reglab/statecodes huggingface dataset:
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VII - Cities, Towns and Districts › Chapter 40j - Massachusetts Technology Park Corporation › Section 6j - Cybersecurity Center

Section 6J. (a) There shall be established within the corporation a Massachusetts cybersecurity center. The purpose of the center shall be to enhance the conditions for economic growth through outreach to the cybersecurity industry cluster in the commonwealth and to foster cybersecurity resiliency through communication, collaboration and outreach with state agencies, municipalities, educational institutions and private partners.
(b) The center shall carry out the purposes of the fund established in section 4H.
(c) The center shall be responsible for convening state and local officials and private sector participants to recommend actions needed to address the cybersecurity resiliency of the commonwealth. The center may also convene regional hubs for business development to support cybersecurity entrepreneurs that are establishing innovative technologies to support resiliency.
(d) The center shall work in collaboration with private sector entities, educational institutions and state and local government to address cybersecurity issues, including, but not limited to: (i) improving the cybersecurity of organizations across the commonwealth, particularly municipalities, small businesses and non-profits, without access to affordable resources to defend against cybersecurity threats and to maintain cyber resiliency; (ii) the shortage of trained workers available to meet the cybersecurity industry's workforce demands, with a particular focus on increasing the diversity of the cybersecurity workforce; and (iii) the lack of affordable cybersecurity training for employees in all types of businesses.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VII - Cities, Towns and Districts › Chapter 40j - Massachusetts Technology Park Corporation › Section 6k - Center for Advanced Manufacturing

[ Subsection (a) effective until May 30, 2023. For text effective May 30, 2023, see below.]
Section 6K. (a) There shall be established within the corporation a center for advanced manufacturing. The purpose of the center shall be to support companies engaged in manufacturing in the commonwealth and shall be administered in a manner that considers the needs of manufacturers in all regions of the commonwealth and supports growth in the manufacturing sector statewide. The corporation shall design and implement the activities of the center, in consultation with the secretary of housing and economic development and the Massachusetts advanced manufacturing collaborative established pursuant to section 10B of chapter 23A.
[ Subsection (a) as amended by 2023, 7, Sec. 181 effective May 30, 2023. See 2023, 7, Sec. 298. For text effective until May 30, 2023, see above.]
(a) There shall be established within the corporation a center for advanced manufacturing. The purpose of the center shall be to support companies engaged in manufacturing in the commonwealth and shall be administered in a manner that considers the needs of manufacturers in all regions of the commonwealth and supports growth in the manufacturing sector statewide. The corporation shall design and implement the activities of the center, in consultation with the secretary of economic development and the Massachusetts advanced manufacturing collaborative established pursuant to section 10B of chapter 23A.
(b) The center shall facilitate the growth and competitiveness of the advanced manufacturing sector in the commonwealth by: (i) aligning investments and programs with the commonwealth's priorities for advanced manufacturing; (ii) leveraging existing state and federal programs that support manufacturers to increase the regional impact of advanced manufacturing; (iii) fostering collaboration throughout the manufacturing ecosystem; (iv) aligning programs and investments in support of federal programs to scale critical and secure supply chains; (v) supporting, coordinating and developing advanced manufacturing workforce training programs; and (vi) creating initiatives that advance the commonwealth's manufacturing plan established pursuant to section 10B of chapter 23A.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VII - Cities, Towns and Districts › Chapter 40j - Massachusetts Technology Park Corporation › Section 7 - Executive Director

Section 7. (a) The board shall select a qualified individual to act as executive director and shall delegate to the executive director full authority to manage the affairs of the corporation and the Massachusetts Microelectronics Center. The executive director shall serve at the pleasure of the board. The executive director shall present to the board for its approval annual budgets, staffing plans, operating plans and production plans. The executive director shall supervise the employees of the corporation and the Massachusetts Microelectronics Center and shall have the power to hire and fire them. The executive director shall serve as chief liaison officer to the participating businesses and participating institutions in order to enhance their support of and participation in the affairs of the Massachusetts Microelectronics Center. The executive director shall provide that the resources of the Massachusetts Microelectronics Center are made available to participating institutions in a nondiscriminatory manner.
(b) If, pursuant to section six, the board establishes additional centers, it shall determine whether or not to appoint individual executive directors with similar authority for such centers, in view of the technology in question.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VII - Cities, Towns and Districts › Chapter 40l - Agricultural Incentive Areas › Section 1 - Definitions

Section 1. Definitions.—as used in this chapter the following words shall, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, have the following meaning:—
''Agricultural land'', land suitable for agricultural or horticultural use, including land rated by the United States Department of Agriculture Soil Conservation Service as Class 1 through Class IV, unique, or of statewide or local area importance.
''Agricultural lands preservation committee'', committee established under the provisions of section eleven B of chapter one hundred and thirty-two A.
''Commissioner'', commissioner of the department of food and agriculture.
''Committee'', municipal agricultural incentive areas committee established pursuant to section two.
''Department'', the department of food and agriculture.
''Land in agricultural or horticultural use'', land which meets the requirements for such land for classification under chapter sixty-one A, whether or not such land is so classified.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VII - Cities, Towns and Districts › Chapter 40l - Agricultural Incentive Areas › Section 2 - Agricultural Incentive Area Committee

Section 2. The board of selectmen in a town or the mayor of a city with approval of the city council may establish an agricultural incentive area committee for the purpose of investigating, delineating, and establishing an agricultural incentive area in the municipality, hereinafter called area.
Said committee shall consist of seven members appointed by the board of selectmen or by the mayor with the approval of the city council. Said members shall include one member of the board of selectmen or city council, one member of the planning board, one member of the conservation commission, three residents of the municipality whose principal occupation is agriculture or horticulture and one person from the public at large.
Each member shall serve for a term of three years, except that in the initial appointments two members shall serve for a term of one year, three members shall serve for a term of two years and two members shall serve for a term of three years.
Any member of said committee so appointed may, after a public hearing if requested, be removed for cause and a new member appointed by the appointing authority.
All members of the committee shall serve without compensation.
The committee shall elect annually a chairman and vice-chairman from its own members and a secretary who need not be a member of the committee. The committee shall hold an annual meeting in March and from time to time at the call of the chairman or upon the request of any two members. Four members of the committee shall constitute a quorum. The committee may, by a vote of a majority of its members then in office, adopt rules and regulations for the conduct of its business. Rules and regulations adopted may be amended or repealed by a two-thirds vote of its members.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VII - Cities, Towns and Districts › Chapter 40l - Agricultural Incentive Areas › Section 3 - Location of Agricultural or Horticultural Land; Informational Meetings

Section 3. The committee shall locate and map all land in agricultural or horticultural use within the town or city showing such soil classification information as is available from the United States Department of Agriculture Soil Conservation Service. Such map or maps shall indicate property boundaries, the owner of the land, and the present zoning classification of said land. Conservation districts as established pursuant to the provisions of chapter twenty-one, regional planning districts as established pursuant to the provisions of chapter forty B, and the department of food and agriculture shall make available to the committee such maps, data, and other available information as is pertinent to the work of the committee.
The committee shall make available in one or more public places, the aforementioned maps, and provide printed information to all affected landowners. Said committee shall hold one or more public informational meetings in order to explain the purposes and requirements of such agricultural incentive areas. Notice of said meetings shall be given by registered mail to all affected or abutting landowners and by publication.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VII - Cities, Towns and Districts › Chapter 40l - Agricultural Incentive Areas › Section 6 - Property Tax; Assessment

Section 6. Land in an agricultural incentive area, determined by the local assessor to be actively devoted to agricultural, horticultural, or agricultural and horticultural use as defined in sections one to five, inclusive, of chapter sixty-one A, shall be assessed for general property tax purposes at values no greater than those determined by the methods and provisions of section ten of said chapter sixty-one A.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VII - Cities, Towns and Districts › Chapter 40l - Agricultural Incentive Areas › Section 7 - Special or Betterment Assessments

Section 7. Land in an agricultural incentive area, determined by the local assessor to be actively devoted to agricultural, horticultural, or agricultural and horticultural use as defined in sections one to five, inclusive, of chapter sixty-one A and which is subject to special assessments or betterment assessments shall be so assessed as provided under section eighteen of said chapter sixty-one A.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VII - Cities, Towns and Districts › Chapter 40l - Agricultural Incentive Areas › Section 8 - Eligibility of Area for Purchase of Agricultural Preservation Restrictions; Priority

Section 8. Land in an agricultural incentive area shall receive priority for a determination of eligibility for the purchase of agricultural preservation restrictions by the commonwealth pursuant to the program established by section eleven A to eleven D, inclusive, of chapter one hundred and thirty-two A.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VII - Cities, Towns and Districts › Chapter 40l - Agricultural Incentive Areas › Section 10 - Local Acceptance of Chapter

Section 10. The provisions of this chapter shall apply in a city after acceptance by a majority vote of the city council with the approval of the mayor, in the case of a city with a Plan A, Plan B or Plan F charter; by a majority vote of the city council, in the case of a city with a Plan C, Plan D or Plan E charter; by a majority vote of the annual town meeting or a special town meeting called for the purpose, in the case of a municipality with a town meeting form of government; or by a majority vote of the town council, in the case of a municipality with a town council form of government.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VII - Cities, Towns and Districts › Chapter 40m - Governmental Units Pooled Insurance › Section 1 - Public Employer Self-Insurance Groups

Section 1. Five or more public entities may participate in an organization in which the governmental units are members, and agree to effect such property and casualty insurance coverage as the governmental unit may otherwise purchase by itself.
A self-insurance group that is issued a certificate of approval by the commissioner shall not be deemed to be insurers or insurance companies and shall not be subject to the provisions of the insurance laws and regulations of this commonwealth except as otherwise provided herein.
The provision of this chapter shall not be construed to prohibit municipal electric departments from participating in a municipal electric department self-insurance trust fund establishing pursuant to chapter one hundred and sixty-four.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VII - Cities, Towns and Districts › Chapter 40m - Governmental Units Pooled Insurance › Section 2 - Definitions

Section 2. ''Administrator'', an individual, partnership, corporation, or unincorporated association engaged by a public employer self-insurance group's board of trustees and to provide day to day management of the group.
''Commissioner'', the commissioner of insurance.
''Insolvent'' or ''Insolvency'', the inability of a public employer self-insurance group to pay its outstanding lawful obligations as they mature in the regular course of business, as may be shown either by an excess of its required reserves and other liabilities over its assets or by its not having sufficient assets to reinsure all of its outstanding liabilities after paying all accrued claims owed by it.
''Public employers self-insurance group'' or ''group'', a not-for-profit association consisting of five or more employers, all of whom are public entities, who enter into agreements to pool their liabilities for property and casualty benefits. For purposes of this chapter, a municipal electric department self-insurance trust fund established pursuant to sections one hundred and twenty-nine to one hundred and thirty-two, inclusive, of chapter one hundred and sixty-four shall not be a ''public employers self-insurance group'' or ''group''.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VII - Cities, Towns and Districts › Chapter 40m - Governmental Units Pooled Insurance › Section 5 - Certificate of Approval; Duration; Termination; Merger of Groups

Section 5. (A) The certificate of approval issued by the commissioner to a public employer self-insurance group authorizes the group to provide insurance coverage. The certificate of approval remains in effect until terminated at the request of the group or revoked by the commissioner pursuant to provisions of section sixteen.
(B) The commissioner shall not grant the request of any group to terminate its certificate of approval unless the group has insured or reinsured all incurred obligations with an authorized insurer under an agreement filed with and approved in writing by the commissioner. Such obligation shall include both known claims and expenses associated therewith and claims incurred but not reported and expenses associated therewith.
Subject to the approval of the commissioner, a group may merge with another public employer self-insurance group only if the resulting group assumes in full all obligations of the merging groups. The commissioner may hold a hearing on the merger and shall do so if any party, including a member of either group, so requests.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VII - Cities, Towns and Districts › Chapter 40m - Governmental Units Pooled Insurance › Section 7 - Board of Trustees; Powers and Duties

Section 7. Each public employer self-insurance group shall be operated by a board of trustees which shall consist of not less than three persons who are elected officials or employees of public entities within this commonwealth. The board of trustees of each group shall ensure that all claims are paid promptly and take all necessary precautions to safeguard the assets of the group, including all of the following:
(A) The board of trustees shall:
(1) Maintain responsibility for all monies collected or disbursed from the group and segregate all monies in a claims fund account and an administrative fund account. Net premiums shall be placed into a designated depository for the sole purpose of paying claims, allocated claims expenses, reinsurance or excess insurance, and special fund contributions. This shall be called the claims fund account. The remaining net premium after any payments for reinsurance or excess insurance shall be placed in a designated depository for the payment of taxes, general regulatory fees and assessments and administrative costs. This shall be called the administrative fund account.
(2) Maintain minutes of its meetings and make such minutes available to the commissioner.
(3) Designate an administrator to carry out the policies established by the board of trustees and to provide day to day management of the group and delineate in the written minutes of its meetings the areas of authority it delegates to the administrator.
(4) Funds not needed for current obligations may be invested by the board of trustees in accordance with section fifty-four of chapter forty-four.
(5) Retain an independent certified public accountant to prepare the statement of financial conditions required by subsection (A) of section ten.
(B) The board of trustees shall not borrow any monies from the group or in the name of the group except in the ordinary course of business, without first advising the commissioner of the nature and purpose of the loan and obtaining prior approval from the commissioner.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VII - Cities, Towns and Districts › Chapter 40m - Governmental Units Pooled Insurance › Section 8 - Membership in Group

Section 8. (A) A public employer joining a public employer's self-insurance group after the group has been issued a certificate of approval shall submit an application for membership to the board of trustees or its administrator. Membership takes effect no earlier than each member's date of approval. The application for membership and its approval shall be maintained as permanent records of the board of trustees.
(B) Individual members of a group shall be subject to cancellation by the group pursuant to the by-laws of the group. In addition, individual members may elect to terminate their participation in the group. A voluntary termination may not be tendered prior to the members participation in the group for a period of less than one year. The group shall notify the commissioner of the termination or cancellation of a member within ten days and shall maintain coverage of each cancelled or terminated member for thirty days after such notice, at the terminating member's expense, unless the group is notified sooner by the insurance department that the cancelled or terminated member has insurance, has become a self-insurer, or has become a member of another public employer self-insurance group.
(C) The agreement between the group and the member shall specify the terms and conditions of payment of benefits for each member's incurred liabilities during its period of membership.
(D) A group member is not relieved of its liabilities incurred during its period of membership except through payment by the group or the member or a combination thereof. Payment of benefits by the group to the member shall be limited to the terms specified in the agreement between the group and the member.
(E) There shall be a minimum period of at least one year for which a member shall contract to participate in the group.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VII - Cities, Towns and Districts › Chapter 40m - Governmental Units Pooled Insurance › Section 9 - Solicitation of Memberships

Section 9. Except for trustees, officers, directors or salaried employees of a group or its administrator, any person soliciting membership in a property and casualty self-insurance group must be a licensed agent as provided by section sixty-three of chapter one hundred and seventy-five.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VII - Cities, Towns and Districts › Chapter 40m - Governmental Units Pooled Insurance › Section 10 - Reports

Section 10. (A) Each group shall submit to the commissioner of insurance thirty days before the end of its policy year a performance report estimating total outstanding liability, including incurred but not reported claims, for that policy year.
(B) Each group shall submit to the commissioner a statement of financial condition audited by an independent certified public accountant on or before the last day of the sixth month following the end of the group's fiscal year. The financial statement shall be on a form prescribed by the commissioner and shall include, but not be limited to, actuarially appropriate reserves for (1) known claims and expenses associated therewith, (2) claims incurred but not reported and expenses associated therewith, (3) unearned premiums and (4) bad debts, which reserves shall be shown as liabilities.
(C) The commissioner may prescribe a uniform financial reporting system for all public employer self-insurance groups to ensure the accurate and complete reporting of groups' financial information.
(D) The commissioner may prescribe the format and frequency of other reports which may include, but shall not be limited to, payroll audit reports, summary loss reports, and quarterly financial statements.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VII - Cities, Towns and Districts › Chapter 40m - Governmental Units Pooled Insurance › Section 11 - Rating Plan; Annual Audit

Section 11. (A) A group shall file with the commissioner its rating plan.
(B) Each group shall be audited at least annually by an auditor acceptable to the commissioner to verify proper rating. A report of the audit shall be filed with the commissioner in a form prescribed by the commissioner. A group or any member thereof may request a hearing on any objections to the rating. If the commissioner determines that as a result of an improper rating a member's premium contribution is insufficient, he shall order the group to assess that member an amount equal to the deficiency. If the commissioner determines that as a result of an improper rating a member's premium is excessive, he shall order the group to refund to the member the excess collected. The audit shall be at the expense of the group.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VII - Cities, Towns and Districts › Chapter 40m - Governmental Units Pooled Insurance › Section 12 - Refund of Excess Funds

Section 12. (A) Any monies for a fund year in excess of the amount necessary to fund all obligations, including reserves for claims and reserves for incurred but not reported claims for that fund year may be declared to be refundable by the board of trustees not less than six months after the end of the fund year.
(B) Each member shall be given a written description of the refund plan at the time of application for membership. A refund for any fund year shall be paid only to those employers who remain participants in the group for the entire fund year.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VII - Cities, Towns and Districts › Chapter 40m - Governmental Units Pooled Insurance › Section 13 - Premium Payments; Loss Reserves

Section 13. (A) Each group shall establish to the satisfaction of the commissioner a premium payment plan in which at least thirty-three per cent of each members estimated net annual premium is payable at the start of the groups fund year and payment of the balance of each member's annual premium is payable within the first nine months of that fund year in monthly or quarterly installments.
(B) Each group shall establish and maintain actuarially appropriate loss reserves which shall include reserves for (1) known claims and expenses associated therewith and (2) claim incurred but not reported and expenses associated therewith.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VII - Cities, Towns and Districts › Chapter 40m - Governmental Units Pooled Insurance › Section 14 - Deficiencies

Section 14. (A) If the assets of a group are at any time insufficient to enable the group to discharge its legal liabilities and other obligations and to maintain the reserves required of it under this chapter, it shall forthwith make up the deficiency or levy an assessment upon its members for the amount needed to make up the deficiency.
(B) In the event of a deficiency in any fund year, such deficiency shall be made up immediately, either from (a) administrative funds, (b) assessment of the membership, if ordered by the group or, (c) such alternate method as the commissioner may approve or direct.
(C) If the group fails to assess its members or to otherwise make up such deficit within ninety days the commissioner shall order it to do so.
(D) If the group fails to make the required assessment of its members within ninety days after the commissioner orders it to do so, or if the deficiency is not fully made up within one hundred and twenty days after the date on which such assessment is made, or within such longer period of time as may be specified by the commissioner, the group shall be deemed to be insolvent.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VII - Cities, Towns and Districts › Chapter 40m - Governmental Units Pooled Insurance › Section 15 - Violations; Cease and Desist Orders

Section 15. After notice and opportunity for a hearing, the commissioner may issue an order requiring a person or public employer self-insurance group to cease and desist from engaging in an act or practice found to be in violation of any provision of this chapter or of any rules or regulations promulgated thereunder.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VII - Cities, Towns and Districts › Chapter 40m - Governmental Units Pooled Insurance › Section 16 - Revocation of Certificate of Approval; Grounds; Review

Section 16. (A) After notice and opportunity for a hearing, the commissioner may revoke a public employer self-insurance group's certificate of approval if it (1) is found to be insolvent, (2) fails to pay any regulatory fee or assessment, imposed upon it, or (3) fails to comply with any of the provisions of this chapter, with any rules promulgated thereunder, or with any lawful order of the commissioner within the time prescribed. In addition, the commissioner may revoke a group's certificate of approval if, after notice and opportunity for hearing, the commissioner finds that (a) any certificate of approval that was issued to the group was obtained by fraud; (b) there was a material misrepresentation in the application for the certificate of approval; or (c) the group or its administrator has misappropriated, converted, illegally withheld, or refused to pay over upon proper demand any monies that belong to a member, an employee of a member, or a person otherwise entitled thereto and that have been entrusted to the group or its administrator in its fiduciary capacities.
(B) Any ruling, order or decision of the commissioner under authority of this section shall be subject to review by appeal to the superior court department of the trial court at the instance of any party in interest, which appeal shall be on the basis of the record of the proceeding before the commissioner. Said court shall have jurisdiction to modify, amend, annul, review, or affirm such action, order, finding or decision, shall review all questions of fact and of law involved therein, and may make any other appropriate order or decree. Said court shall determine whether the filing of the appeal shall operate as a stay of any such order or decision of the commissioner.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VII - Cities, Towns and Districts › Chapter 40n - Model Water and Sewer Commission › Section 1 - Purpose

Section 1. It is hereby declared essential for the benefit of the people of each municipality which accepts this act, in order that there be an increase in their commerce, welfare and prosperity and an improvement in their living conditions, that the municipality establish or continue to maintain an economical and efficient water system and sewer works system; that accurate, appropriate, and self-sustaining fees, rates and charges for water and sewer service within the municipality be established and all consumers, public and private, taxpayer and tax exempt, pay their fair share of the costs of such services; that the water and sewer systems of the municipality to be operated in a modern, efficient and financially self-sustaining manner to further their sound financial, environmental and physical condition; that conservation of water sources be encouraged; that water supplies be protected and improved; and that the municipality be provided a means to improve its water and sewer systems and insure the continued availability of water and sewer services at sufficient rates; all to the public benefit and good, and to the extent and in the manner provided herein.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VII - Cities, Towns and Districts › Chapter 40n - Model Water and Sewer Commission › Section 11 - Issuance of Bonds; Temporary Notes

Section 11. In addition to the notes issued under the provisions of section nine, the commission may provide by resolution for the issuance from time to time of bonds of the commission for any of its corporate purposes or the borrowing of money in anticipation of the issuance of such bonds. Bonds may be issued hereunder as general obligations of the commission or as special obligations payable solely from particular funds. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, such bonds may be issued to pay or refund notes issued by the commission pursuant to section nine, to the cost of any extension, enlargement, or improvement of the water works system or the sewer works system, to provide such reserves for debt service, repairs and replacements or other costs or current expenses as may be required by a trust agreement or resolution securing bonds of the commission, or for any combination of the foregoing purposes.
The commission may also provide by resolution for the issuance from time to time of temporary notes in anticipation of the revenues to be collected or received by the commission in any year, or in anticipation of the receipt of federal, commonwealth or local grants or other aid, including the refunding or renewal of notes issued by the municipality in anticipation of such receipts outstanding at the effective date of this chapter. The issue of such notes shall be governed by the provisions of this chapter relating to the issue of bonds other than such temporary notes as the same may be applicable; provided, however, that notes issued in anticipation of revenues shall mature no later than one year from their respective dates and notes issued in anticipation of federal, commonwealth or local grants or other aid and renewals thereof shall mature no later than the expected date of receipt of such grants or aid. Notes in anticipation of revenues issued to mature less than one year from their dates may be renewed by the commission from time to time by the issue of other temporary notes hereunder; provided, however, the period from the date of an original note to the maturity of any note issued to renew or pay the same or the interest thereon shall not exceed one year.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VII - Cities, Towns and Districts › Chapter 40n - Model Water and Sewer Commission › Section 13 - Refunding Bonds

Section 13. The commission may issue refunding bonds for the purpose of paying any of its bonds at maturity or upon acceleration or redemption. Refunding bonds may be issued at such time prior to the maturity or redemption of the refunded bonds as the commission deems to be in the public interest. Refunding bonds may be issued in sufficient amounts to pay or provide the principal of the bonds being refunded, together with any redemption premium thereon, any interest accrued or to accrue to the date of payment of such bonds, the expenses of issue of refunding bonds, the expenses of redeeming bonds being refunded and such reserves for debt service or other capital or current expenses from the proceeds of such refunding bonds as may be required by a trust agreement or resolution securing bonds. The issue of refunding bonds, the maturities and other details thereof, the security therefor, the rights of the holders thereof, and the rights, duties and obligations of the commission in respect of the same shall be governed by the provisions of this chapter relating to the issue of bonds other than refunding bonds insofar as the same may be applicable.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VII - Cities, Towns and Districts › Chapter 40n - Model Water and Sewer Commission › Section 14 - Payment of Bonds From Bond Proceeds; Liability

Section 14. Bonds, notes and other evidences of indebtedness issued or entered into under the provisions of this chapter shall not be deemed to be a debt or a pledge of the faith and credit of the commonwealth or, excepting any note guaranteed by the municipality pursuant to section nine, of any city or town, but shall be payable solely from the revenues of the commission. All bonds, notes and other evidences of indebtedness, excepting any note guaranteed by the municipality pursuant to section nine, shall contain on the face thereof a statement to the effect that neither the commonwealth nor any city or town shall be obligated to pay the same and that neither the faith and credit nor the taxing power of the commonwealth or of any city or town is pledged to the payment of the principal of or interest on such bonds or notes. Each bond shall also recite whether it is a general obligation of the commission or a special obligation thereof payable solely from particular funds pledged to its payment.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VII - Cities, Towns and Districts › Chapter 40n - Model Water and Sewer Commission › Section 15 - Moneys Received Deemed to Be Trust Funds

Section 15. All moneys received pursuant to the provisions of this chapter, whether as proceeds from the issue of bonds or as revenues or otherwise, shall be deemed to be trust funds to be held and applied solely as provided in this chapter.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VII - Cities, Towns and Districts › Chapter 40n - Model Water and Sewer Commission › Section 16 - Bonds Eligible for Investment

Section 16. Bonds issued under the provisions of this chapter are hereby made securities in which all public officers and public bodies of the commonwealth and its political subdivisions, all insurance companies, trust companies in their commercial departments, savings banks, co-operative banks, banking associations, investment companies, executors, administrators, trustees and other fiduciaries may properly and legally invest funds, including capital in their control or belonging to them. Such bonds are hereby made securities which may properly and legally be deposited with and received by any state or municipal officer or any agency or political subdivision, of the commonwealth for any purpose for which the deposit of bonds or obligations of the commonwealth is now or may hereafter be authorized by law.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VII - Cities, Towns and Districts › Chapter 40n - Model Water and Sewer Commission › Section 18 - Bonds Issued Without Consent of Other Entities

Section 18. Bonds may be issued under this chapter without obtaining the consent of any department, division, commission, board, bureau or agency of the commonwealth or the municipality, and without any other proceedings or the happening of any other conditions or things than those proceedings, conditions or things which are specifically required therefor by this chapter, and the validity of and security for any bonds issued by the commission shall not be affected by the existence or nonexistence of any such consent or other proceedings, conditions or things.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VII - Cities, Towns and Districts › Chapter 40n - Model Water and Sewer Commission › Section 19 - Tax Exemption

Section 19. The commission and all its revenues, income and real and personal property shall be exempt from taxation and from betterments and special assessments and the commission shall not be required to pay any tax, excise or assessment to or for the commonwealth or any of its political subdivisions; provided, however, that the commission is authorized to enter into agreements to make annual payments in lieu of taxes with respect to property of the commission located outside the municipality upon which local real estate taxes are being paid as of the effective date of acceptance of this chapter. Bonds issued by the commission and their transfer and the income therefrom, including any profit made on the sale thereof, shall at all times be exempt from taxation within the commonwealth.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VII - Cities, Towns and Districts › Chapter 40n - Model Water and Sewer Commission › Section 20 - Records; Reports; Inspection

Section 20. The commission shall at all times keep full and accurate accounts of its receipts, expenditures, disbursements, assets and liabilities, which shall be open to inspection by any officer or duly appointed agent of the commonwealth or the municipality. The commission shall submit an annual report in writing concerning its operations to the legislative and executive bodies of the municipality within one hundred and twenty days following the close of its fiscal year. Such report for the fiscal year ending one year after acceptance of this chapter and for each fiscal year thereafter, shall include financial statements relating to the operations and properties of the commission maintained in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles to the extent applicable and audited by an independent certified public accountant or firm of certified public accountants.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VII - Cities, Towns and Districts › Chapter 40n - Model Water and Sewer Commission › Section 21 - Termination or Dissolution of Commission

Section 21. Upon termination or dissolution of the commission, the title to all funds and other properties owned by it which remain after payment of all bonds and other obligations of the commission shall vest in the municipality. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the commission shall fail on or before three years following the date of acceptance of this chapter to pay or refund or provide for the payment of all notes and the interest thereon issued by the commission and guaranteed by the municipality pursuant to section nine, the commission shall thereupon terminate and be dissolved, and all funds, properties, assets and liabilities owned or controlled by it on such date and all rights, benefits and obligations to which the commission shall then be subject, shall immediately vest in, be assumed by, and be reinstated in the municipality by operation of law; provided, however, that if upon any such termination or dissolution any bonds or notes of the commission shall be outstanding, such bonds or notes, unless guaranteed by the municipality under section nine, shall continue to be payable solely from the revenues and other property pledged therefor and shall not be or become a debt or obligation of the municipality except to the extent of such pledge.
No law affecting the powers, rights, duties, or obligations of the commission shall be effective unless it shall apply to water and sewer districts generally or shall have been approved under the provisions of Article 2 of the Amendments of the Constitution of the Commonwealth.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VII - Cities, Towns and Districts › Chapter 40n - Model Water and Sewer Commission › Section 22 - Inconsistent Laws or Ordinances Inoperative

Section 22. Except as otherwise provided herein, upon title to the water works system and the sewer works system becoming vested in the commission under the provisions of section five, any provisions of any special law and part of any special law and all ordinances and parts of ordinances pertaining to the water works system or the sewer works system which are inconsistent with the provisions of this chapter shall be inoperative and cease to be effective.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VII - Cities, Towns and Districts › Chapter 40n - Model Water and Sewer Commission › Section 23 - Provisions of Act Controlling

Section 23. The provisions of this chapter shall be deemed to provide an exclusive, additional, alternative and complete method for the doing of the things authorized hereby and shall be deemed and construed to be supplemental and additional to, and not in derogation of, powers conferred upon the commission by law; provided, however, that insofar as the provisions of this chapter are inconsistent with the provisions of any general or special law, administrative order or regulation, or law of the municipality, the provisions of this chapter shall be controlling. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, no provision of the municipal charter requiring the ratification by the voters of certain bond issues shall apply to the issuance of bonds of the commission pursuant to this chapter or to the guaranty of the municipality or the bonds of the municipality authorized by section nine.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VII - Cities, Towns and Districts › Chapter 40n - Model Water and Sewer Commission › Section 26 - Construction of Act; Constitutional Requirements

Section 26. This chapter shall be construed in all respects so as to meet all constitutional requirements. In carrying out the purposes and provisions of this chapter, all steps shall be taken which are necessary to meet constitutional requirements whether or not such steps are required by statute.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VII - Cities, Towns and Districts › Chapter 40n - Model Water and Sewer Commission › Section 27 - Acceptance of Chapter

Section 27. This chapter may be accepted, in a city or town in the manner provided in section 4 of chapter 4, and in the case of an existing water and sewer commission established as an independent body politic and corporate pursuant to a special law, by its board of commissioners.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VII - Cities, Towns and Districts › Chapter 40o - Business Improvement Districts › Section 1 - Definitions

Section 1. As used in this chapter the following words shall, unless the context clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings:
''Business improvement district board of directors'' or ''Board of directors'', a locally designated board of property owners or their designees who are assigned responsibility for the management of a business improvement district.
''BID'', a business improvement district formed pursuant to this chapter, which is a contiguous geographic area with clearly defined boundaries in which at least three-fourths of the area is zoned or used for commercial, industrial, retail, or mixed uses.
''BID member'', a property owner who participates in a BID.
''Elector'', a BID member, or a natural person designated by a member to vote by proxy for such member; provided, however, that such designation shall be in writing and filed with the city or town clerk; provided, further, that only one such proxy may be designated by an owner.
''Fee'', a payment for services or improvements specified by the BID improvement plan.
''Improvement plan'', the strategic plan for the BID which sets forth the supplemental services and programs, revitalization strategy, budget and fee structure, as well as the management entity for the business improvement district, and is approved by the local municipal governing body as part of the creation of the BID. An improvement plan shall, within the limitations described in section nine, be updated at least once every three years by the BID board of directors, and a copy thereof shall be mailed or delivered to each BID member. The updated improvement plan shall take effect upon the approval of a majority of the electors. Any amendment to the improvement plan under section nine shall be deemed to be an update of the improvement plan.
''Local municipal governing body'', the city council or board of aldermen in a city or the board of selectmen or town council in a town.
''Management entity'', an entity designated in an improvement plan to receive funds to carry out and implement the purposes of the BID, and which shall be governed by the BID board of directors. The improvement plan may designate the BID board of directors to act as the management entity, or may designate that the management entity will be selected by the board of directors. If a management entity is utilized, such entity shall be required to furnish a surety bond conditioned on the faithful performance of its duties.
''Property'', any real property located within the BID.
''Property owner'', the owner of record of property.
''Standard government services'', governmental functions, programs, activities, facilities, improvements and other services which a municipality is authorized to perform or provide.
''Supplemental service'', the provision of programs, public services, activities, amenities, or information in addition to the standard governmental services provided to the BID.