HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 594        FILED ON: 1/10/2025

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

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Margaret R. Scarsdale

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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 support rural job creation and business expansion.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 594        FILED ON: 1/10/2025

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

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 404 OF 2023-2024.]

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_______________

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

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An Act to support rural job creation and business expansion.

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 6A of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the following subsection in Section 16G:-

(o) The secretary of economic development shall, in consultation with the Rural Policy Advisory Commission, establish a rural development initiative to be administered by the executive office through a contract with the Massachusetts Development Finance Agency established by section 2 of chapter 23G. The initiative will provide technical assistance to identify and implement strategies that will spur direct investment in rural communities to create jobs and expand businesses, identify cross-sector partnerships, accelerate the engagement of community members in actionable planning, and implement local economic development initiatives.