HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 4285        FILED ON: 5/31/2019

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3942

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Josh S. Cutler

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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 restoring equity in deeds excise allocation.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 4285        FILED ON: 5/31/2019

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3942

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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

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An Act relative to restoring equity in deeds excise allocation.

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 64D of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 1 the following section:-

Section 1A. Notwithstanding any other general or special law to the contrary, Bristol, Dukes, Nantucket, Norfolk and Plymouth counties shall retain 10 per cent of all deeds excise receipts received on or after July 1, 2018, in addition to the amounts of deeds excise receipts retained by said counties pursuant to any other statute or regulation. Such funds shall be deposited to the general fund of the county, and shall be disbursed and expended for meeting the costs of the operation and maintenance of the county, or retained by the county for such future use.

SECTION 2.  Said Chapter 64D is hereby further amended by striking out section 1A and inserting in place thereof the following section:-

Section 1A. (a) Notwithstanding any other general or special law to the contrary, Bristol, Dukes, Nantucket, Norfolk and Plymouth counties shall retain 15 per cent of all deeds excise receipts received on or after July 1, 2019, in addition to the amounts of deeds excise receipts retained by said counties pursuant to any other statute or regulation. Such funds shall be deposited to the general fund of the county, and shall be disbursed and expended for meeting the costs of the operation and maintenance of the county, or retained by the county for such future use.

(b) Notwithstanding any other general or special law to the contrary, Barnstable county shall retain 1 per cent of all deeds excise receipts received pursuant to this chapter on or after July 1, 2019, in addition to the amounts of deeds excise receipts retained by said county pursuant to any other statute or regulation. Such funds shall be deposited to the general fund of the county, and shall be disbursed and expended for meeting the costs of the operation and maintenance of the county, or retained by the county for such future use.

SECTION 3. Said Chapter 64D is hereby further amended by inserting after section 11 the following section:-

Section 11A. Each register of deeds in whose county or registry district a regional council of governments has been established under section 567 of chapter 151 of the acts of 1996 or under section 20 of chapter 34B of the general laws shall on or before

the tenth day of the month transmit to the treasury of said regional council of governments that portion of 10 per cent of deeds excise receipts received during the preceding calendar month as represents the quotient of the total property valuation of the regional council of government’s member cities and towns as may be situated within said county or registry district divided by the total of the county or registry district value according to the most recent equalization and apportionment reported by the commissioner of revenue to the general court pursuant to section ten C of chapter fifty-eight. Such funds shall be disbursed and expended for meeting the costs of the operation and maintenance of the regional council of governments, or retained by the regional council of governments for future use.

SECTION 4. Said Chapter 64D is hereby further amended by striking out section 11A and inserting in place thereof the following section:-

Section 11A. Each register of deeds in whose county or registry district a regional council of governments has been established under section 567 of chapter 151 of the acts of 1996 or under section 20 of chapter 34B of the general laws shall on or before the tenth day of the month transmit to the treasury of said regional council of governments that portion of 15 per cent of deeds excise receipts received during the preceding calendar month as represents the quotient of the total property valuation of the regional council of government’s member cities and towns as may be situated within said county or registry district divided by the total of the county or registry district value according to the most recent equalization and apportionment reported by the commissioner of revenue to the general court pursuant to section ten C of chapter fifty-eight. Such funds shall be disbursed and expended for meeting the costs of the operation and maintenance of the regional council of governments, or retained by the regional council of governments for future use. 

SECTION 5. Sections 2 and 4 shall take effect on July 1, 2019.

SECTION 6. Except as otherwise specified, this act shall take effect upon its passage.