reglab/statecodes huggingface dataset:
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title I - Jurisdiction and Emblems of the Commonwealth, the General Court, Statutes and Public Documents › Chapter 3 - The General Court › Section 31 - Committee Expenses; Authorization by General Court

Section 31. Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, no joint committee of the general court shall, unless authorized by order or rule of both branches, incur any expense to be paid by the commonwealth; and no committee of either branch shall, unless authorized by order or rule of the branch to which it belongs, incur such expense.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title I - Jurisdiction and Emblems of the Commonwealth, the General Court, Statutes and Public Documents › Chapter 3 - The General Court › Section 32 - Expenses of Committees Acting During Recess

Section 32. No committee of the general court shall, after the close of the regular session, incur any expense to be paid by the commonwealth unless there is an authorized appropriation therefor.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title I - Jurisdiction and Emblems of the Commonwealth, the General Court, Statutes and Public Documents › Chapter 3 - The General Court › Section 32a - Committees, Sub-Committees and Special Commissions; Travel

Section 32A. No special commission, no special or standing committee of the general court or of either branch of the general court and no sub-committee of any such commission or committee shall travel either within or without the commonwealth except by a vote of a majority of the total membership of such commission or committee, nor until the written approval of the presiding officers of both branches of the general court or of the presiding officer of the appropriate branch has been received. Such written approval shall specify the purpose of the trip, the places to be visited, the time within which such travel is to be completed and the names of all members or other persons authorized to travel.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title I - Jurisdiction and Emblems of the Commonwealth, the General Court, Statutes and Public Documents › Chapter 3 - The General Court › Section 33 - Publication of Bulletins of Committee Hearings

Section 33. The committees on rules of the 2 branches, acting concurrently, shall publish electronically during each regular session of the general court bulletins of committee hearings.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title I - Jurisdiction and Emblems of the Commonwealth, the General Court, Statutes and Public Documents › Chapter 3 - The General Court › Section 35 - Advertisement of Legislative Committee Hearings; Publication

Section 35. Advertisements of hearings of legislative committees shall be published on the official website of the general court and may be published in additional publications if the chairs of the committee determine that additional publication is necessary to reach those with a substantial interest in a matter pending at the hearing.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title I - Jurisdiction and Emblems of the Commonwealth, the General Court, Statutes and Public Documents › Chapter 3 - The General Court › Section 38a - Bills Reported Favorably by Joint or Ways and Means Committees; Fiscal Notes; Cost Limitation

Section 38A. Joint committees of the general court, the house and senate committees on ways and means and the house and senate committees on bonding, capital expenditures and state assets when reporting favorably on bills referred to them shall include with that report a fiscal note prepared under section 3A of chapter 29 showing the estimated cost or fiscal effect of the proposed legislation, if the cost of the legislation exceeds $100,000. Such fiscal notes shall be printed in the daily calendars of each branch whenever said bills appear on the calendar and shall be made available on the official website of the general court.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title I - Jurisdiction and Emblems of the Commonwealth, the General Court, Statutes and Public Documents › Chapter 3 - The General Court › Section 38b - Requests and Recommendations for Appropriations and Capital Outlay Programs or Projects; Public Hearings; Notice

Section 38B. The committee on ways and means of each branch of the general court shall conduct public hearings on all requests and recommendations for appropriations for the executive, judicial and legislative branches of the state government submitted under section 2 of Article LXIII of the Amendments to the Constitution. The house and senate committees on bonding, capital expenditures and state assets, or a committee of the general court having primary jurisdiction over requests and recommendations for capital outlay programs and projects which the governor submits to the general court, shall hold a hearing on such requests and recommendations. Any committee referred to in this section shall give 5 days public notice prior to holding such public hearings.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title I - Jurisdiction and Emblems of the Commonwealth, the General Court, Statutes and Public Documents › Chapter 3 - The General Court › Section 42 - Agreements to Pay Compensation Contingent Upon a Decision of an Executive Officer or Upon Passage or Defeat of Legislation Prohibited

Section 42. No person shall make any agreement whereby any compensation or thing of value is to be paid to any person contingent upon a decision as described in the definition of ''executive lobbying'', or the passage or defeat of any legislation or the approval or veto of any legislation by the governor. No person shall agree to engage in legislative lobbying for consideration to be paid upon the contingency of the outcome of the actions described in the definition of ''legislative lobbying'' or that any legislation is passed or defeated.
Nothing in this section shall prohibit a person whose primary occupation is in marketing or selling a product or service for the person's company of employment from engaging in the sale of that product or service to the commonwealth for a commission or other compensation as long as the person is a full time employee for said company.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title I - Jurisdiction and Emblems of the Commonwealth, the General Court, Statutes and Public Documents › Chapter 3 - The General Court › Section 46 - Docket of Executive and Legislative Agents; Maintenance; Legislative Year

Section 46. The docket of executive and legislative agents shall be maintained for each legislative year, beginning on the first Wednesday of January and ending at the conclusion of business on the final day before the succeeding legislative session.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title I - Jurisdiction and Emblems of the Commonwealth, the General Court, Statutes and Public Documents › Chapter 3 - The General Court › Section 48 - Violation of Secs. 41 to 44 or 47 Respecting Executive or Legislative Agents; Penalties; Prosecutions; Enforcement Procedures

Section 48. Violation of any provision of sections forty, forty-one, forty-two, forty-three and forty-four, or forty-seven shall be punished by a fine of not less than one hundred, nor more than $10,000, or by imprisonment in the state prison for not more than 5 years, or in a jail or house of correction for not more than 21/2 years, or both. Any person acting as an executive or legislative agent who has been found guilty of violating any provisions of said sections shall in addition to such fine, be disqualified from acting as an executive or legislative agent until the termination of the third regular session of the general court after the date of conviction of such offense. Upon investigation and when deemed appropriate the attorney general shall cause prosecutions to be instituted for violation of any provision of sections forty, forty-one and forty-two.
The state secretary shall inspect all statements required by sections forty-three, forty-four and forty-seven filed with him if it appears that any person has failed to file such statement as required by said sections, or if it appears to the state secretary that any such statement filed with him does not conform to law, the state secretary shall within a reasonable time notify the delinquent person, group or organization in writing.
Upon failure to file a statement within fourteen days after receiving notice under this section, or if any statement filed after receiving notice indicates any violation of sections forty-three, forty-four, or forty-seven, the state secretary shall within a reasonable time notify the attorney general thereof and shall furnish him with copies of all papers relating thereto. The attorney general shall examine every such case and upon investigation and when deemed appropriate shall cause prosecutions to be instituted in the name of the commonwealth or shall institute appropriate civil proceedings pursuant to section forty-nine or refer the case to the proper district attorney for such action as may be appropriate.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title I - Jurisdiction and Emblems of the Commonwealth, the General Court, Statutes and Public Documents › Chapter 3 - The General Court › Section 49 - Proceedings to Compel Filing of Proper Statement Required by Secs. 43, 44 or 47;equitable or Mandamus Relief to Enforce Secs. 41 to 43; Speedy Trial

Section 49. The supreme judicial court or superior court may compel any person, group, or organization failing to file a statement required by sections forty-three, forty-four or forty-seven, or filing a statement not conforming to the requirements of said sections in respect to its truth, sufficiently in detail, or otherwise to file a sufficient statement, upon the application of the attorney general. The supreme judicial court or superior court may, upon application of the attorney general, grant equitable or mandamus relief to enforce sections 41 to 43, inclusive, prohibiting the offering or giving of or paying for gifts, meals, beverages, or other items. Relief under this section may include (a) an order to pay to the commonwealth an amount equal to the value of any compensation or thing paid or received in violation of section 42, or the value of any gift, meal, beverage, or other item given or received in violation of section 43; and (b) a civil penalty of up to $10,000 for each violation of sections 41 to 47, inclusive. Proceedings under this section shall be advanced for speedy trial upon the request of either party.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title I - Jurisdiction and Emblems of the Commonwealth, the General Court, Statutes and Public Documents › Chapter 3 - The General Court › Section 50 - Sections Inapplicable to Public Employees or Agents or Other Persons Requested to Appear Before Committee or Commission

Section 50. Sections thirty-nine to forty-nine, inclusive, shall not apply to employees or agents of the commonwealth or of a city, town, district or regional school district who are acting in their capacity as such employees or agents or to any person requested to appear before any committee or commission of the general court by a majority of the members of such committee or commission; provided, that such person performs no other act to influence legislation; and provided further, that the name of such person be recorded in the official records of such committee or commission.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title I - Jurisdiction and Emblems of the Commonwealth, the General Court, Statutes and Public Documents › Chapter 3 - The General Court › Section 51 - Continuous Consolidation of the General Statutes; Counsel to Senate and House; Appointment; Duties as to Statute Revision, Etc.

Section 51. The committees on rules of the senate and house of representatives shall each appoint a skilled person to act as counsel to the senate and house of representatives, respectively, at such compensation as the said committees may approve. The persons so appointed shall serve for the term of two years from the date of appointment, subject to the pleasure of the said committees. They shall, under the direction of the said committees, after each regular session prepare a table of changes in the general statutes, an index to the acts and resolves, and shall from time to time, under the direction of the said committees or of the general court, consolidate and incorporate in the General Laws all new general statutes. They shall, from time to time, under like direction, make such additions and revisions in the index of the General Laws as may be necessary to insure its prompt publication in connection with future revisions of the statutes. The said committees may direct that copies of the index containing such additions and revisions be deposited, from time to time, in the office of the state secretary or elsewhere and made available for public use.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title I - Jurisdiction and Emblems of the Commonwealth, the General Court, Statutes and Public Documents › Chapter 3 - The General Court › Section 52 - Continuous Consolidation of the General Statutes; Counsel's Assistance in Drafting Bills, Etc.

Section 52. The said counsel shall, under like direction, assist members and committees of the senate and house of representatives in drafting bills, and shall advise and assist the committees on bills in the third reading. They shall, so far as possible, draft all bills proposed for legislation as general statutes in the form of specific amendments of or additions to the General Laws.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title I - Jurisdiction and Emblems of the Commonwealth, the General Court, Statutes and Public Documents › Chapter 3 - The General Court › Section 53 - Continuous Consolidation of the General Statutes; Counsel; Proposal of Changes and Corrections; Preparation of Revisions

Section 53. Said counsel may, from time to time, submit to the general court such proposed changes and corrections in the general statutes as they deem necessary or advisable, including recommendations for the repeal of such statutory provisions as have become obsolete or the reasons for the enactment of which have ceased to exist. Said counsel may also submit to the general court such proposed changes in the general statutes as may be recommended to them by the recodification counsel under the provisions of section fifty-five A. If, in their opinion, the necessity of enacting special bills in relation to any particular subject of legislation may, without detriment to the public interest, be avoided in whole or in part by the enactment of general legislation, they shall from time to time submit to the general court drafts of such changes in or additions to the General Laws as will accomplish said purpose. If and as directed by the committees on rules of the senate and house of representatives, acting concurrently, said counsel shall proceed to revise the General Laws, including amendments thereof, as a whole or chapter by chapter or otherwise; and in the course of such a revision said counsel may recommend the omission of redundant enactments and those which may have ceased to have any effect or influence on existing rights, the rejection of superfluous words, the condensation of all circuitous, tautological and ambiguous phraseology into as concise and comprehensive a form as is consistent with the full and clear expression of the will of the general court, the filling of omissions and the correction of any mistakes, inconsistencies and imperfections which may appear. They shall advise and assist as to the form of drafts of bills submitted to them in accordance with section thirty-three of chapter thirty.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title I - Jurisdiction and Emblems of the Commonwealth, the General Court, Statutes and Public Documents › Chapter 3 - The General Court › Section 54 - Continuous Consolidation of the General Statutes; Counsel; Assistance and Expenses

Section 54. The said counsel may employ such legal and other assistance as may be necessary in the discharge of their duties, subject to the approval of the said committees on rules, and may expend with like approval such sums as may be necessary for office, printing and other expenses.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title I - Jurisdiction and Emblems of the Commonwealth, the General Court, Statutes and Public Documents › Chapter 3 - The General Court › Section 55 - Continuous Consolidation of the General Statutes; Counsel; Exempt From Civil Service

Section 55. The said counsel shall not be deemed to be executive or administrative officers within the meaning of the constitution, but shall serve directly under the general court. They and their assistants shall not be subject to chapter thirty-one.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title I - Jurisdiction and Emblems of the Commonwealth, the General Court, Statutes and Public Documents › Chapter 3 - The General Court › Section 55a - Continuous Consolidation of the General Statutes; General Laws; Correction, Revision, Etc.

Section 55A. The committees on rules of the two branches, acting concurrently, shall appoint a skilled person as recodification counsel and a skilled person as assistant recodification counsel. The assistant recodification counsel shall assist the recodification counsel in the performance of his duties and, in the absence of the recodification counsel, shall act in his stead. The recodification counsel and the assistant recodification counsel shall not be deemed to be executive or administrative officers within the meaning of the constitution, but shall serve directly under the general court. The recodification counsel may employ such legal and other assistance as may be necessary in the discharge of his duties, subject to the approval of the committees on rules of the two branches, acting concurrently, and may expend with like approval such sums as may be necessary for office, printing and other expenses.
The recodification counsel shall, from time to time, submit to the counsel to the senate and to the counsel to the house of representatives, jointly, recommendations, including drafts of legislation, for the correction, revision, amendment, rearrangement, consolidation, compilation and recodification of the General Laws, or any of them, and amendments thereof, including recommendations for the repeal of such statutory provisions as have become obsolete or the reasons for the enactment of which have ceased to exist. In submitting recommendations under this section the recodification counsel may recommend the omission or repeal of redundant enactments and those which may have ceased to have any effect on existing rights, the rejection or elimination of superfluous words, the condensation of circuitous, tautological and ambiguous phraseology and the correction of mistakes, inconsistencies and imperfections. Recommendations for changes of provisions of the General Laws and amendments thereof, as provided for in this section, shall be consistent with the will and intent of the general court as expressed in such provisions at the time of such recommendations.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title I - Jurisdiction and Emblems of the Commonwealth, the General Court, Statutes and Public Documents › Chapter 3 - The General Court › Section 64 - Bureaus of Post Audit and Oversight; Legislative Auditors; Quarters; Powers and Duties

Section 64. There are hereby established in the legislative branch of the state government two bureaus of post audit and oversight, one each to serve under and at the discretion of the senate committee on post audit and oversight and the house of representatives committee on post audit and oversight.
The committees shall appoint persons qualified by education, training, and experience who shall be the directors of each bureau and who shall be known as legislative auditors. The committees shall also appoint such assistants to the directors as are necessary to efficiently discharge the duties of the bureaus. The compensation of the legislative auditors and their assistants shall be subject to the approval of the committees on rules of the two branches of the general court. The legislative auditors and their assistants shall not be subject to chapter thirty-one.
The bureaus shall be provided with quarters in the state house or elsewhere at a location convenient to their respective branches. The legislative auditors and their assistants, at the direction of the committees, shall have access to and authority to examine, during regular business hours, any and all records, including, but not limited to books, reports, accounts, vouchers, bank accounts, and money or other property of any agency of the state and it shall be the duty of any officer or employee of any such agency having such records or property in his possession or under his control, to permit access to and examination thereof upon the request of the legislative auditors or their authorized representatives.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title I - Jurisdiction and Emblems of the Commonwealth, the General Court, Statutes and Public Documents › Chapter 3 - The General Court › Section 65 - Senate Art Committee

Section 65. There is hereby established in the senate a senate art committee, hereinafter called the committee, to consist of the president and the minority leader thereof, and seven persons to be appointed by the president, of whom at least 1 may be a member of The Doric Docents Inc. Each member shall be appointed for a term coterminous with that of the president, and shall serve at his pleasure.
The committee may consider and advise the senate relative to any matter germane to the upgrading and restoration of the quarters in the state house used by the members of the senate and its employees, with particular attention to the historical and artistic qualities of said quarters. The committee may file recommendations from time to time with the clerk of the senate.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title I - Jurisdiction and Emblems of the Commonwealth, the General Court, Statutes and Public Documents › Chapter 4 - Statutes › Section 1 - Effective Date of Statutes

Section 1. A statute enacted by the general court which may be made the subject of a referendum petition and which is declared therein to be an emergency law, unless otherwise expressly provided therein, shall take effect as soon as it has the force of a law conformably to the constitution. A statute so enacted which may not be made the subject of such a petition and for which a different time of taking effect is not therein expressly provided shall take effect as soon as it has the force of a law as aforesaid if it is declared therein to be an emergency law, otherwise on the thirtieth day next after the earliest day on which it has the force of a law as aforesaid; provided, that a statute so enacted which may not be made the subject of such a petition and which is to take effect upon its acceptance by a municipal or other corporation or by any board or officer thereof, unless otherwise expressly provided therein, shall, for the purpose of such acceptance only, take effect as soon as it has the force of a law as aforesaid.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title I - Jurisdiction and Emblems of the Commonwealth, the General Court, Statutes and Public Documents › Chapter 4 - Statutes › Section 1a - Reorganization Plans for Executive Department

Section 1A. Any plan presented to the general court by the governor, purporting to be a reorganization plan as provided for under Article LXXXVII of the amendments to the constitution, which does not contain a bill in which is incorporated such amendments of general and special laws, or repeals thereof, as will accomplish the desired reorganization, shall not be deemed to be a reorganization plan within the meaning of said Article LXXXVII.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title I - Jurisdiction and Emblems of the Commonwealth, the General Court, Statutes and Public Documents › Chapter 4 - Statutes › Section 2a - Special Legislative Commissions

Section 2A. Unless otherwise provided, the provisions of this section shall apply to each special commission established to make an investigation and study of any matter.
If it is provided that members of the senate and house of representatives shall be members of such commission, such members shall be designated by the president of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives, respectively.
Such commission (1) shall be provided with quarters in the state house or elsewhere; (2) may expend for expenses and for expert, legal, clerical and other assistance such sums as may be appropriated therefor; (3) may travel within the commonwealth; (4) may hold hearings; (5) shall report to the general court the results of its investigation and study and its recommendations, if any, together with drafts of legislation necessary to carry its recommendations into effect by filing the same with the clerk of either branch; and (6) may report from time to time but shall file its final report not later than the last Wednesday in January in the following year, if it is established, continued, or revived and continued, in an odd-numbered year, or not later than the last Wednesday in December in the same year, if it is established, continued, or revived and continued in an even-numbered year.
Private or executive meetings of each special commission shall be open to the public unless a majority of the members of such commission shall vote otherwise. A notice of each such meeting shall be filed with the clerk of either branch, and the notice or a copy thereof shall be publicly posted in the office of such clerk at least twenty-four hours prior to such meeting, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays.
If such commission is continued, or revived and continued, it shall continue to exercise and perform all the rights, powers and duties previously conferred or imposed on it.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title I - Jurisdiction and Emblems of the Commonwealth, the General Court, Statutes and Public Documents › Chapter 4 - Statutes › Section 3 - Enacting Style of Initiative Measures

Section 3. The enacting style of all measures submitted to the people in pursuance of an initiative petition for a law shall be: Be it enacted by the People, and by their authority.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title I - Jurisdiction and Emblems of the Commonwealth, the General Court, Statutes and Public Documents › Chapter 4 - Statutes › Section 4 - Mode of Acceptance of Statute by Municipality or District

Section 4. Wherever a statute is to take effect upon its acceptance by a municipality or district, or is to be effective in municipalities or districts accepting its provisions, this acceptance shall be, except as otherwise provided in that statute, in a municipality, by vote of the legislative body, subject to the charter of the municipality, or, in a district, by vote of the district at a district meeting.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title I - Jurisdiction and Emblems of the Commonwealth, the General Court, Statutes and Public Documents › Chapter 4 - Statutes › Section 4a - Revocation of Acceptance by Towns of Special Acts

Section 4A. At any time after the expiration of three years from the date on which any special act of the general court has been accepted by the voters of a town, and not less than ninety days before the date of an annual meeting, a petition signed by not less than ten per cent of the registered voters of the town may be filed with the selectmen, requesting that the question of revoking the acceptance of any special act be submitted to the voters. Thereupon the selectmen shall cause the question of revocation of the acceptance of such special act to be placed on the ballot at the next annual election. At said election the vote shall be taken in answer to the following question, which shall be placed on the official ballot to be used for the election of town officers:— ''Shall the acceptance by the town of of an act passed by the General Court in the year , being chapter of the acts of , entitled 'An Act providing in the town of ' be revoked?'' If such revocation is favored by a majority of the voters voting thereon by ballot, the acceptance of said act shall be revoked and said act shall become null and void beginning with the first day of the month next following said revocation. This section shall not apply in towns having a population in excess of fifteen thousand inhabitants, nor shall it apply to any acceptance by a town authorizing but not requiring it to act in any manner, to any action taken under chapters thirty-one or thirty-two, to any special act in which other provision is made for revocation, to any special act which authorizes the making of a capital outlay or public improvement, nor to any special act involving participation or membership in a district including a regional school district. No revocation of a special act hereunder shall affect in any manner any contractual rights, civil service rights, rights of tenure, or pension or retirement rights arising from the provisions of such special act.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title I - Jurisdiction and Emblems of the Commonwealth, the General Court, Statutes and Public Documents › Chapter 4 - Statutes › Section 5 - Return Showing Action of Body Accepting or Rejecting Statute

Section 5. If a statute is to take effect upon action by a body politic or corporate or by any board or officer of such a body, or to become or cease to be operative, in whole or in so far as it affects such a body, upon action as aforesaid, a return of the result of any action so taken shall be made by the clerk of such body, or officer having like powers, to the state secretary within thirty days thereafter. If a statute prescribes a time within which such action may be taken, and within the time limited no action is taken thereon, said clerk or other officer shall, within thirty days after the expiration of the time so limited, make to the state secretary a return to that effect.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title I - Jurisdiction and Emblems of the Commonwealth, the General Court, Statutes and Public Documents › Chapter 4 - Statutes › Section 8 - Construction of Special Acts Authorizing Municipalities to Incur Indebtedness

Section 8. In construing any special act authorizing a city, town or district to incur indebtedness for a specified purpose to a limited amount, such limitation of amount shall be deemed to apply only to the indebtedness authorized by the special act, and not to affect any other power which the city, town or district may have to incur indebtedness for said purpose under any other provisions of law; and in special acts authorizing loans to be payable by proportionate payments, such provision shall be construed to mean payments as nearly equal in amount as is possible without unreasonable fractions, but no payment of the principal shall be greater than any preceding payment.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title I - Jurisdiction and Emblems of the Commonwealth, the General Court, Statutes and Public Documents › Chapter 4 - Statutes › Section 9 - Time for Performance of Acts Performable on Sunday or Holiday

Section 9. Except as otherwise provided, when the day or the last day for the performance of any act, including the making of any payment or tender of payment, authorized or required by statute or by contract, falls on Sunday or a legal holiday, the act may, unless it is specifically authorized or required to be performed on Sunday or on a legal holiday, be performed on the next succeeding business day.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title I - Jurisdiction and Emblems of the Commonwealth, the General Court, Statutes and Public Documents › Chapter 4 - Statutes › Section 9a - Recital Giving Unsealed Instrument Effect of Sealed Instrument; ''person'' Defined

Section 9A. In any written instrument, a recital that such instrument is sealed by or bears the seal of the person signing the same or is given under the hand and seal of the person signing the same, or that such instrument is intended to take effect as a sealed instrument, shall be sufficient to give such instrument the legal effect of a sealed instrument without the addition of any seal of wax, paper or other substance or any semblance of a seal by scroll, impression or otherwise; but the foregoing shall not apply in any case where the seal of a court, public office or public officer is expressly required by the constitution or by statute to be affixed to a paper, nor shall it apply in the case of certificates of stock of corporations. The word ''person'' as used in this section shall include a corporation, association, trust or partnership.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title I - Jurisdiction and Emblems of the Commonwealth, the General Court, Statutes and Public Documents › Chapter 4 - Statutes › Section 9b - Seal of Court; Impression, Stamping or Electronic Imprinting

Section 9B. The impression or stamping of the established seal of a court, public office, public officer or corporation upon a paper shall be taken and held to be the seal of such court, public office, public officer or corporation, and valid in law to the same extent that an impression of such seal would be if made on wax or wafer attached to such paper. Electronically imprinting the established seal of a court in a form authorized by the supreme judicial court, appeals court, the trial court or any department of the trial court of the commonwealth shall be taken and held to be the seal of such court.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title I - Jurisdiction and Emblems of the Commonwealth, the General Court, Statutes and Public Documents › Chapter 4 - Statutes › Section 10 - Daylight Saving Time

Section 10. At two o'clock ante-meridian of the last Sunday in April of each year, the standard time in this commonwealth shall be advanced one hour, and at two o'clock ante-meridian of the last Sunday in October of each year the standard time in this commonwealth shall, by the retarding of one hour, be made to coincide with the mean astronomical time of the degree of longitude governing the zone wherein the commonwealth is situated, the standard official time of which is described as United States standard eastern time, so that between the last Sunday of April at two o'clock ante-meridian and the last Sunday in October at two o'clock ante-meridian in each year the standard time in this commonwealth shall be one hour in advance of the United States standard eastern time. And in all laws, statutes, orders, decrees, rules and regulations relating to the time of performance of any act by any officer or department of the commonwealth, or of any county, city, town or district thereof, or relating to the time in which any rights shall accrue or determine, or within which any act shall or shall not be performed by any person subject to the jurisdiction of the commonwealth, and in all the public schools and in all institutions of the commonwealth, or of any county, city, town or district thereof, and in all contracts or choses in action made or to be performed in the commonwealth, it shall be understood and intended that the time shall be United States standard eastern time as changed by this section.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title I - Jurisdiction and Emblems of the Commonwealth, the General Court, Statutes and Public Documents › Chapter 4 - Statutes › Section 12 - Bi-Partisan Boards; Political Affiliations of Members

Section 12. Establishment, cancellation or change of enrollment in a political party shall, for the purposes of any law establishing or limiting the number of members of any board, commission or other body who shall or may be members of any political party or the same political party, take effect two years thereafter. Any enrollment required for appointment to such a board, commission, or other body must have been maintained continuously during the two years immediately preceding appointment.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title I - Jurisdiction and Emblems of the Commonwealth, the General Court, Statutes and Public Documents › Chapter 4 - Statutes › Section 13 - Legal Notices Required to Be Published in Newspapers; Electronic Publication

Section 13. (a) As used in this section, ''statewide website'' shall mean a website established and maintained as a repository for legal notices and operated as a cooperative effort of a majority of Massachusetts newspapers that distribute newspapers to subscribers residing in the commonwealth.
(b) If a person, corporation, state agency, including its political subdivisions, a state authority, including its political subdivisions, municipality, including its political subdivisions, or other legal entity is required by a statute, ordinance, by-law or judicial order to publish a legal notice in a newspaper or newspaper of general circulation, the person, corporation, agency, authority, municipality or other legal entity shall publish said notice in a newspaper which shall ensure that the legal notice appears in: (i) a newspaper's print publication; (ii) on the newspaper's website; and (iii) on a statewide website that may be maintained as a repository for such notices; provided, however, that if a newspaper does not maintain its own website, publication on a statewide website and reference to the statewide website in the print publication notice shall satisfy the requirement of publication on the newspaper's website.
(c) When publishing legal notices on a newspaper's website or a statewide website, the operator of the website shall:
(i) ensure access by the public to the website at all times, other than during website maintenance or due to causes beyond the operator's control;
(ii) make the full text of legal notices available in a searchable format for the period of time that the legal notice is required to be posted;
(iii) ensure that the website substantially complies with the accessibility standards of section 508 of the federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended and codified at 29 U.S.C. section 794d;
(iv) provide access to view legal notices on the website, and to perform searches for legal notices on such websites, for no fee; provided, that operators of newspaper websites may charge a fee for enhanced search and customized content delivery features;
(v) maintain an archive of legal notices that are no longer displayed on the website for at least 90 days; and
(vi) charge no additional fee for publication on a website in excess of the fee for publishing the legal notice in the print newspaper.
(d) An error in a legal notice published on a newspaper's website or the statewide website that is the result of (i) an error of the website operator; or (ii) a temporary website outage or service interruption that prevents the publication or display of a legal notice on the website shall not constitute a defect in publication of the legal notice; provided, however, that the legal notice appears correctly in the newspaper's print publication and satisfies all other legal notice requirements.
2023 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 1 - Salary of Governor; Housing Expenses; Other Sources of Income

Section 1. (a) The governor shall receive a salary of $185,000 and an additional amount to be adjusted biennially to reflect the aggregate quarterly change in salaries and wages in the commonwealth for the most recent 8 quarters as determined by the Bureau of Economic Analysis in the United States Department of Commerce.
(b) The governor shall receive $65,000 annually for expenses related to housing.
(c) The governor shall not receive earned income from any other source, but may receive unearned or passive income.
2023 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 2 - Salary of Lieutenant Governor; Other Sources of Income

Section 2. (a) The lieutenant governor shall receive a salary of $165,000 and an additional amount to be adjusted biennially to reflect the aggregate quarterly change in salaries and wages in the commonwealth for the most recent 8 quarters as determined by the Bureau of Economic Analysis in the United States Department of Commerce.
(b) The lieutenant governor shall not receive earned income from any other source but may receive unearned or passive income.
2023 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 3 - Salary of Council Members; Term Limitation

Section 3. Each member of the council shall receive a salary of $36,025.
Notwithstanding other provisions of this section to the contrary, any member of the council who has served, or but for resignation would have served, four consecutive terms in that office within the preceding nine years shall receive no compensation. For the purpose of this section, any person serving as a member of the council as of January 15, 1995 shall be deemed to be serving his first term in that office.
2023 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 4 - Traveling Expenses of Lieutenant Governor and Council Members; Term Limits

Section 4. The lieutenant governor and each member of the council shall be paid for his travel from his abode to the place of sitting of the governor and council, and return, such amounts as he certifies in writing that he has actually expended therefor in the performance of his official duties.
Notwithstanding other provisions of this section to the contrary, no lieutenant governor who has served, or but for resignation would have served, two consecutive terms in that office within the preceding eleven years and no member of the council who has served, or but for resignation would have served, four consecutive terms in that office within the preceding nine years shall receive any payment annually for expenses, mileage, meals, lodging or travel. For the purpose of this section, any person serving in one of the foregoing offices as of January 15, 1995 shall be deemed to be serving his first term in that office.
2023 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 5 - Governor's Employees; Compensation

Section 5. The governor may appoint such employees as may be necessary, who shall hold office during the pleasure of the governor, and shall receive such salaries as may be approved by the governor.
2023 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 8 - Entertainment of Distinguished Guests; Expenditures

Section 8. The governor may expend each year such sums as may be appropriated for the entertainment of the president of the United States and other distinguished guests while visiting or passing through the commonwealth.
2023 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 9 - Cooperation With Federal Surveys of Waters, Etc.

Section 9. The governor and council shall co-operate in behalf of the commonwealth in all scientific surveys made by the United States government of harbors, rivers, shores or waters within the commonwealth, and shall represent the commonwealth in relation to such surveys, and protect its interests therein.
2023 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 10 - Appointment of Delegates to Represent Commonwealth at Conventions

Section 10. The governor may appoint state officers as delegates to represent the commonwealth at such conventions as may be held in any part of the United States for the purpose of considering questions of charity, reform, statistics, insurance and other matters affecting the welfare of the people.
2023 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 12a - Veterans Day

Section 12A. The governor shall annually issue a proclamation calling for a proper observance of November eleventh as Veterans Day, in lasting recognition of the service and sacrifice of those sons and daughters of Massachusetts who served in the armed forces of the United States in time of war or insurrection.
2023 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 12aa - Iwo Jima Day

Section 12AA. The governor shall annually issue a proclamation calling for the observance of February nineteenth as Iwo Jima Day, commemorating the extreme heroism and courage of the men and women of the armed forces of the United States who participated in the successful assault of the island of Iwo Jima where ''extraordinary valor was common virtue'', and recommending that said day be observed in appropriate manner by the public.
2023 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 12b - Anniversary of Death of General Pulaski

Section 12B. The governor shall annually issue a proclamation calling for a proper observance of October eleventh, the anniversary of the death of Brigadier General Casimir Pulaski, revolutionary war hero, in lasting recognition of his gallant and illustrious service in the war for American independence.