Bill > H2930

This bill authorizes the acquisition of land and the development and construction of a museum and cultural center in Springfield, Massachusetts, specifically in the Mason Square area. This center, which will be at least twelve thousand square feet, is intended to educate the public about the historical significance of the region to the Underground Railroad, the Civil Rights Movement, and the role of African Americans in Western Massachusetts. The bill also aims to boost tourism and economic development in Springfield and the wider Commonwealth by attracting visitors and conferences. It defines "Project" as the comprehensive process of acquiring, developing, constructing, and operating the center, and "Operator" as the entity contracted to manage it. The Department of Capital Planning and Operations is tasked with conducting studies and preparing preliminary specifications for the center within ninety days of the bill's effective date, in consultation with the African-American Museum and Cultural Center of Western Massachusetts and the city of Springfield, and will also establish the criteria and responsibilities for the center's operator. Funding for the project will be made available subject to public fund disbursement laws.