Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Massachusetts Senate Bill S2332 Compare Versions

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

Old	New	Differences
1	1	1 of 1
2	2	SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1710 FILED ON: 1/16/2025
3	3	SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2332
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	Robyn K. Kennedy
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 establishing a program for local art and community engagement.
13	13	_______________
14	14	PETITION OF:
15	15	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Robyn K. KennedyFirst WorcesterPaul W. MarkBerkshire, Hampden, Franklin and
16	16	Hampshire
17	17	1/21/2025 1 of 5
18	18	SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1710 FILED ON: 1/16/2025
19	19	SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2332
20	20	By Ms. Kennedy, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 2332) of Robyn K. Kennedy and
21	21	Paul W. Mark for legislation to establish a program for local art and community engagement.
22	22	Tourism, Arts and Cultural Development.
23	23	[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
24	24	SEE SENATE, NO. 2190 OF 2023-2024.]
25	25	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
26	26	_______________
27	27	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
28	28	(2025-2026)
29	29	_______________
30	30	An Act establishing a program for local art and community engagement.
31	31	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
32	32	of the same, as follows:
33	33	1 Chapter 7C of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the following new
34	34	2section:-
35	35	3 Section 73. Whereas public buildings and infrastructure are the physical manifestation of
36	36	4the commonwealth’s identity and connection with its citizens, and whereas the commonwealths
37	37	5rich diversity of cultural communities is one of its greatest assets, and whereas a statewide public
38	38	6art program would ensure that our citizenry’s diverse cultural heritage enhances the built
39	39	7environment across the state and result in increased civic participation and economic prosperity
40	40	8through local investment and increased tourism, therefore the commonwealth will enact An Act
41	41	9establishing a program for local art and community engagement 2 of 5
42	42	10 There shall be in the executive office of housing and livable communities a commission
43	43	11to be known as the program for local art and community engagement commission (“the PLACE
44	44	12Commission”), which shall consist of 1 member to be appointed by the governor and who shall
45	45	13be an artist or representative from a nonprofit or community organization with experience in
46	46	14and/or commitment to the creation, installation, and/or administration of public art ; 1 member to
47	47	15be appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives and who shall be an artist or
48	48	16representative from a nonprofit or community organization with experience in and/or
49	49	17commitment to the creation, installation, and/or administration of public art; 1 member to be
50	50	18appointed by the senate president and who shall be an artist or representative from a nonprofit or
51	51	19community organization with experience in and/or commitment to the creation, installation,
52	52	20and/or administration of public art; the secretary of housing and livable communities or a
53	53	21designee; the commissioner of capital asset management and maintenance or a designee; the
54	54	22executive director of the Massachusetts cultural council or a designee; 1 member appointed by
55	55	23the president of the Massachusetts College of Art and Design; 1 member appointed by the
56	56	24executive director of the Massachusetts association of community development corporation; and
57	57	251 member appointed by the executive director of the metropolitan area planning council. Best
58	58	26efforts shall be exercised to ensure that each iteration of the PLACE Commission contains
59	59	27representation from the Commonwealth’s different geographic. The PLACE Commission will be
60	60	28co-chaired by the secretary of housing and livable communities or a designee and the executive
61	61	29director of the Massachusetts cultural council or a designee. The PLACE Commission shall meet
62	62	30once each quarter and otherwise at the discretion of the chairs.
63	63	31 Each appointive member shall be appointed for a term of three years, with the members
64	64	32initially appointed serving staggered terms. Persons appointed to fill vacancies shall serve for the 3 of 5
65	65	33unexpired term. Any member shall be eligible for reappointment, except that no appointive
66	66	34member shall serve for more than two consecutive terms. Members shall serve without
67	67	35compensation.
68	68	36 (a) There shall be established a fund to be known as the program for local art and
69	69	37community engagement fund ("the PLACE Fund"). The PLACE Fund, in addition to
70	70	38contributions from private sources, shall receive half-of-one-percent of the public funds allocated
71	71	39for the construction or renovation of any building or property owned by the Commonwealth, not
72	72	40to exceed $300,000 per construction or renovation project. This cap shall be adjusted on July 1st
73	73	41of each year by the growth rate of the inflation index over the preceding 12 months. The
74	74	42executive office of housing and livable communities shall serve as the PLACE Fund’s treasurer
75	75	43and custodian.
76	76	44 (b) Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the PLACE Commission
77	77	45shall enter into a contract with the Massachusetts cultural council or another qualified
78	78	46organization for the administrative operation of the PLACE Commission, which includes serving
79	79	47as the secretary during PLACE Commission meetings, and perform such other tasks as
80	80	48determined by the PLACE Commission. The Massachusetts cultural council shall appoint, with
81	81	49the PLACE Commission’s approval, such additional employees as may be required in the
82	82	50performance of the PLACE Commission’s duties. All salaries of appointed Massachusetts
83	83	51cultural council appointed employees shall be drawn from the PLACE Fund. The PLACE
84	84	52Commission may enter into a contract with another qualified organization to manage some or all
85	85	53of PLACE Commission administration only if the Massachusetts cultural council fails to
86	86	54adequately perform its duties under a duly executed contract, ceases to exist, or for just cause. If
87	87	55the PLACE Commission enters into a contract with another qualified organization, the PLACE 4 of 5
88	88	56Commission shall submit, in writing, the reasons for the termination of its contract with the
89	89	57Massachusetts cultural council to the chairs of the joint committee on economic development
90	90	58and emerging technologies and the chairs of the joint committee on tourism, arts and cultural
91	91	59development. A contract executed pursuant to this section shall address, but shall not be limited
92	92	60to: proposed rules and guidelines for the fund, providing technical assistance to potential
93	93	61applicants, reviewing and evaluating applications and providing findings and recommendations
94	94	62to the PLACE Commission as to which grant applications should be approved and awarded and
95	95	63which should be denied. The PLACE Commission shall establish rules relative to the Fund, with
96	96	64the advice of the committee. Copies of the rules, and any modifications or amendments thereto,
97	97	65shall be delivered to the clerk of the house of representatives, the clerk of the senate, the chairs of
98	98	66the house and senate committees on ways and means, the chairs of the joint committee on
99	99	67economic development and emerging technologies and the chairs of the joint committee on
100	100	68tourism, arts, and cultural development.
101	101	69 (c) The PLACE Commission, assisted by Massachusetts cultural council and its
102	102	70designated staff, shall administer the PLACE Fund with the purpose of providing financial
103	103	71support for the selection, design, creation, acquisition, installation, maintenance, conservation,
104	104	72and/or promotion of public art in the Commonwealth. Such administration shall include: (i)
105	105	73establishing and executing processes for the application, approval, acquisition, and installation of
106	106	74public art projects seeking funds; (ii) working with state agencies to assure compliance with this
107	107	75section; (iii) working with public and private stakeholders to identify artists, projects, and
108	108	76installation sites; (iv) ensuring the relevance and acceptance of public art by convening a local
109	109	77advisory group for each new public art project that includes relevant local site users and 5 of 5
110	110	78community stakeholders; (v) developing access to and education of public art; and (vi)
111	111	79cataloguing and maintaining public art.
112	112	80 (d) In furtherance of the PLACE Commission’s purpose of growing the creative and
113	113	81general economy throughout Massachusetts, (i) all public art acquired using the PLACE Fund
114	114	82shall be owned by the Commonwealth; (ii) best efforts shall be exercised to ensure PLACE
115	115	83Commission projects are distributed across the Commonwealth’s different geographic regions;
116	116	84and (iii) best efforts shall be exercised by the PLACE Commission to support artists from
117	117	85Massachusetts.
118	118	86 (e) Annually, on September 1 of each year, the PLACE Commission shall provide a
119	119	87report describing the implementation of the PLACE Fund and awarded funds to the secretary of
120	120	88administration and finance, the house committee on ways and means, the senate committee on
121	121	89ways and means, the joint committee on tourism, arts and cultural development, the clerk's office
122	122	90for the house of representatives, and the clerk's office for the senate.
123	123	91 (f) The PLACE Commission shall be established no later than December 1, 2026.