reglab/housing_qa huggingface dataset:
MA Gen L ch 3 § 31 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title I - Jurisdiction and Emblems of the Commonwealth, the General Court, Statutes and Public Documents|Chapter 3 - The General Court|Section 31 - Committee Expenses; Authorization by General Court

Section 31. Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, no joint committee of the general court shall, unless authorized by order or rule of both branches, incur any expense to be paid by the commonwealth; and no committee of either branch shall, unless authorized by order or rule of the branch to which it belongs, incur such expense.
MA Gen L ch 3 § 32 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title I - Jurisdiction and Emblems of the Commonwealth, the General Court, Statutes and Public Documents|Chapter 3 - The General Court|Section 32 - Expenses of Committees Acting During Recess

Section 32. No committee of the general court shall, after the close of the regular session, incur any expense to be paid by the commonwealth unless there is an authorized appropriation therefor.
MA Gen L ch 3 § 32a (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title I - Jurisdiction and Emblems of the Commonwealth, the General Court, Statutes and Public Documents|Chapter 3 - The General Court|Section 32a - Committees, Sub-Committees and Special Commissions; Travel

Section 32A. No special commission, no special or standing committee of the general court or of either branch of the general court and no sub-committee of any such commission or committee shall travel either within or without the commonwealth except by a vote of a majority of the total membership of such commission or committee, nor until the written approval of the presiding officers of both branches of the general court or of the presiding officer of the appropriate branch has been received. Such written approval shall specify the purpose of the trip, the places to be visited, the time within which such travel is to be completed and the names of all members or other persons authorized to travel.
MA Gen L ch 3 § 33 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title I - Jurisdiction and Emblems of the Commonwealth, the General Court, Statutes and Public Documents|Chapter 3 - The General Court|Section 33 - Publication of Bulletins of Committee Hearings

Section 33. The committees on rules of the 2 branches, acting concurrently, shall publish electronically during each regular session of the general court bulletins of committee hearings.
MA Gen L ch 3 § 35 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title I - Jurisdiction and Emblems of the Commonwealth, the General Court, Statutes and Public Documents|Chapter 3 - The General Court|Section 35 - Advertisement of Legislative Committee Hearings; Publication

Section 35. Advertisements of hearings of legislative committees shall be published on the official website of the general court and may be published in additional publications if the chairs of the committee determine that additional publication is necessary to reach those with a substantial interest in a matter pending at the hearing.
MA Gen L ch 3 § 38a (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title I - Jurisdiction and Emblems of the Commonwealth, the General Court, Statutes and Public Documents|Chapter 3 - The General Court|Section 38a - Bills Reported Favorably by Joint or Ways and Means Committees; Fiscal Notes; Cost Limitation

Section 38A. Joint committees of the general court, the house and senate committees on ways and means and the house and senate committees on bonding, capital expenditures and state assets when reporting favorably on bills referred to them shall include with that report a fiscal note prepared under section 3A of chapter 29 showing the estimated cost or fiscal effect of the proposed legislation, if the cost of the legislation exceeds $100,000. Such fiscal notes shall be printed in the daily calendars of each branch whenever said bills appear on the calendar and shall be made available on the official website of the general court.
MA Gen L ch 3 § 38b (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title I - Jurisdiction and Emblems of the Commonwealth, the General Court, Statutes and Public Documents|Chapter 3 - The General Court|Section 38b - Requests and Recommendations for Appropriations and Capital Outlay Programs or Projects; Public Hearings; Notice

Section 38B. The committee on ways and means of each branch of the general court shall conduct public hearings on all requests and recommendations for appropriations for the executive, judicial and legislative branches of the state government submitted under section 2 of Article LXIII of the Amendments to the Constitution. The house and senate committees on bonding, capital expenditures and state assets, or a committee of the general court having primary jurisdiction over requests and recommendations for capital outlay programs and projects which the governor submits to the general court, shall hold a hearing on such requests and recommendations. Any committee referred to in this section shall give 5 days public notice prior to holding such public hearings.
MA Gen L ch 3 § 42 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title I - Jurisdiction and Emblems of the Commonwealth, the General Court, Statutes and Public Documents|Chapter 3 - The General Court|Section 42 - Agreements to Pay Compensation Contingent Upon a Decision of an Executive Officer or Upon Passage or Defeat of Legislation Prohibited

Section 42. No person shall make any agreement whereby any compensation or thing of value is to be paid to any person contingent upon a decision as described in the definition of ''executive lobbying'', or the passage or defeat of any legislation or the approval or veto of any legislation by the governor. No person shall agree to engage in legislative lobbying for consideration to be paid upon the contingency of the outcome of the actions described in the definition of ''legislative lobbying'' or that any legislation is passed or defeated.  Nothing in this section shall prohibit a person whose primary occupation is in marketing or selling a product or service for the person's company of employment from engaging in the sale of that product or service to the commonwealth for a commission or other compensation as long as the person is a full time employee for said company.
MA Gen L ch 3 § 46 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title I - Jurisdiction and Emblems of the Commonwealth, the General Court, Statutes and Public Documents|Chapter 3 - The General Court|Section 46 - Docket of Executive and Legislative Agents; Maintenance; Legislative Year

Section 46. The docket of executive and legislative agents shall be maintained for each legislative year, beginning on the first Wednesday of January and ending at the conclusion of business on the final day before the succeeding legislative session.
MA Gen L ch 3 § 48 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title I - Jurisdiction and Emblems of the Commonwealth, the General Court, Statutes and Public Documents|Chapter 3 - The General Court|Section 48 - Violation of Secs. 41 to 44 or 47 Respecting Executive or Legislative Agents; Penalties; Prosecutions; Enforcement Procedures

Section 48. Violation of any provision of sections forty, forty-one, forty-two, forty-three and forty-four, or forty-seven shall be punished by a fine of not less than one hundred, nor more than $10,000, or by imprisonment in the state prison for not more than 5 years, or in a jail or house of correction for not more than 2.5 years, or both. Any person acting as an executive or legislative agent who has been found guilty of violating any provisions of said sections shall in addition to such fine, be disqualified from acting as an executive or legislative agent until the termination of the third regular session of the general court after the date of conviction of such offense. Upon investigation and when deemed appropriate the attorney general shall cause prosecutions to be instituted for violation of any provision of sections forty, forty-one and forty-two.  The state secretary shall inspect all statements required by sections forty-three, forty-four and forty-seven filed with him if it appears that any person has failed to file such statement as required by said sections, or if it appears to the state secretary that any such statement filed with him does not conform to law, the state secretary shall within a reasonable time notify the delinquent person, group or organization in writing.  Upon failure to file a statement within fourteen days after receiving notice under this section, or if any statement filed after receiving notice indicates any violation of sections forty-three, forty-four, or forty-seven, the state secretary shall within a reasonable time notify the attorney general thereof and shall furnish him with copies of all papers relating thereto. The attorney general shall examine every such case and upon investigation and when deemed appropriate shall cause prosecutions to be instituted in the name of the commonwealth or shall institute appropriate civil proceedings pursuant to section forty-nine or refer the case to the proper district attorney for such action as may be appropriate.
MA Gen L ch 3 § 49 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title I - Jurisdiction and Emblems of the Commonwealth, the General Court, Statutes and Public Documents|Chapter 3 - The General Court|Section 49 - Proceedings to Compel Filing of Proper Statement Required by Secs. 43, 44 or 47;equitable or Mandamus Relief to Enforce Secs. 41 to 43; Speedy Trial

Section 49. The supreme judicial court or superior court may compel any person, group, or organization failing to file a statement required by sections forty-three, forty-four or forty-seven, or filing a statement not conforming to the requirements of said sections in respect to its truth, sufficiently in detail, or otherwise to file a sufficient statement, upon the application of the attorney general. The supreme judicial court or superior court may, upon application of the attorney general, grant equitable or mandamus relief to enforce sections 41 to 43, inclusive, prohibiting the offering or giving of or paying for gifts, meals, beverages, or other items. Relief under this section may include (a) an order to pay to the commonwealth an amount equal to the value of any compensation or thing paid or received in violation of section 42, or the value of any gift, meal, beverage, or other item given or received in violation of section 43; and (b) a civil penalty of up to $10,000 for each violation of sections 41 to 47, inclusive. Proceedings under this section shall be advanced for speedy trial upon the request of either party.
MA Gen L ch 3 § 50 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title I - Jurisdiction and Emblems of the Commonwealth, the General Court, Statutes and Public Documents|Chapter 3 - The General Court|Section 50 - Sections Inapplicable to Public Employees or Agents or Other Persons Requested to Appear Before Committee or Commission

Section 50. Sections thirty-nine to forty-nine, inclusive, shall not apply to employees or agents of the commonwealth or of a city, town, district or regional school district who are acting in their capacity as such employees or agents or to any person requested to appear before any committee or commission of the general court by a majority of the members of such committee or commission; provided, that such person performs no other act to influence legislation; and provided further, that the name of such person be recorded in the official records of such committee or commission.
MA Gen L ch 3 § 51 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title I - Jurisdiction and Emblems of the Commonwealth, the General Court, Statutes and Public Documents|Chapter 3 - The General Court|Section 51 - Continuous Consolidation of the General Statutes; Counsel to Senate and House; Appointment; Duties as to Statute Revision, Etc.

Section 51. The committees on rules of the senate and house of representatives shall each appoint a skilled person to act as counsel to the senate and house of representatives, respectively, at such compensation as the said committees may approve. The persons so appointed shall serve for the term of two years from the date of appointment, subject to the pleasure of the said committees. They shall, under the direction of the said committees, after each regular session prepare a table of changes in the general statutes, an index to the acts and resolves, and shall from time to time, under the direction of the said committees or of the general court, consolidate and incorporate in the General Laws all new general statutes. They shall, from time to time, under like direction, make such additions and revisions in the index of the General Laws as may be necessary to insure its prompt publication in connection with future revisions of the statutes. The said committees may direct that copies of the index containing such additions and revisions be deposited, from time to time, in the office of the state secretary or elsewhere and made available for public use.
MA Gen L ch 3 § 52 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title I - Jurisdiction and Emblems of the Commonwealth, the General Court, Statutes and Public Documents|Chapter 3 - The General Court|Section 52 - Continuous Consolidation of the General Statutes; Counsel's Assistance in Drafting Bills, Etc.

Section 52. The said counsel shall, under like direction, assist members and committees of the senate and house of representatives in drafting bills, and shall advise and assist the committees on bills in the third reading. They shall, so far as possible, draft all bills proposed for legislation as general statutes in the form of specific amendments of or additions to the General Laws.
MA Gen L ch 3 § 53 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title I - Jurisdiction and Emblems of the Commonwealth, the General Court, Statutes and Public Documents|Chapter 3 - The General Court|Section 53 - Continuous Consolidation of the General Statutes; Counsel; Proposal of Changes and Corrections; Preparation of Revisions

Section 53. Said counsel may, from time to time, submit to the general court such proposed changes and corrections in the general statutes as they deem necessary or advisable, including recommendations for the repeal of such statutory provisions as have become obsolete or the reasons for the enactment of which have ceased to exist. Said counsel may also submit to the general court such proposed changes in the general statutes as may be recommended to them by the recodification counsel under the provisions of section fifty-five A. If, in their opinion, the necessity of enacting special bills in relation to any particular subject of legislation may, without detriment to the public interest, be avoided in whole or in part by the enactment of general legislation, they shall from time to time submit to the general court drafts of such changes in or additions to the General Laws as will accomplish said purpose. If and as directed by the committees on rules of the senate and house of representatives, acting concurrently, said counsel shall proceed to revise the General Laws, including amendments thereof, as a whole or chapter by chapter or otherwise; and in the course of such a revision said counsel may recommend the omission of redundant enactments and those which may have ceased to have any effect or influence on existing rights, the rejection of superfluous words, the condensation of all circuitous, tautological and ambiguous phraseology into as concise and comprehensive a form as is consistent with the full and clear expression of the will of the general court, the filling of omissions and the correction of any mistakes, inconsistencies and imperfections which may appear. They shall advise and assist as to the form of drafts of bills submitted to them in accordance with section thirty-three of chapter thirty.
MA Gen L ch 3 § 54 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title I - Jurisdiction and Emblems of the Commonwealth, the General Court, Statutes and Public Documents|Chapter 3 - The General Court|Section 54 - Continuous Consolidation of the General Statutes; Counsel; Assistance and Expenses

Section 54. The said counsel may employ such legal and other assistance as may be necessary in the discharge of their duties, subject to the approval of the said committees on rules, and may expend with like approval such sums as may be necessary for office, printing and other expenses.
MA Gen L ch 3 § 55 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title I - Jurisdiction and Emblems of the Commonwealth, the General Court, Statutes and Public Documents|Chapter 3 - The General Court|Section 55 - Continuous Consolidation of the General Statutes; Counsel; Exempt From Civil Service

Section 55. The said counsel shall not be deemed to be executive or administrative officers within the meaning of the constitution, but shall serve directly under the general court. They and their assistants shall not be subject to chapter thirty-one.
MA Gen L ch 3 § 55a (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title I - Jurisdiction and Emblems of the Commonwealth, the General Court, Statutes and Public Documents|Chapter 3 - The General Court|Section 55a - Continuous Consolidation of the General Statutes; General Laws; Correction, Revision, Etc.

Section 55A. The committees on rules of the two branches, acting concurrently, shall appoint a skilled person as recodification counsel and a skilled person as assistant recodification counsel. The assistant recodification counsel shall assist the recodification counsel in the performance of his duties and, in the absence of the recodification counsel, shall act in his stead. The recodification counsel and the assistant recodification counsel shall not be deemed to be executive or administrative officers within the meaning of the constitution, but shall serve directly under the general court. The recodification counsel may employ such legal and other assistance as may be necessary in the discharge of his duties, subject to the approval of the committees on rules of the two branches, acting concurrently, and may expend with like approval such sums as may be necessary for office, printing and other expenses.  The recodification counsel shall, from time to time, submit to the counsel to the senate and to the counsel to the house of representatives, jointly, recommendations, including drafts of legislation, for the correction, revision, amendment, rearrangement, consolidation, compilation and recodification of the General Laws, or any of them, and amendments thereof, including recommendations for the repeal of such statutory provisions as have become obsolete or the reasons for the enactment of which have ceased to exist. In submitting recommendations under this section the recodification counsel may recommend the omission or repeal of redundant enactments and those which may have ceased to have any effect on existing rights, the rejection or elimination of superfluous words, the condensation of circuitous, tautological and ambiguous phraseology and the correction of mistakes, inconsistencies and imperfections. Recommendations for changes of provisions of the General Laws and amendments thereof, as provided for in this section, shall be consistent with the will and intent of the general court as expressed in such provisions at the time of such recommendations.
MA Gen L ch 3 § 64 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title I - Jurisdiction and Emblems of the Commonwealth, the General Court, Statutes and Public Documents|Chapter 3 - The General Court|Section 64 - Bureaus of Post Audit and Oversight; Legislative Auditors; Quarters; Powers and Duties

Section 64. There are hereby established in the legislative branch of the state government two bureaus of post audit and oversight, one each to serve under and at the discretion of the senate committee on post audit and oversight and the house of representatives committee on post audit and oversight.  The committees shall appoint persons qualified by education, training, and experience who shall be the directors of each bureau and who shall be known as legislative auditors. The committees shall also appoint such assistants to the directors as are necessary to efficiently discharge the duties of the bureaus. The compensation of the legislative auditors and their assistants shall be subject to the approval of the committees on rules of the two branches of the general court. The legislative auditors and their assistants shall not be subject to chapter thirty-one.  The bureaus shall be provided with quarters in the state house or elsewhere at a location convenient to their respective branches. The legislative auditors and their assistants, at the direction of the committees, shall have access to and authority to examine, during regular business hours, any and all records, including, but not limited to books, reports, accounts, vouchers, bank accounts, and money or other property of any agency of the state and it shall be the duty of any officer or employee of any such agency having such records or property in his possession or under his control, to permit access to and examination thereof upon the request of the legislative auditors or their authorized representatives.
MA Gen L ch 3 § 65 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title I - Jurisdiction and Emblems of the Commonwealth, the General Court, Statutes and Public Documents|Chapter 3 - The General Court|Section 65 - Senate Art Committee

Section 65. There is hereby established in the senate a senate art committee, hereinafter called the committee, to consist of the president and the minority leader thereof, and seven persons to be appointed by the president, of whom at least 1 may be a member of The Doric Docents Inc. Each member shall be appointed for a term coterminous with that of the president, and shall serve at his pleasure.  The committee may consider and advise the senate relative to any matter germane to the upgrading and restoration of the quarters in the state house used by the members of the senate and its employees, with particular attention to the historical and artistic qualities of said quarters. The committee may file recommendations from time to time with the clerk of the senate.