SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1082        FILED ON: 1/17/2019

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 440

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Brendan P. Crighton

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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 the disposal of sea mammals on metropolitan beaches.

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PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Brendan P. Crighton

Third Essex


SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1082        FILED ON: 1/17/2019

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 440

By Mr. Crighton, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 440) of Brendan P. Crighton for legislation relative to the disposal of sea mammals on metropolitan beaches.  Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture.

 

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 the disposal of sea mammals on metropolitan beaches.

 

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. Notwithstanding any general or special law or rule or regulation to the contrary, the Department of Conservation and Recreation shall not be permitted to bury any marine mammals, including seals, porpoises and whales, on metropolitan beaches that are owned by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and operated by the Department of Conservation and Recreation.

SECTION 2. The Department of Conservation and Recreation shall develop an appropriate policy for the disposal of these dead creatures that does not include burial on the metropolitan beaches or towing them to sea in such a way that they could wash ashore on another location.  The Department shall submit a draft of such policy to the Legislature and the Metropolitan Beaches Commission no later than July 1, 2019 in order to solicit public comment before a final policy is adopted and implemented no later than January 1, 2020.

SECTION 3. For the purposes of this section, "metropolitan beaches'' shall include the beaches as described in Subsection B in Section 3 of Chapter 70 of the Massachusetts General Laws.