HOUSE  .   .   .   .   .   .   .  No. 4179

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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                              HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, November 6, 2019.                         

The committee on Ways and Means, to whom was referred the Resolve establishing a Deborah Sampson memorial commission (House, No. 4129), reports recommending that the same ought to pass with an amendment substituting therefor the accompanying bill (House, No. 4179).

For the committee,

AARON MICHLEWITZ.

        FILED ON: 11/6/2019

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 4179

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninety-First General Court
(2019-2020)

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Resolve establishing a Deborah Sampson memorial commission.

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

Resolved, there is hereby established a special commission pursuant to section 2A of chapter 4 of the General Laws to investigate and report on a suitable memorial in the state house to commemorate Deborah Sampson, an official heroine of the commonwealth and in the war for American independence, who disguised herself as a man and joined the Patriot forces, and the only woman to earn a full military pension for participation in the Continental Army. The special commission shall: (i) promote public support and education of the importance of Deborah Sampson to the war for American Independence; (ii) identify a location for a suitable memorial in the state house for Deborah Sampson; and (iii) evaluate the public and private resources available to erect and maintain a suitable memorial.

The commission shall consist of the following 15 members: the house and senate chairs of the joint committee on veterans and federal affairs, who shall serve as co-chairs of the commission; 1 member of the house of representatives to be appointed by the speaker of the house; 1 member of the house of representatives to be appointed by the minority leader of the house; 1 member of the senate to be appointed by the senate president; 1 member of the senate to be appointed by the minority leader of the senate; the secretary of the department of veterans’ services, or a designee; the adjutant general of the commonwealth, or a designee; and 7 members to be appointed by the governor, 1 of whom shall be a woman veteran, 1 of whom shall be a representative of the women veterans’ network in the department of veterans’ services, 1 of whom shall be a representative of the advisory committee on women veterans, established pursuant to section 2 of chapter 115 of the General Laws, 1 of whom shall be a representative of the Department of Massachusetts Veterans of Foreign Wars of The United States, Inc., 1 of whom shall be a representative of The American Legion, Department of Massachusetts, Inc., 1 of whom shall be a representative of the AMVETS Department of Massachusetts Service Foundation, Incorp., and 1 of whom shall be a representative of the Disabled American Veterans, Department of Massachusetts, Inc.

The commission shall submit a report of its investigation and recommendations, if any, together with drafts of legislation necessary to carry out its recommendations into effect, by filing the same with the clerks of the house of representatives and senate on or before March 1, 2020.