reglab/housing_qa huggingface dataset:
MA Gen L ch 140 § 12c (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XX - Public Safety and Good Order|Chapter 140 - Licenses|Section 12c - Refusal of Accommodation in Hotel to Persons Acting in Disorderly Manner; Damage Deposits

Section 12C. (a) An innkeeper may refuse to admit or refuse service or accommodation in the hotel to a person who: while on the premises of the hotel acts in an obviously intoxicated or disorderly manner, destroys or threatens to destroy hotel property, or causes or threatens to cause a public disturbance; or refuses or is unable to pay for the accommodations or services. An innkeeper may require the prospective guest to demonstrate an ability to pay. An innkeeper may require a parent or guardian of a minor to accept liability for the proper charges for the minor's accommodation, board, room, or lodging; and any damages to the guest room or its furniture or furnishings caused by the minor, and provide a credit card to cover the charges. When the parent or guardian cannot provide a credit card, the innkeeper may require the parent or guardian to make an advance cash deposit in an amount not exceeding $100 for payment of any additional charges by the minor or any damages to the guest room or its furnishings. The innkeeper shall refund the damage deposit to the extent it is not used to cover any reasonable charges or damages.  (b) An innkeeper may limit the number of persons who may occupy a particular guest room in the hotel.
MA Gen L ch 140 § 12d (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XX - Public Safety and Good Order|Chapter 140 - Licenses|Section 12d - Persons Negligently or Intentionally Causing Damage to Hotel; Liability

Section 12D. (a) A person who negligently or intentionally causes damage to the hotel or any furniture or furnishings within the hotel, shall be liable for damages sustained by the innkeeper, including the hotel's loss of revenue resulting from the inability to rent or lease rooms while the damage is being repaired.  (b) A person who negligently or intentionally causes injury to any other person or damage to any personal property of such other person on the hotel premises shall be liable for the injury or damage.  (c) A parent or guardian of a minor shall be liable for acts of the minor described in subsections (a) and (b), if the parent or guardian provides a credit card or an advance cash deposit.
MA Gen L ch 140 § 13 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XX - Public Safety and Good Order|Chapter 140 - Licenses|Section 13 - Posting of Statutory Provisions

Section 13. Innholders shall post a printed copy of this and the three preceding sections in a conspicuous place in each room of their inns. Boarding house keepers shall post a copy of the preceding section in a conspicuous place in each room of their boarding houses.
MA Gen L ch 140 § 14 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XX - Public Safety and Good Order|Chapter 140 - Licenses|Section 14 - Sale of Guest's Property; Notice

Section 14. An innholder, after retaining for six months from the time of departure of a guest from his inn any trunks, bags, valises, parcels, clothing, goods or other personal property of a guest which has been abandoned by such guest, or which such innholder retains by virtue of his lien thereon for the unpaid board, lodging and other charges of such guest, may sell the same by public auction upon the premises of the inn, notice of the time and place of sale first being posted in a conspicuous place in the office of the inn for four weeks prior to the date of such sale, and published once in each of three successive weeks in a newspaper, if any, published in the town where the inn is situated; otherwise, in a newspaper published in the county where the inn is situated, the first publication of such notice to be not less than twenty-one days before the day of sale. A copy of such notice shall be sent by registered mail addressed to said guest at the residence given by him in the register of such inn. Such notice shall contain a descriptive list of all such property and of all such specific marks as may serve to identify such property, and the name of the guest so far as known to such innholder.
MA Gen L ch 140 § 15 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XX - Public Safety and Good Order|Chapter 140 - Licenses|Section 15 - Disposition of Proceeds

Section 15. The proceeds of such sale, after deducting reasonable charges and expenses incurred in the storage and sale of such property, shall be applied to the discharge of the lien of such innholder thereon for the board, lodging and other charges of such guest, and any proceeds remaining thereafter shall be paid to the commonwealth.
MA Gen L ch 140 § 16 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XX - Public Safety and Good Order|Chapter 140 - Licenses|Section 16 - Sale Proceeds; Payment to Owner by State Treasurer

Section 16. If, within three years after such sale, the owner of any such property claims it and proves his ownership thereof, the said proceeds, after deducting all reasonable charges and expenses, shall be paid over to him by the state treasurer.
MA Gen L ch 140 § 17 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XX - Public Safety and Good Order|Chapter 140 - Licenses|Section 17 - Loss by Guest; Negligence and Violation of Regulations as Defense

Section 17. An innholder against whom a claim is made for loss sustained by a guest may show that such loss is attributable to the negligence of the guest or to his failure to comply with the regulations of the inn, if they are reasonable and proper and are shown to have been duly brought to the notice of the guest by the innholder.
MA Gen L ch 140 § 18 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XX - Public Safety and Good Order|Chapter 140 - Licenses|Section 18 - Signs; Penalty for Failure to Have Sign

Section 18. Every innholder and common victualler shall at all times have a board or sign affixed to his house, shop, cellar or store, or in a conspicuous place near the same, with his name legibly inscribed thereon in large letters and the business for which he is licensed inscribed thereon, and upon neglect thereof shall forfeit twenty dollars.
MA Gen L ch 140 § 19 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XX - Public Safety and Good Order|Chapter 140 - Licenses|Section 19 - Summary of Laws for Authorities and Licensees

Section 19. The state secretary shall cause a condensed summary of all laws relative to innholders and common victuallers to be printed, and shall supply copies thereof to licensing authorities, who shall at the time of granting each license provide the licensee with a copy of such summary.
MA Gen L ch 140 § 20 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XX - Public Safety and Good Order|Chapter 140 - Licenses|Section 20 - Unlicensed Innholders or Victuallers

Section 20. Whoever assumes to be an innholder or common victualler without being licensed as such under this chapter shall forfeit one hundred dollars.
MA Gen L ch 140 § 21 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XX - Public Safety and Good Order|Chapter 140 - Licenses|Section 21 - Third Convictions

Section 21. Whoever is convicted a third time of a violation of any provision of the preceding sections, except those contained in sections seven and eight, shall, in addition to the penalties before provided, be punished by imprisonment for not more than three months.
MA Gen L ch 140 § 21a (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XX - Public Safety and Good Order|Chapter 140 - Licenses|Section 21a - Sale of Certain Non-Intoxicating Beverages; City and Town Licenses for Sale of Certain Non&ndash;intoxicating Beverages; Retail Sales

Section 21A. Cities and towns may provide by ordinance or by-law for the licensing of persons to keep open their places of business for the retail sale of beverages derived wholly or in part from cereals or substitutes therefor and containing less than one-half of one per cent of alcohol, unfermented grape juice, ginger ale, root beer, sarsaparilla, pop, artificial mineral waters, carbonated waters or beverages, natural fruit juices, and other so-called soft drinks, and may fix the fee for said licenses within the limit hereinafter provided, except that in cities having licensing boards the authority to provide for the licensing of such persons and the fixing of fees therefor shall be vested in said licensing boards. For the purposes of this section, the term retail sale shall mean the providing of a beverage as herein defined to a patron in or by a licensed premise in exchange for something of value by means of an in-person exchange or by means of a vending machine exchange or by means of a cover charge, so-called, which gives the patron the right to obtain drinks without additional payment.
MA Gen L ch 140 § 21b (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XX - Public Safety and Good Order|Chapter 140 - Licenses|Section 21b - Contents of License; Coverage; Expiration; Fee; Suspension; Revocation

Section 21B. Licenses granted as aforesaid shall specify the street or place and the number if there be any, and if there is no number, then the location of the place of business in which the license is to be exercised, and the license shall not be valid in any other place. Licenses so issued shall expire on April thirtieth of each year. Unless otherwise established in a town by town meeting action and in a city by city council action, and in a town with no town meeting by town council action, by adoption of appropriate by-laws and ordinances to set such fees, the fee for a license shall not be more than one dollar, and the license may be suspended or revoked at any time after a hearing by the authorities granting the same, but in no event shall any such fee be greater than twenty-five dollars.
MA Gen L ch 140 § 21c (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XX - Public Safety and Good Order|Chapter 140 - Licenses|Section 21c - Unlicensed Business; Penalties

Section 21C. Whoever not being licensed as aforesaid keeps open his place of business for the retail sale of any such beverage shall be punished by a fine of fifty dollars for each day of violation, and whoever commits a second such offense shall be punished by a fine of one hundred dollars for each day of violation; and whoever commits a third such offense shall be punished by a fine of one thousand dollars for each day of violation; and whoever commits a fourth or subsequent such offense shall be punished by a fine of five thousand dollars for each day of violation. In addition to any criminal penalty, herein provided, the attorney general or district attorney for the district or the city or town may petition the superior court department of the trial court to enjoin any violation of chapter twenty-one A to twenty-one D, inclusive.
MA Gen L ch 140 § 21d (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XX - Public Safety and Good Order|Chapter 140 - Licenses|Section 21d - Inapplicability of Statute to Certain Persons

Section 21D. The provisions of the three preceding sections shall not apply to innholders, common victuallers, druggists, nor to dealers whose principal business is the sale of groceries and meats or either of said products, nor to the sale of any or all of such beverages when sold not to be drunk on the premises.
MA Gen L ch 140 § 21e (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XX - Public Safety and Good Order|Chapter 140 - Licenses|Section 21e - Grant of License to Dispense Food and Beverages Consumed on Premises; Governing Statutes; Fee; Names of Officers and Members; Suspension; Revocation; Excepted Organizations

Section 21E. Licensing authorities may grant a license to any club, society, association or other organization, whether incorporated or unincorporated, authorizing it to dispense food and beverages to be consumed on its premises, to its stockholders or members and their guests, but to no others; provided, that the licensing authorities are satisfied that such organization is a proper one to which to grant such a license. Such licenses and the granting thereof shall be subject to the provisions of sections two and four, except that compliance with the provisions of law relative to innholders or common victuallers shall not be required as a condition of obtaining such license. The fee for such a license shall be set by said authorities, but in no event shall any such fee be greater than ten dollars. If such organization is unincorporated, the names of all the officers and members shall be submitted with the application for the license, and shall be kept available for public inspection. Section two hundred and one shall apply to the premises of any organization subject to this section. If any such organization at any time exercises in an improper manner the authority conferred upon it by such license the licensing authorities, after notice to the licensee and reasonable opportunity for a hearing, may upon satisfactory proof thereof suspend or revoke the license. The provisions of this and the following section shall not apply to literary, benevolent, charitable, scientific or religious corporations or religious organizations or associations whose real or personal property is exempt from taxation, nor to any club so long as it is licensed under section twelve of chapter one hundred and thirty-eight to sell alcoholic beverages, as defined in section one of said chapter one hundred and thirty-eight, nor to any recognized veteran or fraternal organization.
MA Gen L ch 140 § 21f (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XX - Public Safety and Good Order|Chapter 140 - Licenses|Section 21f - Unlicensed Organization; Officer or Employee Dispensing Food or Beverage

Section 21F. Any officer or employee of any such organization who dispenses or causes to be dispensed any food or beverage on its premises, unless such organization is then licensed under section twenty-one E, shall be punished by a fine of not more than one hundred dollars for the first or second offence and by such fine and imprisonment for not more than three months for each subsequent offence. If any officer or employee of any such organization which is incorporated is convicted of any offence under this section, the selectmen, or the aldermen, in the place where such organization is situated, except Boston, and in Boston the police commissioner, shall immediately give notice to the state secretary, who, upon receipt thereof, shall declare the charter of such organization void, and shall publish a notice in at least one newspaper published in the county where such organization is located that such incorporation is void and of no further effect.
MA Gen L ch 140 § 22 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XX - Public Safety and Good Order|Chapter 140 - Licenses|Section 22 - ''lodging House'' Defined

Section 22. ''Lodging house'', as used in sections twenty-two to thirty-one, inclusive, shall mean a house where lodgings are let to four or more persons not within second degree of kindred to the person conducting it, and shall include fraternity houses and dormitories of educational institutions, but shall not include dormitories of charitable or philanthropic institutions or convalescent or nursing homes licensed under section seventy-one of chapter one hundred and eleven or rest homes so licensed, or group residences licensed or regulated by agencies of the commonwealth.
MA Gen L ch 140 § 22a (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XX - Public Safety and Good Order|Chapter 140 - Licenses|Section 22a - Cooking Facilities

Section 22A. Notwithstanding any provision of law or any regulation, ordinance or by-law to the contrary, a lodging house where lodgings are let to more than five but less then twenty persons may furnish individual cooking facilities for the preparation, serving, eating and storage of food; provided that no such facility shall be furnished in a room having an area of less than one hundred fifty square feet. Such facilities shall, in a single room, consist of a gas or electric plate, a refrigerator and hot and cold running water and in a unit consisting of two adjoining rooms shall consist of a gas or electric range, a sink with hot and cold running water, a refrigerator and storage area for food. Any facilities furnished under this section shall comply with the building code applicable thereto. This section shall apply only to cities and towns which accept its provisions.
MA Gen L ch 140 § 22b (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XX - Public Safety and Good Order|Chapter 140 - Licenses|Section 22b - Microwave Ovens

Section 22B. Notwithstanding the provision of law or any regulation, ordinance or by-law to the contrary, a lodging house may furnish individual microwave ovens.
MA Gen L ch 140 § 23 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XX - Public Safety and Good Order|Chapter 140 - Licenses|Section 23 - Term; Fee

Section 23. Licensing authorities may grant licenses for lodging houses which shall be for the period provided in section four, and shall charge for each license such fee as the council or selectmen may establish; otherwise, the same shall be granted without charge, but in no event shall any such fee be greater than fifty dollars.
MA Gen L ch 140 § 24 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XX - Public Safety and Good Order|Chapter 140 - Licenses|Section 24 - Unlicensed Keepers; Injunction

Section 24. Whoever conducts a lodging house without a license shall be punished by a fine of not less than one hundred nor more than five hundred dollars or by imprisonment for not more than three months, or both. Upon the complaint of an aggrieved party, the licensing authority or an officer of a city or town wherein such unlicensed lodging house is conducted, a justice of the housing court division or the superior court division of the trial court, may enjoin the conducting of any unlicensed lodging house and may make such other orders as the court may deem equitable to enforce the provisions of sections twenty-two to thirty-one, inclusive.
MA Gen L ch 140 § 25 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XX - Public Safety and Good Order|Chapter 140 - Licenses|Section 25 - Inspection of Premises

Section 25. Premises occupied, used or controlled by a licensee under sections twenty-two to thirty-one, inclusive, or under an innholder's license shall be subject to inspection by the licensing authorities and their authorized agents, and by the police on request from the licensing authorities.
MA Gen L ch 140 § 26 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XX - Public Safety and Good Order|Chapter 140 - Licenses|Section 26 - Permitting Immoral Conduct; Defense; Evidence

Section 26. Whoever, being licensed as a lodging house keeper under sections twenty-two to thirty-one, inclusive, or as an innholder, or, being licensed under sections thirty-two A to thirty-two E, inclusive, or being in actual charge, management or control of such lodging house, inn or premises for which the license is issued, knowingly permits the property under his control to be used for the purpose of immoral solicitation, immoral bargaining or immoral conduct shall be punished by a fine of not less than five hundred nor more than one thousand dollars or by imprisonment for not less than six months nor more than one year, or both. Evidence that a room in a hotel or lodging house or that the premises licensed under sections thirty-two A to thirty-two E, inclusive, were not actually used for immoral conduct shall not prevent a conviction under this section of a person in actual charge, control or management of the hotel, lodging house or premises who permits the occupation of such a room or such premises knowing or having good reason to know that the person occupying such room or premises intends to use either for immoral solicitation, immoral bargaining or immoral conduct. If it is required that registers be kept, as provided in sections twenty-seven and twenty-eight, evidence that the person in actual charge, control or management of the hotel, lodging house or premises has knowingly permitted the occupation of a private room of less than four hundred square feet floor area or of premises, containing a bed or couch, by the same woman on different occasions within a period of thirty days with different men, or by the same man on different occasions within a period of thirty days with different women, shall be prima facie evidence of a violation of this section.
MA Gen L ch 140 § 27 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XX - Public Safety and Good Order|Chapter 140 - Licenses|Section 27 - Register; Entry of Names; Condition Precedent to Occupancy; Retention; Inspection; Penalty

Section 27. Every innholder, and every lodging house keeper required so to do under section twenty-eight, and every person who shall conduct, control, manage or operate, directly or indirectly, any recreational camp, overnight camp or cabin, motel or manufactured housing community shall keep or cause to be kept, in permanent form, a register in which shall be recorded the true name or name in ordinary use and the residence of every person engaging or occupying a private room averaging less than four hundred square feet floor area, excepting a private dining room not containing a bed or couch, or opening into a room containing a bed or couch, for any period of the day or night in any part of the premises controlled by the licensee, together with a true and accurate record of the room assigned to such person and of the day and hour when such room is assigned. The entry of the names of the person engaging a room and of the occupants of said room shall be made by said person engaging said room or by an occupant thereof, except that when five or more members of a business, fraternal, or social group or other group having a common interest are engaging rooms, they may designate one person to make said entry on their behalf and prior to occupancy. Until the entry of such name and the record of the room has been made, such person shall not be allowed to occupy privately any room upon the licensed premises. Such register shall be retained by the holder of the license for a period of at least one year after the date of the last entry therein, and shall be open to the inspection of the licensing authorities, their agents and the police. Whoever violates any provision of this section shall be punished by a fine of not less than one hundred nor more than five hundred dollars or by imprisonment for not more than three months, or both.
MA Gen L ch 140 § 28 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XX - Public Safety and Good Order|Chapter 140 - Licenses|Section 28 - Register; Order to Keep

Section 28. Every person conducting a lodging house shall within twenty-four hours after he is ordered to do so by the licensing authorities keep a register. The said authorities may issue such order at any time, and shall do so upon receipt of an affidavit of a commissioned officer of the United States army or navy or a police officer stating that the affiant knows or believes such lodging house is being used for immoral solicitation, immoral bargaining or immoral conduct.