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S 407

Relates to expanding the authority of the attorney general to investigate violations of the public officers law

2025 Regular Session Introduced by James Skoufis

Creates a time-limited commission to set standards for regional school district cost sharing and decide whether towns should maintain their own districts or join regional ones.

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Bill Summary · S 407

Summary — S 407 (filed as SD 1992 / Senate No. 407)

Status: Referred (various committees per record); Filed 1/17/2025; Report due 12/1/2026

Note: the bill text provided is a Massachusetts measure introduced by Senator Paul W. Mark to create a special commission on regional school finance reform. Some header metadata in the submission (title referencing the attorney general; sponsors listed as Mike Lee and John R. Curtis; varied committee referrals) appear inconsistent with the bill text. The summary below follows the bill text (Senate No. 407 / SD 1992).

Main purpose

Create a special, time‑limited commission to assess and recommend standards for how regional school districts apportion costs among member towns, and to evaluate whether towns should be mandated to have their own school district or to belong to a regional district.

Key provisions

  • Establishes a special commission governed by section 2A of chapter 4 of the General Laws.
  • Primary study tasks:
    • Assess and set standards for the “default apportionment formula” used in regional school district agreements under Section 14B of Chapter 71.
    • Specifically evaluate whether apportionment standards should be based on (a) number of students, (b) total property values in a town, or other measures.
    • Recommend whether each town in the Commonwealth should be required either to maintain its own district or to belong to a regional school district.
  • The commission must submit findings, recommendations, and draft implementing legislation to the clerks of the House and Senate, the chairs of the House and Senate public service committees, and the chairs of the Joint Commission on Education by December 1, 2026.

Commission composition

  • Co‑chairs: 1 appointee of the Senate President (co‑chair) and 1 appointee of the Speaker of the House (co‑chair).
  • Additional legislative appointees: 1 appointee each by the Senate minority leader and House minority leader.
  • Executive branch members (or designees): Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education; Commissioner of the Department of Revenue; Secretary of the Executive Office for Administration and Finance.
  • Five regional school superintendents appointed by the Governor (from regional schools).
  • One appointee each by: Massachusetts Association of Regional Schools; Rural Policy Advisory Commission; Massachusetts Municipal Association.

Timeline and procedure

  • Commission governed by existing law for special commissions (chapter 4, §2A).
  • Report and draft legislation due December 1, 2026.
  • Bill filing/committee activity in 2025 includes referral to education committee and at least one scheduled hearing (per legislative actions provided).

Who would be affected

  • Regional school districts and their member towns (apportionment formulas determine local assessments and tax burdens).
  • Municipal budgets, property taxpayers, and students (via potential changes in fund allocation and district organization).
  • State agencies involved in education and revenue because of implementation/oversight roles.

Potential impacts

  • Could lead to statutory changes modifying how costs are split among towns (shifting weight between student counts and property valuation).
  • Possible redistributions of tax burdens across municipalities; incentives or disincentives to form/join regional districts.
  • Fiscal effects would depend on the commission’s recommendations and subsequent legislation.

Notes on metadata inconsistencies

  • The bill text is a Massachusetts education measure introduced by Senator Paul W. Mark (filed 1/17/2025). However, header items in the submission (title about expanding the attorney general’s authority, sponsors Mike Lee and John R. Curtis, and some committee referrals) do not match the text. Users should verify jurisdiction and sponsor information from the official legislative docket before citing sponsors or committee status.

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

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