SENATE DOCKET, NO. 553        FILED ON: 1/15/2015

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1056

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Michael J. Barrett

_________________

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 relative to solar drying of laundry.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Michael J. Barrett

Third Middlesex

Mary S. Keefe

15th Worcester

Ellen Story

3rd Hampshire

Cory Atkins

14th Middlesex

James B. Eldridge

Middlesex and Worcester

Brian M. Ashe

2nd Hampden

Tricia Farley-Bouvier

3rd Berkshire

Denise Provost

27th Middlesex

Elizabeth A. Malia

11th Suffolk


SENATE DOCKET, NO. 553        FILED ON: 1/15/2015

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1056

By Mr. Barrett, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1056) of Michael J. Barrett, Mary S. Keefe, Ellen Story, Cory Atkins and other members of the General Court for legislation relative to solar drying of laundry.  Municipalities and Regional Government.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

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

_______________

 

An Act relative to solar drying of laundry.

 

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

SECTION 1. Chapter 184 of the general laws, as appearing in the 2012 Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding the following section:-

Section 36. (a) This subsection shall take effect in any city or town upon the approval by the legislative body and their acceptance by the voters of a ballot question as set forth in this section.

(b) For the purposes of this section, the term “clothesline” shall include a rope, cord, wire or similar device on which clothing is hung outdoors to dry.

(c) For the purposes of this section, the term “association of homeowners” shall include a community association, condominium association, homeowners association, cooperative, or any other non-governmental entity with covenants, bylaws, and administrative provisions with which the homeowner’s compliance is required.

(d) Notwithstanding any general or special law or the terms of any contract, deed, covenant, restriction, rule, by-law, lease agreement, rental agreement to the contrary, a homeowner or tenant shall not be prohibited from the installation and use of a clothesline.

(e) An association of homeowners may adopt rules that reasonably restrict the placement and use of clotheslines for the purposes of drying clothes on the premise of any residential dwelling, provided, however, that those restrictions shall not prohibit the use of clotheslines entirely.  No private entity shall assess or charge any homeowner any fees for the placement and use of any clothesline.

SECTION 2. Upon approval by the legislative body of a city or town, the following question shall be placed on the official ballot and submitted to the voters of said city or town at the next regular municipal or state election:-

“Shall (the city or town) accept an act passed by the general court in the year 2015, entitled ‘A Act relative to solar drying of laundry’?”