HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 228        FILED ON: 1/7/2025

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

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Adam J. Scanlon

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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 preserve local control of Chapter 74 admissions policies.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 228        FILED ON: 1/7/2025

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

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 to preserve local control of Chapter 74 admissions policies.

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 1 of Chapter 74 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking, in line 9, the following words:-

“conditions of admission of student,”      

SECTION 2.  Section 7 of Chapter 74 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting, after the word “board,” in line 8, the following words:-

“provided that such admission would be in accordance with requirements for admission established pursuant to Section 3 and Section 59 of this chapter,”  

SECTION 3.  Section 5 of Chapter 74 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding the following words:-

“Requirements for admission to an independent vocational-technical school established pursuant to Section 4 of this chapter shall be determined by the district trustees for such an independent vocational-technical school.  Changes to duly established requirements for admission to such an independent vocational-technical school shall be made by a majority vote of the district trustees and may be made only after at least one public hearing , held at least thirty days after the proposed change to admission requirements has been made public, and at which the public may offer remarks.  Notice of the time and place of said public hearing, and of the availability for review of the proposed change to admission requirements shall be provided to each person who has previously requested the receipt of such notices from the district trustees, as well as to individuals and organizations known to the district trustees to have an interest in issues related to vocational-technical education.” 

SECTION 4.  Chapter 74 of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding a new section:-

Section 59.  (a) Requirements for admission to a vocational-technical school established pursuant to Section 3 of this chapter shall be determined by the board of trustees for the vocational-technical school or, if there is no such board of trustees, the school committee of the municipality.  Changes to duly established requirements for admission to such a vocational-technical school shall be made by a majority vote of the district trustees and may be made only after at least one public hearing, held at least thirty days after the proposed change to admission requirements has been made public, and at which the public may offer remarks.  Notice of the time and place of said public hearing, and of the availability for review of the proposed change to admission requirements shall be provided to each person who has previously requested the receipt of such notices from the board of trustees for the vocational-technical school or, if there is no such board of trustees, the school committee, as well as to individuals and organizations known to the  board of trustees for the vocational-technical school or, if there is no such board of trustees, the school committee to have an interest in issues related to vocational-technical education. 

(b) Requirements for admission to an independent vocational-technical school established pursuant to Section 5A of this chapter shall be determined by the board of regional school district trustees for vocational-technical education, pursuant to Section 5A, for such a vocational-technical school.  Changes to duly established requirements for admission to such an independent vocational-technical school shall be made by a majority vote of the district trustees and may be made only after at least one public hearing, held at least thirty days after the proposed change to admission requirements has been made public, and at which the public may offer remarks.  Notice of the time and place of said public hearing, and of the availability for review of the proposed change to admission requirements shall be provided to each person who has previously requested the receipt of such notices from the board of regional school district trustees for vocational-technical education, as well as to individuals and organizations known to the board of regional school district trustees for vocational-technical education to have an interest in issues related to vocational-technical education.”