FILED ON: 7/6/2016

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2408

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 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:
 

Chapter 184 of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the following section:-

Section 36. (a) As used in this section, the following words shall have the following meaning unless the context clearly requires otherwise:

“Association of homeowners”, a community association, condominium association, homeowners association, cooperative or any other nongovernmental entity with covenants, by-laws and administrative provisions with which the homeowner’s compliance is required.

“Clothesline”, a rope, cord, wire or similar device on which clothing or other items including, but not limited to, linens are hung outdoors to dry.

(b) Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, a homeowner or tenant shall not be prohibited from installing or using a clothesline.

(c) A homeowner or an association of homeowners may adopt rules that reasonably restrict the placement and use of a clothesline on the premises of a residential dwelling; provided, however, that those restrictions shall not prohibit the use of clotheslines.  No private entity shall assess or charge a homeowner a fee for the placement or use of a clothesline.  If a homeowner or an association of homeowners has a contract, deed, covenant, restriction, rule, by-law, lease agreement or rental agreement that prohibits the use of clotheslines on the effective date of this act, the homeowner or association of homeowners shall hold a meeting to reconsider the provision prohibiting the use of clotheslines at the request of a unit owner or tenant; provided, however, that in the case of a tenant leasing or renting a unit in an association, the tenant shall make such a request to the unit owner. Any such meeting shall be held at a date and time agreed upon with the requesting party and after providing reasonable notice to all of the interested parties.

(d) Upon approval of this section 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 that city or town at the next regular municipal or state election:

“Shall (the city or town) accept section 36 of chapter 184 of the General Laws relative to the solar drying of laundry?”

If a majority of the voters voting on the question vote in the affirmative, this section shall take effect in that city or town.