reglab/housing_qa huggingface dataset:
MA Gen L ch 161 § 155 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 161 - Street Railways|Section 155 - Leases of Street Railway Property; Amount of Rental; Term; Renewals; Termination

Section 155. The amount to be paid as rental under a lease of a street railway property shall not exceed seven per cent of the price fixed in any option to purchase the property. Rentals shall be paid to the owners of street railway property by a transportation area at least once in six months. No lease shall be made for a term of more than five or less than two years, but a lease may be renewed if public necessity and convenience, in the opinion of the department, so require. A renewal of a lease shall be made in the same manner as a new lease, except that the transportation area shall give written notice to the owners of the property at least four months in advance of such renewal. A lease may be terminated by the consent of a majority in interest of all classes of stock in such company entitled to vote, and of a majority of the voters of each city and town comprising the transportation area, voting thereon upon submission at a regular or special city election or town meeting upon petition of ten per cent of the registered voters of each city or town filed with the city or town clerk within thirty days of such election or meeting.
MA Gen L ch 161 § 156 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 161 - Street Railways|Section 156 - Establishment of Fare Zones and Rates of Fare

Section 156. Subject to the approval of the department, the trustees shall establish such fare zones and shall fix such rates of fare to be charged by a transportation area as will reasonably assure sufficient income to meet the cost of the service, including operating expenses, taxes, rental, interest and the allowance for depreciation required by section one hundred and fifty-one.
MA Gen L ch 161 § 157 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 161 - Street Railways|Section 157 - Care of Leased Railway Property

Section 157. The trustees shall maintain the street railway property in good operating condition. At the expiration of any lease which is not renewed, a transportation area shall return the property to the owners in as good condition as it was when first taken over, ordinary wear and tear to be taken into consideration. All leases shall be subject to a provision that any question of damages shall, within ninety days from the date of expiration of a lease, be submitted to the department, and its decision or award shall be final, it being understood that fluctuations in the value of the property and equipment shall not be taken into consideration.
MA Gen L ch 161 § 158 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 161 - Street Railways|Section 158 - Taxation

Section 158. Nothing contained in sections one hundred and forty-three to one hundred and fifty-seven, inclusive, shall affect the right of the commonwealth or any subdivision thereof to tax the property owned or leased by a transportation area in the same manner and to the same extent as if the same were under private management, but cities and towns may abate in whole or in part the taxes thereon.
MA Gen L ch 161 § 159 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 161 - Street Railways|Section 159 - Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority; Application of Secs. 143 to 158

Section 159. Sections one hundred and forty-three to one hundred and fifty-eight, inclusive, shall not apply to any territory comprising the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority.
MA Gen L ch 161 § 160 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 161 - Street Railways|Section 160 - Transportation Areas; Application of Secs. 143 to 158

Section 160. Sections one hundred and forty-three to one hundred and fifty-eight, inclusive, so far as applicable, shall apply to any transportation area now established under chapter five hundred and ninety-nine of the acts of nineteen hundred and twenty or now in process of establishment thereunder.
MA Gen L ch 161 § 161 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 161 - Street Railways|Section 161 - Avoiding Reduction or Discontinuance of Railway Service; Contributions of Municipalities

Section 161. Any city, except Boston, by vote of its city council, and any town by majority vote of the voters thereof present and voting thereon at a town meeting, may, from time to time, for the purpose of avoiding a reduction or discontinuance of service, enter into an agreement with a street railway company operating a street railway therein to pay any part or all of any excess of the cost of the service on the lines of the company operated in such city or town above the amount of the receipts from such lines arising from the rates and fares in effect thereon during the period covered by any such agreement; provided, that no contribution under said agreement shall in any year exceed in such a city the sum of one dollar, or in such a town the sum of two dollars, for each one thousand dollars of the assessed valuation of the year preceding the date of such agreement, and in no event shall it exceed one thousand dollars in any year unless the payment of any such excess is first approved by the department. The department shall, upon application of any city or town agreeing as aforesaid, determine any question relating to the character or extent of the service rendered or facilities furnished in such city or town in pursuance of said agreement, in the event of differences arising between the street railway company and such city or town in relation thereto. Any such city or town may raise by taxation such amounts as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this section. This section shall not apply to the Boston Elevated Railway Company.
MA Gen L ch 161a § 2 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 161a - Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority|Section 2 - Creation of Authority; Powers; Liability for Debts and Obligations; Service of Process

Section 2. The area constituting the authority and the inhabitants thereof are hereby made a body politic and corporate, and a political subdivision of the commonwealth, under the name of Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. The authority shall have power to hold property, to sue and be sued in law and equity and to prosecute and defend all actions relating to its property and affairs. The authority shall be liable for its debts and obligations, but the property of the authority shall not be subject to attachment nor levied upon by execution or otherwise. Process may be served upon the treasurer of the authority or, in the absence of the treasurer, upon any member of the board.
MA Gen L ch 161a § 4 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 161a - Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority|Section 4 - Separate Units of Mass Transportation Facilities and Equipment; Establishment; Lease Arrangements

Section 4. (a) In addition to the powers granted to the authority under section 3 and all other powers granted by law, the authority shall have the power to establish on a self-liquidating basis one or more separate units of mass transportation facilities and equipment to furnish, in each instance, express service or local service between specified terminal points and over a fixed route or routes. In establishing such separate units, the authority may enter into one or more unit lease arrangements with such persons, firms and corporations as the authority shall select and franchise. Each such unit lease arrangement shall provide for the following:  (i) Acquisition by the authority of real property, including easements and rights of way, necessary or desirable for the operation of such units of mass transportation facilities and equipment, parking and other related auxiliary services and facilities, by purchase or exercise of the authority's power of eminent domain under paragraph (o) of section 3;  (ii) design, construction and acquisition of mass transportation facilities and equipment;  (iii) operation of the mass transportation facilities and equipment so designed, constructed and acquired by a lessee of said facilities and equipment: (1) for a period not in excess of 40 years; (2) at a rental or lease charge at least sufficient to discharge the authority's financial obligations incurred in connection with said unit of facilities and equipment under the authority's powers as hereinafter set forth in subsection (b); and (3) upon such provisions and conditions as to fares and other matters relating to the conduct and operation of said mass transportation facilities and equipment as the authority and lessee shall agree; and  (iv) power in the authority to cancel or terminate said unit lease arrangement at stated times which shall be not less frequent than once in each calendar year.  (b) To meet the expenditures necessary in carrying out the provisions of this section, the authority may issue bonds in accordance with the provisions of clause (4) of the first paragraph of section 13, and such bonds shall provide, in addition to other provisions allowed under this chapter, that all payments of principal and interest shall be made solely from (1) the rental or lease charges received by the authority under its lease with the lessee of mass transportation facilities and equipment as aforesaid, which said lease may be assigned by the authority to secure the obligations of said bonds; or (2) in the event the authority terminates said lease from the income derived from operation of said mass transportation facilities and equipment; provided, that bonds issued for the purposes of this section shall not be included in the computation of the bonds to which the limitations on amount contained in section 13 shall apply.
MA Gen L ch 161a § 5b (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 161a - Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority|Section 5b - Disposal of Stolen, Lost or Abandoned Property

Section 5B. If money, goods or other property which has been stolen, lost or abandoned comes into the possession of a police officer or other employee of the authority by virtue of his office or employment, the officer or employee shall deliver the same to the person designated by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority to receive the same and he shall thereupon be relieved from further responsibility. If no person proves ownership of such money, goods or other property within 6 months, the authority may cause the same, excepting money unclaimed, to be sold at public auction at such place and time and by such person as the authority may designate. Notice of the time and place of the sale, with a description of the property, shall be given by publishing the same once in a newspaper of general circulation published in the city of Boston. The property, if perishable or liable to deteriorate greatly in value by keeping, or the value of which will probably be less than the expense of keeping, may be sold at public auction at such place and at such time within 6 months and by such person as the authority may designate, such notice of the time and place of the sale as said authority may deem reasonable and proper first being given. The proceeds of any sale, together with any unclaimed money, after deducting all reasonable charges and expenses incurred on account of the property, shall be accounted for and paid to the authority. If within 2 years after a sale, the owner claims the property and proves ownership to the satisfaction of the authority, the amount of the unclaimed money or the proceeds of the sale of the property, after deducting reasonable expenses, shall be paid to the person, without appropriation. Nothing in this section shall be construed to supersede or to conflict with any laws pertaining to the handling of evidence in any criminal or civil matters.
MA Gen L ch 161a § 6 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 161a - Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority|Section 6 - Ballot Question for Cities and Towns Regarding Issue of Joining Transportation Area

Section 6. Any city or town seeking to receive transportation service from the authority, may place upon the official ballot at any biennial or regular or special city election or annual or special town election the following question:  ''Shall this (city, town) be added to the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority''  Yes: _______________ No: _______________.  Such question shall not be placed upon the official ballot unless the city council or town meeting shall have voted to have such question so placed or unless a petition signed by not less than 5 per cent of the registered voters of the city or town, certified as such by the registrars of voters thereof, shall have been filed with the city or town clerk, at least 90 days before the date of any such election. Forms for such petitions shall be made available without cost by the city or town clerk and each form shall bear the following heading:  ''The undersigned registered voters of the (city, town) hereby petition for the placement upon the official ballot of the question whether this (city, town) shall be added to the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Area''.  The votes upon such question shall be counted and returned to the city or town clerk in the same manner as votes for candidates in municipal elections. Said clerk shall forthwith notify the authority of the results of the vote. If a majority of the votes cast upon the question shall be in the affirmative, the city or town shall be deemed to be added to the authority effective on the first day of January next following the notification by the clerk. If the city council or town meeting of more than one city or town shall vote to have such question placed on the official ballot, or if a petition signed as provided in this section shall be filed with more than one city or town clerk, and if such combination of cities or towns, if regarded as a single municipality, would be contiguous to the area constituting the authority, such question shall be placed upon the official ballot in each such city or town. The votes upon such questions shall be counted and returned to each city or town clerk in the same manner as votes for candidates in municipal elections. The city or town clerks for each said city or town shall forthwith notify the authority of the result of its vote. If a majority of the votes cast upon the vote in each city or town shall be in the affirmative, each said city or town shall be deemed to be within the authority effective on the first day of January next following the notifications by the clerks. The authority may not provide service to a city or town that fails to join the transportation area, unless such city or town was receiving service as of July 1, 2000.
MA Gen L ch 161a § 8 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 161a - Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority|Section 8 - Financial Assistance From Commonwealth

Section 8. The commonwealth shall provide financial assistance to the authority through periodic draws by the authority from the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority State and Local Contribution Fund in accordance with section 35T of chapter 10. Receipts credited to said fund shall consist of (i) the base revenue amount or the dedicated sales tax revenue amount as said amounts are defined by said section 35T, and (ii) all assessments received pursuant to section 9. The receipts credited to said fund shall, except as provided in subsection (d) of section 12, section 13, or section 18, meet the full financial obligation of the commonwealth to the authority.
MA Gen L ch 161a § 10 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 161a - Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority|Section 10 - Financial Assistance From the Federal Government

Section 10. The 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 political subdivisions, for any of the purposes of this chapter. If any federal law, administrative regulations 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 to the foregoing, and the authority is hereby authorized and directed to take all actions which are not inconsistent with state law and which are necessary to permit such other department or instrumentality to comply with federal requirements. If the provisions of any federal law, administrative regulation, or practice governing federal assistance for the purposes of this chapter are inconsistent with any provisions of this chapter to the extent that the commonwealth or its political subdivisions are prohibited or potentially prohibited from receiving such assistance, the chairman of the authority shall, within 30 days after the federal government has notified him that an inconsistency may exist, notify the governor, and the clerks of the house and senate of such inconsistency.
MA Gen L ch 161a § 12 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 161a - Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority|Section 12 - Temporary Notes; Trust Agreements

Section 12. (a) The authority may issue temporary notes under this section (i) to fund temporary cash deficiencies, or (ii) in anticipation of future revenues. The authority shall consult with the state finance and governance board established under section 97 of chapter 6 prior to the sale of any such notes as to the timing and terms thereof.  (b) Any notes issued pursuant to this section shall be payable on or before December 31 of the year following their issue. Such notes shall be general obligations of the authority.  (c) Any notes issued pursuant to under this section shall be secured by a trust agreement by and between the authority and a corporate trustee, which may be any trust company or bank having the powers of a trust company within the commonwealth. Such trust agreement may contain such provisions for protecting and enforcing the rights and remedies of the noteholders as may be reasonable and proper and not in violation of law, including covenants and negative covenants in relation to the financial operations of the authority and to the custody, safeguarding and application of all monies received by or for the account of the authority. It shall be lawful for any bank or trust company incorporated under the laws of the commonwealth to act as depository of note proceeds or other funds under such trust agreement and to furnish such indemnifying bonds or to pledge such securities as may be required by the authority. Such trust agreement may set forth the rights and remedies of the noteholders and the trustee and may restrict the individual right of action by noteholders. In addition to the foregoing, such trust agreement may contain such other provisions as the authority may deem reasonable and proper for the security of the noteholders.  (d) Any notes issued pursuant to this section shall not have any guaranty, pledge, or support from the commonwealth other than that specified in section 8 of this chapter and section 35T of chapter 10, unless specifically authorized by legislation enacted after July 1, 2000.  (e) Except to the extent limited by the trust agreement, the duties of state officials, the authority and its officials, city and town assessors and other city and town officials under this section or the trust agreement or otherwise relating to the levy, collection, custody, safeguarding and application of the assessments upon the cities and towns and other moneys provided in lieu thereof or in reduction thereof, including the duties of city and town assessors and other city and town officials to raise money for and to pay over the assessments, shall be enforceable in a civil action pursuant to section 5 of chapter 249 brought by the authority or the corporate trustee.
MA Gen L ch 161a § 14 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 161a - Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority|Section 14 - Bonds Secured by Trust Agreement Between Authority and Corporate Trustee

Section 14. In the discretion of the authority such bonds or refunding bonds shall be secured by a trust agreement by and between the authority and a corporate trustee, which may be any trust company or bank having the powers of a trust company within or without the commonwealth. Either the resolution providing for the issue of bonds or such trust agreement may contain such provisions for protecting and enforcing the rights and remedies of the bondholders as may be reasonable and proper and not in violation of law, including covenants setting forth the duties of the authority in relation to the acquisition, improvement, maintenance, operation, repair and insurance of property, and the custody, safeguarding and application of all monies and may pledge or assign the revenues to be received, but shall not convey or mortgage any property.  It shall be lawful for any bank or trust company incorporated under the laws of the commonwealth to act as depository of the proceeds of bonds or of revenues and to furnish such indemnifying bonds or to pledge such securities as may be required by the authority. Such trust agreements or bond resolution may set forth the rights and remedies of the bondholders and of the trustee, and may restrict the individual right of action by bondholders. In addition to the foregoing, such trust agreement or bond resolution may contain such other provisions, including a provision for a sinking fund, as the authority may deem reasonable and proper for the security of the bondholders. All expenses incurred in carrying out the provisions of such trust agreement or bond resolution may be treated as current expenses of the authority.
MA Gen L ch 161a § 15 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 161a - Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority|Section 15 - Bonds and Notes Issued by Authority; Securities

Section 15. Bonds and notes issued under this chapter, whether original or refunding, are hereby made securities in which all public officers and public bodies of the commonwealth and its political subdivisions, all insurance companies, trust companies, banking associations, savings banks, cooperative banks, investment companies, executors, trustees and other fiduciaries, and all other persons whatsoever who are now or may hereafter be authorized to invest in bonds or notes or other obligations of a similar nature may properly and legally invest funds, including capital, deposits or other funds in their control or belonging to them. Such bonds and notes are hereby made securities which may properly and legally be deposited with and received by any state or municipal officer or any agency or political subdivision of the commonwealth for any purpose for which the deposit of bonds or other obligations of the commonwealth now or may hereafter be authorized by law.