HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3463        FILED ON: 1/16/2015

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2925

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Michael J. Moran and Aaron Michlewitz

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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 promoting transparency and accountability for hosting the 2024 summer games.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3463        FILED ON: 1/16/2015

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2925

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 promoting transparency and accountability for hosting the 2024 summer games.

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.  The General Court finds and declares that:

(1)the city of Boston has been accepted by the United States Olympic Committee on January 8, 2015 as a candidate city to host the 2024 summer games.  Boston 2024 Partnership, Inc., has participated in planning and Boston 2024 Organizing Committee, Inc. has been appointed by the city of Boston to act as the organizing committee for Boston’s bid to host the 2024 summer games.

(2)as part of the bid process, Boston 2024 is competing with other organizing committees around the world for the 2024 summer games.

(3)the commonwealth of Massachusetts welcomes the opportunity to participate in planning the application for the 2024 summer games to maximize opportunities for the city of Boston, its region and the commonwealth to promote our athletic, cultural and social resources.

(4)a commission shall be established by this act to ensure that the process for applying to become a host city for the 2024 summer games be transparent and accountable to the people of the commonwealth.

SECTION 2. For the purposes of this act, the following terms shall, unless the context clearly appears otherwise, have the following meanings:-

    “Bid committee", Boston 2024 Organizing Committee, Inc., or a local organizing committee that has been incorporated as a not-for-profit corporation, that is authorized by the candidate city to submit a bid on the candidate city's behalf to the IOC for selection as the host city for the games, and that may serve as or help form the organizing committee if the candidate city is selected as the host city for the games.

    “Candidate city", the city of Boston, which has been selected as a candidate by USOC and the IOC to be host city of the games.

“Commission”, the Massachusetts 2024 commission on the summer games.

    “Competition venues" means, collectively, the venues or facilities to be used for competition and related activities; including, without limitation, training activities, for the games as may be determined by the IOC, the USOC, or the organizing committee or the candidate city.

    “IOC" means the International Olympic Committee.

“Non-competition venues", collectively, the venues or facilities to be used for non-competition activities; including, without limitation, live sites, hospitality sites, and administrative and operational offices for the games as determined by the organizing committee or the candidate city, or both, and subject to the reasonable approval of the commonwealth.

    “Olympic properties", collectively, (1) the properties on which the venues will be located and that are owned or controlled by the commonwealth and (2) the Olympic ancillary properties.

    “Olympic ancillary properties", all public rights-of-ways or public areas that are owned or controlled by the commonwealth, or over which it has jurisdiction, including but not limited to streets, highways, sidewalks, alleys, waterways, parks, and bridges necessary and appropriate to the staging of the games as determined by the organizing committee or the candidate city, or both, and subject to the reasonable approval of the commonwealth.

“Organizing committee", the bid committee, as the same may be reorganized or reconstituted if the candidate city is selected as the host city for the games, or another not-for-profit corporation that serves as the organizing committee for the games and to be established by the candidate city and the bid committee.

“USOC”, the United States Olympic Committee.

“Venues", collectively, the competition venues and non-competition venues.

SECTION 3. (a) There shall be a Massachusetts 2024 commission on the summer games which shall consist of 7 commissioners: 1 of whom shall be appointed by the governor; 1 of whom shall be appointed by the attorney general; 1 of whom shall be appointed by the treasurer and receiver general; 1 of whom shall be appointed the inspector general; 1 of whom shall be appointed by the senate president; 1 of whom shall be appointed by the speaker of the house; and 1 of whom shall by appointed by the mayor of the city of Boston. The governor shall designate the chair of the commission.  The chair shall serve in that capacity throughout the term of appointment and until a successor shall be appointed.

(b) The commission may appoint an executive director. The executive director shall serve at the pleasure of the commission, shall receive such salary as may be determined by the commission, and shall devote full time and attention to the duties of the office.

SECTION 4. The commission shall have the following powers and duties:-

(1)gather facts and information relative to the public safety, economic and social impacts of siting the 2024 games in the candidate city; including but not limited to:

a)analyzing affordable and sustainable Olympic properties, Olympic ancillary properties and venues;

b)the creation of new sporting venues which have potential for post-Games community use;

c)enhancing public process to provide transparency and opportunities for public input;

d)measure and comment on the impact of the summer games on every neighborhood in the candidate city;

e)approve any orders of land taking by the right of eminent domain;

f)review the potential effect on the candidate city and the region post-games;

g)review security protocols;

h)provide a standard for transparent procurement standards and cost accounting for the games;

i)review any alterations in the design of the candidate city; such as changes to the physical and the built environment;

j)the representation of the candidate city and country and its culture;

k)improvements, or detriments, in air, road and rail transport;

l)project increased costs and taxes;

m)determine potential increased tourism and business activity;

n)analyze the potential of greater community consultation, involvement and even protest; and

o)oversee the involvement of the community as volunteers and torch-bearers.

p)review the overall economic, infrastructural, environmental, and budgetary impact on the entire commonwealth and all of its cities and towns.

(2)be the primary point of contact for the commonwealth to the candidate city and the organizing committee for purposes of intergovernmental coordination in connection with the games;

(3)maintain an official internet website for the commission which shall include, but not be limited to, the Massachusetts Open Checkbook for the public to track any spending that could benefit the bid committee, the organizing committee, or candidate city. Said Open Checkbook registry shall publicly provide all public and private funds that would be expended for the games, including explicit reference to the source of said funds;

(4)prepare, public and distribute such studies, reports and other materials as the commission considers appropriate; and

(5)file a report and recommendations for legislation with the clerks of the house of representatives and the senate on or before July 1, 2015, and annually thereafter, of its findings and review.

SECTION 5. As a precondition for receiving any public funds, the bid committee and the organizing committee shall provide any information formally requested by the commission to assist in reviewing the provisions of and performance under this act. Failure to comply with Section 5 of this Act may result in the withdrawal of any and all public funds related to the Olympic bid.

SECTION 6. The bid committee and the organizing committee shall, prior to its submission to the IOC of its application to be a host community, submit its bid book to the commission. The governor shall have final approval of the bid should the commission determine that any expenditure of commonwealth funds is required to host the 2024 Olympic games by the candidate city.

SECTION 7.  The commission, candidate city and the organizing committee shall enter into a memorandum of understanding on or before September 14, 2015 incorporating the recommendations of the commission.

SECTION 8. This act shall be repealed as follows: if the city of Boston terminates its candidacy to become the host city for the 2024 Olympic Games; if the IOC does not select the city of Boston as the host city for the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games on or before December 1, 2017, then this act is inoperable on and after that date; or if the city of Boston is chosen as the host city for the 2024 Olympic Games on or before December 1, 2017, then this act shall be repealed on June 30, 2025.