Massachusetts · statute · Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 166 · 76 active provisions
Section 1. A telegraph or telephone company shall not commence the construction of its line until three fourths of its capital stock have been unconditionally subscribed for, and at least one half has been paid in in cash; and the directors shall, within ten days after commencing construction, file in the office of the…
Section 2. Such company shall not at any time contract or owe debts to a larger amount than one half of its capital stock actually paid in.
Section 3. The president and treasurer of such company shall be jointly and severally liable for all its indebtedness, in case of wilful neglect or omission on their part to comply with any provision of section one, two or eleven.
Section 4. Such company shall issue only such amount of stock and bonds, and of coupon notes and other evidences of indebtedness payable at periods of more than three years, as the department of telecommunications and cable may from time to time approve as reasonably necessary for the purpose for which such issue of st…
Section 5. The supreme judicial or superior court shall have jurisdiction in equity, upon the application of the department, attorney general, any stockholder or interested party, to enforce the preceding section and all lawful orders and decisions, conditions or requirements of said department in pursuance thereof. In…
Section 6. A director, treasurer or other officer or agent of any such company who knowingly votes to authorize the issue of, or knowingly signs, certifies or issues, stock or bonds contrary to section four, or who knowingly votes to authorize the application, or knowingly applies the proceeds, of such stock or bonds c…
Section 7. If any such company increases its capital stock, such new shares necessary to produce the amount of increased capital stock authorized shall, except as provided in the following section, be offered proportionately to its stockholders at not less than the market value thereof at the time of increase, to be de…
Section 8. If such increase does not exceed four per cent of the existing capital stock of the corporation, the directors, without first offering the same to the stockholders, may sell them by auction to the highest bidder at not less than the par value thereof to be actually paid in cash, and shall so sell any shares…
Section 9. No such company established under the laws of this commonwealth shall declare any stock or scrip dividend or divide the proceeds of the sale of stock or scrip among its stockholders; nor shall any such company issue any share of stock to any person unless the par value of the shares so issued is first paid i…
Section 10. All certificates of stock or scrip issued in violation of the preceding section shall be void; and the directors of the corporation which issues them shall be liable to a penalty of one thousand dollars each, to be recovered by indictment in any county where any of them reside; but if any such director prov…
Section 11. Every telephone or telegraph company doing business in the commonwealth shall annually, on or before March thirty-first or such subsequent date as the department of telecommunications and cable, for good cause shown in any case, may fix, file with said department a report of its doings for the year ending D…
Section 12. Any such company neglecting to make the annual return required by the preceding section shall, for the first fifteen days or portion thereof during which such neglect continues, forfeit five dollars a day; for the second fifteen days or any portion thereof, ten dollars a day; and for each day thereafter a s…
Section 12A. Every company subject to the requirements of section eleven shall file with the department, with its annual return required under said section, a condensed return of its business and financial condition, in such form and with such detail as the department requires, signed and sworn to by the treasurer and…
Section 13. A person owning, controlling or operating a telephone exchange or service in the commonwealth shall, upon application of a telegraph company, furnish such company with the use of telephones and telephone service, and connection with his exchanges, with the subscribers thereto, and with his telephone service…
Section 14. A person owning, controlling or operating a telephone exchange or service in the commonwealth shall, on application and the tender of the charges or rental usual or customary for the class of service required, without discrimination for the same class of service rendered, furnish the applicant with the use…
Section 14A. (a) In order to establish statewide enhanced 911 service, upon the written request of the state 911 department, established by section 18B of chapter 6A, hereinafter referred to as the department, each telephone company providing local exchange service in the commonwealth shall provide and maintain enhance…
Section 15. The supreme judicial or superior court shall have jurisdiction in equity to enforce the two preceding sections.
Section 15A. A telephone company, upon request therefor by a subscriber who has paid to such company, for a period of not less than thirty-six months, an extra charge for the use of a hand telephone set, so called, furnished to him by such company, in lieu of a wall or desk set, shall continue to furnish, or furnish, t…
Section 15B. A corporation organized under the laws of the commonwealth for the transmission of intelligence by electricity or by telephone, whether by electricity or otherwise, hereinafter called the vendor corporation, may, pursuant to a vote of stockholders owning not less than two thirds of its capital stock, at a…
Section 15C. Any person who shall wilfully refuse to yield or surrender the use of a party telephone line to another person for the purpose of permitting such other person to report a fire or to summon police, medical or other aid in case of emergency and any person who shall ask for or request the use of such party li…
Section 15D. No telephone company which has underground wires or cables in a joint trench or other underground location used jointly with an electric company shall require an employee to perform repair work on its wires or cables in any such trench or other such location where energized wires or cables owned by the ele…
Section 15E. (a) As used in this section, the following words shall, unless the context requires otherwise, have the following meanings:— ''Captioned telephone'', an amplified telecommunications device with a text display that permits the user to both listen to what is said over the telephone and simultaneously read ca…
Section 16. A telegraph company shall receive despatches from and for other telegraph companies and associations, and from and for any person; and, upon payment of the usual charges for transmitting despatches according to the regulations of the company, shall transmit them faithfully and impartially.
Section 17. A telegraph company shall receive, compute and transmit despatches received at its offices from another telegraph company or by mail, at the same rates of charge as for despatches received for transmission from individuals on the same day and at the same place.
Section 18. A telegraph company which wilfully neglects or refuses to comply with any provision of the two preceding sections shall forfeit not more than one hundred dollars to the company or person who sends or desires to send the despatch.