Massachusetts General Laws Part I. Administration of the Government (Ch. 1-182) Ch. 111, § 55

There shall be an advisory council on the licensing of hospitals, hospital surveys and construction planning, consisting of the commissioners of public health, mental health and public welfare, ex officiis, and twelve persons, who shall include representatives of nongovernmental organizations or groups, of agencies of the commonwealth concerned with the operation, construction or utilization of hospitals, and of consumers of hospital services selected from persons familiar with the need of such services in urban or rural areas, to be appointed by the governor. As the term of office of an appointive member expires, his successor shall be appointed by the governor, in like manner, for a term of four years. No member shall be reappointed for more than two years. The commissioner of public health shall be the chairman of the council. Members of said council shall serve without compensation but each member shall be paid by the commonwealth the traveling expenses necessarily incurred by him in connection with the performance of his official duties.

Said advisory council shall in order to carry out the Hospital and Medical Facilities Amendments of 1964 (P.L. 88-443),  1 and any other applicable federal law, consult with and advise the department in any matter relative to surveying the need for hospitals and to developing a program for constructing the same.