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SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2283 FILED ON: 1/17/2025
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1456
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Paul W. Mark
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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 voting on regional planning board proposed regional agreements.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Paul W. MarkBerkshire, Hampden, Franklin and
Hampshire 1 of 2
SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2283 FILED ON: 1/17/2025
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1456
By Mr. Mark, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1456) of Paul W. Mark for legislation
relative to voting on proposed regional school districts. Municipalities and Regional
Government.
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 voting on regional planning board proposed regional agreements.
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. Section 15 of chapter 71 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022
2Official Edition, is hereby by amended by striking section 15 in its entirety and replacing it with
3the following new section 15:-
4 Section 15. The selectmen or council of each of the several towns shall, upon receipt of
5the recommendation that a regional school district should be formed and of a proposed
6agreement therefor submitted in accordance with the provisions of sections fourteen to fourteen
7B, inclusive, or otherwise in the form and with the approval required by said sections, cause to be
8presented the question of accepting the provisions of sections sixteen to sixteen I, inclusive, and
9the proposed agreement or agreements. Said question shall be determined, in a town having an
10open town meeting, by vote with printed ballots at an annual or special town meeting to be held
11in either case within thirty days after receipt of such recommendation by the selectmen or at an
12annual or special town election to be held in either case not less than thirty-five nor more than 2 of 2
13fifty days after receipt of such recommendation. and, in a town having a representative town
14meeting or council, at an annual or special town election to be held in either case not less than
15thirty-five nor more than fifty days after receipt of such recommendation. The article in the
16warrant for such annual or special town meeting or election and the question on the printed
17ballots to be used at such meeting or election shall be in substantially the following form:
18 Shall the town accept the provisions of sections sixteen to sixteen I, inclusive, of chapter
19seventy-one of the General Laws providing for the establishment of a regional school district,
20together with the towns of , and , etc., and for construction, maintenance and operation of a
21regional school by said district in accordance with the provisions of a proposed agreement filed
22with the selectmen?
23 If a majority of the voters present and voting on said question in each of the several
24towns shall vote in the affirmative, said sections sixteen to sixteen I, inclusive, shall become
25effective, and the proposed regional school district shall be deemed to be established forthwith in
26accordance with the terms of the agreement so adopted notwithstanding any defect or omission
27in the creation or organization of any regional school district planning committee or regional
28school district planning board.