SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1893        FILED ON: 1/16/2015

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1742

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Bruce E. Tarr

_________________

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 An act creating accountability for legislative reports.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Bruce E. Tarr

First Essex and Middlesex

Donald H. Wong

9th Essex

Viriato M. deMacedo

Plymouth and Barnstable

Robert L. Hedlund

Plymouth and Norfolk

Donald F. Humason, Jr.

Second Hampden and Hampshire

Richard J. Ross

Norfolk, Bristol and Middlesex

Kathleen O'Connor Ives

First Essex


SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1893        FILED ON: 1/16/2015

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1742

By Mr. Tarr, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1742) of Bruce E. Tarr, Donald H. Wong, Viriato M. deMacedo, Robert L. Hedlund and other members of the General Court for legislation to create accountability for legislative reports.  State Administration and Regulatory Oversight.

 

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE SENATE, NO. 1549 OF 2013-2014.]

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

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

_______________

 

An Act An act creating accountability for legislative reports.

 

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. Section 12 of chapter 68 of the Acts of 2011 is hereby amended by striking the words:- “and (9) collaborate with other state agencies, authorities and other entities to carry out these purposes.” and inserting in place thereof the following:-

(9) track all reports, whether completed or not, required by law to be performed by all secretariats, commissions, departments, agencies, quasi-state agencies or entities of the commonwealth; (10) make all legislative directives conspicuously available and accessible online in searchable format on the office of commonwealth performance, accountability and transparency website; and (11) collaborate with other state agencies, authorities and other entities to carry out these purposes.”   

SECTION 2.  Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, all commissions, secretariats, departments, agencies, quasi-state agencies or entities of the commonwealth required by law to file a report with the clerks of the house of representatives and the senate, or with the chairs of any legislative committee, shall file said report via electronic means and shall provide an electronic copy of the report to the office of commonwealth performance, accountability and transparency.  Said office of commonwealth performance, accountability and transparency shall monitor the progress of all required reports and prominently make all reports available to the public via its website. A secretariat, department, agency, quasi-state agency or any other entity of the commonwealth shall provide a copy in hard copy format of any report upon request.