HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1672        FILED ON: 1/19/2017

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1780

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Chris Walsh

_________________

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 to ensure safe maintenance of utility poles and wires.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Chris Walsh

6th Middlesex

1/19/2017

Marjorie C. Decker

25th Middlesex

 

Leonard Mirra

2nd Essex

 

Carolyn C. Dykema

8th Middlesex

 

David Paul Linsky

5th Middlesex

 

James J. Dwyer

30th Middlesex

 

Tackey Chan

2nd Norfolk

 


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1672        FILED ON: 1/19/2017

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1780

By Mr. Walsh of Framingham, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1780) of Chris Walsh and others for legislation to ensure safe maintenance of utility poles and wires.  Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninetieth General Court
(2017-2018)

_______________

 

An Act to ensure safe maintenance of utility poles and wires.

 

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 164 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2010 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting the following sections 34C and 34D:

Section 34C: Municipal participation in notification system

For any municipality where utility companies participate in any program to coordinate the removal, replacement or installation of utility poles and wires, said municipality shall have unrestricted access to view the utility records and information for the entire municipality.

Section 34D: Reporting changes in service; securing wires

Any wire that is disconnected from a residential or business service location, and which remains attached to a utility pole, shall be reported by a utility undertaking such a change, no less than 14 days following the date of such action, to any notification system of which the utility is a participant. Said wire must be permanently secured such that no portion of said wire is less than fifteen feet from the base of the pole, and provided further, that the utility which disconnects said wire from a customer location is responsible for its maintenance, until such time as it is disconnected from the utility pole, or attached to a residential or business service location.