HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3575        FILED ON: 1/20/2017

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2929

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Peter V. Kocot

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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 conserving archaeological, geological and fossil resources on public lands.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3575        FILED ON: 1/20/2017

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2929

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninetieth General Court
(2017-2018)

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An Act relative to conserving archaeological, geological and fossil resources on public lands.

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

There is hereby established a special commission on evaluating the archaeological, geological, and fossil record resources and artifacts of the Connecticut River Valley, protecting those located on public property and enhancing the education of the public on all aspects of these resources. Said special commission shall review existing special and general laws and the public agencies and institutions that hold, investigate and have regulatory oversight over these resources and may hold hearings at various locations across the Commonwealth to obtain written and oral testimony and may consult with state and federal agencies, educators, technical experts, town boards and commissions and native american tribes to determine if existing state laws and regulations adequately protect, provide educational opportunities and provide reasonable public access to the archaeological, geological and fossil resources located or discovered within the Connecticut River Valley,other than those resources located on private property, including online access to information related to these resources.  Said special commission shall be comprised of three members of the House of Representatives, appointed by the Speaker, which shall be from districts in western Massachusetts that include a portion of the Connecticut river that has significant fossil, archaeological or geological deposits; three members of the Senate, appointed by the President, which shall be from a district in western Massachusetts that includes the Connecticut river; eleven of whom shall be appointed by the Governor, of which one shall be a professor of archaeology from a public Massachusetts college or university, one of whom shall be a recognized authority on western Massachusetts geological formations who is a professor at a public Massachusetts college or university, one of whom shall be a member of a western Massachusetts geological organization, one whom shall be an environmental police officer who has experience with investigating the unlawful removal of archaeological, geological or fossil resources, two who shall be members of town historical commissions within the region and four of whom shall be of native American descent or active in efforts to preserve and educate the public about native american living, meeting, spiritual and burial sites and ways of life; one member shall be appointed by the secretary of the commonwealth, who shall be knowledgeable of the archaeological and historic resources of the Connecticut river valley and laws and regulations pertaining to these resources. Said special commission shall review all statutes, regulations, ordinances and practices related to these resources, including but not limited to how public and private institutions and agencies protect, collect, preserve, display, notify the public of discoveries, return objects and sacred remains to native American tribes and related organizations and provide public access to educate and inform the public about these archaeological, geological and fossil discoveries and the history of the region, including helping educators develop curriculums related to these resources.  Said special commission may receive funding through state appropriation or grants, federal appropriation or grants, private gifts and donations, provided, that said special commission shall file its report with the joint committee on natural resources and agriculture and the clerks of the House and Senate no later than October 1, 2018.