HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1170        FILED ON: 1/18/2023

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 41

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Paul A. Schmid III

_________________

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 proposal for constitutional amendment:

Proposal for a legislative amendment to the Constitution relative to agricultural and horticultural lands.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Paul A. Schmid III

8th Bristol

1/18/2023

Natalie M. Blais

1st Franklin

2/1/2023

Susannah M. Whipps

2nd Franklin

2/1/2023

Susan Williams Gifford

2nd Plymouth

2/1/2023

Lindsay N. Sabadosa

1st Hampshire

2/1/2023

James C. Arena-DeRosa

8th Middlesex

2/1/2023

Patricia A. Duffy

5th Hampden

2/1/2023

Hannah Kane

11th Worcester

2/1/2023

Michael P. Kushmerek

3rd Worcester

2/1/2023

David F. DeCoste

5th Plymouth

2/10/2023

Anne M. Gobi

Worcester and Hampshire

2/10/2023

Jon Santiago

9th Suffolk

2/10/2023

Carol A. Doherty

3rd Bristol

2/10/2023

Daniel M. Donahue

16th Worcester

2/10/2023

Paul McMurtry

11th Norfolk

2/10/2023

Vanna Howard

17th Middlesex

2/27/2023

Erika Uyterhoeven

27th Middlesex

2/27/2023

James B. Eldridge

Middlesex and Worcester

2/27/2023

Joanne M. Comerford

Hampshire, Franklin and Worcester

2/27/2023

Samantha Montaño

15th Suffolk

2/27/2023

Patrick Joseph Kearney

4th Plymouth

3/28/2023

Natalie M. Higgins

4th Worcester

3/28/2023

Marcus S. Vaughn

9th Norfolk

4/13/2023


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1170        FILED ON: 1/18/2023

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 41

By Representative Schmid of Westport, a petition (accompanied by proposal for constitutional amendment, House, No. 41) of Paul A. Schmid, III and others for a legislative amendment to the Constitution relative to agricultural and horticultural lands.  Revenue.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)

_______________

 

Proposal for a legislative amendment to the Constitution relative to agricultural and horticultural lands.

 

A majority of all the members elected to the Senate and House of Representatives, in joint session, hereby declares it to be expedient to alter the Constitution by the adoption of the following Article of Amendment, to the end that it may become a part of the Constitution [if similarly agreed to in a joint session of the next General Court and approved by the people at the state election next following]:
 

ARTICLE OF AMENDMENT.
 

Article XCIX of the Amendments to the Constitution is hereby annulled, and the following is adopted in place thereof:-

Article XCIX. Full power and authority are hereby given and granted to the general court to prescribe, for the purpose of developing and conserving agricultural or horticultural lands, that such lands may be valued, for the purpose of taxation, according to their agricultural or horticultural uses; provided, however, that a parcel of land may be valued at less than fair market value under this article if the parcel has been actively devoted to agricultural or horticultural uses for the 2 years preceding the tax year and (1) if the parcel is located in a municipality with a population of less than 50,000 and is 2 acres or more in area; or (2) if the parcel is located in a municipality with a population of 50,000 or more and is ¼ acre or mores in area.