HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1976        FILED ON: 1/19/2023

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 413

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Bradley H. Jones, Jr.

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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 a commission to study the financial relationship between Massachusetts entities and companies owned by the Chinese government.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1976        FILED ON: 1/19/2023

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 413

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_______________

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

_______________

An Act establishing a commission to study the financial relationship between Massachusetts entities and companies owned by the Chinese government.

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. For the purposes of this section, the following terms shall be defined as such:

“Massachusetts entity”, any corporation, business, limited liability company, association, partnership, venture, state agency, K-12 school, institute of higher learning, or other organization operating within the commonwealth.

“Chinese state-owned company”, Any corporation, business, association, partnership, venture, limited liability company, or other entity or business association owned fully or in part by, or affiliated with, the government of China.

Notwithstanding any special or general law to the contrary, there shall be established a special commission to study the financial relationship between Massachusetts entities and Chinese state-owned companies. The commission shall identify Massachusetts-based assets held by Chinese state-owned companies, ascertain the extent to which business operations conducted by Chinese state-owned companies affect local industries, and assess the corresponding dangers posed to the commonwealth’s economic wellbeing and sovereignty.

The commission shall include the house and senate chairs of the joint committee on economic development and emerging technologies, who shall serve as co-chairs; the house and senate chairs of the joint committee on export development; the speaker of the house of representatives or a designee; the president of the senate or a designee; the minority leader of the house of representatives or a designee; the minority leader of the senate or a designee; the chair of the House Asian Caucus or a designee; the secretary of the commonwealth or a designee; the secretary of housing and economic development or a designee; the secretary of labor and workforce development or a designee; the treasurer of the commonwealth or a designee; the state auditor or a designee; the president of the University of Massachusetts system or a designee; and 1 member appointed by each of the following organizations: Massachusetts Association of Realtors; Massachusetts Technology Leadership Council; Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce; Massachusetts Bankers Association; and the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council.

The commission shall file a report with its findings and recommendations to the clerks of the house and senate no later than December 31, 2025.