HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1759 FILED ON: 1/15/2015
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2927
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The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Sarah K. Peake and Denise Provost
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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 relative to the position of poet laureate for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
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PETITION OF:
Name: | District/Address: | Date Added: |
Sarah K. Peake | 4th Barnstable | 1/15/2015 |
Denise Provost | 27th Middlesex | 1/29/2015 |
Mathew Muratore | 1st Plymouth | 1/20/2015 |
Timothy R. Madden | Barnstable, Dukes and Nantucket | 12/9/2019 |
Ann-Margaret Ferrante | 5th Essex | 12/9/2019 |
Brian M. Ashe | 2nd Hampden | 12/9/2019 |
Josh S. Cutler | 6th Plymouth | 12/9/2019 |
Marjorie C. Decker | 25th Middlesex | 12/9/2019 |
David T. Vieira | 3rd Barnstable | 12/9/2019 |
Keiko M. Orrall | 12th Bristol | 12/9/2019 |
Joseph W. McGonagle, Jr. | 28th Middlesex | 12/9/2019 |
Mary S. Keefe | 15th Worcester | 12/9/2019 |
Jason M. Lewis | Fifth Middlesex | 12/9/2019 |
James B. Eldridge | Middlesex and Worcester | 12/9/2019 |
Ellen Story | 3rd Hampshire | 12/9/2019 |
Michael J. Barrett | Third Middlesex | 12/9/2019 |
Bruce E. Tarr | First Essex and Middlesex | 12/9/2019 |
Paul McMurtry | 11th Norfolk | 12/9/2019 |
Frank I. Smizik | 15th Norfolk | 12/9/2019 |
Kate Hogan | 3rd Middlesex | 12/9/2019 |
Chris Walsh | 6th Middlesex | 12/9/2019 |
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1759 FILED ON: 1/15/2015
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2927
By Representatives Peake of Provincetown and Provost of Somerville, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2927) of Sarah K. Peake, Denise Provost and others for legislation to create the position of poet laureate of the Commonwealth. Tourism, Arts and Cultural Development. |
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 2999 OF 2013-2014.]
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_______________
In the One Hundred and Eighty-Ninth General Court
(2015-2016)
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An Act relative to 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 is hereby amended by inserting after Section 38, the following section:-
Section 38A. (a) Biennially, on or before March 31, the governor may appoint a poet laureate for the commonwealth of Massachusetts from a list of nominees submitted by the poet laureate nominating committee pursuant to subsection (b). The poet laureate shall seek to raise the consciousness of all commonwealth residents, especially school children, to a greater appreciation of the reading and writing of poetry. The poet laureate shall be appointed to serve for a term of 2 years or until a successor is appointed and qualified as provided in this section. In the event of a vacancy in the office of poet laureate, the vacancy shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment.
(b) There shall be a poet laureate nominating committee consisting of the following 5 members: the speaker of the house of representatives, or a designee; the senate president, or a designee; and 3 members appointed by the governor, 2 of whom shall be members of the board of directors of the Massachusetts cultural council. Members of the poet laureate nominating committee shall serve without compensation.
(c) The poet laureate nominating committee shall advertise and receive nominations for the selection of the poet laureate for the commonwealth of Massachusetts. Nominees shall be residents of the commonwealth and shall provide biographical and professional information, as well as supporting representative material, explaining why, based on their poetic accomplishments, they deserve recognition as the poet laureate for commonwealth of Massachusetts. The poet laureate nominating committee shall review all nominations and select 3 nominees to submit to the governor biennially on or before February 1.
(d) 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.