Executive Order  No. 48: Establishing a Governor's Committee on Fund-Raising Within the State Service

WHEREAS, it has been the traditional policy of the executive branch of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to permit certain national voluntary health and welfare agencies and certain other voluntary agencies to solicit funds from state employees at their places of employment or duty stations, and

WHEREAS, such solicitations should be conducted so as to afford an opportunity for true voluntary giving to such agencies for charitable and other purposes, and

WHEREAS, it is essential that solicitations for these voluntary agencies be conducted in such a manner as will occasion minimum interruption of State government functions, and

WHEREAS, it is desirable that solicitation be conducted on a basis of uniform standards:

NOW, THEREFORE, by virtue of the authority vested in me as Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, it is hereby ordered as follows:

(a) There shall be a uniform fund-raising program of true voluntary giving for all departments and agencies.

(b) There shall be not more than two solicitations annually; provided that exceptions to this rule may be made for emergency and disaster appeals.

(c) Each recognized and approved national voluntary agency shall be assigned an appropriate period for its solicitation; and no solicitation shall be made in any period other than that assigned therefor.

(d) Persons on duty shall be subjected to a minimum of disturbance.

(e) The record-keeping relating to, and the administration of, fund-raising programs shall be held to a minimum by all departments and agencies concerned.

(f) There shall be preserved the right of the giver to choose the agency or agencies which shall receive his gift.

(g) The identity of each recognized national voluntary agency shall be preserved.

(h) Each national voluntary agency shall be afforded an opportunity to inform potential givers with respect to the purposes, functions, administration and operations of the agency.

(i) There shall be reserved to the individual giver the option of disclosing his contribution or keeping it confidential. The principles enumerated above shall not be construed to affect contractual agreements with respect to the distribution of gifts between voluntary fund-raising agencies recognized for solicitation under this program.

Section 2. There is hereby established the Governor's Committee on Fund-Raising within the State service, hereinafter referred to as the Committee. The Committee shall be composed of five persons from the executive branch appointed by the Governor, who shall designate the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Committee. The Chairman, Vice Chairman, and other members of the Committee shall serve at the pleasure of the Governor.

Section 3. The Committee shall:

(a) Periodically review the conduct and operation of the fund-raising program under the policy reflected by this order.

(b) Recommend to the Governor such changes in policy as it believes necessary to improve the functioning of the program based upon its review of the conduct and operation of the fund-raising program.

(c) Make modifications in the fund-raising program as necessary to improve its functioning within the provision of this order.

(d) Review requests for participation in the said fund raising program received from national voluntary health and welfare organizations, make determinations as to their acceptance, and assign the appropriate solicitation period to such acceptable organization.

Section 4. The Chairman of the Committee shall establish an Advisory Council which shall be composed of the following persons or their personal representatives:

• The Commissioner of the Department of Public Health
• A representative of the United Community Funds and Councils of America, within Massachusetts
• A representative of a participating national health agency
• The Chairman of the Government Employees' Council (AFL-CIO)
• The President of the Massachusetts Employees Association
• A member at large who shall be appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the Governor

The Chairman and the Vice Chairman of the Advisory Council shall be designated by the Chairman of the Committee.

Section 5. The Advisory Council shall provide the Committee with advice and counsel concerning the policies, procedures and eligibility for solicitation within the state government.

Section 6. The head of each department or agency shall:

(a) See that voluntary fund-raising within his department or agency is conducted in accordance with the policies, principle and procedures prescribed by or pursuant to this order.

(b) Cooperate with the Committee and the participating voluntary agencies under this order.

(c) Designate a representative to work with the Committee as necessary to put the fund-raising program into effect within his department or agency.

Section 7. This order shall not apply to solicitations conducted by organizations composed of employees among their own members for organizational support or for benefit or welfare funds for their members. Such solicitations shall be conducted under policies and procedures approved by the head of the department or agency concerned.

Section 8. State officers and employees shall receive no additional compensation for services performed for, or as members of, the Committee or the Advisory Council. Non-State members of the Advisory Council and their personal representatives shall receive no State compensation for their services as such members or representatives.

Given at the Executive Chamber in Boston this Ninth day of December, in the year of Our Lord One Thousand Nine Hundred and Sixty-five, and of the Independence of the United States of America, the one hundred and ninety.

JOHN A. VOLPE
By His Excellency the Governor

KEVIN WHITE,
Secretary of the Commonwealth