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H3403 • 2025

An Act establishing a holiday known as "John F. Kennedy Day" to promote civic engagement and voter participation in the Commonwealth

An Act establishing a holiday known as "John F. Kennedy Day" to promote civic engagement and voter participation in the Commonwealth

Elections
Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor
Edward R. Philips
Last action
2025-08-18
Official status
Referred to House Committee on Ways and Means
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

An Act establishing a holiday known as "John F. Kennedy Day" to promote civic engagement and voter participation in the Commonwealth

An Act establishing a holiday known as "John F.

What This Bill Does

  • An Act establishing a holiday known as "John F.
  • Kennedy Day" to promote civic engagement and voter participation in the Commonwealth By Representative Philips of Sharon, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No.
  • 3403) of Edward R.
  • Philips and James C.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2025-08-18 House

    Bill reported favorably by committee and referred to the committee on House Ways and Means

  2. 2025-05-30 Joint

    Hearing scheduled for 06/04/2025 from 11:00 AM-05:00 PM in Gardner Auditorium

  3. 2025-02-27 House

    Referred to the committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight

  4. 2025-02-27 Senate

    Senate concurred

Official Summary Text

An Act establishing a holiday known as "John F. Kennedy Day" to promote civic engagement and voter participation in the Commonwealth
By Representative Philips of Sharon, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 3403) of Edward R. Philips and James C. Arena-DeRosa for legislation to establish a John F. Kennedy day holiday commission. State Administration and Regulatory Oversight.
Status:
Referred to House Committee on Ways and Means

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
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Bill H.3403

SECTION 1. Section 7 of chapter 4 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2018 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the word “October,”, in line 100, the following words:- John F. Kennedy Day.

SECTION 2. Section 15L of chapter 6 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by inserting after the word “November”, in line 2, the following words:- in all odd-numbered years and the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November in all even-numbered years.

SECTION 3. Said chapter 6 is hereby further amended by adding the following section:-

Section 220. There shall be a commission on the celebration of John F. Kennedy Day.

The commission shall consist of: 2 persons to be appointed by the governor; 2 persons to be appointed by the state secretary, 1 of whom shall be designated to serve as chair; 1 person to be appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives; 1 person to be appointed by the minority leader of the house of representatives; 1 person to be appointed by the president of the senate; 1 person to be appointed by the minority leader of the senate; 1 person to be appointed by the executive director of the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation; 1 person to be appointed by the president of the John F. Kennedy Hyannis Museum Foundation, Inc.; and 1 person to be appointed by the president of the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate.

The commission shall recommend activities that promote civic engagement and voter participation including, but not limited to: (i) establishing a Kindergarten to grade 12, inclusive, education curriculum; (ii) hosting special events; (iii) marketing, which shall include the publication and distribution of materials and online content; (iv) voter engagement activities; (v) voter registration drives; and (vi) voter access. The commission shall meet not less than semiannually. The commission shall issue an annual report to the clerks of the senate and house of representatives not later than December 31.

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