SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2225        FILED ON: 2/19/2021

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 492

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 to fairly fund early voting.

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PETITION OF:

SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2225        FILED ON: 2/19/2021

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 492

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE SENATE, NO. 427 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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An Act to fairly fund early voting.

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. Section 25B of Chapter 54 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting at the end thereof the following new subsection:-

“(r) The Commonwealth shall reimburse each city and town to the full extent of the amounts expended for mandated early voting procedures and operations. The state treasurer shall annually, on or before July 1st of the year following the election for which reimbursement is being sought, pay to cities and towns, the sums required for such reimbursement and approved by the secretary of state pursuant to section 2 herein. Each city and town may establish an Early Voting Reimbursement Fund. Reimbursements made by the commonwealth pursuant to this section may be deposited into the fund and may carry forward for 1 fiscal year.”

SECTION 2. Section 25B of Chapter 54 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting in subsection (o) the following at the end thereof:-

“including the means to seek, process and approve reimbursement subject to subsection (r)”.