HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 644        FILED ON: 1/17/2017

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 457

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Keiko M. Orrall

_________________

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 to promote pollinator forage.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Keiko M. Orrall

12th Bristol

1/17/2017

Chris Walsh

6th Middlesex

 

Bradley H. Jones, Jr.

20th Middlesex

 

Bruce E. Tarr

First Essex and Middlesex

 

Sarah K. Peake

4th Barnstable

 

Mathew Muratore

1st Plymouth

 

Kimberly N. Ferguson

1st Worcester

 

Leonard Mirra

2nd Essex

 

Susan Williams Gifford

2nd Plymouth

 

Richard J. Ross

Norfolk, Bristol and Middlesex

 

John W. Scibak

2nd Hampshire

 

Steven S. Howitt

4th Bristol

 

David F. DeCoste

5th Plymouth

 

Shawn Dooley

9th Norfolk

 

Angelo L. D'Emilia

8th Plymouth

 

Hannah Kane

11th Worcester

 

Michael D. Brady

Second Plymouth and Bristol

 

Kate Hogan

3rd Middlesex

 

Donald F. Humason, Jr.

Second Hampden and Hampshire

 

Elizabeth A. Poirier

14th Bristol

 

David M. Rogers

24th Middlesex

 

Colleen M. Garry

36th Middlesex

 

Shaunna L. O'Connell

3rd Bristol

 

Harold P. Naughton, Jr.

12th Worcester

 

Jeffrey N. Roy

10th Norfolk

 

Sean Garballey

23rd Middlesex

 

Paul K. Frost

7th Worcester

 

Gailanne M. Cariddi

1st Berkshire

 


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 644        FILED ON: 1/17/2017

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 457

By Mrs. Orrall of Lakeville, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 457) of Keiko M. Orrall and others for the establishment of a special task force (including members of the General Court) to promote pollinator forage.  Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

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

_______________

 

An Act to promote pollinator forage.

 

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. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary there shall be a special task force established to create a plant list of species, appropriate for Massachusetts, which provides effective forage for pollinators and to submit recommendations on actions which can be undertaken in the Commonwealth to promote the planting of such forage. 

SECTION 2.   The task force shall consist of 12 members: the Commissioner of the Department of Agricultural Resources or their designee, who shall serve as chair, the Commissioner of the Department of Fish and Game or their designee, the Commissioner of the Department of Conservation and Recreation or their designee, 2 members of the Senate, 1 of whom shall be appointed by the Senate President and 1 of whom shall be appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate, 2 members of the House of Representatives, 1 of whom shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives and 1 of whom shall be appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, and 5 members to be appointed by the Governor, one of whom shall be from a County Bee Association, one of whom shall be from the Massachusetts Beekeepers Association, one of whom shall be from the Massachusetts Nursery and Landscape Association, one of whom shall be from the Massachusetts Invasive Plant Advisory Group, and one of whom shall be credentialed as a Massachusetts Certified Horticulturalist.

SECTION 3. Said task force shall submit their findings along with any recommendations included but not limited to the plant list of species to the Governor, the Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs, the clerks of the House of Representatives and the Senate, and the Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources, and Agriculture within 18 months of the establishment of this task force. The task force shall dissolve upon completion of its duties and obligations, unless the General Court, in advance of that date, extends its term for a set period or indefinitely.