HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1053        FILED ON: 1/14/2015

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1065

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Tom Sannicandro

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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 creating a scholarship fund to further the study of developmental disabilities.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1053        FILED ON: 1/14/2015

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1065

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 1079 OF 2013-2014.]

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Eighty-Ninth General Court
(2015-2016)

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An Act creating a scholarship fund to further the study of developmental disabilities.

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. To provide for certain unanticipated obligations of the commonwealth, to provide for an alteration of purpose for current appropriations, and to meet certain requirements of law, the sum set forth in this section is hereby appropriated from the General Fund unless specifically designated otherwise in this section, for the several purposes and subject to the conditions specified in this section, and subject to the laws regulating the disbursement of public funds for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2014. This sum shall be in addition to any amounts previously appropriated and made available for the purposes of this item.

XXXX – XXXX     For the Fred Boyce, State Boys, and Residents of Fernald School Scholarship Fund established in section 2 of this act ……….……………………..$380,000

SECTION 2.  (a)  There shall be a scholarship fund to be known as the Fred Boyce, State Boys, and the Residents of Fernald School Scholarship Fund, hereinafter referred to as the scholarship fund.  Two scholarships shall be awarded each year to students who are studying in areas related to developmental disabilities; one to a student at the graduate school of social work at Salem State University and one to a student at the University of Massachusetts Medical School at Worcester. Each scholarship shall be funded by the scholarship fund and shall cover the total cost of tuition and fees required to obtain a degree.

     The scholarship fund shall be administered by the board of higher education.  The board shall promulgate guidelines governing the scholarship fund. The guidelines shall include, but need not be limited to, procedures for selecting participants among eligible applicants, and measures to deal with situations in which a participant ceases to comply with program requirements.

(b)  There is hereby established and set up on the books of the commonwealth a separate fund to be known as the Fred Boyce, State Boys, and Residents of Fernald School Scholarship Fund, hereinafter referred to as the fund,  to which shall be credited any appropriations or other monies authorized by the general court and designated to be credited thereto.  The board of higher education shall hold the fund in an account separate from other funds or accounts.  Amounts credited to the fund shall be used, without further appropriation, by the commissioner of higher education to carry out the scholarship fund established in this section. 

(c)  The board of higher education shall annually file a report with the joint committee on higher education, the joint committee on children, families, and persons with disabilities, and the house and senate committees on ways and means detailing the scholarships awarded under this section.