HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2634        FILED ON: 1/17/2019

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1570

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Paul F. Tucker

_________________

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:

Date Added:

Paul F. Tucker

7th Essex

1/17/2019


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2634        FILED ON: 1/17/2019

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1570

By Mr. Tucker of Salem, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1570) of Paul F. Tucker relative to the penalty for illegally removing certain parts of historical homes.  The Judiciary.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninety-First General Court
(2019-2020)

_______________

 

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:
 

SECTION 1. Chapter 266 of the General Laws, as appearing in 2016 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after section 95 the following new 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, 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.