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S 2151

Prohibits mandatory arbitration agreements in consumer and employment contracts; repealer

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Leroy Comrie and 1 co-sponsor

Designates the blue-spotted salamander as Massachusetts official salamander; a symbolic designation with no regulatory powers, funding, or mandates.

REFERRED TO CONSUMER PROTECTION
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · S 2151

Summary — S.2151 (Commonwealth of Massachusetts): "An Act establishing the official salamander of the Commonwealth"

One‑line summary

This bill designates the blue‑spotted salamander as the official salamander of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts by adding a new section to Chapter 2 of the General Laws. It is a symbolic designation with no regulatory or fiscal mandates.

Purpose and intent

The bill formally recognizes the blue‑spotted salamander (commonly Ambystoma laterale) as the Commonwealth’s official salamander. Such measures are typically intended to celebrate state wildlife, promote conservation awareness, and provide an official symbol for educational and ceremonial uses.

Key provisions

  • Amends Chapter 2 of the Massachusetts General Laws by adding a new Section 65.
  • Section text: “The blue‑spotted salamander shall be the official salamander of the commonwealth.”
  • No other substantive provisions (no funding, regulatory authority, or programmatic mandates are included).

Who is affected

  • Primarily symbolic: residents, educators, conservation groups, museums, and state agencies that publish or maintain lists of state symbols.
  • No direct legal, regulatory, or fiscal impacts on businesses, local governments, or individuals.
  • State agencies (e.g., Secretary of the Commonwealth) may update official listings and publications to reflect the designation.

Procedural and timeline notes

  • Bill text filing date shown as 01/17/2025 (Senate Docket No. 2296 / Senate No. 2151).
  • Legislative actions in the provided record include multiple referrals and events with inconsistent committee attributions and dates:
    • Filed 01/17/2025.
    • Various entries show referral to State Administration and Regulatory Oversight (02/27/2025), hearings scheduled and referred to Consumer Protection (01/15/2025 entries), and a read/referred entry on 06/24/2025 (also listed as “Introduced in Senate”).
    • The document notes prior similar measures in earlier sessions (e.g., Senate No. 2006 of 2023–2024).
  • These mixed procedural entries appear inconsistent; the core bill language and primary sponsor in the bill text identify Senator Barry R. Finegold as the presenter.

Related legislation

  • The bill references or replaces prior entries (SD 2296, prior-session bills S.7924, S.3208, S.2752, S.684) and a companion House bill (A.93).

Impact assessment

  • Symbolic designation only; negligible fiscal impact.
  • Potential positive impacts include increased public interest in amphibian conservation and educational opportunities.
  • No enforcement, regulatory change, or mandated expenditures are included.

Notes: The metadata provided with this request contains inconsistencies (committee names, sponsors, and procedural dates differ across entries). The summary above is based on the bill text as filed, which designates the blue‑spotted salamander as the Commonwealth’s official salamander.

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

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