Bill > S1432

This bill establishes mandatory pre-service training programs for members of local boards and commissions in Massachusetts, specifically targeting boards of health, conservation commissions, planning boards, and zoning boards of appeals. The training programs will be developed and conducted by relevant state departments (such as the Department of Public Health, Department of Environmental Protection, and Department of Housing and Community Development) in consultation with the Massachusetts Municipal Association. These educational programs will be free of charge for board members and offered both in-person at various locations throughout the commonwealth and online. New board members will be required to complete these training programs before beginning their service, ensuring that local government volunteers have a standardized baseline of knowledge about their roles, responsibilities, and the specific areas in which they will be serving. The bill allows departments to potentially contract with professional associations like the Massachusetts Association of Boards of Health or the Massachusetts Citizen Planning Training Collaborative to deliver the training, which suggests a collaborative approach to developing comprehensive and practical educational content for local board members.

Budget and Finance, Government Affairs

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/S1432