HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3357        FILED ON: 1/16/2015

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3177

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

James Arciero

_________________

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 protecting municipalities from unfunded mandates.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

James Arciero

2nd Middlesex

1/16/2015

Jonathan D. Zlotnik

2nd Worcester

12/20/2019

Geoff Diehl

7th Plymouth

12/20/2019


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3357        FILED ON: 1/16/2015

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3177

By Mr. Arciero of Westford, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 3177) of James Arciero, Jonathan D. Zlotnik and Geoff Diehl for legislation to require that fiscal notes be attached to legislation providing unfunded mandates on municipal governments.  Ways and Means.

 

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 3216 OF 2013-2014.]

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

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

_______________

 

An Act relative to protecting municipalities from unfunded mandates.

 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

Chapter 3 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 38B the following section:-

Section 38B½.(a) For the purposes of this section, an unfunded mandate to a city or town is one that imposes a cost on municipal governments as a result of legislation being considered by the General Court, including, but not limited to the cost for the requisite staff necessary to administer or implement the legislation.

(b)  Joint committees of the general court and the committees on ways and means of either branch thereof when referred bills that contain an unfunded mandate to municipalities shall, prior to a favorable report of such bill include a fiscal note or study which clearly explains any cost described in subsection (a). 

(c) Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, in the event that there is a cost to any city or town regarding such legislation, the general court shall refrain from enacting the legislation until such time as an appropriation satisfying said cost is provided by the general court.