reglab/housing_qa huggingface dataset:
MA Gen L ch 164 § 17 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 164 - Manufacture and Sale of Gas and Electricity|Section 17 - Improper Issue of Stock, Bonds or Other Securities; Penalty

Section 17. A director, treasurer or other officer or agent of a gas or electric company who knowingly votes to authorize the issue of, or knowingly signs, certifies or issues, stock, bonds or other securities contrary to any provision of section fourteen or sixteen, or who knowingly votes to authorize the application of, or knowingly applies, the proceeds of such stock, bonds or other securities contrary to any said provision, or who knowingly votes to assume or incur, or knowingly assumes or incurs in the name or behalf of such corporation, any debt or liability except for the legitimate purposes of the corporation, shall be punished by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars or by imprisonment for not more than one year, or both.
MA Gen L ch 164 § 17a (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 164 - Manufacture and Sale of Gas and Electricity|Section 17a - Investments; Approval of Department; Violations by Officers; Penalty

Section 17A. No gas or electric company shall, except in accordance with such rules and regulations as the department shall from time to time prescribe, loan its funds to, guarantee or endorse the indebtedness of, or invest its funds in the stock, bonds, certificates of participation or other securities of, any corporation, association or trust unless the said loan, guaranty or endorsement, or investment is approved in writing by the department. A director, treasurer or other officer or agent of a gas or electric company who makes such loan, guaranty or endorsement or purchases such securities or votes to authorize such loan, guaranty or endorsement or such purchase in violation of this section shall be punished by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars or by imprisonment for not more than one year, or both. Any company supplying electricity in bulk which is authorized by special act to engage in manufacture or to construct mills or factory buildings, or to otherwise construct or develop real estate for industrial purposes, shall be exempt from the provisions of this section.
MA Gen L ch 164 § 18 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 164 - Manufacture and Sale of Gas and Electricity|Section 18 - Disposition of Shares

Section 18. Except as otherwise provided in this section, shares of the capital stock of a gas or electric company shall be offered at such price, not less than par, as its directors may fix. The vote of the department, as provided in section fourteen, as to the amount of stock reasonably necessary for the purpose for which the issue of such shares has been authorized, shall be based on the price fixed by the directors unless the department deems that such price is so low as to be inconsistent with the public interest, in which case it may fix the price at which such shares may be issued. If it deems that such shares cannot be disposed of at or above the par value thereof, it may, notwithstanding the provisions of this or any other section, authorize the issue of such shares at a price less than the par value thereof and with such requirements for the amortization of the discount as it may deem necessary in the public interest. Its determination shall be made part of the vote of the department as provided in section fourteen, and shall be certified and recorded as therein prescribed.
MA Gen L ch 164 § 19 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 164 - Manufacture and Sale of Gas and Electricity|Section 19 - Sale of Unissued Capital Stock; Terms; Auction Sale

Section 19. A gas or electric company may issue any unissued shares of its capital stock from time to time authorized under its articles of incorporation in such manner, at such times, upon such terms, and at such price, not less than par, except as otherwise authorized by the department as provided in section eighteen, to be paid in cash, as the directors shall determine and as may be approved by the department. If such shares are to be sold by auction, they shall be offered for sale in the city of Boston or in such other city or town as the department prescribes, and notice of the time and place of the sale shall be published at least five times during the ten days immediately preceding the sale in at least three of such daily newspapers as the department may prescribe.
MA Gen L ch 164 § 20 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 164 - Manufacture and Sale of Gas and Electricity|Section 20 - Commencement of Business; Liability of Officers, Contribution

Section 20. A corporation subject to this chapter shall not begin business until the whole amount of its capital stock, or such part thereof as may have been approved by the department, has been paid in and a certificate of that fact has been filed in accordance with section ten. The president, directors and other officers shall be jointly and severally liable for debts contracted on behalf of the corporation before such payment has been made and such certificate has been filed. Any director or officer who pays on a judgment rendered on a claim asserted under this section shall be entitled to contribution in the manner and to the extent provided in section sixty-six of chapter one hundred and fifty-six B.
MA Gen L ch 164 § 21 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 164 - Manufacture and Sale of Gas and Electricity|Section 21 - Authorization Necessary to Transfer Franchise, Lease Works or Contract to Carry on Works

Section 21. A corporation subject to this chapter shall not, except as otherwise expressly provided, transfer its franchise, lease its works or contract with any person, association or corporation to carry on its works, without the authority of the general court.
MA Gen L ch 164 § 22 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 164 - Manufacture and Sale of Gas and Electricity|Section 22 - Deposits

Section 22. All deposits of funds of corporations subject to this chapter shall be made by the officers thereof in national banks, duly chartered trust companies, savings banks, co-operative banks or federal savings and loan associations; but the foregoing provision shall not apply to any deposit for a period of not more than sixty days made for the purpose of meeting obligations maturing within said period, or to any deposit for a similar period of time resulting from the sale of obligations or securities.
MA Gen L ch 164 § 23 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 164 - Manufacture and Sale of Gas and Electricity|Section 23 - Voting by Stockholders; Proxy

Section 23. Stockholders may vote in person or by proxy. No proxy dated more than six months before the meeting named therein shall be valid and no proxy shall be valid after the final adjournment of such meeting. A proxy with respect to stock held in the name of two or more persons shall be valid if executed by any one of them unless at or prior to exercise of the proxy the corporation receives a specific written notice to the contrary from any one of them. A proxy purporting to be executed by or on behalf of a stockholder shall be deemed valid unless challenged at or prior to its exercise and the burden of proving invalidity shall rest on the challenger. If not otherwise determined by the articles of organization or by-laws of the corporation, each stockholder shall be entitled to one vote for each share owned by him.
MA Gen L ch 164 § 24 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 164 - Manufacture and Sale of Gas and Electricity|Section 24 - Voting by Stockholders; Articles of Organization or By-Laws Controlling

Section 24. (a) Whenever, with respect to any action to be taken by the stockholders of a corporation subject to this chapter, the articles of organization or by-laws require the vote or concurrence of the holders of all of the shares, or of any class or series thereof, or a greater proportion thereof than required by this chapter with respect to such action, the provisions of the articles of organization or by-laws shall control.  (b) Whenever, with respect to any action to be taken by the stockholders of such corporation as to which a vote of each class of stock outstanding and entitled to vote thereon is required by this chapter, the articles of organization or by-laws provide that two or more classes of stock shall vote as a single class, the provisions of the articles of organization or by-laws shall control, provided, however, that no such provision shall deprive any class or series of stock whose rights would be adversely affected by such action of any right to a separate vote which such class or series may have under section eight A or section eight C.
MA Gen L ch 164 § 25 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 164 - Manufacture and Sale of Gas and Electricity|Section 25 - Stockholders of Public Service Corporation; Use of Name or Title Thereof Prohibited; Violations; Penalty; Proceedings; Injunction; Exception

Section 25. No person owning, holding or controlling shares of stock of any public service corporation shall use any name or title or other words that, in the opinion of the department, might lead the public to believe that such person is a public service corporation or that its business is that of a public service corporation. The department may investigate and determine whether any person is violating this section; and any person violating any provision hereof shall forfeit to the commonwealth one hundred dollars a day for every day or part thereof during which such violation continues after the determination aforesaid. Any such violation shall forthwith be reported by the department to the attorney general, after said determination and notice thereof to such person. The said forfeiture may be recovered by an information or other appropriate proceeding brought in the supreme judicial or superior court in the name of the attorney general. Upon such information or other proceeding the court may issue an injunction restraining such person from further prosecution of his business within the commonwealth during the pendency of such proceeding or for all time, and may make such other order or decree as equity and justice may require. This section shall not apply to the continued use by any person of any name or title adopted prior to April seventeenth, nineteen hundred and thirteen.
MA Gen L ch 164 § 29 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 164 - Manufacture and Sale of Gas and Electricity|Section 29 - Change of Officers; Filing of Certificate of Change

Section 29. A duplicate of each certificate of change of officers filed pursuant to section fifty-three of chapter one hundred and fifty-six B with respect to a corporation subject to this chapter shall be filed forthwith in the office of the department.
MA Gen L ch 164 § 30 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 164 - Manufacture and Sale of Gas and Electricity|Section 30 - Change of Location

Section 30. The department may, after notice and a public hearing, authorize a gas or electric company to carry on its business in any town in the commonwealth other than the town named in its agreement of association or charter, subject to sections eighty-six to eighty-eight, inclusive, and it may purchase, hold and convey real and personal estate in such other town necessary for carrying on its business therein.
MA Gen L ch 164 § 31 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 164 - Manufacture and Sale of Gas and Electricity|Section 31 - Amount of Stock in Gas Companies Held by Corporation

Section 31. A manufacturing or other corporation having its place of business in a city or town where a gas company proposes to manufacture gas for light may hold not more than ten per cent of the capital stock of such gas company; provided, that the foregoing provisions shall not prevent a domestic corporation having its principal place of business in the commonwealth from holding more than ten per cent of the capital stock of a gas company.
MA Gen L ch 164 § 33 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 164 - Manufacture and Sale of Gas and Electricity|Section 33 - Fees for Filing Certificates, Articles and Copies of Votes

Section 33. The fees for filing the following certificates, documents and copies of votes required to be filed by corporations subject to this chapter with the state secretary shall be determined annually by the commissioner of administration under the provision of section three B of chapter seven:  (a) Articles of organization required by section five.  (b) Articles of amendment providing for an increase of the total amount of authorized capital stock.  (c) Any other articles of amendment.  (d) Restated articles of organization in accordance with section eight C; provided, however, that in the event such restated articles of organization incorporate any amendment to the original articles of organization as theretofore amended, there shall be added to the filing fee the amount of the filing fee that would be required under paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section if such amendment had been incorporated in articles of amendment filed in accordance with section eight B.  (e) Articles of consolidation or merger in accordance with section one hundred and two A.  (f) Articles of dissolution pursuant to section one hundred of chapter one hundred and fifty-six B.  (g) Certificates or copies of votes required by section eight D. For each other filing with the state secretary required by law, but no fee shall be required for filing the certificate of change of principal office of the corporation required by section fourteen of chapter one hundred and fifty-six B, the certificate of change of date of annual meeting or change of fiscal year required by section thirty-eight of chapter one hundred and fifty-six B or the certification of change of officers required by section fifty-three of chapter one hundred and fifty-six B.
MA Gen L ch 164 § 33a (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 164 - Manufacture and Sale of Gas and Electricity|Section 33a - Promotional or Political Advertising Expenditures

Section 33A. No gas or electric company regulated by the department under this chapter may recover from any ratepayer of such company any direct or indirect expenditure by such company for promotional or political advertising as defined in this section.  For the purposes of this section, the following words and phrases shall have the following meanings:—  ''Advertising'', the commercial use by a utility of any media, including newspaper, printed matter, radio, and television, in order to transmit a message to a substantial number of members of the public or to such utility's consumers.  ''Political advertising'', any advertising for the purpose of influencing public opinion with respect to legislative, administrative, or electoral matters, or with respect to any controversial issue of public importance.  ''Promotional advertising'', any advertising for the purpose of encouraging any person to select or use the service or additional service of a utility regulated by the department, or the selection or installation of any appliance or equipment designed to use such utility's service.  For the purposes of this section, the terms ''political advertising'' and ''promotional advertising'' shall not include advertising which informs consumers of any utility on how they can conserve energy, reduce peak demand for energy, or other services, or otherwise use the services of any utility in a cost-efficient manner; is required by federal or state laws or regulations; informs consumers regarding service interruptions, safety measures, or emergency conditions; concerns employment opportunities with a utility; or relates to any explanation or justification of existing or proposed rate schedules, or notification of hearings thereon which informs consumers of and stimulates the use of products or services which are subject to direct competition from products or services of entities not regulated by the department or any other government agency.
MA Gen L ch 164 § 34 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 164 - Manufacture and Sale of Gas and Electricity|Section 34 - Town's Authority to Operate Gas or Electric Plant or Community Antenna Television System

Section 34. A town may, in accordance with this chapter, construct, purchase or lease, and maintain within its limits, one or more plants for the manufacture or distribution of gas or electricity or for the operation of a community antenna television system for municipal use or for the use of its inhabitants. Such plants may include suitable land, structures and machinery and other apparatus and appliances for operating a community antenna television system or for manufacturing, using and distributing gas or electricity for said purposes. A town, engaged in the business of operating a community antenna television system, or of distributing gas or electricity, may, as a part of such business if an appropriation is made therefor, rent, lease, or sell for cash or credit at prevailing retail prices, install and service, within the territory served by such business, merchandise, equipment, utensils and chattels of any description, incidental or auxiliary to the operation of a community antenna television system, or to the use of gas or electricity distributed to its consumers or necessary or expedient in the protection or management of its property used in such business. Wherever apt, the provisions of this chapter and chapter forty-four which apply to the operation and maintenance of a municipal light plant shall apply also to the operation and maintenance of a community antenna television system.
MA Gen L ch 164 § 34b (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 164 - Manufacture and Sale of Gas and Electricity|Section 34b - Replacement of Existing Poles

Section 34B. A distribution company or a telephone company engaging in the removal of an existing pole and the installation of a new pole in place thereof shall complete the transfer of wires, all repairs, and the removal of the existing pole from the site within 90 days from the date of installation of the new pole; provided, however, that for any approved commercial or industrial construction project, the completion of which is expected to take longer than one year, said company shall be required to remove such pole within six months from the date of installation of the new pole. The owner of such pole shall notify all other users of the starting date of such removal and installation work at least 48 hours prior to the commencement of such work, and said owner shall require all other users to remove their wiring and other attachments from the poles in a timely manner.
MA Gen L ch 164 § 35 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 164 - Manufacture and Sale of Gas and Electricity|Section 35 - Vote of City to Acquire Plant

Section 35. A city shall not acquire such a plant until authorized by a two thirds vote of its city council, or of a majority of the commissioners if the city government consists of a commission, passed in each of two consecutive municipal years and thereafter ratified by a majority of the voters at an annual or special city election. If such a vote is not ratified, no similar vote shall be submitted for ratification within one year thereafter.
MA Gen L ch 164 § 36 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 164 - Manufacture and Sale of Gas and Electricity|Section 36 - Vote of Town to Acquire Plant

Section 36. A town shall not acquire such a plant until authorized by a two thirds vote, taken by ballot with the use of the voting list, at each of two town meetings called therefor and held at intervals of not less than two nor more than thirteen months. If the first of such votes is favorable and the second unfavorable, or if both such votes are unfavorable, no similar vote shall be passed within two years thereafter.
MA Gen L ch 164 § 37 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 164 - Manufacture and Sale of Gas and Electricity|Section 37 - Certification of Vote of City or Town to Department

Section 37. After a city or town has voted under section thirty-five or thirty-six, the city or town clerk shall forthwith transmit to the department a certified copy of so much of the records of the city council or of the town as relates to the result of the vote.
MA Gen L ch 164 § 38 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 164 - Manufacture and Sale of Gas and Electricity|Section 38 - Certification of Subsequent Votes

Section 38. If a city or town which has authorized the acquisition of such a plant subsequently votes to establish, purchase, reconstruct, extend or enlarge a plant, or to issue bonds, notes or certificates of indebtedness on account thereof, or to regulate the management or conduct thereof, or to adopt an ordinance or by-law relative thereto, the city or town clerk shall, within ten days after such vote, transmit to the department a certified copy thereof.
MA Gen L ch 164 § 39 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 164 - Manufacture and Sale of Gas and Electricity|Section 39 - Failure to Certify Vote; Penalty

Section 39. A city or town clerk failing to comply with any provision of the two preceding sections shall forfeit not more than twenty-five dollars.
MA Gen L ch 164 § 40 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 164 - Manufacture and Sale of Gas and Electricity|Section 40 - Debt Incurred for Establishing, Purchasing, Extending, etc., Light Plant

Section 40. A city or town which has duly voted to acquire a municipal lighting plant may incur debt as provided in section eight of chapter forty-four for establishing, purchasing, extending, enlarging, reconstructing or making extraordinary repairs to such plant within the limits of the territory within which such plant is authorized to distribute its products.
MA Gen L ch 164 § 41 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 164 - Manufacture and Sale of Gas and Electricity|Section 41 - Enlargement of Plant

Section 41. A city or town owning such a plant shall not, except by a vote taken in the manner prescribed in section eight of chapter forty-four, reconstruct, enlarge or extend such plant. This section shall not apply to expenditures for ordinary maintenance, repair or replacement, or for new equipment necessary to generate or distribute gas or electricity to new consumers.