Scope and Content: As a corollary to the state secretary’s constitutional and statutory record-keeping function in relation to laws passed by the General Court, the secretary receives and maintains legal documents in cases where the state is a defendant or respondent.  Series documents litigation in which the state has been involved.
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically by year in overlapping sequences
Notes:  Formerly part of Miscellaneous collection: boxes 89, 89A-J, 91, 92, 92A-D. Box 1: 1879-1903.  Box 2: 1904-1924.  Box 3: 1890-1926.  Box 4: 1927-1928
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Scope and Content: The state secretary, as custodian of the records of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is responsible for the care and filing of public documents.  Series was created as a compilation of the forms and some informational publications issued/used by the secretary’s main office and the units relating to public documents, legislation, archives, elections, corporations, and commissions.
Notes: Extracted from: Massachusetts. Elections Division. Subject files ((M- Ar)420)
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Scope and Content: Pursuant to St 1996, c 151, s 567, county government of Franklin County (Mass.) was abolished (b), its county commissioners reconstituted as the Franklin Council of Governments Committee (h), and all powers and dutiies previously conferred on the county and its commissioners retained by the Franklin Council of Governments (r) and the Committee, all effective July 1, 1997.  A regional charter commission (w) comprised of the committee and one selectmen-apppointed representative from each constituent municipality was to report a recommended structure of govenrment for the council by Dec. 31, 1977, such charter to be approved by majority vote of town meetings in a majority of towns or by majority vote in a county-wide election, to be effective July 1, 1998.  In fact the charter was approved by the former method and adopted effective July 1, 1997, providing for governance by the Franklin Regional Council of Governments through an administrative Executive Committee.  The state secretary, as chief record keeper for the Commonwealth, received a copy of the charter.
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Scope and Content: The state secretary has prepared listings of Massachusetts geographic names published under this title in successive editions of 1920, 1948, 1966, and 1975.  Series is probable source for these compilations and its data has been incorporated into an edition forthcoming as of 1995; additionally subseries (2) was probably used in indexing of: Massachusetts archives collection ((M-Ar)45X).
Arrangement:  In two subseries: Subseries (1) Counties, towns, and districts (2 v.); Subseries (2) Indian/ancient names of towns (3 v.); arranged within each vol./list alphabetically. Subseries arranged within each vol./list alphabetically
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Scope and Content: In fulfilling its role as the record keeper for the Commonwealth and pursuant to MGLA 43B, s 12, the office of the state secretary receives certified copies of home rule charters and charter revisions that have been approved by a majority of voters of a municipality in accordance with Const Amend Art 89 (Home-Rule Amendment), adopted in 1966 and further enabled by St 1966, c 734. –By law these copies transmitted to the state secretary are to be kept in the custody of the Archives of the Commonwealth.  Additional copies are kept by the municipality (see: Massachusetts. Municipal Clerks. Charters–final reports (town clerk scheduled item) ((M-Ar)RS-2.14)), the secretary of communities and development, and the attorney general, whose office must have previously approved the charter. –It should be noted that a special legislative act consisting of a new or amended town charter–the only option available before the passage of the Home Rule Amendment (above)–may  still be necessary or appropriate when a municipality is seeking changes in its government that the Attorney General has determined go beyond or are inconsistent with applicable general or special laws.  Such acts are initiated by the filing of a home rule petition with the General Court. They may be found in the session laws for any given year, but are not included in this series.
Arrangement: Arranged alphabetically by municipality
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Scope and Content: The House clerk prepares and has printed each day a calendar of matters in order for consideration by the House of Representatives of the General Court and such other matters as the House or the House speaker may direct (House rules, 12).
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically
Notes: St 1939, c 508, s 3 (amending St 1844, c 153) places custody of clerk’s files with the state secretary after the legislative year. Also known as: Orders of the day. No regular sessions held 1940, 1942, 1944
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Scope and Content: The House clerk maintains an account of actions taken by the House of Representatives of the Massachusetts General Court for each day of the legislative session.  Record of proceedings is called the journal (House rules, 10), which is submitted to the House Speaker for approval and printed daily.
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically, biennially from 1995-1996
Notes: St 1939, c 508, s 3 (amending St 1844, c 153) places custody of House clerk’s files with the state secretary after the legislative year
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Scope and Content: Any citizen or group of citizens in Massachusetts may petition the General Court for legislative action on any subject.  Such a petition is endorsed by a member of the legislature for presentation to the General Court, where through the legislative process it is unpassed or passed, subject to the governor’s approval or veto.  The House clerk is responsible for logging in all legislation filed in the House of Representatives.  Dockets are a log of legislation filed.
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically by legislative year (biennially from 1995- 1996), thereunder by docket no
Notes:  St 1939, c 508, s 3 (amending St 1844, c 153) places custody of clerk’s files with the state secretary after the legislative year. Contents: 1939-1940.  Box 1: 1947, 1953-1956.  Box 2: 1957-1960. Box 3: 1965-1975.  Box 4: 1976-1983.  Box 5: 1984-1992.  Box 6: 1993-2001/2002
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Scope and Content: The House clerk maintains an account of actions taken by the House of Representatives of the General Court for each day of the legislative session.  Roll calls are the record of voting on any legislative action taken upon a call for yeas and nays (House rules, 48-53).
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically by legislative year, thereunder by roll call no
Notes: St 1939, c 508, s 3 (amending St 1844, c 153) places custody of clerk’s files with the state secretary after the legislative year. No regular sessions held 1940, 1942, 1944
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Scope and Content: Any citizen or group of citizens in Massachusetts may petition the General Court for legislative action on any subject.  Such a petition is endorsed by a member of the legislature for presentation to the General Court, where through the legislative process it is unpassed or passed, subject to the governor’s approval or veto.  Bills that fail to pass in the House of Representatives are filed with the House clerk for one year. –Bill packets for proposed legislation containing petitions relating to slavery removed from original sequence for digitization and now stored separately.
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically by legislative year (biennially since 1995- 1996), thereunder by disposition
Restrictions: Some restrictions may apply
Notes: St 1939, c 508, s 3 (amending St 1844, c 153) places custody of clerk’s files with the state secretary after the legislative year
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