SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1232        FILED ON: 1/20/2011

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 229

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Richard J. Ross

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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 resolve:

Resolve providing for an investigation and study by a special commission relative to making exceptions to certain public school transportation laws.

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PETITION OF:

SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1232        FILED ON: 1/20/2011

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 229

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the Year Two Thousand Eleven

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Resolve providing for an investigation and study by a special commission relative to making exceptions to certain public school transportation laws.

Resolved, Resolved, That a special commission is hereby established for the purposes of making an investigation and study relative to making exceptions to Massachusetts General Laws ch 71 § 68 for certain towns in the Commonwealth.  The commission will study 5 examples of towns throughout the Commonwealth, to be chosen by the legislative members of the commission in a meeting no later than 60 days after the effective date of this resolve, with certain characteristics: a historical character, a lack of sidewalks within a 2 mile radius of their schools and membership in a regional school district.  The commission will be charged with determining if those towns have safe egress for children to get to school within that 2 mile radius and determine whether or not to exempt those towns from MGL ch 71 § 68.

The commission shall consist of: 3 members of the Senate, chosen by the Senate President, 1 of which is a member of the minority party, or a designee; 1 of whom shall be the chair of the joint committee on municipalities and regional government, or a designee; 1 of whom shall be the chair of the joint committee on education, or a designee; 3 members of the House of Representatives that are chosen by the Speaker, 1 of which is a member of the minority party, or a designee; 1 of whom shall be the chair of the joint committee on municipalities and regional government, or a designee; 1 of whom shall be the chair of the joint committee on education, or a designee; a representative from the School Transportation Association of Massachusetts; 1 member of each school board from each of the towns being studied to be chosen by the local school board; the Secretary of Education, or a designee; the Secretary of the Department of Transportation, or a designee; and 1 person chosen by the governor.

Legislative appointments shall be made not later than 30 days after the effective date of this resolve, town appointments shall be made not later than 60 days after the effective date of this resolve.  The chairpersons shall meet with the full commission not later than 90 days after the effective date of this resolve. 

Members shall not receive compensation for their services but may receive reimbursement for the reasonable expenses incurred in carrying out their responsibilities as members of the commission.

Not later than September 17, 2012, the commission shall report to the general court the result of its investigation and study and its recommendations, if any, together with drafts of legislation necessary to carry its recommendations into effect by filing the same with the clerk of the House of Representatives who shall forward the same to the joint committee on municipalities and regional government and the joint committee on education.