SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1992        FILED ON: 1/17/2025

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No.         

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Paul W. Mark

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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 creating a special commission to examine regional school education finance reform..

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PETITION OF:

SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1992        FILED ON: 1/17/2025

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  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 creating a special commission to examine regional school education finance reform..

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. There shall be a special commission governed by section 2A of chapter 4 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, to assess and set standards for the default apportionment formula used by regional school districts in their agreements as specified under Section 14B of Chapter 71 and whether standards for apportionment should include the number of students OR the total  property values in a town.

The commission shall also recommend whether each town in the commonwealth shall be mandated to either have its own school district or belong to a regional school district.

The commission shall file its findings and recommendations, together with drafts of legislation necessary to carry those recommendations into effect, with the clerks of the senate and the house of representatives, the chairs of the senate and house committees on public service and the chairs of the joint commission on education not later than December 1, 2026.

The commission shall consist of 1 member who shall be appointed by the senate president, who shall serve as co-chair; 1 member who shall be appointed by the minority leader of the senate; 1 member who shall be appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives, who shall serve as co-chair; 1 member who shall be appointed by the minority leader of the house of representatives; the commissioner of the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education or a designee; the commissioner of the Department of Revenue or a designee;  the Secretary of the Executive Office for Administration and Finance or designee; 5 regional school superintendents appointed by the Governor from regional schools in the commonwealth,  and 1 member to be appointed by each of the following organizations: Massachusett Association of Regional Schools, Rural Policy Advisory Commission, Massachusetts Municipal Association.