Section 21

Section 21 Authorization to Insure Commonwealth Property

Section 30 of chapter 29 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by adding the following sentence:-

Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, the executive office for administration and finance may, in consultation with the Massachusetts emergency management agency, approve a state agency request for permission to insure a property of the commonwealth that has been damaged if the costs of repair for the property are eligible under a presidentially declared disaster and the state agency would otherwise be ineligible for federal reimbursement unless insurance is obtained and maintained.

Summary

This section creates a limited exception to the blanket prohibition in state finance law that "no officer or board shall insure property of the commonwealth without special authority of law." This exception would allow A&F, in consultation with MEMA, to approve a state agency request to procure insurance on damaged property if the costs are eligible under a presidential disaster declaration, and if not having insurance would preclude federal reimbursement.