	60with law.