HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1125        FILED ON: 1/14/2025

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No.         

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Tricia Farley-Bouvier

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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 student representative voting rights.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1125        FILED ON: 1/14/2025

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No.         

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 474 OF 2023-2024.]

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)

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An Act relative to student representative voting rights.

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

Chapter 71 Section 38M of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2020 official edition, is hereby amended by striking the words “Said chairperson shall be an ex-officio, nonvoting member of the school committee, without the right to attend executive sessions unless such right is expressly granted by the individual school committee. Said chairperson shall be subject to all school committee rules and regulations and shall serve without compensation.” in lines 9 through 14 and inserting in their place the following:

“School committees of cities, towns and regional school districts shall recognize two (2) student representatives, to be elected by the student bodies of all secondary schools within the district, prior to the first day of June in each year. Said representatives shall be allowed to vote on all matters before the committee. Student representatives shall be subject to all school committee rules and regulations, shall serve without compensation, and without the right to attend executive sessions unless such right is expressly granted by the individual school committee.

There shall also be a student advisory committee with members numbered as determined by the district, to be elected by the students of the secondary school or schools within the district. The purpose of said student advisory committee will be to assist the elected student representatives with their regular duties and to assist their constituents with accessing resources as well as connecting students with the student representatives.”