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H3590 • 2025

An Act relative to the position of poet laureate for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts

An Act relative to the position of poet laureate for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Active

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

Sponsor
Domb, Mindy
Last action
2026-03-09
Official status
Accompanied a study order, see H5186
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 relative to the position of poet laureate for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts

An Act relative to the position of poet laureate for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts By Representatives Domb of Amherst and Vieira of Falmouth, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No.

What This Bill Does

  • An Act relative to the position of poet laureate for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts By Representatives Domb of Amherst and Vieira of Falmouth, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No.
  • 3590) of Mindy Domb and David T.
  • Vieira relative to the position of poet laureate for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
  • Tourism, Arts and Cultural Development.

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. 2026-03-09 House

    Accompanied a study order, see H5186

  2. 2025-10-09 Joint

    Hearing scheduled for 10/21/2025 from 01:00 PM-05:00 PM in B-2

  3. 2025-02-27 House

    Referred to the committee on Tourism, Arts and Cultural Development

  4. 2025-02-27 Senate

    Senate concurred

Official Summary Text

An Act relative to the position of poet laureate for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
By Representatives Domb of Amherst and Vieira of Falmouth, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 3590) of Mindy Domb and David T. Vieira relative to the position of poet laureate for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Tourism, Arts and Cultural Development.

Current Bill Text

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Bill H.3590

SECTION 1. Chapter 6 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after Section 38, the following section:-

Section 38A. (a) Biennially, on or before March 31, the governor may appoint a poet laureate for the commonwealth of Massachusetts from a list of nominees submitted by the poet laureate nominating committee pursuant to subsection (b). The poet laureate shall seek to raise the consciousness of all commonwealth residents, especially school children, to a greater appreciation of the reading and writing of poetry. The poet laureate shall be appointed to serve for a term of 2 years or until a successor is appointed and qualified as provided in this section. In the event of a vacancy in the office of poet laureate, the vacancy shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment.

(b) There shall be a poet laureate nominating committee consisting of the following 5 members: the speaker of the house of representatives, or a designee; the senate president, or a designee; 2 members appointed by the governor; and the executive director of the Massachusetts center for the book, or a designee. Members of the poet laureate nominating committee shall serve without compensation.

(c) The poet laureate nominating committee shall advertise and receive nominations for the selection of the poet laureate for the commonwealth of Massachusetts. Nominees shall be residents of the commonwealth and shall provide biographical and professional information, as well as supporting representative material, explaining why, based on their poetic accomplishments, they deserve recognition as the poet laureate for commonwealth of Massachusetts. The poet laureate nominating committee shall review all nominations and select 3 nominees to submit to the governor biennially on or before February 1.

(d) The person appointed to the position of poet laureate may receive remuneration through the Massachusetts center for the book. The Massachusetts center for the book may establish an appropriate stipend for the poet laureate and may provide for the payment of the poet laureate's expenses incurred in fulfilling of their responsibilities, subject to appropriation.

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