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S 297

Employer and employee contribution rates under SCRS and PORS

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Ross Turner

The bill revises gateway municipality criteria so a town qualifies if it meets any three of five specific socioeconomic/demographic tests, altering which communities receive state

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Bill Summary · S 297

Summary — S.297 (Senate No. 297) — An Act relative to gateway municipalities

Status: Introduced (filed 01/17/2025; introduced in Senate 01/29/2025). Referred to committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies; additional referrals to Finance are recorded. Hearing(s) scheduled (most recently 09/25/2025). Sponsor: Sen. William J. Driscoll, Jr.

Purpose

S.297 updates the statutory definition of “gateway municipality” in Massachusetts General Laws, chapter 23A, section 3A. The change is intended to clarify and recalibrate which cities/towns qualify for the state’s gateway (economic development) designation and the programs and resources tied to that designation.

Key provisions

  • Replaces the current definition of “gateway municipality” in Chapter 23A, Section 3A.
  • A municipality will be designated a “gateway municipality” if it meets at least three of the following five criteria:
    1. Population of 35,000 or greater but less than 250,000.
    2. Median household income below the Commonwealth’s average.
    3. Rate of bachelor’s degree (or above) educational attainment below the Commonwealth’s average.
    4. Minority population of 40% or higher.
    5. 15% or more of households report speaking English less than “very well.”
  • The Secretary of Economic Development is tasked with certifying which municipalities qualify after each decennial census, or upon request by a municipality’s legislative body (city council, selectboard, etc.).

Who is affected

  • Municipalities that may newly qualify (or lose qualification) under the revised criteria.
  • Local governments and residents in those municipalities (potentially affecting access to state economic development programs, grants, technical assistance, workforce development, and tax incentive tools tied to “gateway” status).
  • The Executive Office of Economic Development (for certification and program administration).

Potential impact

  • Could change the composition of the state’s gateway municipality list, altering which communities receive targeted state resources aimed at economic growth and revitalization.
  • May prioritize communities with specific demographic and socioeconomic characteristics (lower incomes, lower educational attainment, higher share of minorities, and higher limited-English households).
  • Certification tied to decennial census data provides a predictable schedule for statewide designation updates, while the request option allows municipalities to seek re-evaluation between censuses.

Timeline / Procedural notes

  • Bill filed 01/17/2025 and introduced 01/29/2025. Referred to relevant committees; hearings are scheduled. Further committee review and votes will determine enactment.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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