Massachusetts General Laws
Part I - Administration of the Government
Title I - Jurisdiction and Emblems of the Commonwealth, the General Court, Statutes and Public Documents

Section 6 - Conveyance to United States of Certain Lands Owned by Commonwealth for Lighthouses - Section 6. The department, with the approval of the governor...

Section 7 - Jurisdiction Over Land Acquired by United States; Reversion - Section 7. The United States shall have jurisdiction over any...

Section 7a - Legislative Jurisdiction Over Property Previously Ceded to Federal Government; Acceptance of Retrocession; Procedure - Section 7A. The governor, if he finds that the public...

Section 8 - Geological or Coast Survey Employees; Entry on Lands; Works, Stations, Buildings; Compensation for Takings - Section 8. In connection with their official duties persons employed...

Section 10 - Injury to Signals, Monuments, Buildings, of United States; Penalty - Section 10. Whoever wilfully injures, defaces or removes a signal,...

Chapter 2 - Arms, Great Seal and Other Emblems of the Commonwealth

Section 1 - Coat of Arms of Commonwealth - Section 1. The coat of arms of the commonwealth shall...

Section 2 - Seal of Commonwealth - Section 2. The seal of the commonwealth shall be circular...

Section 3 - Commonwealth and Naval and Maritime Flags; Design - Section 3. The flag of the commonwealth shall consist of...

Section 4 - Flag of Governor; Design - Section 4. The flag of the governor shall conform to...

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...

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...

Section 6a - Commonwealth Flag; Flying at Half-Staff - Section 6A. The flag of the commonwealth shall be flown...

Section 6b - Massachusetts Iraq and Afghanistan Fallen Heroes Memorial; Monitoring Committee - Section 6B. (a) The Massachusetts Iraq and Afghanistan Fallen Heroes...

Section 7 - Flower or Floral Emblem of Commonwealth; Protection; Penalty - Section 7. The mayflower (epigaea repens) shall be the flower...

Section 8 - Tree or Tree Emblem of Commonwealth - Section 8. The American elm (Ulmus americana) shall be the...

Section 9 - Bird or Bird Emblem of Commonwealth - Section 9. The chickadee (Penthestes atricapillus) shall be the bird...

Section 10 - Beverage of Commonwealth - Section 10. Cranberry juice shall be the beverage of the...

Section 11 - Horse or Horse Emblem of Commonwealth - Section 11. The Morgan horse shall be the horse or...

Section 12 - Insect or Insect Emblem of Commonwealth - Section 12. The lady bug shall be the insect or...

Section 13 - Fish or Fish Emblem of Commonwealth - Section 13. The cod shall be the fish or fish...

Section 14 - Dog or Dog Emblem of Commonwealth - Section 14. The Boston terrier shall be the dog or...

Section 15 - Gem or Gem Emblem of Commonwealth - Section 15. Rhodonite shall be the gem or gem emblem...

Section 16 - Marine Mammal or Marine Mammal Emblem of Commonwealth - Section 16. The right whale (Eubalaena Glacialis) shall be the...

Section 17 - Fossil or Fossil Emblem of Commonwealth - Section 17. The dinosaur track shall be the fossil or...

Section 18 - Mineral or Mineral Emblem of Commonwealth - Section 18. Babingtonite shall be the mineral or mineral emblem...

Section 19 - Song of Commonwealth - Section 19. The song ''All Hail to Massachusetts'', words and...

Section 20 - Folk Song of Commonwealth - Section 20. The song ''Massachusetts'', words and music by Arlo...

Section 21 - Poem of Commonwealth - Section 21. The poem, ''Blue Hills of Massachusetts'' composed by...

Section 22 - Rock or Rock Emblem of Commonwealth - Section 22. The Roxbury Puddingstone (Roxbury Conglomerate), shall be the...

Section 23 - Historical Rock of Commonwealth - Section 23. Plymouth Rock, located in the town of Plymouth,...

Section 24 - Explorer Rock of Commonwealth - Section 24. Dighton Rock shall be the explorer rock of...

Section 25 - Building and Monument Stone of Commonwealth - Section 25. Granite shall be the building and monument stone...

Section 26 - Official Heroine of Commonwealth - Section 26. Deborah Samson, who fought in the War of...

Section 27 - Ceremonial March of Commonwealth - Section 27. The song ''The Road to Boston'', composer unknown,...

Section 28 - Muffin of Commonwealth - Section 28. The corn muffin shall be the official muffin...

Section 29 - Shell of Commonwealth - Section 29. The New England neptune (neptunea lyrata decemcostata) shall...

Section 30 - Cat of Commonwealth - Section 30. The Tabby cat shall be the official cat...

Section 31 - Patriotic Song of Commonwealth - Section 31. The song ''Massachusetts (Because of You Our Land...

Section 32 - Folk Dance of Commonwealth - Section 32. Square Dancing shall be the official folk dance...

Section 33 - Soil of Commonwealth - Section 33. The Paxton Soil Series shall be the official...

Section 34 - Memorial of Commonwealth to Honor Vietnam War Veterans of Commonwealth - Section 34. The memorial to be constructed and maintained in...

Section 35 - Designation of Citizens of Commonwealth - Section 35. Bay Staters shall be the official designation of...

Section 36 - Game Bird of Commonwealth - Section 36. The wild turkey (Meleagris Gallopavo) shall be the...

Section 37 - Memorial of Commonwealth to Honor Southwest Asia War Veterans - Section 37. The memorial to be constructed in the city...

Section 38 - Bean of Commonwealth - Section 38. The baked navy bean shall be the official...

Section 39 - Berry of Commonwealth - Section 39. The cranberry (vaccinium macrocarpon) shall be the official...

Section 40 - Folk Hero of the Commonwealth - Section 40. Johnny Appleseed shall be the official folk hero...

Section 41 - Dessert or Dessert Emblem of Commonwealth - Section 41. The Boston cream pie shall be the official...

Section 42 - Cookie of Commonwealth - Section 42. The chocolate chip cookie shall be the official...

Section 43 - Glee Club Song of Commonwealth - Section 43. The song ''The Great State of Massachusetts'', words...

Section 44 - Polka of the Commonwealth - Section 44. The words and music of ''Say Hello to...

Section 45 - Peace Statue of Commonwealth - Section 45. A memorial statue built in the town of...

Section 46 - Memorial of Commonwealth to Honor Korean War Veterans of Commonwealth - Section 46. The Korean War Memorial located in the shipyard...

Section 47 - Ode of the Commonwealth - Section 47. The words and music of ''Ode to Massachusetts''...

Section 48 - Mia/pow Memorial of Commonwealth - Section 48. The MIA/POW Memorial located at the Massachusetts National...

Section 49 - Children's Book of Commonwealth - Section 49. The book ''Make Way for Ducklings'' by Robert...

Section 50 - Children's Author and Children's Illustrator of Commonwealth - Section 50. The author Theodor Geisel, better known as Dr....

Section 51 - Donut of Commonwealth - Section 51. The Boston Cream Donut shall be the official...

Section 52 - District Tartan of the Commonwealth - Section 52. The Bay State Tartan shall be the official...

Section 53 - Colors of Commonwealth - Section 53. Blue, green and cranberry shall be the official...

Section 54 - Blues Artist of Commonwealth - Section 54. The musician, Henry St. Clair Fredericks, better known...

Section 55 - Sport of Commonwealth - Section 55. The sport of basketball shall be the official...

Section 56 - Inventor of the Commonwealth - Section 56. Benjamin Franklin shall be the official inventor of...

Section 57 - Reptile of Commonwealth - Section 57. The garter snake shall be the official reptile...

Section 58 - Artist of Commonwealth - Section 58. Norman Rockwell shall be the official artist of...

Section 59 - Glacial Rock of the Commonwealth - Section 59. Rolling Rock, located in the city of Fall...

Section 60 - Salem as Birthplace of National Guard - Section 60. The city of Salem shall be designated and...

Section 61 - Groundhog of Commonwealth - [Text of section added by 2014, 206. See also, Section...

Section 62 - Official Vessel of the Commonwealth - Section 62. The Schooner Ernestina-Morrissey shall be the official vessel...

Section 63 - Gold Star Families Memorial Monument - [Text of section added by 2016, 141, Sec. 1. See,...

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...

Section 2 - Admission of Persons Listed to Take Seats as Representatives - Section 2. The persons named on the lists delivered to...

Section 3 - Calling House to Order; Presiding Officer - Section 3. On said first Wednesday of January, between the...

Section 4 - Unlisted Person May Present Certificate or Evidence of Election - Section 4. A person having a certificate or other documentary...

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...

Section 7 - Petitions for Legislation Respecting Corporations - Section 7. Any petition to the general court, except a...

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...

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...

Section 9b - Additional Regular Compensation for Certain Members - Section 9B. (a) The president of the senate and the...

Section 9c - Annual Expenses for Members of General Court - Section 9C. Each member of the general court shall annually...

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...

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...

Section 10a - Reimbursement for Special Elections to Fill General Court Vacancies - Section 10A. In special elections, called for the purposes of...

Section 12 - Clerks, Salary and Tenure - Section 12. The clerk of the senate and the clerk...

Section 12a - Facsimile Signatures of Clerks - Section 12A. Facsimiles of the signatures of the clerk of...

Section 12b - Manual - Section 12B. The clerks of the 2 branches shall in...

Section 13 - Assistant Clerks and Clerical Assistance; Appointment, Salary and Tenure - Section 13. The clerks of the senate and house of...

Section 14 - Chaplain of House of Representatives; Salary - Section 14. The chaplain of the house of representatives shall...

Section 15 - Sergeant-at-Arms; Appointment, Tenure and Salary - Section 15. The general court shall choose a sergeant-at-arms who...

Section 16 - Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms; Appointment, Duties, Compensation and Removal - Section 16. In case of the disability or necessary absence...

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...

Section 18 - Other Legislative Employees; Compensation - Section 18. There shall be 2 chief general court officers...

Section 19 - Authorized Number of Certain Legislative Employees - Section 19. The number of chief general court officers, assistant...

Section 20a - Uniforms for Sergeant-at-Arms and Other Employees - Section 20A. Subject to appropriation, the sergeant-at-arms may purchase uniforms...

Section 21 - Appointment of Employees by Sergeant-at-Arms; Removal - Section 21. The sergeant-at-arms shall, immediately after his election, with...

Section 22 - Journals and Papers; Custody; Copies as Evidence - Section 22. The journals, files and papers of the senate...

Section 22a - Journals of Senate and House of Representatives; Copies - Section 22A. Such number of copies of the journals of...

Section 23 - Bills and Resolves; Form of Engrossment; Printing and Publication; Copies; Distribution - Section 23. Bills and resolves passed to be engrossed by...

Section 24 - Proposed Constitutional Amendments; Engrossment, Deposit - Section 24. All proposed amendments to the constitution which have...

Section 26 - Ordering of Books or Publications for Members - Section 26. No periodicals, publications or books, other than those...

Section 27 - Oaths Administered by Committee Members - Section 27. Senators and representatives, acting as members of a...

Section 28 - Self-Incriminating Testimony or Evidence Before General Court or Committee; Prosecution - Section 28. A person shall not be excused from attending...

Section 28a - Refusal of Summoned Witness to Appear or Testify; Penalty - Section 28A. Any person who, having been summoned as a...

Section 29 - Stenographic Reports of Hearings - Section 29. Stenographic reports of hearings before legislative committees or...

Section 30 - Expenses Incurred Under General Court Order; Approval - Section 30. Accounts for expenditures made or services rendered under...

Section 31 - Committee Expenses; Authorization by General Court - Section 31. Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, no...

Section 32 - Expenses of Committees Acting During Recess - Section 32. No committee of the general court shall, after...

Section 32a - Committees, Sub-Committees and Special Commissions; Travel - Section 32A. No special commission, no special or standing committee...

Section 33 - Publication of Bulletins of Committee Hearings - Section 33. The committees on rules of the 2 branches,...

Section 35 - Advertisement of Legislative Committee Hearings; Publication - Section 35. Advertisements of hearings of legislative committees shall be...

Section 38a - Bills Reported Favorably by Joint or Ways and Means Committees; Fiscal Notes; Cost Limitation - Section 38A. Joint committees of the general court, the house...

Section 38b - Requests and Recommendations for Appropriations and Capital Outlay Programs or Projects; Public Hearings; Notice - Section 38B. The committee on ways and means of each...

Section 38c - Health Insurance Coverage; Mandated Health Benefit Bills; Review and Evaluation; Report - Section 38C. (a) For the purposes of this section, a...

Section 39 - Definitions Applicable to Secs. 39 to 50 - Section 39. As used in sections thirty-nine to fifty, inclusive,...

Section 41 - Docket of Executive and Legislative Agents and Lobbyists; Educational Seminars for Legislative and Executive Agents;annual Registration Statements; Annual Filing Fee; Identification Cards; Advisory Opinions - Section 41. The state secretary shall keep a docket which...

Section 42 - Agreements to Pay Compensation Contingent Upon a Decision of an Executive Officer or Upon Passage or Defeat of Legislation Prohibited - Section 42. No person shall make any agreement whereby any...

Section 43 - Executive and Legislative Agents; Itemized Statement of Expenditures; Notification of Legislators; Public Inspection; Family Gifts Restricted - Section 43. On or before the fifteenth day of July,...

Section 44 - Registration of Organizations Attempting to Influence Legislation; Statement of Expenditures; Public Inspection; Penalty - Section 44. On or before the fifteenth day of July,...

Section 45 - Inquiry and Adjudicatory Proceedings Relating to Alleged Violations of Secs. 39 to 50 - Section 45. (a) Upon receipt of a sworn complaint signed...

Section 46 - Docket of Executive and Legislative Agents; Maintenance; Legislative Year - Section 46. The docket of executive and legislative agents shall...

Section 47 - Employers of Executive or Legislative Agents; Statement of Expenditures; Filing; Penalty; Public Inspection - Section 47. On or before the fifteenth day of July,...

Section 48 - Violation of Secs. 41 to 44 or 47 Respecting Executive or Legislative Agents; Penalties; Prosecutions; Enforcement Procedures - Section 48. Violation of any provision of sections forty, forty-one,...

Section 49 - Proceedings to Compel Filing of Proper Statement Required by Secs. 43, 44 or 47;equitable or Mandamus Relief to Enforce Secs. 41 to 43; Speedy Trial - Section 49. The supreme judicial court or superior court may...

Section 50 - Sections Inapplicable to Public Employees or Agents or Other Persons Requested to Appear Before Committee or Commission - Section 50. Sections thirty-nine to forty-nine, inclusive, shall not apply...

Section 51 - Continuous Consolidation of the General Statutes; Counsel to Senate and House; Appointment; Duties as to Statute Revision, Etc. - Section 51. The committees on rules of the senate and...

Section 52 - Continuous Consolidation of the General Statutes; Counsel's Assistance in Drafting Bills, Etc. - Section 52. The said counsel shall, under like direction, assist...

Section 53 - Continuous Consolidation of the General Statutes; Counsel; Proposal of Changes and Corrections; Preparation of Revisions - Section 53. Said counsel may, from time to time, submit...

Section 54 - Continuous Consolidation of the General Statutes; Counsel; Assistance and Expenses - Section 54. The said counsel may employ such legal and...

Section 55 - Continuous Consolidation of the General Statutes; Counsel; Exempt From Civil Service - Section 55. The said counsel shall not be deemed to...

Section 55a - Continuous Consolidation of the General Statutes; General Laws; Correction, Revision, Etc. - Section 55A. The committees on rules of the two branches,...

Section 62 - Advisory Commission on Local Government - Section 62. There shall be an advisory commission on local...

Section 63 - Definitions; Post Audit and Oversight Committees; Powers and Duties; Meetings; Reports; Expenses - Section 63. The following words and phrases, as used in...

Section 64 - Bureaus of Post Audit and Oversight; Legislative Auditors; Quarters; Powers and Duties - Section 64. There are hereby established in the legislative branch...

Section 65 - Senate Art Committee - Section 65. There is hereby established in the senate a...

Section 66 - Commission on the Status of Women; Membership; Powers; Funding - Section 66. (1) There is established a permanent commission on...

Section 67 - Commission on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Questioning Youth; Membership; Terms; Powers and Duties - Section 67. (a) There shall be a permanent commission on...

Section 68 - Commission on Status of Citizens of Asian Descent; Members; Terms; Powers and Duties - [ Text of section effective until July 1, 2021. For...

Section 69 - Commission on Status of Grandparents Raising Grandchildren; Membership; Powers and Duties; Report - Section 69. (a) There shall be a permanent commission on...

Section 70 - Commission on the Future of the Metropolitan Beaches; Membership; Terms; Powers and Duties; Report - Section 70. (a) There shall be a permanent commission on...

Section 71 - Commission on Older Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Adults and Their Caregivers - Section 71. (a) There shall be a permanent commission on...

Section 72 - Commission on the Status of African Americans - [Text of section added by 2020, 253, Sec. 1 effective...

Section 73 - Commission on the Status of Latinos and Latinas - [Text of section added by 2020, 253, Sec. 1 effective...

Section 74 - Commission on the Status of Persons With Disabilities - [Text of section added by 2020, 253, Sec. 1 effective...

Section 75 - Commission on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys to Examine Issues Causing a Disproportionally Negative Impact - [Text of section added by 2020, 253, Sec. 1 effective...

Chapter 4 - Statutes

Section 1 - Effective Date of Statutes - Section 1. A statute enacted by the general court which...

Section 1a - Reorganization Plans for Executive Department - Section 1A. Any plan presented to the general court by...

Section 2 - Effective Date of Resolves - Section 2. A resolve, unless otherwise expressly provided therein, shall...

Section 2a - Special Legislative Commissions - Section 2A. Unless otherwise provided, the provisions of this section...

Section 3 - Enacting Style of Initiative Measures - Section 3. The enacting style of all measures submitted to...

Section 4 - Mode of Acceptance of Statute by Municipality or District - Section 4. Wherever a statute is to take effect upon...

Section 4a - Revocation of Acceptance by Towns of Special Acts - Section 4A. At any time after the expiration of three...

Section 4b - Rescission of Laws Previously Accepted by Cities, Towns or Municipalities - Section 4B. At any time after the expiration of three...

Section 5 - Return Showing Action of Body Accepting or Rejecting Statute - Section 5. If a statute is to take effect upon...

Section 6 - Rules for Construction of Statutes - Section 6. In construing statutes the following rules shall be...

Section 7 - Definitions of Statutory Terms; Statutory Construction - Section 7. In construing statutes the following words shall have...

Section 8 - Construction of Special Acts Authorizing Municipalities to Incur Indebtedness - Section 8. In construing any special act authorizing a city,...

Section 9 - Time for Performance of Acts Performable on Sunday or Holiday - Section 9. Except as otherwise provided, when the day or...

Section 9a - Recital Giving Unsealed Instrument Effect of Sealed Instrument; ''person'' Defined - Section 9A. In any written instrument, a recital that such...

Section 9b - Stamping Seal on Documents - Section 9B. The impression or stamping of the established seal...

Section 10 - Daylight Saving Time - Section 10. At two o'clock ante-meridian of the last Sunday...

Section 11 - Marginal References - Section 11. Marginal references to statutes shall refer to general...

Section 12 - Bi-Partisan Boards; Political Affiliations of Members - Section 12. Establishment, cancellation or change of enrollment in a...

Section 13 - Legal Notices Required to Be Published in Newspapers; Electronic Publication - Section 13. (a) As used in this section, ''statewide website''...

Chapter 5 - Printing and Distribution of Laws and Public Documents - [Repealed, 2012, 165, Sec. 10.]

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Massachusetts General Laws Part I - Administration of the Government Title I - Jurisdiction and Emblems of the Commonwealth, the General Court, Statutes and Public Documents

Massachusetts General Laws
Part I - Administration of the Government
Title I - Jurisdiction and Emblems of the Commonwealth, the General Court, Statutes and Public Documents