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An Act establishing a grant program for senior citizens centers.
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Whereas, The deferred operation of this act would tend to defeat its purpose, which is to forthwith provide for a program of grants to cities and towns for the acquisition or development of senior citizens centers, therefore it is hereby declared to be an emergency law, necessary for the immediate preservation of the public convenience.
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. The secretary of the executive office of elder affairs hereinafter called the secretary, is hereby authorized and directed to establish a program to assist cities and towns or consortiums of contiguous cities, towns or any combination thereof, hereinafter to be called a consortium, in undertaking any project to acquire land, including buildings thereon, to construct, reconstruct, rehabilitate finish or expand facilities to be used as senior citizens center without acceptance by the commonwealth of responsibility for maintenance. The secretary may, under the provisions of this act, provide grant funds to such cities, towns or consortiums for projects authorized by this section.
SECTION 2.
EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF ELDER AFFAIRS
Office of the Secretary.
xxxx-xxxx For a program of grants to municipalities for acquisition of land and construction, reconstruction, rehabilitation or expansion of facilities to be used as municipal senior citizens’ centers................................................................................ $25,000,000
SECTION 3. To meet the expenditures necessary in carrying out section 2, the state treasurer shall, upon request of the governor, issue and sell bonds of the commonwealth in an amount to be specified by the governor from time to time but not exceeding, in the aggregate, $25,000,000. All bonds issued by the commonwealth, as aforesaid, shall be designated on their face, Senior Citizens Centers Loan Act of 2008, and shall be issued for a maximum term of years, not exceeding 20 years, as the governor may recommend to the general court pursuant to Section 3 of Article LXII of the Amendments to the Constitution; provided, however, that all such bonds shall be payable not later than June 30, 2033. All interest and payments on account of principal on such obligations shall be payable from the General Fund. Bonds and interest thereon issued under the authority of this section shall, notwithstanding any other provisions of this act, be general obligations of the commonwealth.
SECTION 4. The secretary shall establish rules and regulations which shall govern the application for and distribution of grant funds under the provisions of this act. Any such rules or regulations, or any amendment or repeal of any such rules or regulation shall, after compliance with all applicable provisions of chapter thirty A of the General Laws, be filed with the clerk of the house of representatives and the clerk of the senate.
SECTION 5. Any city, town or consortium may, by vote of the city council and approval of the city manager in a city having a Plan D or Plan E form of charter, or with the approval of the mayor in any other city, by vote of a town at an annual town meeting or at a special town meeting called for that purpose or in a municipality having a town council form of government by the town council, make application to the secretary for financial assistance in undertaking a project described in section one of this act.