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 2 - Arms, Great Seal and Other Emblems of the Commonwealth › Section 4 - Flag of Governor; Design

Section 4. The flag of the governor shall conform to the design of the flag of the commonwealth, except that the field of the flag of the governor shall be triangular in shape.
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 2 - Arms, Great Seal and Other Emblems of the Commonwealth › Section 5 - Coat of Arms, Seal and Flags of Commonwealth; State Secretary as Custodian; Conformance to Specifications; Use and Display Regulations

Section 5. The state secretary shall be the custodian of the coat of arms, seal and flags of the commonwealth and all representations of said arms, seal and flags shall conform strictly to the specifications which shall be prepared under the direction of the state secretary in the year nineteen hundred and seventy-one and deposited in his office. The proper use and display of said arms, seal and flags of the commonwealth and their manufacture are hereby subject to such regulations relating thereto which the state secretary may from time to time issue, provided that such regulations shall be in conformity with all the relevant legislation of the United States and of the commonwealth.
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 2 - Arms, Great Seal and Other Emblems of the Commonwealth › Section 6 - Flags of the United States and Commonwealth; Display; Manufacture in the United States

Section 6. The flag of the United States and the flag of the commonwealth shall be displayed on the main or administration building of each public institution of the commonwealth. The flags shall be of suitable dimensions and shall be flown every day when the weather permits.
All flags of the United States or the commonwealth displayed pursuant to this section or procured by an agency shall have been manufactured in the United States.
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 2 - Arms, Great Seal and Other Emblems of the Commonwealth › Section 6a - Commonwealth Flag; Flying at Half-Staff

Section 6A. The flag of the commonwealth shall be flown at half-staff at or on the main or administration building of each public institution of the commonwealth, at or on each other state-owned or state-controlled building, and at all state military installations on the following occasions for the periods indicated:—
(a) On all occasions upon which the national flag is flown at half-staff and for the same period of time;
(b) On the death of a governor or ex-governor of the commonwealth for thirty days from the day of death;
(c) On the death of a lieutenant-governor, secretary, treasurer and receiver-general, attorney general, or auditor of the commonwealth, from the day of death until sunset of the day of interment;
(d) On the death of a senator in congress from the commonwealth, from the day of death until sunset of the day of interment;
(e) On the death of a representative in congress from the commonwealth, the flag of the commonwealth shall be flown at half-staff at the aforementioned sites in the representative's congressional district from the day of death until sunset of the day of interment;
(e1/2) On the death of a member of the general court, the flag of the commonwealth shall be flown at half-staff from the day of death until sunset of the day of interment at the aforementioned sites in the member's representative district on the death of a member of the house of representatives, and the member's senatorial district on the death of a member of the senate.
(e3/4) On the death of a former member of the general court, the flag of the commonwealth shall be flown at half-staff from the day of death until sunset of the day of interment in accordance with such orders or instructions as may be issued by or at the direction of the governor after consultation with the speaker of the house of representatives on the death of a former representative in the general court, or with the president of the senate, on the death of a former state senator.
(f) In the event of the death of other elected officials or former elected officials of the commonwealth, from the day of death until sunset of the day of interment in accordance with such orders or instructions as may be issued by or at the direction of the governor; and
(g) In the event two or more of the aforementioned periods coincide in full or in part, the state flag shall be displayed at half-staff for such period as will comply with the above provisions without resulting in an additional and separate period of such display for each such death.
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 2 - Arms, Great Seal and Other Emblems of the Commonwealth › Section 6b - Massachusetts Iraq and Afghanistan Fallen Heroes Memorial; Monitoring Committee

Section 6B. (a) The Massachusetts Iraq and Afghanistan Fallen Heroes Memorial shall be erected in Seaport Square park in the South Boston Waterfront of the city of Boston and shall be the official memorial of the commonwealth to honor all post-September 11, 2001 veterans of the commonwealth who died while in service to this country in Iraq, Afghanistan and all other operations across the globe and in the United States. The memorial park shall also pay tribute to all veterans of the commonwealth who served after September 11, 2001.
(b) There shall be an Iraq and Afghanistan Memorial monitoring committee to consist of 9 persons, 1 of whom shall be appointed by the president of the senate; 1 of whom shall be appointed by speaker of the house of representatives; 1 of whom shall be appointed by the governor; 2 of whom shall be appointed by the secretary of veterans' services, of whom 1 shall be a Gold Star parent of a fallen service member who served in United States military operations in either Iraq or Afghanistan; and 4 of whom shall be appointed by the executive director of the Massachusetts Iraq and Afghanistan Fallen Heroes Memorial Fund, Inc. Each member, except the Gold Star parent, shall have been a veteran of United States military operations in Iraq or Afghanistan. The committee shall oversee the construction, maintenance and dedication of the memorial. Upon completion and dedication of the memorial all commission duties relative to the memorial shall be the responsibility of the Massachusetts Iraq and Afghanistan Fallen Heroes Memorial Fund, Inc.
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 2 - Arms, Great Seal and Other Emblems of the Commonwealth › Section 7 - Flower or Floral Emblem of Commonwealth; Protection; Penalty

Section 7. The mayflower (
epigaea repens
) shall be the flower or floral emblem of the commonwealth. Any person who pulls up or digs up the plant of the mayflower or any part thereof, or injures such plant or any part thereof except in so far as is reasonably necessary in procuring the flower therefrom, within the limits of any state highway or any other public way or place, or upon the land of another person without written authority from him, shall be punished by a fine of not more than fifty dollars; but if a person does any of the aforesaid acts while in disguise or secretly in the nighttime he shall be punished by a fine of not more than one hundred dollars. The provisions of this section shall be enforced by all officers in the division of law enforcement in the department of fisheries, wildlife and environmental law enforcement.
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 2 - Arms, Great Seal and Other Emblems of the Commonwealth › Section 9 - Bird or Bird Emblem of Commonwealth

Section 9. The chickadee (
Penthestes atricapillus
) shall be the bird or bird emblem of the commonwealth.
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 2 - Arms, Great Seal and Other Emblems of the Commonwealth › Section 16 - Marine Mammal or Marine Mammal Emblem of Commonwealth

Section 16. The right whale (Eubalaena Glacialis) shall be the marine mammal or marine mammal emblem of the commonwealth.
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 2 - Arms, Great Seal and Other Emblems of the Commonwealth › Section 21 - Poem of Commonwealth

Section 21. The poem, ''Blue Hills of Massachusetts'' composed by Katherine E. Mullen of the town of Barre shall be the official state poem of the commonwealth.
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 2 - Arms, Great Seal and Other Emblems of the Commonwealth › Section 22 - Rock or Rock Emblem of Commonwealth

Section 22. The Roxbury Puddingstone (Roxbury Conglomerate), shall be the rock or rock emblem of the commonwealth.
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 2 - Arms, Great Seal and Other Emblems of the Commonwealth › Section 31 - Patriotic Song of Commonwealth

Section 31. The song ''Massachusetts (Because of You Our Land Is Free)'', words and music by Bernard Davidson, shall be the patriotic song of the commonwealth.
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 2 - Arms, Great Seal and Other Emblems of the Commonwealth › Section 34 - Memorial of Commonwealth to Honor Vietnam War Veterans of Commonwealth

Section 34. The memorial to be constructed and maintained in the city of Worcester at Green Hill Park by the department of veterans' services and the city of Worcester in cooperation with The Commonwealth of Massachusetts Vietnam Veterans' Memorial Trust, Incorporated shall be the official memorial of the commonwealth to honor the Vietnam veterans of the commonwealth.
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 2 - Arms, Great Seal and Other Emblems of the Commonwealth › Section 37 - Memorial of Commonwealth to Honor Southwest Asia War Veterans

Section 37. The memorial to be constructed in the city of Worcester by the Desert Calm Committee, Inc. shall be the official state monument for the veterans of the Southwest Asia War.
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 2 - Arms, Great Seal and Other Emblems of the Commonwealth › Section 43 - Glee Club Song of Commonwealth

Section 43. The song ''The Great State of Massachusetts'', words by George A. Wells, and music by J. Earl Bley, shall be the glee club song of the commonwealth.
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 2 - Arms, Great Seal and Other Emblems of the Commonwealth › Section 44 - Polka of the Commonwealth

Section 44. The words and music of ''Say Hello to Someone in Massachusetts'' by Lenny Gomulka shall be the official polka of the commonwealth.
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 2 - Arms, Great Seal and Other Emblems of the Commonwealth › Section 45 - Peace Statue of Commonwealth

Section 45. A memorial statue built in the town of Orange in recognition of veterans who served in World War I and designated as the Orange Peace Statue shall be the official peace statue of the commonwealth.
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 2 - Arms, Great Seal and Other Emblems of the Commonwealth › Section 46 - Memorial of Commonwealth to Honor Korean War Veterans of Commonwealth

Section 46. The Korean War Memorial located in the shipyard park of the Charlestown Navy Yard shall be the official memorial of the commonwealth to honor the Korean War veterans of the commonwealth.
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 2 - Arms, Great Seal and Other Emblems of the Commonwealth › Section 47 - Ode of the Commonwealth

Section 47. The words and music of ''Ode to Massachusetts'' by Joseph Falzone shall be the official ode of the commonwealth.
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 2 - Arms, Great Seal and Other Emblems of the Commonwealth › Section 48 - Mia/pow Memorial of Commonwealth

Section 48. The MIA/POW Memorial located at the Massachusetts National Cemetery in the town of Bourne shall be the official MIA/POW memorial of the commonwealth.
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 2 - Arms, Great Seal and Other Emblems of the Commonwealth › Section 49 - Children's Book of Commonwealth

Section 49. The book ''
Make Way for Ducklings
'' by Robert McCloskey shall be the official children's book of the commonwealth.
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 2 - Arms, Great Seal and Other Emblems of the Commonwealth › Section 50 - Children's Author and Children's Illustrator of Commonwealth

Section 50. The author Theodor Geisel, better known as
Dr. Seuss
, shall be the official children's author and children's illustrator of the commonwealth.
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 2 - Arms, Great Seal and Other Emblems of the Commonwealth › Section 54 - Blues Artist of Commonwealth

Section 54. The musician, Henry St. Clair Fredericks, better known as Taj Mahal, shall be the official Blues Artist of the commonwealth.
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 2 - Arms, Great Seal and Other Emblems of the Commonwealth › Section 61 - Groundhog of Commonwealth

[Text of section added by 2014, 206. See also, Section 61 added by 2014, 208, below.]
Section 61. Ms. G of the Massachusetts Audubon Society, Inc. shall be the official groundhog of the commonwealth and shall be utilized as a way to educate elementary school children on the importance of meteorology.
Chapter 2: Section 61. Recreational and team sport of commonwealth
[Text of section added by 2014, 208. See also, Section 61 added by 2014, 206, above.]
Section 61. Volleyball shall be the official recreational and team sport of the commonwealth.
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 2 - Arms, Great Seal and Other Emblems of the Commonwealth › Section 63 - Gold Star Families Memorial Monument

[Text of section added by 2016, 141, Sec. 1. See, also, Section 63 as added by 2016, 260, below.]
Section 63. The Gold Star Families Memorial Monument located in Bicentennial Park in the city of Fall River shall be the official Gold Star Families Memorial Monument of the commonwealth.
Chapter 2: Section 63. Billerica as the Yankee Doodle town
[Text of section added by 2016, 260. See, also, Section 63 added by 2016, 141, Sec. 1, above.]
Section 63. The town of Billerica shall be known as the Yankee Doodle town.
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 1 - Records of Votes Cast for Representatives; Certificates of Examination; Duties of State Secretary

Section 1. The state secretary shall receive the copies of records of votes cast for representatives to the general court and shall lay such copies of records before the governor and council. On or before the Tuesday next preceding the first Wednesday of January following a state election he shall deliver to the sergeant-at-arms a certified copy of the list of the persons who appear to be elected as representatives to the general court as shown on the certificate of examination of the copies of the records of votes cast as tabulated by the governor and council and transmitted to him, and upon receiving any further such certificate of examination before the house of representatives is called to order he shall immediately transmit a certified copy of such certificate to the sergeant-at-arms. The state secretary shall also transmit to the house of representatives as soon as the members are called to order a certified copy of each certificate of examination of the copies of records of votes cast as tabulated by the governor and council and transmitted to him.
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 2 - Admission of Persons Listed to Take Seats as Representatives

Section 2. The persons named on the lists delivered to the sergeant-at-arms shall be admitted to take seats as members in the representatives' chamber on said first Wednesday of January or thereafter during the terms for which they are elected.
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 3 - Calling House to Order; Presiding Officer

Section 3. On said first Wednesday of January, between the hours of ten in the forenoon and twelve at noon, the persons so returned and admitted as members into the representatives' chamber shall be called to order by the oldest senior member present, who shall be the presiding officer of the house until a speaker is chosen or the house otherwise determines.
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 4 - Unlisted Person May Present Certificate or Evidence of Election

Section 4. A person having a certificate or other documentary evidence of his election as a representative who is not named on said lists may, after the house has been called to order, present such certificate or evidence to the presiding officer, or to the speaker if one has been chosen, who shall communicate the same to the house for its action thereon; but such person shall not take a seat as a member until permitted by the house.
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 5 - Presentation of Certain Petitions; Notice by Publication; Deposit and Filing of Petition and Bill; Fee

Section 5. Any petition to the general court for the incorporation of a city or town, for the annexation of one municipality to another, for the consolidation of two or more municipalities or for the division of an existing municipality, or for the incorporation or revival of a railroad, street railway, elevated railroad, canal, telephone, telegraph, water, gas, electric light, power or other public service corporation, for the amendment, alteration or extension of the charter or corporate powers or privileges, or for the change of name of any such company, whether specially incorporated or organized under the General Laws, or for authority to take water for a water supply, or relative to building structures in or over navigable or tidewaters, which is seasonably filed in the office of the clerk of either branch and is accompanied by a bill embodying the legislation petitioned for, shall, be transmitted by such clerk to the office of the state secretary.
Said secretary shall within ten days notify the petitioner by registered mail that such petition shall be published at the petitioner's expense, within thirty days, in such newspaper as the secretary shall prescribe and a copy thereof shall be transmitted to the mayor, board of selectmen and town council, as the case may be, in all cities and towns affected by said petition.
Upon receipt of proof of notice, or upon the failure after sixty days to produce such notice, the secretary shall return said petition and bill forthwith to the clerk of the branch in which they were filed accompanied by a statement that such advertisement or notice was or was not made.
Every petition seeking as aforesaid the incorporation or revival or change of name of a public service corporation and every petition by or on behalf of such a corporation seeking as aforesaid legislation otherwise amending, altering or extending the charter or corporate powers or privileges of such a corporation shall be accompanied by a fee of twenty-five dollars which shall be paid to the commonwealth.
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 7 - Petitions for Legislation Respecting Corporations

Section 7. Any petition to the general court, except a petition subject to the provisions of section five for the establishment or revival, or for the amendment, alteration or extension of the charter or corporate powers or privileges, or for the change of name of any corporation, except for a body politic and corporate, which is seasonably filed in the office of the clerk of either branch and is accompanied by a bill embodying in substance the legislation petitioned for, shall, with said accompanying bill, be transmitted as soon as may be by the clerk of the branch in which they were filed to the office of the state secretary.
The petition shall contain the business or mailing address of the petitioner and, if such petition relates to a corporation organized or to be organized for purposes of business or profit, shall be accompanied by a fee of twenty-five dollars, which shall be paid to the commonwealth.
Said secretary shall, not later than the thirtieth day following the date of receipt thereof, return the same with the accompanying bill to the clerk of the branch in which they were originally filed, together with a memorandum stating whether or not, in his opinion, the object sought may be accomplished under the General Laws or whether the same requires legislation. He may also insert in said memorandum any other relevant statement which, in his opinion, might be of assistance to the general court in passing on the petition.
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 8 - Report on Financial Condition of Town Petitioning to Borrow Outside Statutory Debt Limit

Section 8. When evaluating a petition by a city or town to borrow money in excess of the statutory limit of indebtedness under section 10 of chapter 44, the legislative committee to which that petition may be referred shall solicit a report on the financial condition of the city or town from the division of local services, which shall deliver the report as soon as possible.
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 8a - Petition by City or Town Pursuant to Home Rule Amendment; Number of Votes

Section 8A. A petition filed or approved by the voters of a city or town, or the mayor and city council or other legislative body of a city, or the town meeting or other legislative body of a town, for submission to the general court pursuant to the provisions of Section 8 of Article LXXXIX of the Amendments to the Constitution of the Commonwealth shall indicate the number voting in favor of such filing or approval and the number opposed, if such vote is tabulated.
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 9c - Annual Expenses for Members of General Court

Section 9C. Each member of the general court shall annually receive an amount for expenses to be paid as follows: (i) for members whose primary residence is located at a distance that is equal to or less than 50 miles from the state house, $15,000; and (ii) for members whose primary residence is located at a distance that is greater than 50 miles from the state house, $20,000.
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 9d - Earned Income Not to Be Received by President of the Senate and Speaker of the House of Representatives; Enforcement

Section 9D. The president of the senate and speaker of the house of representatives shall not receive earned income from any other source, but may receive unearned or passive income. The senate and the house of representatives shall biennially adopt rules for the administration and enforcement of this section. The house committee on ethics and the senate committee on ethics, respectively, shall have the exclusive jurisdiction over the administration and enforcement of 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 3 - The General Court › Section 10 - Prorating of Additional Compensation and Expenses for Members Filling a Vacancy or Who Resign During a Regular Session

Section 10. Each member of the general court who is chosen to fill a vacancy or who resigns from the general court during a regular annual session shall be entitled to any additional compensation that a member may receive pursuant to section 9B and an allowance for expenses pursuant to section 9C, prorated for the time of that person's membership.
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 10a - Reimbursement for Special Elections to Fill General Court Vacancies

Section 10A. In special elections, called for the purposes of filling a vacancy in the general court, state funds for compensation of members pursuant to section nine of chapter three of the General Laws not expended during such period of vacancy shall not revert to the General Fund or any legislative accounts but shall be set aside in a special fund in the office of the state treasurer and made payable to the city or town in which such election was held. The city or town clerk shall certify to the state treasurer the total actual costs of holding such special election, and such city or town shall be reimbursed up to one hundred percent of the net costs thereof from said fund without further appropriation; provided, however, that the state treasurer shall not authorize any expenditure which would cause said fund to be in deficit. ''Net costs'' for purposes of this section shall mean the total actual costs as certified by the city or town clerks less any other reimbursements available to such city or town.
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 12 - Clerks, Salary and Tenure

Section 12. The clerk of the senate and the clerk of the house of representatives shall each receive such salary as may be established by the committee on rules of the senate or the committee on rules of the house of representatives, as the case may be, and each shall hold office until his successor is qualified. Salaries established under this section shall be for the period of two years commencing January first of the year in which established.
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 12a - Facsimile Signatures of Clerks

Section 12A. Facsimiles of the signatures of the clerk of the senate and the clerk of the house of representatives on endorsements of bills, reports of committees and other legislative documents shall have the same validity and effect as their written signatures.
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 12b - Manual

Section 12B. The clerks of the 2 branches shall in every odd-numbered year prepare a manual for the general court. Such number of copies of the manual as the committees on rules shall determine shall be printed under the direction of the clerks of the 2 branches.
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 13 - Assistant Clerks and Clerical Assistance; Appointment, Salary and Tenure

Section 13. The clerks of the senate and house of representatives, subject to the approval of the senate and house, respectively, may each appoint an assistant clerk and a second assistant clerk, who shall receive such salaries as may be established by the committee on rules of the senate or the committee on rules of the house, as the case may be. The assistant clerk shall, in the absence of the clerk, perform the duties of the clerk unless a temporary clerk is chosen. The second assistant clerk shall, in the absence of the clerk and the assistant clerk, perform the duties of clerk, unless a temporary clerk is chosen. Salaries established for said assistant clerks and second assistant clerks under this section shall be for the period of two years commencing January first of the year in which established. Each clerk may remove the assistant clerk and the second assistant clerk appointed by him. Each clerk may also employ such clerical assistance as may be necessary, and may expend therefor such amounts as are appropriated.
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 14 - Chaplain of House of Representatives; Salary

Section 14. The chaplain of the house of representatives shall receive such salary as may be established by the committee on rules of the house of representatives, as the case may be.
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 15 - Sergeant-at-Arms; Appointment, Tenure and Salary

Section 15. The general court shall choose a sergeant-at-arms who shall hold office until removed or until another is chosen. The sergeant-at-arms may be removed by the general court. The sergeant-at-arms shall receive such salary as may be established by the committees on rules of the 2 branches of the general court acting concurrently.
The house of representatives may choose a sergeant-at-arms of the house of representatives who shall perform such duties as may be prescribed by the committee on rules of the house, and in case of the disability or necessary absence of the sergeant-at-arms of the general court, the sergeant-at-arms of the house of representatives shall perform the duties of the sergeant-at-arms during such disability or absence. The sergeant-at-arms of the house of representatives shall receive such salary as may be established by the committee on rules of the house.
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 16 - Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms; Appointment, Duties, Compensation and Removal

Section 16. In case of the disability or necessary absence of the sergeant-at-arms of the general court and of the sergeant-at-arms of the house of representatives, the sergeant-at-arms may appoint, with the approval of the presiding officers of the 2 branches of the general court, an assistant sergeant-at-arms to perform the duties of the sergeant-at-arms during such disability or absence. The compensation of the assistant sergeant-at-arms shall be paid by the sergeant-at-arms, who shall be responsible for the assistant's fidelity and good conduct in office; but for misconduct or other sufficient cause the assistant may be removed by 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 17 - Sergeant-at-Arms and Other Legislative Officers and Employees; Duties and Police Powers

Section 17. The sergeant-at-arms shall serve such processes and execute such orders as may be enjoined upon him by the general court or by either branch thereof, attend the members or clerks of either branch when they are charged with a message from one branch to the other or to the governor and council, maintain order among the spectators admitted into the chambers in which the respective branches hold their sessions, prevent the interruption of either branch or of the committees thereof, and shall have the control of, and superintendence over, his subordinate officers, taking care that they promptly perform their duties. In respect to any criminal offense committed in any part of the state house assigned to or used by either branch of the general court or any committee or officer thereof, or to any such offense committed against any member of the general court, including any member of a special commission composed in part of members of the general court, while acting within the commonwealth in his official capacity as such member, whether such offense is committed within the state house elsewhere than as aforesaid, or upon premises outside the state house while officially used by a committee of the general court or by such a special commission, the sergeant-at-arms, the chief general court officers and assistant chief general court officers of either branch thereof, and its general court officers shall have and exercise all the powers of police officers, and in respect to the service within the commonwealth of such processes and orders as may be enjoined upon them by the general court or either branch or by any committee of the general court or either branch, they shall have the powers of constables.
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 18 - Other Legislative Employees; Compensation

Section 18. There shall be 2 chief general court officers for each branch, each with the title of assistant sergeant-at-arms, and such assistant chief general court officers, general court officers and pages as shall be established by the committees on rules of the 2 branches of the general court acting concurrently. Such employees shall receive such compensation as may be established by said committees acting concurrently.
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 19 - Authorized Number of Certain Legislative Employees

Section 19. The number of chief general court officers, assistant chief general court officers, general court officers and pages of the senate and of the house shall not exceed 92 in all.
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 20a - Uniforms for Sergeant-at-Arms and Other Employees

Section 20A. Subject to appropriation, the sergeant-at-arms may purchase uniforms for the sergeant-at-arms, general court officers and pages as the sergeant-at-arms may determine.
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 21 - Appointment of Employees by Sergeant-at-Arms; Removal

Section 21. The sergeant-at-arms shall, immediately after his election, with the approval of the presiding officers of the two branches of the general court, appoint such employees as are necessary to fill any existing vacancies in the employees provided for by section eighteen; and no employee provided for by said section, excepting pages, shall be removed except with the consent of the presiding officer of the branch to which he is assigned or of both branches if he is assigned to both. The sergeant-at-arms may appoint and remove such additional clerical and other assistants as the duties of his office may require, and, subject to the approval of the committees on rules of the two branches acting concurrently, may fix their compensation.
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 22 - Journals and Papers; Custody; Copies as Evidence

Section 22. The journals, files and papers of the senate and of the house of representatives shall be in the custody of their respective clerks during the session to which they relate and after that session they shall be in the custody of the state secretary. The clerk of each branch shall at all times have access to the journals, files and papers. Copies of such journals, files and papers, certified by the clerk of the branch to which they originally appertained or by the state secretary, shall be evidence in like manner as the originals.
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 22a - Journals of Senate and House of Representatives; Copies

Section 22A. Such number of copies of the journals of the senate and of the house of representatives as the committees on rules shall determine shall be printed annually under the direction of the clerks of the 2 branches.
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 23 - Bills and Resolves; Form of Engrossment; Printing and Publication; Copies; Distribution

Section 23. Bills and resolves passed to be engrossed by the general court, and bills for which initiative petitions are completed under the constitution of the commonwealth, shall, under the direction of the committees on rules of the 2 branches, acting concurrently, be fairly engrossed in such manner and by utilizing such equipment as said committees shall determine. The enacting clause of bills for which initiative petitions are completed shall be in the form prescribed by section 3 of chapter 4. The state secretary shall cause the acts and resolves of each session to be neatly and strongly bound in separate volumes of convenient size and lettered on the back with a designation of the contents and the legislative year. If acts or resolves are becoming illegible, the state secretary shall cause copies of the acts or resolves, similar to the originals, to be prepared and shall attest them. Such attested copies shall have the same force and effect as the originals.
If the clerk of the senate, with the approval of the president of the senate and the speaker of the house, determines that it would expedite the business of the general court, the legislative engrossing division shall prepare for final passage by the general court an exact copy of any bill specified by said clerk, as passed to be engrossed by both branches, so far as possible by pasting a printed copy of said bill, as so passed, on the kind and size of paper designated by said committees on rules and the copy so prepared shall be deemed to have been fairly engrossed.
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 24 - Proposed Constitutional Amendments; Engrossment, Deposit

Section 24. All proposed amendments to the constitution which have been agreed to in joint session of the two houses of the general court in the manner prescribed by the constitution shall be engrossed on parchment or parchment paper, certified by the clerk of such joint session, and deposited in the office of the state secretary.
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 28 - Self-Incriminating Testimony or Evidence Before General Court or Committee; Prosecution

Section 28. A person shall not be excused from attending and testifying before either branch of the general court or before a committee thereof upon a subject referred to such committee on the ground that his testimony or evidence, documentary or otherwise, may tend to criminate him or subject him to a penalty or forfeiture; but he shall not be prosecuted or subjected to a penalty or forfeiture for or on account of any action, matter or thing concerning which he may be required to so testify or produce evidence, except for perjury committed in such testimony.
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 28a - Refusal of Summoned Witness to Appear or Testify; Penalty

Section 28A. Any person who, having been summoned as a witness to give testimony or produce papers, by the authority of either branch of the general court, or both jointly, or under any provision of law, upon any matter under inquiry before either branch, or before any committee of either branch, or before any joint or special committee or special commission consisting in whole or in part of members of the general court, wilfully makes default or who, having appeared, refuses without constitutional right, to answer under oath or affirmation any question pertinent to the question under inquiry shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not less than one hundred dollars nor more than one thousand dollars, or imprisonment for not less than thirty days nor more than one year, or both. If such refusal is before the general court or either branch thereof, no prosecution shall be started until an order therefor setting forth the facts constituting such failure or refusal is adopted and certified to the attorney general or to the appropriate district attorney. If such refusal is before a committee or commission, no prosecution shall be started until such committee or commission makes a report thereof to the general court or either branch and an order therefor setting forth the facts constituting such failure or refusal is adopted and certified to the attorney general or to the appropriate district attorney. When such order is adopted by the general court, such certification shall be made by the clerk of the senate and when adopted by either branch thereof such certification shall be made by the clerk of such branch. Upon receipt of such certification the attorney general or the said district attorney shall present the matter to the grand jury for its action. The provisions of this section shall be in addition to any constitutional power of the general court or either branch thereof to punish for contempt.
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 29 - Stenographic Reports of Hearings

Section 29. Stenographic reports of hearings before legislative committees or special commissions made at the expense of the commonwealth shall, at the conclusion of the work of such committees or commissions, be deposited in the state library.
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 30 - Expenses Incurred Under General Court Order; Approval

Section 30. Accounts for expenditures made or services rendered under an order of the general court or of either branch thereof, other than by legislative committees, may be approved by the president or speaker, by the sergeant-at-arms, or by any other person to whose direction or supervision such expenditures or services have been specially intrusted.