HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1377        FILED ON: 1/15/2015

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 302

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Chris Walsh

_________________

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 promote local economic development.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Chris Walsh

6th Middlesex

1/15/2015

Denise Provost

27th Middlesex

8/21/2019

Michael O. Moore

Second Worcester

8/21/2019

Louis L. Kafka

8th Norfolk

8/21/2019

James B. Eldridge

Middlesex and Worcester

8/21/2019

Robert M. Koczera

11th Bristol

8/21/2019

Jason M. Lewis

Fifth Middlesex

8/21/2019

Carolyn C. Dykema

8th Middlesex

8/21/2019

James J. O'Day

14th Worcester

8/21/2019

Bruce E. Tarr

First Essex and Middlesex

8/21/2019

James M. Murphy

4th Norfolk

8/21/2019

Tom Sannicandro

7th Middlesex

8/21/2019

Paul Brodeur

32nd Middlesex

8/21/2019

Donald H. Wong

9th Essex

8/21/2019


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1377        FILED ON: 1/15/2015

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 302

By Mr. Walsh of Framingham, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 302) of Chris Walsh and others for legislation to authorize the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development to establish a local economic development assistance program.  Economic Development and Emerging Technologies.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

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

_______________

 

An Act to promote local economic development.

 

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 23A of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding after section 64 the following section:-

Section 65. (a) The executive office of housing and economic development shall establish a local economic development assistance program. The purpose of the program shall be to provide technical assistance and financial assistance, in the form of grants, to cities and towns.

(b) To participate in the local economic development assistance program, a city or town, or two or more cities or towns applying jointly, shall: (1) file an application for technical assistance with the executive office of housing and economic development in a form and manner to be prescribed by the office; and (2) complete an economic self-assessment identifying opportunities for growth. Following completion of the economic self-assessment, the city or town, or two or more cities or towns applying jointly, shall be deemed eligible to apply for financial assistance.

(c) An eligible city or town, acting by and through its municipal officers or by and through any agency designated by such municipal officers to act on their behalf, may apply to the program for a grant in a specific amount to fund a development initiative identified as an opportunity for growth in the economic self-assessment. Two or more municipalities may apply jointly, with 1 municipality acting as fiscal agent, or through a regional planning agency acting as fiscal agent. The grants may be made in addition to other forms of local, state, and federal assistance.

(d) Funding for the local economic development assistance program in any single fiscal year shall be available subject to appropriation in a total amount of not more than $10 million, or through other funds as the governing board of the Massachusetts Development Finance Authority shall provide.

(e) The office shall adopt rules, regulations, and guidelines for the administration and enforcement of this section, including, but not limited to, establishing applicant criteria, application forms and procedures, and reporting requirements.

(f) The office shall annually, no later than April 1, submit a report to the clerks of the senate and house of representatives, the joint committee on economic development and emerging technologies, the joint committee on state administration and regulatory oversight, and the senate and house committees on ways and means detailing the expenditures and results relative to the local economic development assistance program.