Bill > S1744

This bill creates the Massachusetts Municipal and Public Safety Building Authority, an independent public authority designed to assist cities and towns with constructing, improving, or replacing municipal and public safety buildings. The authority will be funded by 33% of marijuana sales tax revenue, which will be deposited into a dedicated trust fund. The authority will consist of seven members, including the state treasurer as chair and five additional appointed members representing various areas of expertise like public safety, municipal management, and building construction. The agency will have broad powers to review and approve grant applications, provide technical assistance, develop project priority systems, and offer financial support to municipalities for public safety facility projects. Priority will be given to cities and towns with limited financial resources, those regionalizing services, and communities with environmental justice populations, with at least 10% of financial assistance reserved for rural cities and towns. The authority will establish standards for grant applications, review project needs, develop long-term capital plans, and submit annual reports to the governor and legislative committees detailing its activities and the state of municipal and public safety facilities across Massachusetts. The goal is to help communities modernize and improve their critical public infrastructure in a strategic and equitable manner.

Justice

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/S1744