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SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2141 FILED ON: 1/17/2025
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 332
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
John J. Cronin
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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 to expand student opportunities in career technical education.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :John J. CroninWorcester and Middlesex 1 of 2
SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2141 FILED ON: 1/17/2025
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 332
By Mr. Cronin, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 332) of John J. Cronin for
legislation to expand student access to a vocational-technical education. 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 to expand student opportunities in career technical education.
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. Subsection (c) of section 14B of chapter 71 of the General Laws, as so
2appearing, is hereby amended by striking out the third sentence and inserting in place thereof the
3following 2 sentences:-
4 “Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, a city or town may
5simultaneously be a member of a vocational regional school district and any other type of
6regional school district. A city or town that belongs to a regional vocational school district may
7offer a vocational technical education program in its municipal high school; provided, however,
8that the program is approved under section 2 of chapter 74 of the General Laws; provided,
9further, that a vocational regional school district and any other type of regional school district
10serving the same town shall collaborate through the office of career technical education in
11offering reciprocal non-competitive programs under chapter 74 of the General Laws; provided,
12further, that said programs meet the labor market needs in a community’s region as determined
13by Regional Workforce Boards.” 2 of 2
14 SECTION 2. Section 2 of Chapter 74 of the General Laws is amended in the second
15paragraph by adding the following:
16 “provided further that said regulations shall allow for the approval of proposed chapter 74
17programs regardless of duplication within a region where there is a demonstrated labor market
18need and insufficient capacity within existing programs to meet that need.”
19 SECTION 3. Section 2 of Chapter 74 is hereby further amended by adding the following
20two paragraphs:
21 The Commissioner shall direct the resources of the department to provide technical
22support to municipal and comprehensive high schools seeking to offer Chapter 74 programs that
23meet regional labor market demands and do not duplicate existing programs in the region except
24where there is a lack of enrollment capacity in said programs for additional students.
25 The Commissioner shall support the continuation of demonstration programs that provide
26opportunities in vocational-technical education for students unable to secure a seat in an
27approved Chapter 74 program due to lack of enrollment capacity.