HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 472 FILED ON: 1/12/2009
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 3146
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_______________
PRESENTED BY:
Sarah K. Peake
_______________
To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of
the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the passage of the accompanying bill:
An Act to create the position of poet laureate for the Commonwealth of Massachusett
s.
_______________
PETITION OF:
|
Name:
|
District/Address:
|
|
Sarah K. Peake
|
4th Barnstable
|
|
Katherine Clark
|
32nd Middlesex
|
|
Christine E. Canavan
|
10th Plymouth
|
|
Denise Provost
|
27th Middlesex
|
|
Timothy Madden
|
Barnstable, Dukes and Nantucket
|
|
Tom Sannicandro
|
7th Middlesex
|
|
Robert A. O'Leary
|
Cape and Islands
|
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Cory Atkins
|
14th Middlesex
|
|
Sean Garballey
|
23rd Middlesex
|
|
Kay Khan
|
11th Middlesex
|
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_______________
In the Year Two Thousand and Nine
_______________
An Act to create the position of poet laureate for the commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of
Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
SECTION 1.
Chapter 6 of the Genera
l Laws, as appearing in the 2006
Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding, after section 5, the following new section:
S
ect
ion 5A.
(a
)
The governor may
select
a poet laureate
for the
C
ommonwealth
of Massachusetts from the list of nominees submitted to him or her by the Commonwealth Poet Laureate Nominating Committee pursuant to Section 5A (b)
herein
.
The poet laureate shall
be appointed to serve for a term of
two years
or until a successor is appointed and qualified as provided in this section.
(b) (1
)
There
shall be a Poet Laureate Nominating Committee. The Poet Laureate Nominating Committee shall consist of five (5) membe
rs: one (1) member of the Senate, one (1) member of the House, one (1) member appointed by the Governor, and two (2) members of the Board of Directors of the Massachusetts Cultural Council. Poet Laureate Nominating Committee shall serve without compensatio
n.
(2)The Poet Laureate Nominating Committee shall advertise for and receive nominations for the selection of the Poet Laureate for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The Poet Laureate Nominating Committee shall review all nominations and select a list
of three (3) nominees who are residents of the Commonwealth, to submit to the Governor along with their biographical and professional information and supporting representative material and who, based on their poetic accomplishments, deserve recognition as
the Poet Laureate for the Commonwealth. The Governor may select the Poet Laureate for the Commonwealth from the list of nominees for a two year term of office.
(c) In the event
of a vacancy in the office of Poet Laureate for the Commonwealth
, the vacanc
y shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment, and the person so appointed shall serve until a successor is appointed and qualified as provided in this section.
(d)
T
he
Poet Laureate for the Commonwealth during his or her term shall see
k to
raise the consciousness
of all people, including, but not limited to school children
to a greater appreciation of the reading and writing of poetry
, and
(e)
The poet laureate shall be an honorary position and the person appointed shall receive no
remuneration.
The person appointed to the position of poet laureate shall not be considered a state official or a state employee for such person's service in the position of poet laureate.
