An Act to improve and enhance the Advisory Board to the Massachusetts School Building Authority

194th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Kim Ferguson and 4 co-sponsors

H.609 expands the MSBA Advisory Board from 17 to 19 members and adds two vocational-education groups, boosting vocational input in school construction decisions.

Hearing scheduled for 05/12/2025 from 01:00 PM-05:00 PM in A-2

Overview

Bill Number: H.609 (House Docket No. 609)

Title: An Act to improve and enhance the Advisory Board to the Massachusetts School Building Authority

Purpose: Expand and diversify the Advisory Board that oversees the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA), increasing its size and adding vocational/technical education representation.

Introduced: February 27, 2025

Current Status: Hearing scheduled for May 12, 2025 (1:00 PM – 5:00 PM) in room A-2

Filed By: Representative Bradley H. Jones, Jr. (and cosponsors)

Committee Action: Referred to the Committee on Education (2025-02-27); Senate concurred (relation to companion or prior session actions noted)

Related Document: HD 1424 (replaces), House Docket No. 1424

Key Provisions and Changes

Core Change: Amends Section 3A of Chapter 70B of the General Laws (as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition).

Board Size: Replaces the numeral 17 with 19, effectively increasing the size of the MSBA Advisory Board from 17 to 19 members.

New Representation: Adds two organizations to the list of advisory board members after “Massachusetts Association of School Committees, Inc.”:

Massachusetts Association of Vocational Administrators, Inc.
Alliance for Vocational Technical Education Coalition

Legal Text Summary:

“Section 3A of chapter 70B of the General Laws … is hereby amended by striking the number '17' and inserting in its place the number '19' and by adding after the words: 'Massachusetts Association of School Committees, Inc.' the following: 'Massachusetts Association of Vocational Administrators, Inc., Alliance for Vocational Technical Education Coalition.'”

Who Is Affected

MSBA Advisory Board: The composition increases from 17 to 19 members.

Stakeholder Groups Represented:

Massachusetts Association of School Committees, Inc. (existing representation)
Massachusetts Association of Vocational Administrators, Inc. (new representation)
Alliance for Vocational Technical Education Coalition (new representation)

Broader Impact: Potentially broader input from vocational education perspectives in MSBA decision-making related to school construction, facilities optimization, and related policies.

Procedural and Timeline Aspects

Introduction and Referral: Introduced February 27, 2025; referred to the House Committee on Education (and Senate actions noted in records).

Hearing Schedule: May 12, 2025, 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM, in Committee Room A-2.

Next Steps if Passed: If enacted, the change would require implementing amendments to the General Laws, updating MSBA governance documents, and potential administrative adjustments to board membership and appointment processes.

Cross-References: Similar matter previously filed as House Bill 505 in the 2023-2024 session; current filing is House Bill 609 (HD 1424 reference).

Potential Impact and Rationale

By increasing board membership and adding vocational-focused organizations, the bill aims to ensure greater representation of vocational and technical education interests in capital projects and facility planning overseen by MSBA.

The change could influence project prioritization, facility standards, and accountability measures, aligning school construction decisions more closely with vocational education needs.

If you’d like, I can add a brief comparison to the prior version (HD 505 of 2023-2024) or outline potential fiscal implications based on MSBA governance changes.

Bill