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SENATE DOCKET, NO. 114 FILED ON: 1/7/2025
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 981
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Lydia Edwards
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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 establishing housing training program for elected members of municipal boards.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Lydia EdwardsThird Suffolk 1 of 2
SENATE DOCKET, NO. 114 FILED ON: 1/7/2025
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 981
By Ms. Edwards, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 981) of Lydia Edwards for
legislation to establish housing training program for elected members of municipal boards.
Housing.
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 establishing housing training program for elected members of municipal boards.
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 41 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by adding the
2following section:-
3 Section 134. (a) The Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities shall
4establish and implement a comprehensive training program for all elected or appointed members
5of municipal boards or commissions that have within their purview land usage. Such training
6program shall be developed in consultation with the Massachusetts Citizen Planner Training
7Collaborative, the Massachusetts Association of Planning Directors, Massachusetts Association
8of Regional Planning Agencies, the American Planning Association, Massachusetts Chapter, the
9Massachusetts Housing Partnership, MassHousing, and the office of the attorney general.
10Instruction and training shall include, but need not be limited to: fair housing law and municipal
11zoning authority and laws Additional training elements may be added at the discretion of the
12Secretary. 2 of 2
13 (b) Members of said boards and commissions shall complete the comprehensive training
14program within 6 months of the beginning of the member’s term and within 4 years of the date of
15the member’s last training. A municipality may have annual or bi annual trainings. Membership
16on a board or commission shall terminate and a vacancy shall exist if a member fails to complete
17the comprehensive training program within the period of time established by this section. A
18vacancy on a board that exists as a result of this section shall be filled for the remainder of the
19term in the same manner in which the prior appointment or election took place.