Power of Culture Blog
A Holiday Message from Michael J. Bobbitt
The Year Behind, The Path Ahead
Bethann Steiner, Public Affairs Director
Support H. 3378 and S. 2243 in 2021
Update November 14, 2022 – Success! Governor Baker signed this legislation into law! You can find it in the Commonwealth’s Session Laws by searching for Chapter 266 of the Acts of 2022. Mass Cultural Council is extremely grateful to Rep. Ken Gordon, former Senator Adam Hinds, and all our legislative partners who helped advance this helpful technical correction to the Governor’s desk this session.
Update November 4, 2022 – Big news! Yesterday this legislation was engrossed by the Senate, and then enacted by both Chambers. This means that the Legislature has given H. 3378 its approval and the bill is now on Governor Baker’s desk for his review and consideration! The Governor has 10 days to act on this legislation. Mass Cultural Council will reach out to his office to explain our support for this proposal and to urge him to sign it into law.
Update May 9, 2022 – H. 3378 has been referred to the Senate Committee on Rules. Mass Cultural Council submitted testimony to the Committee urging that the bill be released to the full Senate for consideration. Further, we continue to work with Sen. Adam Hinds, the lead sponsor of the bill in the Senate, to advance this proposal.
Update May 5, 2022 – Today this legislation was engrossed – given initial approval – by the House of Representatives! H. 3378 now moves to the Senate for review. Mass Cultural Council thanks all the parties who helped advance this technical correction through the House: sponsor Rep. Gordon; Committee Chairs Fiola, Honan, and Garlick; and Speaker Mariano for securing the Chamber’s support for this legislation.
Update April 7, 2022 – H. 3378 continues to advance and is now before the House Committee on Bills in the Third Reading. Mass Cultural Council will reach out to the Committee to continue to advocate for the passage of this legislation as it is now under review by the final House Committee before it can be scheduled for consideration by the full Chamber.
Update March 21, 2022 – H. 3378 has been referred to the House Committee on Steering, Policy & Scheduling. Mass Cultural Council will reach out to the Committee to continue to advocate for the advancement of this legislation as it now begins its second round of review in the House.
Update February 15, 2022 – The Joint Committee on Tourism, Arts & Cultural Development has given H. 3378 (accompanied by S. 2243) a favorable report. This means that the bill is now moving to another stop for review by the House of Representatives. Mass Cultural Council will continue to advocate for the advancement of this legislation, which we believe is a smart technical correction to the state law that determines who is eligible to serve as an appointed LCC member in their community.
Update: October 26, 2021 – The Committee on Tourism, Arts & Cultural Development held a public hearing on bills regarding Tourism Marketing and Cultural Development, including S. 2243 and H. 3378. Mass Cultural Council submitted testimony in support of these bills.
Update: April 14, 2021 – These proposals have been assigned bill numbers and have been referred to the Joint Committee on Tourism, Arts & Cultural Development for review and consideration this session. HD655 is now H. 3378 and SD1204 is now S. 2243.
Mass Cultural Council is thrilled to collaborate with Rep. Ken Gordon (D- Bedford) and Sen. Adam Hinds (D- Pittsfield) during this new 2021-2022 legislative session to advance HD655 and SD1204, bills filed to expand membership opportunities for Local Cultural Councils (LCCs).
Help us secure additional legislative support for this proposal. Contact your State Representative and State Senator and request that they co-sponsor HD655 and SD1204. Share the information about the bill below for their consideration.
The Mass Cultural Council Communities Initiative proudly manages the Commonwealth’s Local Cultural Council (LCC) Program, the largest grassroots cultural funding network in the nation.
Led by municipally-appointed volunteers, each year the Commonwealth’s LCCs award more than $4 million in grants to promote and enrich cultural life in all 351 Massachusetts communities. LCC grants support more than 6,000 cultural programs statewide, providing residents in every city and town access to arts and culture.
State law (MGL Ch. 10, Sec. 58) prohibits “elected public officials” from serving on their LCC.
Mass Cultural Council believes this restriction is appropriate for chief municipal decision makers, like mayors, city councilors, and select board members. However, this law also prevents those who are elected to serve in other local and regional capacities — like town meeting members, school committee members, local assessors, and library trustees — from serving on their LCC. In smaller, rural communities this severely limits the number of residents willing and able to serve as an appointed LCC member. LCCs cannot convene to conduct their important business if they cannot achieve quorum.
HD655 and SD1204 amend the statue and authorize local and regional elected officials to also serve on LCCs, excluding the community’s chief appointing authority and members of the local appropriating authority, as defined in MGL Ch. 59, Sec. 21C. HD655 and SD1204 offer a technical correction that is good for rural communities, promotes good governance and civic engagement, and strengthens participation in our cultural sector.
Please help us spread the word about this proposal: Urge your state legislators to support and co-sponsor H. 3378 and S. 2243.
