HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2960        FILED ON: 1/19/2023

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 487

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Carlos González

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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 relative to establishing the gateway city public school driver education program.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2960        FILED ON: 1/19/2023

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 487

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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

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An Act relative to establishing the gateway city public school driver education program.

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 29 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 2QQQQQ the following section:-

Section 2RRRRR. There shall be established and set up on the books of the commonwealth a separate fund to be known as the Gateway City Public School Driver Education Trust Fund, administered by the commissioner of elementary and secondary education. There shall be credited to the fund all fees collected and designated to the fund under paragraph (21) of section 33 of chapter 90, any appropriations, grants, gifts or other monies authorized by the general court or other parties and specifically designated to be credited to the fund and any income derived from the investment of amounts credited to the fund. All amounts credited to the fund may be expended, subject to appropriation, provided that all unexpended balances remaining in the fund at the end of the fiscal year shall not revert to the General Fund and may be appropriated for expenditure in the subsequent fiscal year.  Expenditures from the fund shall be used for the implementation of section 13D 1/2 of chapter 71.

SECTION 2. Paragraph (21) of section 33 of chapter 90 of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the following sentence:-

A sum equal to 1 per cent of the fees collected pursuant to this paragraph shall be transferred to the gateway city public school driver education trust fund, established under section 2RRRRR of chapter 29.

SECTION 3. Chapter 71 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 13D the following section:-

Section 13D 1/2. There shall be a gateway city public school driver education program for providing affordable access to motor vehicle driver education to students from low-income communities in the commonwealth.  The program shall be administered by the department.

A public high school located in a gateway municipality, as defined by section 3A of chapter 23A, may offer a motor vehicle driver education course, in accordance with section 13D, during the regular school day or evening as an elective course.  Participants of the course shall be residents of a gateway municipality.

Expenditures from the gateway city public school driver education trust fund, established under section 2RRRRR of chapter 29, shall be made to reduce tuition fees or provide tuition at no cost to participants in the program.