SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1940        FILED ON: 1/20/2017

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 321

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Bruce E. Tarr

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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 an educational mandate working group.

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PETITION OF:

SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1940        FILED ON: 1/20/2017

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 321

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 an educational mandate working group.

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 the foregoing or any general or special law or regulation to the contrary, it shall be the policy of the general court to impose a moratorium on all new mandated education programs and or expenses until July 1, 2018.

Section 2. There shall be a study group on all present mandates imposed upon local public schools and districts, hereinafter referred to as the group. The group shall consist of 10 members: the chairpersons of the Joint Committee on Education, Arts and Humanities, or their designee, who shall serve as the co-chairs of the working group; the Secretary of Education or his designee, the Commissioner of Education of his designee, the Executive Director of the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents, or his designee; the Executive Director of the Massachusetts Association of School Committees or his designee; Executive Director of the Massachusetts Association of School Business Officials or his designee, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Association of Secondary School Principals or his designee, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Association of Elementary School Principals and the Executive Director of the Massachusetts Association of Special Education Administrators.

Section 3. The group shall compile a list of all mandates imposed upon local public schools and districts, funded and unfunded, as well as their costs to said school districts. The group shall have the following responsibilities: (a) to review and analyze all mandates imposed upon local public schools and districts from state and federal authorities, and to deliver an economic impact report of such effects on school districts to the governor, and to the minority and majority leadership of the House and Senate, and (b) to make formal legislative and regulatory recommendations intended to streamline, or consolidate, or eliminate mandates the group finds duplicative or inconsistent with current laws, regulations or practices, or onerous or unnecessary.

SECTION 4. The group shall solicit advice from such persons and entities as it deems necessary, including the department of education, educational associations, other educational administrators, teachers, municipal officials and charter schools.

SECTION 5. The group shall file a report containing its recommendations, including legislation and regulations necessary to carry out its recommendations, with the joint committee on education and the clerks of the house and senate not later than 6 months following the first meeting of the group.