HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 875        FILED ON: 1/13/2025

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

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Leigh Davis

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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 advancing equity for rural communities receiving state grants.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 875        FILED ON: 1/13/2025

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

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 3102 OF 2023-2024.]

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_______________

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

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An Act advancing equity for rural communities receiving state grants.

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

Chapter 7 of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding after section 62 the following section:-

Section 63. As used in this section the following words shall have the following meanings:-

“Rural communities”, municipalities with population densities of less than 500 persons per square mile or a population of less than 7,000 persons, in each case as shown in the most recent U.S. decennial census.

The secretary shall direct all departments, commissions, offices, boards, divisions, institutions or other agencies administering grant programs to give preference to rural communities, particularly those that intend to use funds to regionalize or share services, and to grant applicants that serve rural communities.

The secretary shall direct all such agencies to identify and inform rural communities of discretionary grant programs and incentives for which rural communities wishing to regionalize or share services could benefit from preferences under this section.

The secretary shall annually, on or before July 1, report on the implementation of this section to the senate and house committees on ways and means, the joint committee on municipalities and regional government and members of the general court who represent rural communities.