HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1696        FILED ON: 1/19/2017

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 356

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Shawn Dooley

_________________

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 authorizing the establishment of a special election guarantee fund.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Shawn Dooley

9th Norfolk

1/19/2017

Todd M. Smola

1st Hampden

2/3/2017


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1696        FILED ON: 1/19/2017

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 356

By Mr. Dooley of Norfolk, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 356) of Shawn Dooley and Todd M. Smola for legislation to establish a fund for special elections to fill vacancies in the offices of senator or representative in the General Court.  Election Laws.

 

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 3406 OF 2015-2016.]

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

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

_______________

 

An Act authorizing the establishment of a special election guarantee fund.

 

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 10 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 35AAA the following section:-

Section 35BBB.  There shall be established a Special Election Guarantee Fund to be used, without further appropriation, for the reimbursement of cities and towns for the costs associated with any special primary or special election held pursuant to sections 140 or 141 of chapter 54.  There shall be credited to the fund any unused compensation from any vacant office of a senator or representative in the general court. The fund shall accept additional funding by any other method or vehicle including direct funding, an insurance policy or any method deemed appropriate by the general court. Any balance in the fund at the end of a fiscal year shall not revert to the General Fund but shall remain available for expenditure in subsequent fiscal years. No expenditure made from the fund shall cause the fund to become deficient at any point during a fiscal year.

SECTION 2. Section 140 of chapter 54 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2012 Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding the following subsection:-

A city or town holding a special primary or special election pursuant to this section shall be reimbursed for the costs associated with the special primary and special general election from funds available to such city or town from the return of the vacant office of representative or senator’s unused compensation as provided by law from the Special Election Guarantee Fund established in section 35BBB of chapter 10.

SECTION 2. Section 141 of said chapter 54 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by adding the following paragraph:-

A city or town holding such election shall be reimbursed for the costs associated with the special primary and special general election from funds available to such city or town from the return of the vacant office of representative or senator’s unused compensation as provided by law from the Special Election Guarantee Fund established in section 35BBB of chapter 10.