HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1253        FILED ON: 2/3/2021

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3106

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

David Biele

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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 resolve:

Resolve establishing a commission on the two hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the American Revolution.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1253        FILED ON: 2/3/2021

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3106

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE SENATE, NO. 2945 OF 2019-2020.]

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Second General Court
(2021-2022)

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Resolve establishing a commission on the two hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the American Revolution.

Resolved, That there shall be a special commission  to investigate and study the promotion and celebration of the two hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the American Revolution.

The commission shall consist of: the house and senate chairs of the joint committee on tourism, arts and cultural development, who shall serve as co-chairs; 2 members of the house of representatives, 1 of whom shall be appointed by the house minority leader; 2 members of the senate, 1 of whom shall be appointed by the senate minority leader; 2 members who shall be appointed by the state secretary; 1 member who shall be appointed by the mayor of the city of Boston; the commissioner of conservation and recreation or a designee; the adjutant general or a designee; the president of the Massachusetts Historical Society or a designee; the executive director of the American Antiquarian Society or a designee; the president of the Massachusetts Council for Social Studies, Inc. or a designee; the executive director of the commission on Indian affairs or a designee; the executive director of the New England Historic Genealogical Society or a designee; the executive director of Preservation Massachusetts or a designee; the executive director of the Massachusetts Foundation for the Humanities or a designee; the executive director of the Massachusetts cultural council or a designee; the executive director of the Massachusetts Lodging Association, Inc. or a designee; and 15 members who shall be appointed by the governor, 1 of whom shall be a representative of the executive office of education, 1 of whom shall be a representative of the Colonial Society of Massachusetts, 1 of whom shall be a representative of the Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau, Inc., 1 of whom shall be a representative of the Museum of African American History in the city of Boston, 2 of whom shall be scholars from an institution of higher learning with expertise in the area of colonial, revolutionary era history or American civics, 1 of whom shall be a member of the greater Boston business community, 2 of whom shall be employees of the National Park Service with experience in geographical areas of the commonwealth of importance to Revolutionary War history, 1 of whom shall be a member of the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head Aquinnah, 1 of whom shall be a member of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe, 1 of whom shall be a representative of the Freedom Trail Foundation, Inc., 2 of whom shall be representatives of the office of travel & tourism and 1 of whom shall be a representative of the Massachusetts chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution.

As part of its study and investigation, the commission shall: (i) develop a comprehensive plan for promoting and celebrating the two hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the American Revolution; (ii) identify all opportunities for individuals, municipalities or other actors across the commonwealth to participate in celebrations of the anniversary and recognize the particular history of their geographical areas; (iii) investigate and promote under-represented voices in the American Revolution including, but not limited to, women, native peoples and persons of color; and (iv) submit a report to the governor, speaker of the house of representatives, president of the senate and clerks of the house of representatives and the senate that may, upon agreement of the governor, speaker of the house of representatives and president of the senate, be published for distribution to the public and that shall contain an overview of the commonwealth’s particular role in the American Revolution and notable battles, events and figures of the era.