HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3959        FILED ON: 1/20/2023

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3753

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Shirley B. Arriaga

_________________

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 youth and athletics.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Shirley B. Arriaga

8th Hampden

1/20/2023

Manny Cruz

7th Essex

5/5/2023

Patricia A. Duffy

5th Hampden

5/5/2023

Francisco E. Paulino

16th Essex

5/5/2023


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3959        FILED ON: 1/20/2023

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3753

By Representative Arriaga of Chicopee, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 3753) of Shirley B. Arriaga relative to youth and athletics and establishing the PLAY trust fund to be administered by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.  Education.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)

_______________

 

An Act relative to youth and athletics.

 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

Chapter 29 of the General Laws, as amended by section 42 of chapter 268 of the acts of 2022, is hereby amended by inserting after section 2AAAAAA the following section:-

Section 2BBBBBB. (a) There shall be established and set upon the books of the commonwealth a separate fund to be known as the PLAY Trust Fund. The commissioner of the department of elementary and secondary education shall administer the fund. The fund shall be used for: (i) funding youth athletics for K-8 public school students in districts across the commonwealth; (ii) supporting K-8 public school students and their families by paying fees related to sports that they are unable to afford to pay; and (iii) combating childhood obesity by promoting and allowing children to play youth sports.

(b) The fund shall be credited with: (i) revenue from appropriations and other money authorized by the general court and specifically designated to be credited to the fund; (ii) funds from public and private sources such as gifts, grants and donations; and (iii) interest earned on money in the fund. Amounts credited to the fund shall not be subject to further appropriation and any money remaining in the fund at the end of a fiscal year shall not revert to the General Fund.

(c) Annually, not later than October 1, the commissioner of elementary and secondary education shall report to the clerks of the senate and house of representatives, the joint committee on education and the house and senate committees on ways and means on the fund’s activities. The report shall include, but not be limited to: (i) the source and amount of funds received; (ii) the expenditures made from the fund and the purposes of such expenditures; (iii) any anticipated remaining revenue from awards; (vi) the number of students and families who received funding; and (v) the report shall be publicly available on the department’s website.