reglab/housing_qa huggingface dataset:
MA Gen L ch 6 § 196 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title II - Executive and Administrative Officers of the Commonwealth|Chapter 6 - The Governor, Lieutenant Governor and Council, Certain Officers Under the Governor and Council, and State Library|Section 196 - Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing; Interpreter Referral Service

Section 196. The commission shall maintain and coordinate a statewide interpreter referral service for use by any public and private agencies and individuals for any situations including emergencies.  Departments and agencies of the commonwealth and other public and private agencies and individuals shall reimburse the commission where so required by the commission's regulations for the compensation and travel expenses of any interpreter appointed by the commission pursuant to this section, but said departments, agencies and individuals shall not reimburse the commission for indirect costs or fringe benefits paid to such interpreter. The commission is authorized to treat reimbursements of prior year expenditures for the services of interpreters as reimbursements of current year expenditures for such services. The commission may charge a fee where so required by the commission's regulations for the cost of maintaining an emergency referral service, but no part of such fee shall be assessed to a hearing-impaired individual. Monies collected under the provisions of this section shall be retained by the commission in a revolving fund or funds, and shall be expended subject to the approval of the secretary of the executive office of human services and the state comptroller to purchase interpreter services; provided, however, that the commission shall provide quarterly reports to the house and senate committees on ways and means detailing the amounts of revenues received or expended under this section. A fund established pursuant to this section shall be subject to an audit by the state auditor, in accordance with generally accepted government auditing standards, as often as the state auditor determines is necessary.  The commission is authorized to work with the board of regents, the department of education and private institutions to insure ongoing interpreter educational programs designed to increase the number of competent interpreters.  Notwithstanding the provisions of section 7 of chapter 268A, a state employee who is approved by the commission for the deaf and hard of hearing as an interpreter may be employed by the commission or by other state agencies as long as the interpreter services will be provided outside of the normal working hours of the employee, the services are not required as part of the regular duties of the employee, the employee does not participate in or have official responsibility for the financial management of the contracting agency, the employee is compensated for no more than four hours in any day in which the employee is otherwise compensated by the commonwealth, and the head of the contracting agency files with the state ethics commission a written certification that there is a critical need for the services of the employee.
MA Gen L ch 6 § 197 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title II - Executive and Administrative Officers of the Commonwealth|Chapter 6 - The Governor, Lieutenant Governor and Council, Certain Officers Under the Governor and Council, and State Library|Section 197 - Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing; Telecommunication Devices; Rental, Lease or Sale

Section 197. Subject to the appropriation of funds therefor, the commission shall purchase, pursuant to sections fifty-one and fifty-two of chapter thirty, telecommunication devices for the deaf and shall rent, lease or sell such equipment to persons certified by the commission pursuant to its regulations as deaf or severely hard of hearing, at terms or prices which are fair and reasonable; provided, however, that no such device shall be sold by the commission at a price less than one-half of the wholesale market price of such device prevailing at the time of sale. The commission shall promulgate regulations to implement the provisions of this section. Such regulations shall include a schedule of fees to be charged for such rentals or sales and shall be based upon a consideration of the circumstances, need and annual income of the deaf or severely hard of hearing person seeking such equipment. Monies collected under the provisions of this section shall be retained by the commission in a revolving fund or revolving funds, and shall be expended subject to the approval of the secretary of the executive office of health and human services and the state comptroller to purchase telecommunication devices for the deaf; provided that the commission shall provide quarterly reports to the house and senate committees on ways and means detailing the amounts of revenues received or expended under this section. A fund established pursuant to this section shall be subject to an audit by the state auditor, in accordance with generally accepted government auditing standards, as often as the state auditor determines is necessary.
MA Gen L ch 6 § 198 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title II - Executive and Administrative Officers of the Commonwealth|Chapter 6 - The Governor, Lieutenant Governor and Council, Certain Officers Under the Governor and Council, and State Library|Section 198 - Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing; Advice to Other Agencies; Provision of Requested Resources

Section 198. In order to facilitate appropriate delivery of state services to deaf and hard of hearing individuals the commission shall advise other agencies of the needs of deaf and hard of hearing persons and shall, subject to appropriation, provide such resources as other agencies reasonably request.
MA Gen L ch 6 § 199 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title II - Executive and Administrative Officers of the Commonwealth|Chapter 6 - The Governor, Lieutenant Governor and Council, Certain Officers Under the Governor and Council, and State Library|Section 199 - Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing; Records; Confidentiality

Section 199. All records pertaining to clients and applicants of the commission and all personal and medical information or records given or made available to the commission, including but not limited to, names and addresses of clients and applicants, shall be confidential and for the exclusive use of the commission in the discharge of its duties. Notwithstanding any other general or special law to the contrary, the commission may publish information in statistical form without disclosing the identity of the clients or applicants involved.
MA Gen L ch 6 § 205 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title II - Executive and Administrative Officers of the Commonwealth|Chapter 6 - The Governor, Lieutenant Governor and Council, Certain Officers Under the Governor and Council, and State Library|Section 205 - Office for Refugees and Immigrants

Section 205. There is hereby established an office for refugees and immigrants under the exclusive supervision and control of a director who shall be appointed by the secretary of health and human services with the approval of the governor. The purpose of the office is to promote the full participation of refugees and immigrants as self-sufficient individuals and families in the economic, social, and civic life of the commonwealth.
MA Gen L ch 6 § 206 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title II - Executive and Administrative Officers of the Commonwealth|Chapter 6 - The Governor, Lieutenant Governor and Council, Certain Officers Under the Governor and Council, and State Library|Section 206 - State Refugee Coordinator; Duties; Salary; Hours; Appointment of Employees

Section 206. The director shall be the state refugee coordinator pursuant to the federal Refugee Act of 1980 (P.L. 96–212, March 17, 1980), as it may be amended or succeeded. The director shall also have primary responsibility for the administration of programs and services pursuant to the federal Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 (P.L. 99–603, November 6, 1986), as it may be amended or succeeded.  The position of director shall be classified in accordance with section forty-five of chapter thirty, and the salary shall be determined in accordance with section forty-six C of said chapter thirty. The director shall devote full time during business hours to the duties of the office. The director shall be authorized, subject to appropriation, to appoint and may remove such assistant directors and such other employees and consultants as may be necessary to perform the functions of the office set forth in section two hundred and seven. The provisions of chapter thirty-one shall not apply to the director, to such assistant directors as the director may appoint, or to such supervisory positions as the director may create.
MA Gen L ch 6 § 207 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title II - Executive and Administrative Officers of the Commonwealth|Chapter 6 - The Governor, Lieutenant Governor and Council, Certain Officers Under the Governor and Council, and State Library|Section 207 - Powers of Office

Section 207. The office shall have the following powers: (a) to plan, coordinate, monitor, and administer programs that provide transitional assistance to refugees and immigrants and that lead to durable self-sufficiency; (b) to encourage in refugees and immigrants an understanding of American government and institutions and the rights and responsibilities of residents and citizens and to encourage those who wish to remain in the United States to become citizens; (c) to coordinate the commonwealth's policies and programs for refugees and immigrants including those administered by other state agencies; (d) to promote the accessibility of public services to refugees and immigrants; (e) to ascertain the needs of local communities with significant populations of refugees and immigrants and to work with local officials and community-based organizations to address those needs; (f) to increase the availability and utilization of qualified interpreter services; (g) to promulgate, pursuant to the provisions of chapter thirty A, rules and regulations; (h) to enter into agreements or contracts with other public or private agencies or units of local, county, or state government for the delivery and/or coordination of services to refugees and immigrants or for other statutorily-authorized purposes; provided, however, that no responsibility of the department of transitional assistance under chapter 118 or of the division of medical assistance under chapter 118E shall be transferred to the office; (i) to administer federal monies received by the commonwealth for services to refugees and immigrants; provided, however, that other state agencies also may receive and administer federal monies for such purposes within their jurisdictions; provided, further, that state funds shall not be used by the office to supplement federal funding if such funding is withdrawn; (j) to seek and receive grants or donations from private sources to carry out any of the office's functions and purposes; (k) to impose reasonable charges for any services rendered or materials furnished; and (l) to perform such other functions that are consistent with the purpose of the office.
MA Gen L ch 6 § 208 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title II - Executive and Administrative Officers of the Commonwealth|Chapter 6 - The Governor, Lieutenant Governor and Council, Certain Officers Under the Governor and Council, and State Library|Section 208 - Governor's Advisory Council for Refugees and Immigrants; Membership; Functions

Section 208. There is hereby established a council, to be known as the governor's advisory council for refugees and immigrants, to consist of not less than 15 members and not more than 30 members, such members to serve without compensation. The members of the council shall be appointed by the governor for terms of one year. The membership of the council shall consist of persons who live in the commonwealth and shall include refugees, immigrants and other interested individuals. The chairman of the council shall be appointed by the governor and shall serve for a term of one year. The following shall also serve as members of the council, ex officio: the attorney general; the secretaries of the executive offices of health and human services and public safety, the director of the department of housing and community development, the commissioners of education, transitional assistance, public health, mental health, department of early education and care and employment and training and representatives from such other secretariats, departments, divisions or agencies as the governor, the secretary of health and human services, the director of the office for refugees and immigrants or the council may request. Such ex officio members may be represented by designees.  The functions of the council shall include but not be limited to: (a) advising the governor on policy, planning, and priorities for refugees and immigrants in the commonwealth; (b) assisting the director of the office for refugees and immigrants in coordinating the efforts of all public agencies concerned with services to refugees and immigrants and in promoting the accessibility of all state services; (c) increasing communication, mutual understanding, and willingness to cooperate among community groups and organizations that serve refugees and immigrants; and (d) increasing public understanding of the needs and contributions of refugees and immigrants. The council shall meet at least six times per year.
MA Gen L ch 6 § 208a (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title II - Executive and Administrative Officers of the Commonwealth|Chapter 6 - The Governor, Lieutenant Governor and Council, Certain Officers Under the Governor and Council, and State Library|Section 208a - Office for Refugees and Immigrants Trust Fund

Section 208A. There shall be an Office for Refugees and Immigrants Trust Fund to be administered by the director of the office for refugees and immigrants. The director shall appoint the trustee of the fund, who shall serve until a successor is appointed. There shall be credited to the trust grants, bequests, gifts or contributions of cash or securities and contributions of services or property in kind from persons or other governmental, nongovernmental, quasi-governmental or local governmental entities made for the purpose of supporting the office for refugees and immigrants. Expenditures from the fund shall not be subject to appropriation and balances remaining at the end of a fiscal year shall not revert to the General Fund. Expenditures from the fund shall be made only for the following purposes: (i) operating costs of the office for refugees and immigrants, including the divisions and programs within the office; (ii) costs related to carrying out the powers of the office under section 207; and (iii) costs associated with refugee and immigrant-related programs, grants and initiatives of the director. For the purpose of accommodating timing discrepancies between the receipt by the fund of revenues and related expenditures, the fund may incur expenses and the comptroller may certify payments from the fund in anticipation of fund receipts based on estimated receipts as certified by the trustee. The trustee shall ensure that no expenditures from the fund shall cause the fund to be in deficiency at the close of a fiscal year.
MA Gen L ch 6 § 214 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title II - Executive and Administrative Officers of the Commonwealth|Chapter 6 - The Governor, Lieutenant Governor and Council, Certain Officers Under the Governor and Council, and State Library|Section 214 - Madeline Amy Sweeney Award for Civilian Bravery

Section 214. There shall be presented annually on September 11 an award for civilian bravery in memory of Madeline Amy Sweeney, a victim on American Airlines Flight 11. The award shall be presented to citizens of the commonwealth who have displayed extraordinary courage, bravery and heroism without regard for personal safety, in an effort to save the life of another.  Nominations for the award shall be made to an award selection committee in the Executive Office of Public Safety. The committee shall consist of the lieutenant governor, who shall be chairperson; 6 members to be appointed by the governor including: the surviving spouse or offspring of Madeline Amy Sweeney, or a designee, 2 members of the public safety community, and 3 members to include past Sweeney award recipients; and representatives of the Massachusetts 9/11 Fund, Inc.; 2 members appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives and 2 members appointed by the senate president.
MA Gen L ch 6 § 215 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title II - Executive and Administrative Officers of the Commonwealth|Chapter 6 - The Governor, Lieutenant Governor and Council, Certain Officers Under the Governor and Council, and State Library|Section 215 - Interagency Child Welfare Task Force; Membership; Goals

Section 215. There shall be an interagency child welfare task force. The secretary of health and human services shall serve as its chair. The member agencies shall include the department of children and families, the department of youth services, the department of transitional assistance, the department of mental health, the department of developmental services, the department of public health, the department of elementary and secondary education and the department of early education and care.  The task force shall establish interagency goals each year to coordinate and streamline services to children and families and shall examine, among other issues: interagency collaboration to increase medical and mental health consultation; the availability of health and behavioral health services to children and families; collaboration with law enforcement as it relates to children and families involved with the criminal justice system; the availability of supportive child care for children in the care of the department of children and families; domestic violence awareness programs; children awaiting discharge from psychiatric inpatient units; and interagency training initiatives for staff, communities and providers.
MA Gen L ch 6a § 1 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title II - Executive and Administrative Officers of the Commonwealth|Chapter 6a - Executive Offices|Section 1 - Definitions

Section 1. The following terms, as used in this chapter, shall, unless the context requires otherwise, have the following meanings:—  ''Secretary'', the head of an executive office established under section two.  ''State agency'', as defined in section 1 of chapter 29.
MA Gen L ch 6a § 2 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title II - Executive and Administrative Officers of the Commonwealth|Chapter 6a - Executive Offices|Section 2 - Establishment of Executive Offices

Section 2. There shall be the following executive offices, each of which shall serve under the governor: administration and finance, education, energy and environmental affairs, health and human services, housing and economic development, labor and workforce development, public safety and security, technology services and security, and transportation and public works.
MA Gen L ch 6a § 3 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title II - Executive and Administrative Officers of the Commonwealth|Chapter 6a - Executive Offices|Section 3 - Secretary; Appointment of Undersecretary

Section 3. Each of said executive offices shall be headed by a secretary, who shall be appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the governor. The secretary shall receive such salary as the governor may determine, and shall devote his full time to the duties of his office. Each secretary may, notwithstanding section 45 of chapter 30 and chapter 31, subject to the approval of the governor and subject to appropriation, appoint 1 or more undersecretaries for the executive office, each of whom shall serve at the pleasure of her appointing secretary. Each person appointed as an undersecretary shall have experience and shall know the field or functions of such position, shall receive such salary as the secretary shall determine, subject to the approval of the governor, and shall devote his full time to the duties of the office.
MA Gen L ch 6a § 4 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title II - Executive and Administrative Officers of the Commonwealth|Chapter 6a - Executive Offices|Section 4 - Executive Officer

Section 4. Each secretary shall act as the executive officer of the governor for accomplishing the purposes of his executive office. He shall conduct comprehensive planning with respect to the functions of said office and coordinate the activities and programs of the state agencies therein. He shall conduct studies of the operations of said agencies with a view to effecting improvements in administrative organization, procedures and practices, and to promoting economy, efficiency, and avoiding useless labor and expenses in said agencies. He shall from time to time recommend to the governor such changes as he shall deem desirable in the laws relating to the organization, structure, efficiency or administrative functions, services, procedures and practices of any such agency or agencies. He shall review and act upon budgetary and other financial matters concerning said agencies under chapter 29.
MA Gen L ch 6a § 4a (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title II - Executive and Administrative Officers of the Commonwealth|Chapter 6a - Executive Offices|Section 4a - Performance Goals and Metrics; Strategies for Improvement

Section 4A. In coordination with the office of the governor, each secretary shall, at the executive office and agency level: (i) develop measurable, outcome-based performance goals and a focused set of performance metrics to track progress and execution; (ii) measure performance on an ongoing basis against the goals and metrics; and (iii) establish strategies to improve government performance informed by the goals and metrics. Each secretary shall, in coordination with the office of the governor, make the performance goals and the secretary's progress in reaching those goals available online annually not later than March 1.
MA Gen L ch 6a § 5 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title II - Executive and Administrative Officers of the Commonwealth|Chapter 6a - Executive Offices|Section 5 - Access to Records, Copies of Documents, Information

Section 5. The secretary shall have access to all records, as defined in section forty-two of chapter thirty, in the custody of all state agencies within his executive office, except where such access is prohibited by law. Such agencies shall furnish him with copies of all reports, notices and other documents which they are required by law to submit to the governor, the general court or any state agency, and with all other information requested by the secretary for the purpose of discharging the duties of his office.