SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1152        FILED ON: 2/12/2021

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1870

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Anne M. Gobi

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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 establishing the Snowmobile Trail Maintenance Fund.

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PETITION OF:

SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1152        FILED ON: 2/12/2021

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1870

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE SENATE, NO. 1670 OF 2019-2020.]

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Second General Court
(2021-2022)

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An Act establishing the Snowmobile Trail Maintenance Fund.

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

Chapter 29 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 2RRRR the following section:-

Section 2XXX. There shall be established and set upon the books of the commonwealth a separate fund to be known as the Snowmobile Trail Maintenance Fund, the funds of which shall be administered and expended by the Secretary of the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs for the grooming, maintaining, and repairing of publicly-owned trails marked and designated for use by snow vehicles as defined in section 20 of Chapter 90B. The Secretary of the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs shall contract with an organization promoting snowmobile safety and working toward the development, maintenance, and expansion of an interconnected snowmobile trail system throughout Massachusetts to expend these funds, provided that revenues retained not exceeding 5 per cent be expended by the Secretary for law enforcement and administrative costs associated with the administration and implementation of this fund. Said contract shall be issued annually, and at a time of year to be determined by Secretary of the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs

The Secretary of the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs shall report annually to the house and senate committees on ways and means and the joint committee on environment, natural resources and agriculture on income received into the fund and sources of that income, any expenditure from the fund and their purposes, and fund balances.

The Snowmobile Trail Maintenance Fund may receive monies from: (1) gifts, grants and donations from public or private sources; (2) federal reimbursements and grants-in-aid; (3) fines collected pursuant to section 27F of Chapter 90B; and (4) any interest earned from the fund. The state treasurer shall receive, deposit and invest funds held in such a manner as to ensure the highest interest rate available consistent with the safety of the fund. The books and records of the fund shall be subject to an annual audit by the state auditor. The Secretary of the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs may expend such funds and no expenditure from the fund shall cause it to be in deficiency at the close of a fiscal year. Monies deposited in the fund that are unexpended at the end of the fiscal year shall not revert to the General Fund and shall be available for expenditure in the subsequent year and shall not be subject to section 5C of chapter 29.