reglab/statecodes huggingface dataset:
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title X - Public Records › Chapter 66 - Public Records › Section 14 - Surrender of Records by Retiring Officer

Section 14. Whoever has custody of any public records shall, upon the expiration of his term of office, employment or authority, deliver over to his successor all such records which he is not authorized by law to retain, and shall make oath that he has so delivered them, according as they are the records of the commonwealth or of a county, city or town, before the state secretary, the clerk of the county commissioners or the city or town clerk, who shall, respectively, make a record of such oath.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title X - Public Records › Chapter 66 - Public Records › Section 15 - Penalties

Section 15. Whoever unlawfully keeps in his possession any public record or removes it from the room where it is usually kept, or alters, defaces, mutilates or destroys any public record or violates any provision of this chapter shall be punished by a fine of not less than ten nor more than five hundred dollars, or by imprisonment for not more than one year, or both. Any public officer who refuses or neglects to perform any duty required of him by this chapter shall for each month of such neglect or refusal be punished by a fine of not more than twenty dollars.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title X - Public Records › Chapter 66 - Public Records › Section 16 - Surrender of Church Records; Jurisdiction of Superior Court

Section 16. If a church, parish, religious society, monthly meeting of the people called Friends or Quakers, or any similar body of persons who have associated themselves together for holding religious meetings, shall cease for the term of two years to hold such meetings, the persons having the care of any records or registries of such body, or of any officers thereof, shall deliver all such records, except records essential to the control of any property or trust funds belonging to such body, to the custodian of a depository provided by the state organization of the particular denomination or to the clerk of the city or town where such body is situated and such clerk may certify copies thereof upon the payment of the fee as provided by clause (25) of section thirty-four of chapter two hundred and sixty-two. If any such body, the records or registries of which, or of any officers of which, have been so delivered, shall resume meetings under its former name or shall be legally incorporated, either alone or with a similar body, the clerk of such city or town or the custodian of said depository shall, upon written demand by a person duly authorized, deliver such records or registries to him if he shall in writing certify that to the best of his knowledge and belief said meetings are to be continued or such incorporation has been legally completed. The superior court shall have jurisdiction in equity to enforce this section.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title X - Public Records › Chapter 66 - Public Records › Section 17 - Municipality in Which Records to Be Kept; Contracts for Records Storage; Penalty

Section 17. Except as otherwise provided by law, all public records shall be kept in the custody of the person having the custody of similar records in the county or municipality to which the records originally belonged; provided, however, that the custodian of public records may enter into a contract for the storage of records containing public record information, but no contract for the storage of public records shall be entered into if the contract prevents or unduly restricts a records access officer or custodian of records from providing or storing the records in accordance with this chapter. Records not directly in the custodian's possession shall be considered in the custody of the custodian if subject to a contract for the storage of public records that is permitted by this section. If the custodian does not have custody of public records, the custodian shall demand delivery from any person unlawfully having possession of the records, and the records shall immediately be delivered by such person to the custodian. A person who refuses or neglects to perform any duty required by this section shall be punished by fine of not more than $20.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title X - Public Records › Chapter 66 - Public Records › Section 17c - Failure to Maintain Public Records of Meetings; Orders to Maintain

Section 17C. Upon proof of failure of a governmental body as defined in section eleven A of chapter thirty A, section nine F of chapter thirty-four and section twenty-three A of chapter thirty-nine, or by any member or officer thereof to carry out any of the provisions prescribed by this chapter for maintaining public records, a justice of the supreme judicial or the superior court sitting within and for the county in which such governmental body acts or, in the case of a governmental body of the commonwealth, sitting within and for any county, shall issue an appropriate order requiring such governmental body or member or officer thereof to carry out the provisions of this chapter. Such order may be sought by complaint of three or more registered voters, by the attorney general, or by the district attorney for the county in which the governmental body acts. The order of notice on the complaint shall be returnable no later than ten days after the filing thereof and the complaint shall be heard and determined on the return day or on such day thereafter as the court shall fix, having regard to the speediest possible determination of the cause consistent with the rights of the parties; provided, however, that orders with respect to any of the matters referred to in this section may be issued at any time on or after the filing of the complaint without notice when such order is necessary to fulfill the purposes of this section. In the hearing of any such complaint the burden shall be on the respondent to show by a preponderance of the evidence that the actions complained of in such complaint were in accordance with and authorized by section eleven B of chapter thirty A, by section nine G of chapter thirty-four or by section twenty-three B of chapter thirty-nine. All processes may be issued from the clerk's office in the county in which the action is brought and, except as aforesaid, shall be returnable as the court orders.
Any such order may also, when appropriate, require the records of any such meeting of a governmental body to be made a public record unless it shall have been determined by such justice that the maintenance of secrecy with respect to such records is authorized by section eleven B of chapter thirty A, by section nine G of chapter thirty-four or by section twenty-three B of chapter thirty-nine. The remedy created hereby is not exclusive, but shall be in addition to every other available remedy.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title X - Public Records › Chapter 66 - Public Records › Section 17d - Massachusetts Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program Data Base; Division Records; Site-Specific Rare Species Information

Section 17D. Records of the division of fisheries and wildlife in the department of fish and game known as the Massachusetts natural heritage and endangered species program data base shall not be public records; provided, however, that they shall be open for inspection by agents of the commonwealth and the federal government for the purposes of protecting and preserving species and subspecies of nongame wildlife and indigenous plants. Except as otherwise determined by the administrator of the said data base, site-specific rare species information shall be released only upon the receipt of a statement, in writing, by the recipient that he shall keep such information confidential.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title X - Public Records › Chapter 66 - Public Records › Section 19 - Electronic Record Keeping Systems and Databases; Capability Requirements; Storage Contracts; Certain Records to Be Available on Searchable Website

Section 19. (a) When designing or acquiring an electronic record keeping system or database, records access officers shall, consistent with section 17 of chapter 110G, consult with their chief executive officer, chief administrative officer or the Massachusetts office of information technology pursuant to chapter 7D to ensure, to the extent feasible, that the system or database is capable of providing data in a commonly available electronic, machine readable format. Such database designs or acquisitions shall allow for, to the extent feasible, information storage and retrieval methods that permit the segregation and retrieval of public records and redacting of exempt information in order to provide maximum public access. No agency or municipality shall enter into a contract for the storage of electronic records containing public records if the contract prevents or unduly restricts the records access officer from providing the public records in accordance with this chapter.
(b) Every agency shall provide on a searchable website electronic copies, accessible in a commonly available electronic format, of the following types of records, provided that any agency may withhold any record or portion thereof in accordance with state or federal law:
(i) final opinions, decisions, orders, or votes from agency proceedings;
(ii) annual reports;
(iii) notices of regulations proposed under chapter 30A;
(iv) notices of hearings;
(v) winning bids for public contracts;
(vi) awards of federal, state and municipal government grants;
(vii) minutes of open meetings;
(viii) agency budgets; and
(ix) any public record information of significant interest that the agency deems appropriate to post.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title X - Public Records › Chapter 66 - Public Records › Section 20 - Payroll, Financial and Other Data in Centralized State Accounting and Payroll Systems

Section 20. For requests of payroll, financial and other data residing in the centralized state accounting and payroll systems, or associated data warehouses, the comptroller shall make available guidelines on how agencies using these systems may access and disclose public records to ensure that data that is exempted or prohibited from disclosure is not wrongfully disclosed and the security of the system is maintained.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title X - Public Records › Chapter 66 - Public Records › Section 21 - Documents Related to Pensions of Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority Employees

Section 21. A document made or received by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority Retirement Board or any other legal entity, public or private, which receives funds from the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority for the payment or administration of pensions for employees of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority shall be considered a public record under this chapter and under clause twenty-sixth of section 7 of chapter 4 and subject to all applicable exemptions; provided, however, that subsection (6) of section 23 of chapter 32 shall also apply to these documents.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title X - Public Records › Chapter 66a - Fair Information Practices › Section 1 - Definitions

Section 1. As used in this chapter, the following words shall have the following meanings unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:—
''Agency'', any agency of the executive branch of the government, including but not limited to any constitutional or other office, executive office, department, division, bureau, board, commission or committee thereof; or any authority created by the general court to serve a public purpose, having either statewide or local jurisdiction.
''Automated personal data system'', a personal data system in which personal data is stored, in whole or in part, in a computer or in electronically controlled or accessible files.
''Computer accessible'', recorded on magnetic tape, magnetic film, magnetic disc, magnetic drum, punched card, or optically scannable paper or film.
''Criminal justice agency'', an agency at any level of government which performs as its principal function activity relating to (a) the apprehension, prosecution, defense, adjudication, incarceration, or rehabilitation of criminal offenders; or (b) the collection, storage, dissemination, or usage of criminal offender record information.
''Data subject'', an individual to whom personal data refers. This term shall not include corporations, corporate trusts, partnerships, limited partnerships, trusts or other similar entities.
''Holder'', an agency which collects, uses, maintains or disseminates personal data or any person or entity which contracts or has an arrangement with an agency whereby it holds personal data as part or as a result of performing a governmental or public function or purpose. A holder which is not an agency is a holder, and subject to the provisions of this chapter, only with respect to personal data so held under contract or arrangement with an agency.
''Manual personal data system'', a personal data system which is not an automated or other electronically accessible or controlled personal data system.
''Personal data'', any information concerning an individual which, because of name, identifying number, mark or description can be readily associated with a particular individual; provided, however, that such information is not contained in a public record, as defined in clause Twenty-sixth of section seven of chapter four and shall not include intelligence information, evaluative information or criminal offender record information as defined in section one hundred and sixty-seven of chapter six.
''Personal data system'', a system of records containing personal data, which system is organized such that the data are retrievable by use of the identity of the data subject.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title X - Public Records › Chapter 66a - Fair Information Practices › Section 3 - Rules and Regulations

[ Text of section effective until May 30, 2023. For text effective May 30, 2023, see below.]
Section 3. The secretary of each executive office shall promulgate rules and regulations to carry out the purposes of this chapter which shall be applicable to all agencies, departments, boards, commissions, authorities, and instrumentalities within each of said executive offices subject to the approval of the commissioner of administration. The department of housing and community development shall promulgate rules and regulations to carry out the purposes of this chapter which shall be applicable to local housing and redevelopment authorities of the cities and towns. Any agency not within any such executive office shall be subject to the regulations of the commissioner of administration. The attorney general, the state secretary, the state treasurer and the state auditor shall adopt applicable regulations for their respective departments.
Chapter 66A: Section 3. Rules and regulations
[ Text of section as amended by 2023, 7, Sec. 234 effective May 30, 2023. See 2023, 7, Sec. 298. For text effective until May 30, 2023, see above.]
Section 3. The secretary of each executive office shall promulgate rules and regulations to carry out the purposes of this chapter which shall be applicable to all agencies, departments, boards, commissions, authorities, and instrumentalities within each of said executive offices subject to the approval of the commissioner of administration. The executive office of housing and livable communities shall promulgate rules and regulations to carry out the purposes of this chapter which shall be applicable to local housing and redevelopment authorities of the cities and towns. Any agency not within any such executive office shall be subject to the regulations of the commissioner of administration. The attorney general, the state secretary, the state treasurer and the state auditor shall adopt applicable regulations for their respective departments.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title XI - Certain Religious and Charitable Matters › Chapter 67 - Parishes and Religious Societies › Section 1 - Continuance of Existing Corporations

Section 1. Every religious society heretofore established or organized under any statute shall continue a body corporate with the powers given to such corporations by law, and with the powers, privileges, liabilities and duties set forth in this chapter; but this chapter shall not impair the existing rights of property of any territorial parish.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title XI - Certain Religious and Charitable Matters › Chapter 67 - Parishes and Religious Societies › Section 2 - Existing Societies; Limitation or Modification of Rights, Privileges, Etc.

Section 2. Religious societies, incorporated or unincorporated, shall continue to have and enjoy their existing rights, privileges and immunities, except as limited or modified by this chapter.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title XI - Certain Religious and Charitable Matters › Chapter 67 - Parishes and Religious Societies › Section 3 - Status of Church Privileges

Section 3. Churches connected and associated in public worship with such religious societies shall continue to have, exercise and enjoy all their accustomed privileges and liberties respecting divine worship, church order and discipline, and shall be encouraged in the peaceable and regular enjoyment and practice thereof.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title XI - Certain Religious and Charitable Matters › Chapter 67 - Parishes and Religious Societies › Section 5 - Membership; Rights and Restrictions

Section 5. A person belonging to such society shall continue a member thereof until he files with the clerk a written declaration of the dissolution of his membership; but after filing such notice he shall not be liable for any grant or contract thereafter made on entered into by such society. No person shall be made a member of a religious society without his written consent.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title XI - Certain Religious and Charitable Matters › Chapter 67 - Parishes and Religious Societies › Section 7 - Meetings; Election of Officers; Tenure; Vacancies

Section 7. Every incorporated religious society shall hold an annual meeting at such time as it shall prescribe by its by-laws, and, if the by-laws do not otherwise provide, at a place appointed by its assessors or standing committee; and at such meeting it shall choose a moderator, clerk, a standing committee or two or more assessors, a treasurer, a collector, and such other officers as it may think necessary, all of whom, except the moderator, shall, except as otherwise provided in this chapter, hold office until the next annual meeting and until their successors are qualified. Vacancies in said offices may be filled at any legal meeting.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title XI - Certain Religious and Charitable Matters › Chapter 67 - Parishes and Religious Societies › Section 8 - Method of Election of Officers

Section 8. Moderators for meetings held for the choice of officers shall be elected by ballot. Clerks, assessors, treasurers and collectors shall be elected by ballot, and shall be sworn. Other officers may be elected in such manner as the society determines.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title XI - Certain Religious and Charitable Matters › Chapter 67 - Parishes and Religious Societies › Section 9 - Powers of Moderator

Section 9. The moderator shall have like powers with the moderator of a town meeting; and whoever is guilty of disorderly behavior at a meeting of a religious society shall be subject to the penalties provided for like offences in town meetings.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title XI - Certain Religious and Charitable Matters › Chapter 67 - Parishes and Religious Societies › Section 10 - Assessors or Standing Committee; Election; Tenure

Section 10. The assessors or standing committee may be elected for such term, not exceeding three years, as the parish or religious society may by vote or by-law prescribe, and the vote or by-law may provide that the term of office of the assessors or members of the standing committee may expire in different years.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title XI - Certain Religious and Charitable Matters › Chapter 67 - Parishes and Religious Societies › Section 11 - Management of Prudential Affairs

Section 11. The prudential affairs of such societies shall be managed by their assessors or by a standing committee, who, unless the by-laws otherwise provide, shall have like authority for calling meetings as selectmen have for calling town meetings.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title XI - Certain Religious and Charitable Matters › Chapter 67 - Parishes and Religious Societies › Section 12 - Procedure When Officers Fail to Call Meeting

Section 12. If there are no assessors or committee, or if such officers unreasonably refuse to call a meeting, a justice of the peace may, upon the application of five or more membors, call a meeting in the manner provided in section twenty-two.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title XI - Certain Religious and Charitable Matters › Chapter 67 - Parishes and Religious Societies › Section 14 - Warrant for Meetings; Contents

Section 14. The assessors or committee shall insert in the warrant for a meeting any matter the insertion of which five or more members of the society may in writing request. Nothing shall be acted upon at a meeting unless the subject matter thereof was inserted in the warrant.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title XI - Certain Religious and Charitable Matters › Chapter 67 - Parishes and Religious Societies › Section 15 - Presiding Officer During Selection of Moderator; Oath of Office

Section 15. The clerk or, if there is no clerk or if he is absent, one of the assessors or of the standing committee shall preside in the choice of a moderator, after which a clerk may be chosen, either pro tempore or to fill the vacancy. The moderator may administer the oath of office to the clerk, and the clerk to the assessors, treasurer and collector, or said oaths may be administered by a justice of the peace.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title XI - Certain Religious and Charitable Matters › Chapter 67 - Parishes and Religious Societies › Section 16 - Collector

Section 16. If the person who is chosen collector is present and accepts the office, he shall forthwith be sworn. If not present, he shall be summoned to take the oath by a constable or by any person whom the clerk or assessors appoint for the purpose. Upon the refusal or neglect of a person present to accept such office at the time, or upon the neglect of a person so summoned, for the space of seven days, to appear and take the oath, the society shall proceed to a new choice; and so from time to time until some person accepts and is sworn.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title XI - Certain Religious and Charitable Matters › Chapter 67 - Parishes and Religious Societies › Section 17 - Appropriations

Section 17. A religious society may, at its annual meeting or at any other meeting regularly notified seven days at least before the holding thereof, grant and vote money necessary for the settlement and support of ministers or public teachers of religion, for the building or repairing of houses of public worship, for sacred music, for the purchase and preservation of burial grounds, and for other necessary parish charges.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title XI - Certain Religious and Charitable Matters › Chapter 67 - Parishes and Religious Societies › Section 18 - Assessments on Pews and Property of Members; Liability of Members for Parish Debts

Section 18. No parish or religious society shall assess taxes on the polls or estates of its members; but pews may be assessed as heretofore. No member of any territorial or other parish shall, as such, be personally liable for any debt or obligation of the parish incurred after April sixth, eighteen hundred and ninety-seven.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title XI - Certain Religious and Charitable Matters › Chapter 67 - Parishes and Religious Societies › Section 19 - Sale or Removal of Pews or Meeting-House

Section 19. A religious society may, under sections thirty-three and thirty-four, for the purpose of altering, enlarging, removing or rebuilding its house or building a new house, take down any pews therein or sell the house.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title XI - Certain Religious and Charitable Matters › Chapter 67 - Parishes and Religious Societies › Section 21 - Incorporation of Religious Societies

Section 21. An unincorporated religious society, if it contains ten or more members, male or female, may become a corporation, and may hold so much real and personal estate as may be necessary for the objects of such organization, and no more.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title XI - Certain Religious and Charitable Matters › Chapter 67 - Parishes and Religious Societies › Section 22 - Organization Meeting; Certificate of Incorporation, Filing, Etc.

Section 22. A justice of the peace, upon written application by five or more of the members of such society, may issue his warrant directed to one of the applicants, stating the objects of the proposed meeting, and requiring him to warn the members of the society to meet at a time and place appointed in the warrant; and such warrant may be served by posting an attested copy thereof on the principal outer door or some other conspicuous part of the meeting house of such society or by leaving such copy with, or at the last and usual places of abode of, the members of the society seven days at least before such meeting; and, upon return thereof, the same or any other justice of the peace may preside at the meeting during the choice and qualification of a clerk and until a moderator is chosen; and the society may thereupon choose a moderator and do such other things as parishes may do at their annual meetings, if the subject matter thereof is inserted in the warrant. The clerk shall enter at large upon the records of the society the proceedings in the organization thereof.
The moderator and clerk shall forthwith make, sign, swear to and file in the office of the state secretary a certificate stating the name of the corporation, its purpose, the town and county where located, the date of the meeting for organization and any adjournments thereof and the names of the officers elected; otherwise the organization shall be void.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title XI - Certain Religious and Charitable Matters › Chapter 67 - Parishes and Religious Societies › Section 23 - Incorporation of Religious Society

Section 23. Ten or more persons, male or female, who desire to form a religious society, may make written application therefor to a justice of the peace, who may thereupon issue his warrant, directed to one of the applicants, stating the objects of the proposed society, and requiring him to warn said persons to meet at a time and place appointed in the warrant. The warrant shall be issued, served and executed, and the meeting held in the manner and for the purposes set forth in the preceding section; and such persons, upon complying with said section, shall become a corporation under a name to be assumed at such meeting, with all the powers, rights and privileges, and subject to all the duties, limitations and restrictions, relating to religious societies.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title XI - Certain Religious and Charitable Matters › Chapter 67 - Parishes and Religious Societies › Section 24 - Incorporation of Owners of Meeting Houses

Section 24. Persons owning or proposing to build a house of public worship may organize in the manner provided by the preceding section, and shall thereupon become a corporation with the powers and subject to the duties set forth in chapter one hundred and fifty-five and in the following sections.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title XI - Certain Religious and Charitable Matters › Chapter 67 - Parishes and Religious Societies › Section 25 - Restrictions on Amount of Property Owned; Use of Income

Section 25. Such corporation may hold so much real and personal estate, in addition to its meeting house, as may be necessary for its objects, and no more; and the annual income thereof shall be applied to parochial purposes.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title XI - Certain Religious and Charitable Matters › Chapter 67 - Parishes and Religious Societies › Section 27 - Use of Funds; Purposes

Section 27. Such corporation, at a legal meeting called for the purpose, may vote to alter, enlarge, repair, rebuild or remove its house, or to build a new one, and may vote the money necessary for such purpose and for the purchase of the land necessary therefor; and such corporation at its annual meeting or at any other meeting regularly called seven days at least before the holding thereof, may grant and vote money necessary for the settlement and support of ministers or public teachers of religion, for sacred music, for the purchase and preservation of burial grounds, and for other necessary charges.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title XI - Certain Religious and Charitable Matters › Chapter 67 - Parishes and Religious Societies › Section 28 - Societies Incorporated Under Special Acts; Powers

Section 28. A religious society incorporated under a special act shall have the powers set forth in the preceding section, anything contained in any special act of incorporation or amendment thereof, or in section one, to the contrary notwithstanding.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title XI - Certain Religious and Charitable Matters › Chapter 67 - Parishes and Religious Societies › Section 29 - Manner of Calling Meetings

Section 29. A meeting for any purpose mentioned in section twenty-seven may be called in the manner prescribed in the by-laws or votes of the corporation, or, upon written application by any five of its members, by a warrant issued by a justice of the peace, directed to one of the applicants; or such meeting may be called by a notice by the clerk, who shall warn a meeting on a like application to him; and in either case the meeting may be warned by notice served as provided in section twenty-two.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title XI - Certain Religious and Charitable Matters › Chapter 67 - Parishes and Religious Societies › Section 30 - Collection of Assessments

Section 30. Money voted by such corporation may be assessed on the pews in its meeting house, and the assessment may be committed to its treasurer, who shall forthwith give notice by posting an advertisement on the principal outer door of the meeting house, stating the making of such assessment and the date of its delivery to him; and if any part of the taxes so assessed remains unpaid for three months thereafter, the treasurer shall forthwith collect the same by sales by public auction of the pews upon which such taxes remain unpaid.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title XI - Certain Religious and Charitable Matters › Chapter 67 - Parishes and Religious Societies › Section 31 - Sale of Pews for Taxes

Section 31. The treasurer, at least three weeks before the time of the sale of a pew for taxes, shall post a notice of the intended sale on the principal outer door of the meeting house, stating the number of the pew, if any; the name of the owner or occupant, if known; and the amount of the tax due thereon; and if any part of said tax remains unpaid at the time of sale, he shall sell the pew by public auction to the highest bidder and shall execute and deliver to the purchaser a bill of sale thereof. The money arising from the sale, in excess of the taxes and reasonable incidental charges, shall be paid by the treasurer to the former owner of the pew.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title XI - Certain Religious and Charitable Matters › Chapter 67 - Parishes and Religious Societies › Section 32 - Notice of Sale; Affidavit of Posting

Section 32. An affidavit, annexed to an original notice or to a copy thereof and recorded on the records of the corporation within six months after the sale, shall be proof of the posting of such notice.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title XI - Certain Religious and Charitable Matters › Chapter 67 - Parishes and Religious Societies › Section 33 - New or Rejuvenated Meeting Houses; Acquisition of Funds by Selling Pews

Section 33. Such corporation, for the purpose of building a new house, or of altering, enlarging, repairing, rebuilding or removing a house already built, may sell the same or take down any pews therein, the pews taken being first appraised by three or more disinterested persons chosen for that purpose. The pews newly erected shall be sold by the treasurer by public auction to the highest bidder, and bills of sale thereof shall be given. The money arising from such sale shall be applied, so far as necessary, to paying the appraised value of the pews taken down; and the deficiency, if any, shall be paid by the corporation within thirty days after the sale.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title XI - Certain Religious and Charitable Matters › Chapter 67 - Parishes and Religious Societies › Section 34 - Meeting-Houses Unfit for Worship; Rights of Pew Owners to Compensation

Section 34. The preceding section shall not entitle a person to compensation for a pew taken down in a meeting house which is unfit for the purposes of public worship.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title XI - Certain Religious and Charitable Matters › Chapter 67 - Parishes and Religious Societies › Section 35 - Assessments on Pews

Section 35. A corporation for religious purposes may assess upon the pews in a church or meeting house which it has erected or procured for public worship since March twenty-fifth, eighteen hundred and forty-five, according to a valuation of said pews previously agreed upon, and recorded by the clerk, sums of money for the support of public worship and other parochial charges, and for the repairs of the house. Such assessments may be collected in the manner provided in sections thirty and thirty-one.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title XI - Certain Religious and Charitable Matters › Chapter 67 - Parishes and Religious Societies › Section 36 - Assessments on Pews; Consent of Owners

Section 36. Such corporation which had erected or procured such house prior to said date may avail itself of the provisions of the preceding section, if the consent of all the pew owners is obtained, or if two thirds of its members present and voting at a meeting called for that purpose so determined.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title XI - Certain Religious and Charitable Matters › Chapter 67 - Parishes and Religious Societies › Section 37 - Purchase of Pews

Section 37. A corporation which votes to avail itself of the provisions of section thirty-five shall, upon the application of a person owning a pew in its house, within one year after said vote, purchase such pew at the value determined by three disinterested persons, one of whom shall be chosen by the pew owner, one by the corporation, and the third by the two appraisers.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title XI - Certain Religious and Charitable Matters › Chapter 67 - Parishes and Religious Societies › Section 39 - Protestant Episcopal Societies; Organization

Section 39. In religious societies belonging to the Protestant Episcopal Church or the Reformed Episcopal Church, the rector or one of the wardens may, unless otherwise provided in some by-law, preside at their meetings with all the powers of a moderator; and the wardens, or wardens and vestry, may exercise all the powers of a standing committee in accordance with the usages and discipline of said churches. Unless they assess or collect a tax on the pews, such societies need not choose a collector or assessors; and they may in their by-laws provide that the duties of assessors shall be performed by the wardens. The officers upon whom the duties of standing committee or assessors may devolve shall be elected by ballot.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title XI - Certain Religious and Charitable Matters › Chapter 67 - Parishes and Religious Societies › Section 40 - Methodist Episcopal Churches; Organization

Section 40. The trustees of any society of the United Methodist Church, or of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, appointed according to the Discipline or usages thereof, respectively, or as such society chooses, may organize and become a corporation with the powers and duties prescribed by chapter one hundred and fifty-five, subject, however, to account to the charge conference of such society according to the aforesaid Discipline and usages.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title XI - Certain Religious and Charitable Matters › Chapter 67 - Parishes and Religious Societies › Section 41 - Powers of Trustees

Section 41. Such trustees may receive, hold and manage all the real and personal property belonging to such society, may sell and convey the same, and may hold in trust gifts, grants, bequests or devises to such society for the support of public worship and for other religious purposes.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title XI - Certain Religious and Charitable Matters › Chapter 67 - Parishes and Religious Societies › Section 42 - First Meeting of Trustees, Etc.

Section 42. The first meeting of such trustees may, upon the application of three or more of them, be called by a justice of the peace, and at such meeting the trustees may choose a secretary and other officers. The provisions of this chapter relative to the warning and organization of meetings of religious societies shall, so far as appropriate, apply to meetings for the organization of the trustees. The secretary, before entering upon the duties of his office, shall be sworn to the faithful performance thereof, and a record of such oath shall be made in the records of the trustees.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title XI - Certain Religious and Charitable Matters › Chapter 67 - Parishes and Religious Societies › Section 44 - Roman Catholic Churches; Incorporation

Section 44. The Roman Catholic archbishop or bishop of the diocese in which a Roman Catholic church is erected or intended to be erected, the vicar-general of such diocese and the pastor of such church, for the time being, or a majority of them, may associate with themselves two laymen, communicants of said church, and may, with such laymen, sign a certificate in duplicate, showing the name or title by which they and their successors shall be known as a body corporate, which certificate shall be acknowledged in the same manner as conveyances of land. One copy of such certificate shall be filed in the office of the state secretary, and the other recorded in the registry of deeds in the county where such church is erected or intended to be erected; and thereupon such church shall be a body corporate by the name expressed in such certificate, and the persons so signing the same shall be the trustees thereof.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title XI - Certain Religious and Charitable Matters › Chapter 67 - Parishes and Religious Societies › Section 45 - Status and Powers of Archbishop's Successor

Section 45. The successor of any archbishop, bishop, vicar-general or pastor shall, by virtue of his office, be for the time being a member of such corporation in place of his predecessor; and such laymen shall hold office respectively for one year; and when the office of any such layman becomes vacant, his successor shall be appointed in the manner provided for the original selection.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title XI - Certain Religious and Charitable Matters › Chapter 67 - Parishes and Religious Societies › Section 46 - Powers of Corporation

Section 46. Such corporation may receive, hold and manage all real and personal property belonging to such church; may sell and convey the same; and may hold in trust gifts, grants, bequests or devises to such church for the support of public worship and for other religious purposes; but all the property belonging to any one church or parish and held by such corporation shall never exceed one hundred thousand dollars exclusive of the church buildings.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title XI - Certain Religious and Charitable Matters › Chapter 67 - Parishes and Religious Societies › Section 48 - Notice of Meeting

Section 48. A notice, signed by one or more of the members of such church, stating the object, time and place of the meeting for its incorporation, and the first election of officers, shall, at least fifteen days before such meeting, be posted in a conspicuous place near one of the principal entrances of the usual place of meeting of said church.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title XI - Certain Religious and Charitable Matters › Chapter 67 - Parishes and Religious Societies › Section 49 - Election of Officers

Section 49. At the time and place stated in said notice, the resident members of such church may assemble at their place of worship and by ballot elect a moderator, a clerk, who shall be sworn, a treasurer, a standing committee of not less than three nor more than twenty-four members or a board of trustees, managers, directors, executive committee, prudential committee, wardens and vestry or other officers with the powers of a standing committee, and such other officers as they may deem necessary.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title XI - Certain Religious and Charitable Matters › Chapter 67 - Parishes and Religious Societies › Section 50 - By-Laws

Section 50. The church may make by-laws and may prescribe therein the manner in which and the officers and agents by whom the purposes of its incorporation may be effected. If no provision is made by a vote or by-law of the church for calling meetings, they shall be called in such manner as the standing committee may direct.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title XI - Certain Religious and Charitable Matters › Chapter 67 - Parishes and Religious Societies › Section 51 - Certification of Organization to State Secretary

Section 51. The standing committee or other officers shall certify the organization of such church to the state secretary, in such form as he shall prescribe; and upon payment of a fee of five dollars to the secretary shall perform the same duties and with the same legal effect as in the case of corporations organized under chapter one hundred and eighty.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title XI - Certain Religious and Charitable Matters › Chapter 67 - Parishes and Religious Societies › Section 52 - Church Members Only to Be Members of Corporation; Associate Membership

Section 52. None but members of such church shall be members of such corporation, and only resident members shall vote; but any such corporation may, upon such conditions as it may prescribe, admit any regular financial supporters of the church to associate membership, with a vote upon financial questions only: provided, that no action of a meeting in which associate members have taken part, looking to the reduction of a minister's salary or the alienation of church property, shall be valid until the same has been ratified by a meeting of church members only, or until sixty days have elapsed without a written request of ten church members for such a meeting.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title XI - Certain Religious and Charitable Matters › Chapter 67 - Parishes and Religious Societies › Section 53 - Conveyances by Church Officers

Section 53. The deacons, wardens, trustees or similar officers of a church so incorporated which holds real or personal property under chapter sixty-eight may, subject to the same uses and trusts as when held by them, convey it to said church.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title XI - Certain Religious and Charitable Matters › Chapter 67 - Parishes and Religious Societies › Section 54 - Conveyances From Religious Societies

Section 54. Any religious society connected with a church so incorporated may, at any meeting called for the purpose, by a three fourths vote, authorize one or more persons in its name and behalf to convey any real or personal property belonging to it to such church, and such property shall thereafter be held by the church subject to the same uses and trusts as when held by said religious society.