SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1982        FILED ON: 1/20/2017

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 900

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Joan B.  Lovely

_________________

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 historic homes.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

 

Joan B.  Lovely

Second Essex

 

Richard J. Ross

Norfolk, Bristol and Middlesex

1/25/2017

Paul Tucker

7th Essex

1/30/2017

Robert M. Koczera

11th Bristol

1/30/2017

Chris Walsh

6th Middlesex

2/3/2017

Bruce E. Tarr

First Essex and Middlesex

2/21/2017


SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1982        FILED ON: 1/20/2017

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 900

By Ms. Lovely, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 900) of Joan B.  Lovely, Richard J. Ross, Paul Tucker, Robert M. Koczera and other members of the General Court for legislation to impose a penalty for the damaging of historic homes.  The Judiciary.

 

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE SENATE, NO. 1519 OF 2015-2016.]

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

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

_______________

 

An Act relative to historic homes.

 

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

Chapter 266 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 95 the following section:-

Section 95A.

In this section, “historic home” shall mean any dwelling house listed listed in the State Register of Historic Places established and maintained by the Massachusetts Historical Commission pursuant to G. L. c. 9, section 26C or  identified by a plaque identifying the homestead  as an historic homestead pursuant to G. L. c. 9, section 27D.

Whoever willfully, intentionally and without right removes items from, including, but not limited to, copper gutters, copper wiring, aluminum or brick; displaces, destroys, defaces, mars or injures the walls, wainscoting or any other part of any historical home, or the appurtenances there of, by cutting, breaking, writing or otherwise, shall be punished by a fine of not less than $100 and not more than $1000 or by imprisonment for not more than 2 years. Any person convicted under the provisions of this section shall in addition to the fine assessed, reimburse the historic home owner for the total amount of damage incurred.