reglab/housing_qa huggingface dataset:
MA Gen L ch 55 § 26 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title VIII - Elections|Chapter 55 - Disclosure and Regulation of Campaign Expenditures and Contributions|Section 26 - Preservation of Statements and Reports by City or Town Clerk; Public Inspection and Reproduction; Posting of Campaign Finance Reports Required by Sec. 18 on Website

Section 26. The city or town clerk shall retain all statements and reports required to be filed with such clerk until December 31st of the sixth year following the relevant election. In the case of committees other than those authorized by a candidate, the city or town clerk shall retain all required statements and reports filed with such clerk until December 31st of the sixth year following the date that the statement or report was filed. Such statements and reports shall be available for convenient public inspection and copying at the office of the city or town clerk during normal business hours as soon as such statements and reports are filed with him. Within 30 days after the filing deadline, all campaign finance reports required to be filed with the city or town clerk under section 18 shall be made available for viewing on the internet website of the municipality if such municipality has such a website, if the report discloses that a candidate or committee filing a report has received contributions or made expenditures in excess of $1,000 during a reporting period or incurred liabilities or acquired or disposed of assets in excess of $1,000 during a reporting period.
MA Gen L ch 55 § 27 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title VIII - Elections|Chapter 55 - Disclosure and Regulation of Campaign Expenditures and Contributions|Section 27 - Furnishing Forms for Statements and Reports, and Summary of Chapter

Section 27. The director shall make available to city and town clerks a summary of this chapter and forms approved by the director and the attorney general suitable for the submission of the statements and reports required by this chapter. The city and town clerk shall transmit forms to a candidate for nomination or election to a city or town office who is known to the city or town clerk and to a political committee required to file with the city or town clerk.  The director shall make available to all candidates and political committees required to file with the director forms for filing and a summary of this chapter.
MA Gen L ch 55 § 28 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title VIII - Elections|Chapter 55 - Disclosure and Regulation of Campaign Expenditures and Contributions|Section 28 - Inspection of Statements and Reports; Delinquencies; Notice; Filing

Section 28. The clerk of cities and towns shall inspect all statements and reports of candidates, or nonelected political committees supporting such candidates, filed with them, within thirty days of the reporting dates required by this chapter, and all other statements and reports within sixty days of the reporting dates required by this chapter. If upon examination of the records it appears that any candidate or political committee has failed to file a statement or report as required by law, or if it appears to the clerk that any such statement or report filed with him does not conform to law, or upon written complaint by five registered voters that a statement or report does not conform to law, or that any candidate or political committee has failed to file a statement or report required by law, the city or town clerk, as the case may be, shall, in writing, notify the delinquent person. Such complaint shall state in detail the grounds of objection, shall be sworn to by one of the subscribers, and shall be filed with the proper city or town clerk within ten days after the required date for filing a statement or report within ten days after the actual filing of a statement or report, or an amended statement or report.
MA Gen L ch 55 § 29 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title VIII - Elections|Chapter 55 - Disclosure and Regulation of Campaign Expenditures and Contributions|Section 29 - Failure to File Statement, Report or Affidavit; Notice to and Duties of Director and Attorney General

Section 29. Upon failure to file a statement, report or affidavit within 10 days after receiving notice under section 28, the city or town clerk, as the case may be, shall notify the director thereof and shall furnish him with copies of all papers related thereto and the director, if satisfied there is cause, shall assess a penalty and may refer the person or committee to the attorney general pursuant to section 3. If any statement filed with the city or town clerk, as the case may be, discloses any violation of this chapter, such city or town clerk shall notify the director thereof and shall furnish him with copies of all papers relating thereto. The director shall examine every such case referred to him by such clerk and may refer such cases to the attorney general in accordance with section 3. If satisfied that there is cause, the attorney general shall, in the name of the commonwealth, institute appropriate criminal or civil proceedings or refer the case to the proper district attorney for such actions as may be appropriate. Any city or town clerk shall at any time upon the request of the attorney general or the director forward any evidence or information received by such clerk to the attorney general or director for whatever action the attorney general or director deems appropriate pursuant to law.
MA Gen L ch 55 § 30 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title VIII - Elections|Chapter 55 - Disclosure and Regulation of Campaign Expenditures and Contributions|Section 30 - Courts' Authority to Compel Filing of Statements

Section 30. The supreme judicial or superior court may compel any person failing to file a statement as above required, or filing a statement not conforming to the foregoing requirements in respect to its truth, sufficiently in detail, or otherwise, to file a sufficient statement, upon the application of the attorney general or district attorney or petition of any candidate voted for, or of any five persons qualified to vote at the election on account of which the expenditures, or any part thereof, were made or are alleged to have been made. Such petition shall be filed within sixty days after such election, if the statement was filed within the thirty days required, but a petition may be filed within thirty days of any payment not included in the statement so filed. Proceedings under this section shall be advanced for speedy trial upon the request of either party. No petition brought under this chapter shall be discontinued without the consent of the attorney general.
MA Gen L ch 55 § 31 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title VIII - Elections|Chapter 55 - Disclosure and Regulation of Campaign Expenditures and Contributions|Section 31 - Immunity of Witnesses

Section 31. No person compelled to testify in any proceedings under section thirty shall be liable to criminal prosecution for any matters or causes in respect of which he shall be examined or to which his testimony shall relate, except to prosecution for perjury committed in such testimony.
MA Gen L ch 55 § 32 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title VIII - Elections|Chapter 55 - Disclosure and Regulation of Campaign Expenditures and Contributions|Section 32 - Corrupt Practices by Candidate Defined

Section 32. A candidate shall be deemed to have committed a corrupt practice who commits any of the following offences:  Making or permitting any person or non-elected political committee authorized by him to make a false return in any statement filed under sections eighteen, nineteen and twenty-four by him or on his behalf.  Making a false return in any statement filed under sections eighteen and twenty-four by a candidate for nomination or election.  Any candidate fraudulently and wilfully obstructing and delaying a voter, interfering with, hindering or preventing an election officer from performing his duties, forging an endorsement upon, altering, destroying or defacing a ballot, tampering with or injuring or attempting to injure any voting machine or ballot box to be used or being used in a primary or election, or preventing or attempting to prevent the correct operation of such machine or box.
MA Gen L ch 55 § 34 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title VIII - Elections|Chapter 55 - Disclosure and Regulation of Campaign Expenditures and Contributions|Section 34 - Application of Preceding Sections

Section 34. Sections one to thirty-three, inclusive, shall apply to all public elections and to elections by the general court and by city councils and by either branch thereof, and, so far as applicable, to the nomination by primaries, caucuses, conventions and nomination papers of candidates to be voted for at such elections. The term ''political committee'' as defined in section one shall not apply to the proprietors and publishers of publications issued at regular intervals, in respect to the ordinary conduct of their business, nor shall they, in respect thereto, be subject to sections two to six, inclusive, of this chapter.
MA Gen L ch 55 § 35 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title VIII - Elections|Chapter 55 - Disclosure and Regulation of Campaign Expenditures and Contributions|Section 35 - Inquests Upon Complaint for Violations

Section 35. Upon a complaint subscribed and sworn to by any person before a district court, alleging that reasonable grounds exist for believing that any law relating to the qualification or registration of voters, or to voting lists or ballots, or to primaries, caucuses, conventions and elections, or to any matters pertaining thereto, has been violated, such court may at once hold an inquest to inquire into such alleged violation of law.
MA Gen L ch 55 § 36 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title VIII - Elections|Chapter 55 - Disclosure and Regulation of Campaign Expenditures and Contributions|Section 36 - Conduct of Inquests

Section 36. The court may exclude all persons whose presence is not necessary at such inquest; and may also direct the witnesses to be kept so separated that they cannot converse with each other until they have been examined. The attorney general, the district attorney, or some person designated by either, shall attend the inquest and examine the witnesses.
MA Gen L ch 55 § 37 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title VIII - Elections|Chapter 55 - Disclosure and Regulation of Campaign Expenditures and Contributions|Section 37 - Witnesses; Attendance; Process; Fees

Section 37. Such court or attorney may issue subpoenas for witnesses, who shall be allowed the same fees, whose attendance may be enforced in the same manner, and who shall be subject to the same penalties, as if served with a subpoena in behalf of the commonwealth in a criminal prosecution before such court.
MA Gen L ch 55 § 38 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title VIII - Elections|Chapter 55 - Disclosure and Regulation of Campaign Expenditures and Contributions|Section 38 - Stenographer

Section 38. Such court may employ a stenographer and may have the proceedings reduced to writing; and, if he finds that the law has been violated, shall report to the superior court all the material facts and the names of any persons guilty of any such violation.
MA Gen L ch 55 § 39 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title VIII - Elections|Chapter 55 - Disclosure and Regulation of Campaign Expenditures and Contributions|Section 39 - Witnesses; Binding Over to Superior Court

Section 39. The court may bind over, as in criminal prosecutions, such witnesses as are necessary, or as said attorney may designate, to appear and testify in the superior court.
MA Gen L ch 55 § 40 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title VIII - Elections|Chapter 55 - Disclosure and Regulation of Campaign Expenditures and Contributions|Section 40 - Apprehension of Offenders

Section 40. If a person charged by the report with the commission of an offence is not in custody, the court shall forthwith issue a process for his apprehension; but such process may issue before the filing of said report, if otherwise lawful.
MA Gen L ch 55 § 41 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title VIII - Elections|Chapter 55 - Disclosure and Regulation of Campaign Expenditures and Contributions|Section 41 - Witnesses; Compulsory Testimony; Immunity

Section 41. No person shall be excused from testifying or producing any papers in any inquest proceedings under sections thirty-five to forty, inclusive, on the ground that his testimony may tend to criminate him or subject him to a penalty or forfeiture, but he shall not be prosecuted or be subjected to a penalty or forfeiture for or on account of any action, matter or thing concerning which he may be required so to testify, except for perjury committed in such testimony.
MA Gen L ch 55 § 42 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title VIII - Elections|Chapter 55 - Disclosure and Regulation of Campaign Expenditures and Contributions|Section 42 - Forwarding Certified Copy of Record of Final Judgment or Conviction to City or Town Clerk; Disqualification of Defendant as Voter

Section 42. The director in proceedings based upon an election petition, as provided in section thirty-three, and the clerk of the court wherein a person is convicted of a violation of any provision of law relating to corrupt practices in elections, shall, within ten days after final judgment on such election petition or conviction, forward to the clerk of the city or town where the defendant resides a certified copy of the record of the final judgment or conviction, and the name of such person shall forthwith be stricken from the roll of registered voters of the city or town for a period of three years.
MA Gen L ch 55b § 1 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title VIII - Elections|Chapter 55b - The State Ballot Law Commission|Section 1 - Establishment and Membership of Commission

Section 1. There shall be a state ballot law commission consisting of five persons to be appointed by the governor, one of whom shall be a retired justice of the supreme judicial court, appeals court, superior court or district courts of the commonwealth who shall be chairman. The chairman shall serve for a term of one year from February first of the year in which he was appointed and may be reappointed for further terms. The other members of said commission shall serve for terms of two years from February first of the year in which they were appointed and may be reappointed for further terms.  No more than three members of the commission shall be members of the same political party.  Vacancies occurring during the term of any member shall be filled for the unexpired term by the governor within sixty days of the occurrence of said vacancy. The governor may remove any member of the commission.  The state secretary shall serve as the secretary of the commission.
MA Gen L ch 55b § 2 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title VIII - Elections|Chapter 55b - The State Ballot Law Commission|Section 2 - Members Holding or Nominated for Public Office

Section 2. No member of said commission shall hold any public office except that of justice of the peace, notary public, or be a candidate for public office, or member or employee of any political committee. If any member of the commission shall be nominated as a candidate for public office and shall not in writing decline said nomination within three days, he shall be deemed to have vacated his office as a member of said commission.
MA Gen L ch 55b § 3 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title VIII - Elections|Chapter 55b - The State Ballot Law Commission|Section 3 - Compensation; Record of Proceedings; Clerical Assistance

Section 3. The members of the commission shall each be paid such compensation for their services not exceeding five thousand dollars annually, as the governor may determine, and shall be reimbursed for expenses necessarily incurred in the performance of their duties. The chairman of the commission shall cause the proceedings thereof to be recorded by a competent stenographer, which may include tape recording, and for such purpose and other necessary expenditures of the commission for clerical assistance may expend such sums as may be appropriated therefor.
MA Gen L ch 55b § 4 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title VIII - Elections|Chapter 55b - The State Ballot Law Commission|Section 4 - Powers and Duties of Commission

Section 4. The commission may investigate upon objection made in accordance with the provisions of this chapter the legality, validity, completeness and accuracy of all nomination papers and actions required by law to give candidates access to a state ballot or to place an initiative or referendum on a state ballot.  The commission shall have jurisdiction over and render a decision on any matter referred to it, pertaining to the statutory and constitutional qualifications of any nominee for state, national or county office; the certificates of nomination or nomination papers filed in any presidential or state primary, state election, or special state primary or election, the withdrawal of nomination for any state, county, or federal office after the time to do so has expired or any ineffective withdrawal; the filing of nomination papers under a false name, or fictitious nominees; and the fraudulent or forged signing of statewide initiative or referendum petitions, or any other objection relating to the signatures on such petitions. The commission shall have no jurisdiction with respect to public policy questions, nor city or town candidates and ballot questions.  The commission may summon witnesses, administer oaths, and require the production of books, records and papers at a hearing before it upon any matter within its jurisdiction.  Witnesses shall be summoned in the same manner, be paid the same fees, and be subject to the same penalties as witnesses in civil cases before the courts. Any member may sign a summons or administer an oath. In the event that said commission fails to render its decision within the time required in this chapter on any matter so referred, the state secretary shall, notwithstanding such failure, proceed forthwith to cause to be printed the ballots for such primaries or elections. Petitions for judicial review of decisions of the commission, under the provisions of chapter thirty A, shall be filed in the court within five days after receipt of the notice of the final decision of said commission. The commission shall establish rules of procedure in conformance with the provisions of chapter thirty A governing the conduct of hearings and investigations which shall be made available in printed form to each party prior to appearance or testimony before the commission.
MA Gen L ch 55b § 6 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title VIII - Elections|Chapter 55b - The State Ballot Law Commission|Section 6 - Signatures; Review; Correction

Section 6. This section applies only to candidates for president who file nomination papers to be placed on the ballot at presidential primaries, and to all candidates at regular state primaries and biennial state elections. Any candidate who has filed nomination papers with the local registrars and who has an insufficient number of certified signatures for nomination to the office sought, or, any candidate who has enough signatures certified for nomination but only has ten per cent or less certified signatures in excess of the number needed for nomination may request a review of the signatures he filed by making written application to the registrars. Said application shall list the signatures not previously certified by the registrars on which the candidate is requesting a review. Local registrars, upon receipt of any such written request shall review the signatures appealed by the candidate and correct any errors or mistakes in certification. Review and corrections shall be completed no later than twenty-four hours before the final hour for filing said papers with the state secretary. Candidates may request only one review. Said application shall be submitted to the registrars no later than forty-eight hours after the last day for the registrars to certify nomination papers.  Local registrars shall be responsible for defending their actions with respect to original certification, reviews and corrections. A candidate who has a deficient number of signatures or who still has ten per cent or less signatures in excess of the number needed for nomination, after completion of the review process, and who has filed his papers with the state secretary by five o'clock post meridian of the last day for filing such nomination papers may appeal from the decision of the local registrar to the superior court of the county in which the candidate is a resident; provided, however, that if such superior court is not holding a civil session the superior court of Suffolk county. Such appeal shall be in the form of a civil action and shall be filed within seventy-two hours of the last day and time for filing nomination papers with the state secretary.  The commission shall not have jurisdiction over any appeal brought under this section.
MA Gen L ch 55b § 8 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title VIII - Elections|Chapter 55b - The State Ballot Law Commission|Section 8 - Notice of Objections

Section 8. The commission with respect to objections to certificates of nominations or nomination papers except those for a special primary or election shall by five o'clock post meridian of the Wednesday following the last day for filing such objections notify all parties involved that objection has been made to their certificates of nomination or nomination papers.  The commission with respect to objections to signatures or initiative or referendum petitions shall by five o'clock post meridian of the Wednesday following the last day for such objections notify all parties involved that objection has been made to their initiative or referendum petition.  The commission with respect to objections to supplemental signatures necessary to place an initiative petition on the ballot after rejection by the legislature shall by five o'clock post meridian of the Friday following the last day for filing such objections notify all parties involved that objection has been made to their additional signatures.  The commission with respect to objections to nominations at state primaries, except special primaries shall by five o'clock post meridian of the Tuesday following the last day for filing such objections notify all candidates affected thereby that objection has been made to their nomination.  Notification shall be by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested. All notifications shall contain in detail the objections made, as well as the date, time, and the location of said hearing. Notifications shall be addressed to the residences as given in the certificates of nomination, nomination papers, and to the initial ten signers of a petition as the case may be. In addition, such notification shall also contain the rules or procedure that will be used in conducting said hearings.