SENATE DOCKET, NO. 261        FILED ON: 1/12/2023

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 13

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Joanne M. Comerford

_________________

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:

 

Joanne M. Comerford

Hampshire, Franklin and Worcester

 

Susannah M. Whipps

2nd Franklin

1/27/2023

Susan Williams Gifford

2nd Plymouth

1/27/2023

Hannah Kane

11th Worcester

1/27/2023

Anne M. Gobi

Worcester and Hampshire

2/6/2023

Vanna Howard

17th Middlesex

2/15/2023

James B. Eldridge

Middlesex and Worcester

2/20/2023

Lydia Edwards

Third Suffolk

4/14/2023


SENATE DOCKET, NO. 261        FILED ON: 1/12/2023

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 13

By Ms. Comerford, a petition (accompanied by proposal, Senate, No. 13) of Joanne M. Comerford, Susannah M. Whipps, Susan Williams Gifford, Hannah Kane and other members of the General Court 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 shall be valued, for the purpose of taxation, according to their agricultural or horticultural uses; provided, that the parcel has been actively devoted to agricultural or horticultural uses for the 2 years preceding the tax year.