Scope and Content: Under successive authorizations, the Committee for the Sale of Eastern Lands (1783-1801) and the Land Office were the primary agencies with responsibility for the management and sale of public lands in Maine on behalf of the Commonwealth.  In meeting this responsibility, the agencies had to enter into and become party to a variety of legal arrangements.  Typically these arrangements involved land transactions and/or development.  This file comprises a variety of legal documents, including copies, reflecting the land management activities of the agencies.
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically
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Scope and Content: The State Ethics Commission, formed in 1978 to interpret and enforce conflict of interest and financial disclosure laws for government employees in Massachusetts, may, on written request from a person subject to MGLA c 268A-B, render advisory opinions on the applicability of these laws (MGLA c 268B, s 3(g)). Such an opinion shall be a defense in any criminal action brought under these chapters and shall be binding on the commission in any subsequent related proceedings. The commission also reviews opinions of corporation counsel, city solicitor, or town counsel on questions relating to municipal employees under MGLA c 268A (see s 22), per the commission’s municipal advisory opinion regulation
Arrangement: Arranged in four subseries:(1) Formal opinions(2) Informal opinions (3) Municipal opinions (4) Telephone logs; Arranged within each subseries by case number/chronologically
Restrictions: Legal opinions are considered confidential when requested, although resulting opinions may be published by the commission with all identifying information removed. Municipal opinions are similarly treated
Notes: Boxes 1-27 Formals; 28-29 EC-FD formals; 30-89 Informals; 90-98 Municipals; 99-100 Telephone logs
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Scope and Content: The Governor’s Legal Office advises the governor on all matters of legal concern.  In fulfilling this function it researches and drafts legislation.  Legal research/issues files are created to determine the need for new legislation or policy development.
Arrangement: In four subseries: (1) Legislation (2) Legal research (3) Crime (4) General; Arranged chronologically by term(s), thereunder by subject. Arranged within each subseries by subject
Restrictions: Evaluative, investigative, or personal information restricted by statutory provision MGLA c 4, s 7, d 26(c) and c 66A. For conditions of access consult repository
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Scope and Content: Massachusetts has administered water works and sewage disposal for the Boston metropolitan area successively through the Board of Metropolitan Sewerage Commissioners (Metropolitan Sewerage Commission) (1889-1901) and the Metropolitan Water Board (1895-1901); the Metropolitan Water and Sewerage Board (1901-1919); and the Water and Sewerage Divisions of the Metropolitan District Commission (1919-1985).  Since 1985, the sewerage works functions have been assigned to the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA), and the water works functions have been shared by the MWRA (distribution) and the Metropolitan District Commission (to 2003) and the Dept.  of Conservation and Recreation (since 2003) (water supply reservoirs and their watershed management).
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically
Notes: Transferred to Archives from Metropolitan District Commission
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Scope and Content: Since 1971 the Executive Office of Human Services (Executive Office of Health and Human Services since 1992) has been responsible through its constitutent agencies for the delivery of a wide range of services to persons with financial, health, social, protective, rehabilitation, and correctional needs. Its role is one of management and fiscal oversight, coordination of interagency planning and program development, and policy analysis.  Series was created to allow the office’s legislative director to coordinate interagency review of proposed legislation pertinent to the office’s mission (see: Legislative review files, 1975-1989 ((M-Ar)1832)).
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Scope and Content: The Massachusetts Black Caucus consists of legislators representing the African American communities of the Commonwealth in the Massachusetts General Court, proposing and reviewing legislation relevant to those communities, as documented in this series.
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically
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Scope and Content: The Executive Office of Labor coordinates state agencies responsible for worker economic rights, health, and safety; and for labor bargaining units, collective bargaining, and settlement of labor disputes. Legislative files are maintained by the secretary of labor’s office to track relevant legislation and to record state administration support or opposition.
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically
Notes: Files for 1987 and 1989 lacking
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Scope and Content: The Water Division of the Metropolitan District Commission (MDC) was responsible for both the adequacy of supply and the purity of water provided to the Metropolitan Water District (Boston and surrounding communities).  For this purpose, the division was empowered to construct, operate, and maintain reservoirs, aqueducts, and other waterworks (GL 1932 (Ter Ed) c 92, s 10 et seq.).  Legislative files were created to obtain legislation favorable to the goals of the division.
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically
Notes: Legislative files were part of an administrative file that was selectively retained by the Archives.  See also series (M-Ar)569X, (M-Ar)894X, and (M-Ar)895X
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Scope and Content: The Council (under the governor except 1775-1780) functioned as the executive counterpart of the upper house of the General Court under the colonial charter, 1629-1686; as the executive (sole) government, 1686-1689; and both as upper house of the General Court and executive body under the revival of colonial government, 1689-1692, under the provincial charter, 1692-1774, and in the later Revolutionary period, 1775-1780.  (There was a rival Council appointed by the English Crown under Gov. Thomas Gage, 1774-1776.)  Under the 1780 Constitution it is an advisory executive body to the governor separate from the General Court.  Legislative records (formerly known as: Court records) document the Council’s legislative function as General Court upper house during the intercharter (1689-1692 only), provincial, and Revolutionary periods.  (For the Constitutional period see below.)
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically by date of General Court session
Notes: Records in general are transcripts, some from British State Paper Office made in the 1840s (see finding aid below).  To 1776 many draft originals are in: Massachusetts. Office of the Secretary of State. Massachusetts archives collection ((M-Ar)45X), v. 81-86. (For details see finding aid below.  Vol. 70, p. 157-158 includes draft minutes of the Council for Safety of the People and Conservation of the Peace, May 11, 1689.  Additional Massachusetts archives collection holdings not yet determined.)  From Oct. 1780 source document is: Massachusetts. Office of the Secretary of State. Senate journal ((M-Ar)531)
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Scope and Content: In Massachusetts the Executive Office of Manpower Affairs was established in 1969; it was informally renamed Executive Office of Economic Affairs in 1975, and after a period in which it was also known as the Executive Office of Economic Development  and Manpower Affairs, its name was legislatively changed to Executive Office of Economic Affairs in 1987.
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically
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