HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1608        FILED ON: 1/15/2015

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2978

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

James J. Dwyer

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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act establishing a special commission to identify opportunities to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of type II noise barrier implementation plan.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1608        FILED ON: 1/15/2015

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2978

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 3045 OF 2013-2014.]

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Eighty-Ninth General Court
(2015-2016)

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An Act establishing a special commission to identify opportunities to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of type II noise barrier implementation plan.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

There shall be a special commission to study and make recommendations to identify opportunities to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of type II noise barrier implementation plan..  The commission shall consist of 13 members: 3 of whom shall be appointed by the speaker of the house; 2 of whom shall be appointed by the house minority leader; 3 of whom shall be appointed by the senate president; 2 of whom shall be appointed by the senate minority leader; 1 of whom shall be appointed by the metropolitan planning organization; 1 of whom shall be appointed by the secretary of transportation and chief executive officer of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation; and 1 of whom shall be appointed by the governor.  The speaker of the house and the senate president shall determine which 2 members of the commission shall serve as co-chairpersons.

The commission shall identify opportunities to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of type II noise barrier implementation plan and make such other recommendations as the commission deems appropriate, with the goal of expediting the type II noise barrier implementation program, reducing costs to the state and enhancing the quality of life of the public.  The commission shall consider the type II noise barrier implementation program, the qualifications required for a project to be placed on the type II priority list, and identifying problem areas along routes 93 and route 95 for consideration of placement on the type II noise barrier implementation plan priority list. The commission shall also seek to identify opportunities to maximize revenues, such as federal grants and matching funds.

The commission may hold hearings and invite testimony from experts and the public.  The commission shall review and identify best practices learned from similar efforts in other states.

Members of the commission shall be named and the commission shall commence its work within 60 days of the effective date of this act.  The commission shall report to the general court the results of its investigation and study, and recommendations, if any, together with drafts of legislation necessary to carry its recommendations into effect by filing the same with the clerks of the senate and the house of representatives on or before January 15, 2014.  The clerks of the house and senate shall make the report available to the public through the internet.