HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 951        FILED ON: 1/19/2011

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 891

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Sarah K. Peake and Anne M. Gobi

_________________

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 create the position of poet laureate for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Sarah K. Peake

4th Barnstable

1/19/2011

Anne M. Gobi

5th Worcester

1/20/2011

John D. Keenan

7th Essex

2/1/2011

Jason M. Lewis

31st Middlesex

2/1/2011

Tom Sannicandro

7th Middlesex

1/24/2011

Cleon H. Turner

1st Barnstable

1/20/2011

Timothy R. Madden

Barnstable, Dukes and Nantucket

2/1/2011

Cory Atkins

14th Middlesex

2/3/2011

Christine E. Canavan

10th Plymouth

2/3/2011

James B. Eldridge

 

2/2/2011

Ann-Margaret Ferrante

5th Essex

2/3/2011

George T. Ross

2nd Bristol

2/3/2011

Ellen Story

3rd Hampshire

2/4/2011

Chris Walsh

6th Middlesex

2/3/2011


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 951        FILED ON: 1/19/2011

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 891

By Representatives Peake of Provincetown and Gobi of Spencer,  a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 891) of Sarah K. Peake, Anne M. Gobi and others providing for the appointment of a poet laureate of the Commonwealth.  Tourism, Arts and Cultural Development.

 

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 3146 OF 2009-2010.]

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the Year Two Thousand Eleven

_______________

 

An Act to create the position of poet laureate for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1.  Chapter 6 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2006 Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding, after section 5, the following new section:

Section 5A. 

(a) The governor may select a poet laureate for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts from the list of nominees submitted to him or her by the Commonwealth Poet Laureate Nominating Committee pursuant to Section 5A (b) herein.  The nominating committee shall submit the list of three nominees to the Governor by February 1st.  The Governor shall appoint the Poet Laureate within 30 days after receiving the list of nominees.   The poet laureate shall be appointed to serve for a term of two years or until a successor is appointed and qualified as provided in this section.

(b) (1) There shall be a Poet Laureate Nominating Committee. The Poet Laureate Nominating Committee shall consist of five (5) members: one (1) member of the Senate, one (1) member of the House, one (1) member appointed by the Governor, and two (2) members of the Board of Directors of the Massachusetts Cultural Council. Poet Laureate Nominating Committee shall serve without compensation.

(2) The Poet Laureate Nominating Committee shall advertise for and receive nominations for the selection of the Poet Laureate for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.  The Poet Laureate Nominating Committee shall review all nominations and select a list of three (3) nominees who are residents of the Commonwealth, to submit to the Governor along with their biographical and professional information and supporting representative material and who, based on their poetic accomplishments, deserve recognition as the Poet Laureate for the Commonwealth.  The Governor may select the Poet Laureate for the Commonwealth from the list of nominees for a two year term of office.

(c) In the event of a vacancy in the office of Poet Laureate for the Commonwealth, the vacancy shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment, and the person so appointed shall serve until a successor is appointed and qualified as provided in this section.

(d) The Poet Laureate for the Commonwealth during his or her term shall seek to raise the consciousness of all people, including, but not limited to school children to a greater appreciation of the reading and writing of poetry, and

(e) The poet laureate shall be an honorary position and the person appointed shall receive no remuneration.  The person appointed to the position of poet laureate shall not be considered a state official or a state employee for such person's service in the position of poet laureate.