SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1238        FILED ON: 1/16/2015

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1664

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Patricia D. Jehlen

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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 requiring the disclosure of public funding.

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PETITION OF:

SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1238        FILED ON: 1/16/2015

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1664

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE SENATE, NO. 1491 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 requiring the disclosure of public funding.

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 29 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 6E the following section:-

Section 6F.  (a) As used in this section, the following words shall have the following meanings unless the context clearly requires otherwise:

“Entity”, a corporation and a foreign corporation; a domestic or foreign nonprofit corporation; a profit and a nonprofit unincorporated association; a limited liability company; a business trust; an estate; a partnership; a registered limited liability partnership; a trust and 2 or more persons having a joint or common economic interest; an entity that is of a type created by filing a public organic document; quasi-governmental organization; limited partnership, general partnership, limited liability partnership, limited liability company, joint venture and joint stock company.

“Financial support”, funds received through the appropriations process, funds received through capital bonds, grants exceeding $10,000, funds from a trust in which the commonwealth acts as a fiduciary administering funds on behalf of other parties or tax credits totaling at least $100,000 during the fiscal year.

“Public”, the general public, including, but not limited to clients, potential clients, shareholders and beneficiaries of the entity; but shall not include employees of the entity and agents of the government acting in their official capacity.

(b) Any entity receiving financial support from the commonwealth shall disclose this information by printing a disclosure on the entity’s letterhead and on all other electronic and printed materials distributed to the public. The disclosure shall also be posted in a prominent place on the entity’s website.

(c) The content of the disclosure shall, at a minimum, acknowledge that the entity receives financial support from the commonwealth.