Scope and Content: By its constitutional authority to provide advice and consent to the governor, the Council approves the granting of pardons, including commutations and respites (Const Pt 2, C 2, S 1, Art 8).  Pardon files include all relevant information concerning petitions for pardons and commutations that the governor has approved and now require the Council’s endorsement. –Each file may contain petitions for pardon sent to the governor by or on behalf of a person convicted of a crime; reports and recommendations from the Parole Board (known in this capacity as the Advisory Board of Pardons), which include a description of each offense and conviction for which a pardon is sought; letters opposing or supporting the pardon, including those of recommendation verifying the applicant’s period of good citizenship; correspondence among interested parties concerning the status of petitions; and a copy of the letter from the governor to the Council advising it of his decision.  Some files contain transcripts of hearings.  Included is one document box containing typewritten alphabetical lists of persons pardoned in 1963, 1964, 1969, and 1970 and one containing sets of index cards of persons pardoned, 1953-1964. –For additional files see: Council files ((M-Ar)378).  For related materials, 1861-1890, see: Massachusetts. Governor. Executive department letters ((M-Ar)567X).  For a listing of other related series see: Massachusetts. Office of the Secretary of State. Records of commissions, proclamations, pardons, and other official documents, 1713-1945 (bulk 1747-1936)((M-Ar)161X)
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically by year or year span, thereunder alphabetically by petitioner
Restrictions: Correspondence: Evaluative information restricted by statutory provision; for conditions of access consult repository; MGLA c 4, s 7, c 26 (c) and c 66A
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Scope and Content: The Massachusetts Developmental Disabilities  Council (MDDC) was established by executive order in 1975 as an independent state agency (though placed within the Executive Office for Administration and Finance) funded by the federal government to work with the Commonwealth to better support persons with developmental disabilities and their families. The council assists the Commonwealth in carrying out its requirements for participation in P.L. 106-402 (Developmental Disabilities Act of 2000), precursor and successor legislation, or in any federal grant program that would provide funds for services to developmentally disabled individuals. It serves as the designated State Agency under P.L. 106-402, and receives funds made available to the Commonwealth as above. The council develops and submits a State Plan including the specifications of federal and state priority area activities , and has the final authority in making grants under the State Plan.
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Scope and Content: The Commonwealth had a continuing interest in the United States-Great Britain dispute over the northeastern boundary of Maine, from the Revolution to the Webster-Ashburton Treaty of 1842: to 1820, as the state of which the District of Maine formed a part; from 1820, and pursuant to St 1819, c 161, an act to provide for separation of the District of Maine as a state, as the holder of title to certain Maine public lands.  Series relates to the appointment by the Council of commissioners to represent Massachusetts interests in negotiations prior to the 1842 treaty.
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically
Notes: Formerly part of state secretary’s: Miscellaneous collection
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Scope and Content: The U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts (Judge Joseph L. Tauro presiding) appointed a Court Monitor in 1979 to administer court consent decrees relating to five state schools for the mentally retarded. In 1986 the responsibility was transferred to the gubernatorially established Office of Quality Assurance for the Mental Retardation Consent Decrees. In 1993 oversight was transferred to a Governor’s Commission  on Mental Retardation, while specific quality assurance functions were placed under an Office of Quality Enhancement, Office of Quality Management, Dept. of Mental Retardation, which had taken over responsibility for the mentally retarded from the Dept. of Mental Health in 1986.
Restrictions: Personal information restricted by statutory provision; MGLA c 4, c 7, cl 26(c) and c 66A . For conditions of access consult repository
Notes: From the records of the Governor’s Commission on Mental Retardation, transferred to  Archives, 1994-2008. For details consult the Massachusetts Archives series control file
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Scope and Content: The U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts (Judge Joseph L. Tauro presiding) appointed a Court Monitor in 1979 to administer court consent decrees relating to five state schools for the mentally retarded. In 1986 the responsibility was transferred to the gubernatorially established Office of Quality Assurance for the Mental Retardation Consent Decrees. In 1993 oversight was transferred to a Governor’s Commission  on Mental Retardation, while specific quality assurance functions were placed under an Office of Quality Enhancement, Office of Quality Management, Dept. of Mental Retardation, which had taken over responsibility for the mentally retarded from the Dept. of Mental Health in 1986.
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically
Notes: From the records of the Governor’s Commission on Mental Retardation, transferred to  Archives, 1994-2008. For details consult the Massachusetts Archives series control file. Box 1: 1980-1983. Box 2: 1984-1986
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Scope and Content: State oversight of treatment for drug abuse in Massachusetts was successively the responsibility of the Drug Addiction Rehabilitation Board, established 1963 in the Dept. of Public Health, and of the Division of Drug Rehabilitation, established 1969 in the department of the attorney general, transferred to the Dept. of Mental Health effective 1971, and then to the Dept. of Public Health, effective 1982.  In 1986 the division was merged with that department’s Division of Alcoholism to form (as of 1989) the Division of Substance Abuse Services.
Arrangement: Arranged alphabetically by subject
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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 by the executive office’s criminal justice policy unit to oversee pertinent departments and establish policy.
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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 by the executive office’s criminal justice policy unit to inform and establish policy in the area of criminal justice.
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically
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