HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3635        FILED ON: 1/20/2017

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3359

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

James M. Cantwell

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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 establishing a special commission to investigate and study the feasibility of establishing a municipal building financing authority.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3635        FILED ON: 1/20/2017

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3359

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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

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An Act establishing a special commission to investigate and study the feasibility of establishing a municipal building financing authority.

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.   There is hereby established a special commission to investigate and study the feasibility of establishing a municipal building finance authority. 

SECTION 2. The commission shall: (1) consider recommendations from state and federal reports, relative to the establishment of a municipal building financé authority; (2) identify and consider state and private funding sources with consideration for providing grants and loans to cities and towns for the planning, design, and construction of municipal buildings; (3) assess innovative financing approaches for assisting municipalities in the planning and construction of municipal buildings including, but not limited to, councils-on-aging facilities, public safety facilities, town halls, and other municipal buildings or facilities; and (4) determine specific powers of a municipal building finance authority including but not limited to (a) establishing grant programs, (b) providing architectural or other technical advice and assistance to municipalities, general contractors, subcontractors, construction or project managers, designers and others in the planning, maintenance and establishment of municipal facilities; (c) perform or commission a needs survey to ascertain the capital construction, reconstruction, maintenance and other capital needs for municipal facilities in the commonwealth, and (d) recommend to the general court legislation as necessary to further the purposes of establishing a municipal building financé authority.

SECTION 2.  The municipal building finance commission shall be comprised of the following 13 members:  2 members of the senate appointed by the senate president; 2 members of the house of representatives appointed by the speaker of the house; 1 member of the senate and 1 member of the house of representatives appointed by the minority leader of each; the state treasurer or a designee, the secretary of administration and finance or a designee, the secretary of public safety and security or a designee, the secretary of elder affairs or a designee; the secretary of housing and economic development or a designee; the executive director of the school building authority or a designee and a representative of the Massachusetts Municipal Association.

The members of the commission shall be appointed not later than 90 days after the effective date of this act and shall serve until the completion of the report.

SECTION 3.  The commission shall report to the general court the results of its study together with recommendations and drafts of legislation by filing the same with the clerks of the senate and the house of representatives on or before December 31, 2018.