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Bill > H5381

MA H5381

Preserving open space in the Commonwealth

summary

Introduced
11/10/2022
In Committee
11/10/2022
Crossed Over
Passed
11/10/2022
Dead
Signed/Enacted/Adopted
11/17/2022

Introduced Session

192nd General Court

Bill Summary

The committee of conference on the disagreeing votes of the two branches with reference to the Senate amendment of the House Bill preserving open space in the Commonwealth (House, No. 851), reports, in part, recommending passage of the accompanying bill (House, No. 5381).

AI Summary

This bill aims to preserve open space in the Commonwealth by establishing new requirements for public entities seeking to use or dispose of land, easements, or other real property interests that are subject to Article XCVII of the Amendments to the Constitution of the Commonwealth. The key provisions include: 1. Public entities must conduct an alternatives analysis to demonstrate that no feasible alternatives exist before using or disposing of Article XCVII land, and they must identify replacement land of equal or greater natural resource value and acreage to be dedicated in perpetuity for Article XCVII purposes. 2. The Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs can waive or modify the replacement land requirement in certain cases, such as when the disposition involves only a transfer of legal control between public entities or the parcel is of insignificant natural resource value. 3. Public entities can provide funding in lieu of or in combination with replacement land, subject to certain conditions, if the Secretary makes specific findings related to the public interest, environmental justice impacts, and the feasibility of identifying replacement land. 4. The Secretary must annually report on instances where funding was provided in lieu of replacement land. 5. Any petition to the General Court to authorize the use or disposition of Article XCVII land must include the required analyses, descriptions, and documentation. The bill also requires the Secretary to promulgate regulations to implement these new requirements within 18 months of the bill's effective date.

Sponsors (62)

Brian Ashe (D),  Bruce Ayers (D),  Ruth Balser (D),  Christine Barber (D),  John Barrett (D),  Natalie Blais (D),  Michael Brady (D),  Tackey Chan (D),  Michelle Ciccolo (D),  Jo Comerford (D),  Rob Consalvo (D),  Edward Coppinger (D),  Brendan Crighton (D),  Mike Day (D),  Paul Donato (D),  Jamie Eldridge (D),  Nika Elugardo (D),  Dylan Fernandes (D),  Sean Garballey (D),  Carmine Gentile (D),  Jessica Giannino (D),  Ken Gordon (D),  Tami Gouveia (D),  Danielle Gregoire (D),  Rich Haggerty (D),  Jim Hawkins (D),  Natalie Higgins (D),  Vanna Howard (D),  Mary Keefe (D),  Kay Khan (D),  Mike Kushmerek (D),  John Lawn (D),  Jack Lewis (D),  Jason Lewis (D),  Kate Lipper-Garabedian (D),  Jay Livingstone (D),  Adrian Madaro (D),  Paul McMurtry (D),  Christina Minicucci (D),  Leonard Mirra (R),  Brian Murray (D),  Tram Nguyen (D),  Patrick O'Connor (R),  Jim O'Day (D),  Steve Owens (D),  Marc Pacheco (D),  Alice Peisch (D),  Ted Philips (D),  Smitty Pignatelli (D),  Angelo Puppolo (D),  Dave Robertson (D),  Dave Rogers (D),  Lindsay Sabadosa (D),  Adam Scanlon (D),  Dan Sena (D),  Tom Stanley (D),  Bruce Tarr (R),  Walter Timilty (D),  Paul Tucker (D),  Steve Ultrino (D),  Erika Uyterhoeven (D),  Tommy Vitolo (D), 

Last Action

Signed by the Governor, Chapter 274 of the Acts of 2022 (on 11/17/2022)
(7 Companion Bills)

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Document Type Source Location
State Bill Page https://malegislature.gov/Bills/192/H5381
Bill https://malegislature.gov/Bills/192/H5381.pdf
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