SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2547        FILED ON: 1/17/2025

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

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

William J. Driscoll

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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 gateway municipalities.

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PETITION OF:

SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2547        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 relative to gateway municipalities.

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

Chapter 23A, Section 3A is hereby amended by striking the definition of “gateway municipality” and replacing it with the following definition:

“gateway municipality”, a municipality that satisfies three of the following criteria: (1) a population of 35,000 or greater, buy less than 250,000; (2) a median household income below the commonwealth’s average; (3) a rate of educational attainment of a bachelor’s degree or above that is below the commonwealth’s average; (4) a minority population of 40 per cent or higher, and; (5) 15 percent or more of households identify as speaking English less than "very well.” The secretary of economic development shall certify which municipalities qualify as a Gateway municipality after each decennial census or for an individual municipality upon request by the city council, selectboard, or other legislative body of a given municipality.”