reglab/housing_qa huggingface dataset:
MA Gen L ch 161b § 20 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 161b - Transportation Facilities, Highway Systems and Urban Development Plans|Section 20 - Rights of Bondholders and Trustee; Enforcement Proceedings

Section 20. Any holder of bonds issued under the provisions of this chapter or of any of the coupons appertaining thereto, and the trustee under the trust agreement, if any except to the extent the rights herein given may be restricted by such resolution or trust agreement, may, either at law or in equity, by suit, action, mandamus or other proceedings, protect and enforce any and all rights under the laws of the commonwealth or granted hereunder or under such resolution or trust agreement, and may enforce and compel the performance of all duties required by this chapter or by such resolution or trust agreement to be performed by the authority or by any officer thereof.
MA Gen L ch 161b § 21 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 161b - Transportation Facilities, Highway Systems and Urban Development Plans|Section 21 - Interest Bearing or Discounted Notes and Bond Anticipation Notes Authorized; Limitations; Disposition of Proceeds; Payment

Section 21. An authority is authorized to provide by resolution at one time or from time to time for the issue of interest bearing or discounted notes for the purposes and in the amounts that bonds may be issued. The notes shall be payable within three years from their dates, but the principal of and interest on notes issued for a shorter period may be renewed or paid from time to time by the issue of other notes hereunder maturing within the required time from the date of the original loan being refunded. When bonds are issued for the purposes for which the notes were issued, the proceeds of the bonds shall be used to repay the notes, except that interest on the notes may be financed as a current expense to the extent deemed appropriate by the authority. The notes may be secured by a trust agreement or by the provisions of a resolution, as in the case of bonds. Bond anticipation notes may be issued either before or after the authorization of the bonds being anticipated. If any bond anticipation note is paid otherwise than from the proceeds of bonds or renewal notes, such payment shall be included in the measure of the net cost of service. But, if bonds or renewal notes are later issued to provide for such payment, there shall be a corresponding offset against the net cost of service.
MA Gen L ch 161b § 22 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 161b - Transportation Facilities, Highway Systems and Urban Development Plans|Section 22 - Federal Assistance

Section 22. Each authority is authorized and directed from time to time to take all necessary action to secure any federal assistance which is or may become available to the commonwealth or any of its subdivisions for any of the purposes of this chapter. If any federal law, administrative regulation or practice requires any action relating to such federal assistance to be taken by any department or instrumentality of the commonwealth other than the authority such other department or instrumentality is authorized and directed to take all such action, including without limitation filing applications for assistance, supervising the expenditure of federal grants or loans and making any determinations and certifications necessary or appropriate to the foregoing, and the authority is authorized and directed to take all action necessary to permit such other department or instrumentality to comply with all federal requirements.
MA Gen L ch 161b § 23 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 161b - Transportation Facilities, Highway Systems and Urban Development Plans|Section 23 - Contract Assistance

Section 23. The commonwealth, acting by and through the executive office for administration and finance, may enter into contract or contracts with the authorities created pursuant to this chapter providing that fifty per cent of the net cost of service of each authority shall be paid by the commonwealth, and shall not be assessed upon the cities and towns constituting the authorities established by section two and section three. Such amount, not to be so assessed shall be called contract assistance.  Contracts shall provide for payment of debt service by the commonwealth when due except to the extent that the authority shall have previously notified the state treasurer that the revenues of the authority are sufficient for the purpose.  Any debt service on bonds issued by an authority, for which contract assistance is provided, shall mature serially beginning not later than ten years after the date of issue and ending not later than forty years after the date of the bonds, so that the amounts payable in the several years for principal and interest combined shall be as nearly equal as in the opinion of the authority as is practicable to make them or, in the alternative, in accordance with a schedule providing a more rapid amortization of principal.  Any contracts or agreements made between an authority and any private company or carrier for which contract assistance is provided shall be subject to the following limitations: (i) in determining whether assistance is needed under this paragraph with respect to an operating agreement with a private transportation company, and in determining the terms of such assistance, the authority shall review the entire transportation operations of the company and its affiliates and shall make a finding that the assistance will not permit the applicant company to make more than a reasonable return overall; and (ii) that the assistance shall cover only those services determined by the authority to be in the public interest.  Any contract under this section shall include such provisions as the secretary deems necessary and desirable to assure the efficient operation of the authority, and the minimum burden on the commonwealth and on the cities and towns within the authority, and to insure contract assistance is provided for projects which are consistent with the program for public mass transportation of the authority.
MA Gen L ch 161b § 24 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 161b - Transportation Facilities, Highway Systems and Urban Development Plans|Section 24 - Application of Other Laws

Section 24. Section ten of chapter forty A, sections twenty-eight, fifty-nine to sixty-four, inclusive, eighty-three to eighty-five, inclusive, and ninety-two to one hundred and four, inclusive, of chapter one hundred and fifty-nine, and sections eighty-nine, one hundred and three and one hundred and thirteen of chapter one hundred and sixty-one, shall apply to the transportation authorities created by this chapter, its property and employees in the same manner as though each were a street railway company.
MA Gen L ch 161b § 25 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 161b - Transportation Facilities, Highway Systems and Urban Development Plans|Section 25 - Direct Operation of Mass Transportation Service

Section 25. Nothing in this chapter shall be deemed to authorize or permit any authority established by this chapter to directly operate any mass transportation service.
MA Gen L ch 161b § 26 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 161b - Transportation Facilities, Highway Systems and Urban Development Plans|Section 26 - Stabilization Fund

Section 26. The regional transit authorities shall establish a stabilization fund into which the authorities shall deposit revenues in excess of expenditures. Said stabilization fund shall have a fund balance no greater than 15% of total revenues for all regional transit authorities for the fiscal year most recently ended. Monies from said fund shall be subject to appropriation and used for capital improvements and expenditures, to offset the unforeseen and dramatic loss of revenues within a fiscal year, and to pay current expenses after implementing all efficiencies and savings possible. The authorities may not assume draws from said stabilization fund in preparing their annual budgets. In the event that an authority requires a draw from said fund, it shall file with the secretary of administration and finance, secretary of transportation and construction, joint committee on transportation and the house and senate committees on ways and means a financial plan that projects to produce in the following fiscal year an excess of revenues over expenses, all measures taken to implement efficiencies and savings, the amount necessary to offset operating losses, and any other information that said secretaries or committees may require.
MA Gen L ch 161b § 27 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 161b - Transportation Facilities, Highway Systems and Urban Development Plans|Section 27 - Regional Transit Authority Council

Section 27. There shall be a regional transit authority council for the purposes of coordination and sharing information and best practices in matters of security and public safety planning and preparedness, service delivery, cost savings, and administrative efficiencies. Members of the council shall include the administrator of each authority established under section 14. The secretary shall be chairman of the council and the general manager of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority shall be a nonvoting member of the council. The council shall meet no less than once each calendar quarter or upon the request, with reasonable notice, of the secretary.
MA Gen L ch 161c § 1 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 161c - Rail Transportation in the Commonwealth|Section 1 - Declaration of Legislative Intent

Section 1. It is hereby declared that rail transportation offers economic and environmental advantages with respect to land use air and noise pollution, energy efficiency, safety, and costs per ton mile of movement to the extent that the preservation, development and maintenance of such services is a public purpose and in the public interest; that essential rail transportation services for the movement of passengers and freight are threatened with cessation or significant curtailment because of the deterioration or inadequacy of rail rights of way either earlier acquired for a public purpose, or because of the insufficiency or inadequacy of rail facilities and related equipment, and because of the inability of private railroad companies to provide such services or facilities without public financial assistance; that the public convenience and necessity require that the adequate and efficient rail services and facilities be provided in the commonwealth; that these needs cannot be met without substantial action by the commonwealth; and that it is the intent of the general court to provide for such action through an act which authorizes a public agency to plan for and carry out the steps necessary to acquire, preserve, develop and construct when necessary on lands not formerly owned or used by a railroad, which insures the maintenance and operation of, adequate and efficient rail rights of way, related facilities or equipment, and rail services.
MA Gen L ch 161c § 2 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 161c - Rail Transportation in the Commonwealth|Section 2 - Definitions

Section 2. Whenever used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise requires, the following words or terms shall have the following meanings:—  ''Executive office'', the office of planning and programming established under chapter six C.  ''Rail rights-of-way'', lands other than those owned, operated and maintained by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority or interests in lands which are, may be, or formerly were used, as rights-of-way for rail purposes.  ''Related facilities or equipment'', facilities other than those owned, operated and maintained by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority or which are, may be, or formerly were used, for rail or related transportation purposes, including, without limitation, lands or interests in lands, buildings or other structures; and equipment other than those owned, operated and maintained by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, which is, may be, or formerly was used, for such purposes, including, without limitation, rail freight or passenger rolling stock.  ''Secretary'', the administrator of transportation for mass transit within the department of transportation.
MA Gen L ch 161c § 3 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 161c - Rail Transportation in the Commonwealth|Section 3 - Executive Office of Transportation; Duties

Section 3. The executive office shall take such steps as may be necessary to provide for the development, promotion, preservation, and improvement of an adequate, safe, efficient and convenient rail system for the movement of passengers and freight in the commonwealth. In carrying out the purposes of this chapter, the executive office shall seek to encourage and develop rail services which promote and maintain the economic wellbeing of the citizens of the commonwealth, and which preserve the environment and the commonwealth's natural resources.
MA Gen L ch 161c § 4 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 161c - Rail Transportation in the Commonwealth|Section 4 - Expenditure of Funds; Application Fees and Rents

Section 4. The executive office or the department of highways acting pursuant to paragraph (f) of section six is hereby authorized and directed to expend such funds as may be appropriated or otherwise made available for the acquisition, construction, preservation, rehabilitation, reconstruction, or other improvement, whether directly, jointly or under contract with other public or private parties, of land, and rail rights-of-way and related facilities or equipment, including but not limited to spurs, sidings and bridges, and for such other purposes, including, without limitation, planning, engineering and administrative purposes, as are incidental thereto; provided that any preservation, rehabilitation, reconstruction, or other improvement of land or of a rail right-of-way and related facilities or equipment shall not be authorized prior to the acquisition of said land, right-of-way and related facilities or equipment.  Subject to any other applicable provisions of law regarding the disposition and use of state property, the executive office may, in the course of exercising its responsibilities of property management of state-owned railroad rights-of-way pursuant to this chapter: (a) set fees for the processing of applications to lease, license, or otherwise use said property; and (b) charge rent for same. Said fees shall be based on the administrative costs necessary to process said applications. Said rents shall be calculated as required under other applicable requirements of state law. Receipts from said applications and rents shall be paid into the treasury of the commonwealth and may be expended, subject to appropriation, for the purpose of property management and maintenance on railroad properties owned by the executive office on behalf of the commonwealth.
MA Gen L ch 161c § 5 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 161c - Rail Transportation in the Commonwealth|Section 5 - Contracts for Financial Assistance; Limitations

Section 5. The executive office or the department of highways acting pursuant to paragraph (f) of section six of this chapter may enter into contracts or agreements to provide financial assistance, from such funds as may be provided for the purpose, for all or part of the costs of maintaining rail rights-of-way or related facilities or equipment, or operating rail services in the commonwealth.  Any such contracts or agreements shall be subject to the following limitations: (i) in determining whether such assistance is necessary or appropriate under this chapter with respect to an operating agreement with a private transportation company, and in determining the terms and conditions under which such assistance shall be given, the secretary shall review the transportation operations of such company and its affiliates and shall make a finding that such assistance will not permit the applicant company to make more than a reasonable return overall; and (ii) any such assistance shall cover only those services which the secretary determines to be in the public interest.
MA Gen L ch 161c § 7 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 161c - Rail Transportation in the Commonwealth|Section 7 - Railroad Rights-of-Way or Related Facilities; Sale or Disposition; Commonwealth's Right of First Refusal

Section 7. (a) To the extent not inconsistent with federal law, no railroad company which conducts or has conducted operations within the commonwealth shall sell, transfer or otherwise dispose of railroad rights-of-way or related facilities without first offering such rights-of-way or facilities for sale, transfer or disposition to either the executive office, acting on behalf of the commonwealth, or such other department, authority, agency, or political subdivision of the commonwealth as may be designated by the executive office for the purpose of any such sale, transfer or disposition; provided, that such sale, transfer or disposition may be made by the railroad company to a party other than the executive office or its designee, but only if (i) the executive office or its designee has notified the railroad company in writing of its rejection of such offer; or (ii) ninety calendar days have elapsed from the date on which said offer or a copy of such offer, as provided in the second paragraph, is made to the executive office.  (b) Said railroad company shall make such offer in writing and shall send such offer by certified mail to the executive office or to its designee. In the event that such offer is made to a designee of the executive office, a notarized copy of such offer shall be sent by certified mail to the executive office. Any such offer shall include the price at which said company proposes to offer such rights-of-way or facilities to the commonwealth, and such other terms or conditions which said company proposed to include as part of such sale, transfer or disposition. The executive office or its designee shall notify in writing and by certified mail said railroad company of its acceptance or rejection of such offer within ninety calendar days of such offer, and in the event that the designee of the executive office sends such notice, said designee shall also send a notarized copy of such notice to the executive office. The executive office is hereby authorized to notify any person that the conditions provided in clauses (i) and (ii) of paragraph (a) have been satisfied and that the commonwealth no longer has the option to acquire the rights-of-way or facilities as provided in said paragraph. Any such notice shall be binding on the commonwealth.  In no event shall said railroad company offer to sell, transfer, or otherwise dispose of railroad rights-of-way or facilities to any person on terms or conditions more favorable to said person than those offered to the commonwealth.
MA Gen L ch 161c § 8 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 161c - Rail Transportation in the Commonwealth|Section 8 - Surplus Railroad-Related Materials and Equipment; Offer to Freight Railroads Operating on In-State Tracks Owned by the Commonwealth

Section 8. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the secretary of transportation may offer and convey surplus rail and other track material, surplus rail-related equipment, such as signals, and surplus railroad bridge materials to freight railroads operating on tracks in the commonwealth to which they have rights and to the freight railroads operating on in-state tracks owned by the commonwealth. Working in concert with the Massachusetts Railroad Association, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation shall design and implement a fair, reasonable and orderly system to distribute the surplus assets; provided, however, that the department may change that system, as needed, in order to improve it in any way consistent with the objectives of the reuse program. The assets shall only be conveyed to a railroad which has demonstrated an impending need for the assets at a specific in-state location. The secretary shall cause to be created and published periodically a list of surplus rail assets which may be made available through the department or from department projects and from Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority projects to the freight railroad companies operating in the commonwealth.
MA Gen L ch 161d § 1 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 161d - The Massachusetts Intercity Bus Capital Assistance Program|Section 1 - Declaration of Need and Intent

Section 1. It is hereby declared that intercity bus transportation services offer economic and environmental advantages with respect to energy conservation and efficiency, air and noise pollution, public safety and costs per passenger mile of movement to the extent that the preservation, development, promotion and maintenance of such services is a public purpose and in the public interest; that essential intercity or intrastate bus transportation services for the movement of passengers are threatened by a crisis within the commonwealth's intercity bus carriers industry brought about a rapid inflation of the cost of intercity bus equipment and severe fluctuations in the interest rates of our national financial market, hence, these economic conditions have severely retarded the ability of intercity carriers to purchase new vehicular equipment in order to maintain modern fleets attractive to the general public and accrue adequate returns of investment, consequently limiting said carriers from expanding these critical transportation services to the travelling public; these needs cannot be met without constructive action by the commonwealth; and that is the intent of the general court to provide for such actions through an act which authorizes a public agency to ensure intercity bus carriers with the necessary capital equipment to improve and further develop these essential public transportation services within the commonwealth.
MA Gen L ch 161d § 2 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 161d - The Massachusetts Intercity Bus Capital Assistance Program|Section 2 - Definitions

Section 2. Whenever used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise requires, the following words or terms shall have the following meaning:—  ''Executive office'', the office of planning and programming established under chapter six C.  ''Intercity coach'', any vehicle with a seating capacity of forty or more, and which is appropriate for the provision of long distance highway travel or commuting.  ''Intercity bus carrier'', any entity possessing legally required certification, issued by an agency of the commonwealth, or any political subdivision thereof, for the carriage of passengers for hire between fixed and regular termini.  ''Intercity service'', the movement of passengers between two or more distinct municipalities.  ''Secretary'', the administrator of transportation for mass transit within the department of transportation.