HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3084        FILED ON: 2/18/2021

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3383

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Sarah K. Peake

_________________

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 relative to the position of poet laureate for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Sarah K. Peake

4th Barnstable

2/8/2021

Lindsay N. Sabadosa

1st Hampshire

2/22/2021

Steven G. Xiarhos

5th Barnstable

2/22/2021

Jessica Ann Giannino

16th Suffolk

2/24/2021

Michael S. Day

31st Middlesex

2/26/2021

Kate Lipper-Garabedian

32nd Middlesex

2/26/2021

James B. Eldridge

Middlesex and Worcester

2/26/2021

Tram T. Nguyen

18th Essex

3/5/2021

Bradley H. Jones, Jr.

20th Middlesex

3/12/2021

Tami L. Gouveia

14th Middlesex

4/12/2021


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3084        FILED ON: 2/18/2021

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3383

By Ms. Peake of Provincetown, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 3383) of Sarah K. Peake and others for legislation to create the position of poet laureate of the Commonwealth.  Tourism, Arts and Cultural Development.

 

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

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

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

_______________

 

An Act relative to the position of poet laureate for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

 

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 6 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2016 official edition, is hereby amended by inserting after Section 38, the following section:-

 

Section 38A. (a) Biennially, on or before March 31, the governor may appoint a poet laureate for the commonwealth of Massachusetts from a list of nominees submitted by the poet laureate nominating committee pursuant to subsection (b). The poet laureate shall seek to raise the consciousness of all commonwealth residents, especially school children, to a greater appreciation of the reading and writing of poetry. The poet laureate shall be appointed to serve for a term of 2 years or until a successor is appointed and qualified as provided in this section. In the event of a vacancy in the office of poet laureate, the vacancy shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment.

(b) There shall be a poet laureate nominating committee consisting of the following 5 members: the speaker of the house of representatives, or a designee; the senate president, or a designee; and 3 members appointed by the governor, 2 of whom shall be members of the board of directors of the Massachusetts cultural council. Members of the poet laureate nominating committee shall serve without compensation.

(c) The poet laureate nominating committee shall advertise and receive nominations for the selection of the poet laureate for the commonwealth of Massachusetts. Nominees shall be residents of the commonwealth and shall provide biographical and professional information, as well as supporting representative material, explaining why, based on their poetic accomplishments, they deserve recognition as the poet laureate for commonwealth of Massachusetts. The poet laureate nominating committee shall review all nominations and select 3 nominees to submit to the governor biennially on or before February 1.

(d) The poet laureate shall be an honorary position and the person appointed shall receive no remuneration. The person appointed to the position of poet laureate shall not be considered a state official or a state employee for such person's service in the position of poet laureate.