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.
Structure Massachusetts General Laws
Part I - Administration of the Government
Section 2 - Admission of Persons Listed to Take Seats as Representatives
Section 3 - Calling House to Order; Presiding Officer
Section 4 - Unlisted Person May Present Certificate or Evidence of Election
Section 7 - Petitions for Legislation Respecting Corporations
Section 8 - Report on Financial Condition of Town Petitioning to Borrow Outside Statutory Debt Limit
Section 8a - Petition by City or Town Pursuant to Home Rule Amendment; Number of Votes
Section 9b - Additional Regular Compensation for Certain Members
Section 9c - Annual Expenses for Members of General Court
Section 10a - Reimbursement for Special Elections to Fill General Court Vacancies
Section 12 - Clerks, Salary and Tenure
Section 12a - Facsimile Signatures of Clerks
Section 13 - Assistant Clerks and Clerical Assistance; Appointment, Salary and Tenure
Section 14 - Chaplain of House of Representatives; Salary
Section 15 - Sergeant-at-Arms; Appointment, Tenure and Salary
Section 16 - Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms; Appointment, Duties, Compensation and Removal
Section 17 - Sergeant-at-Arms and Other Legislative Officers and Employees; Duties and Police Powers
Section 18 - Other Legislative Employees; Compensation
Section 19 - Authorized Number of Certain Legislative Employees
Section 20a - Uniforms for Sergeant-at-Arms and Other Employees
Section 21 - Appointment of Employees by Sergeant-at-Arms; Removal
Section 22 - Journals and Papers; Custody; Copies as Evidence
Section 22a - Journals of Senate and House of Representatives; Copies
Section 23 - Bills and Resolves; Form of Engrossment; Printing and Publication; Copies; Distribution
Section 24 - Proposed Constitutional Amendments; Engrossment, Deposit
Section 26 - Ordering of Books or Publications for Members
Section 27 - Oaths Administered by Committee Members
Section 28 - Self-Incriminating Testimony or Evidence Before General Court or Committee; Prosecution
Section 28a - Refusal of Summoned Witness to Appear or Testify; Penalty
Section 29 - Stenographic Reports of Hearings
Section 30 - Expenses Incurred Under General Court Order; Approval
Section 31 - Committee Expenses; Authorization by General Court
Section 32 - Expenses of Committees Acting During Recess
Section 32a - Committees, Sub-Committees and Special Commissions; Travel
Section 33 - Publication of Bulletins of Committee Hearings
Section 35 - Advertisement of Legislative Committee Hearings; Publication
Section 39 - Definitions Applicable to Secs. 39 to 50
Section 45 - Inquiry and Adjudicatory Proceedings Relating to Alleged Violations of Secs. 39 to 50
Section 46 - Docket of Executive and Legislative Agents; Maintenance; Legislative Year
Section 54 - Continuous Consolidation of the General Statutes; Counsel; Assistance and Expenses
Section 55 - Continuous Consolidation of the General Statutes; Counsel; Exempt From Civil Service
Section 62 - Advisory Commission on Local Government
Section 64 - Bureaus of Post Audit and Oversight; Legislative Auditors; Quarters; Powers and Duties
Section 65 - Senate Art Committee
Section 66 - Commission on the Status of Women; Membership; Powers; Funding
Section 68 - Commission on Status of Citizens of Asian Descent; Members; Terms; Powers and Duties
Section 71 - Commission on Older Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Adults and Their Caregivers
Section 72 - Commission on the Status of African Americans
Section 73 - Commission on the Status of Latinos and Latinas
Section 74 - Commission on the Status of Persons With Disabilities