HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1625        FILED ON: 1/15/2025

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3974

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Hadley Luddy

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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 cellular coverage.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1625        FILED ON: 1/15/2025

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3974

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)

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An Act relative to cellular coverage.

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. The department of telecommunications and cable shall consult with cell phone carriers operating within the commonwealth to identify the cell tower and antenna site infrastructure improvements necessary to provide cellular coverage to all residents of the commonwealth.

SECTION 2. The department of telecommunications and cable, in consultation with the department of capital asset management and maintenance, shall identify parcels of commonwealth or municipal-owned land that could be sold, leased or licensed to cell phone carriers at discounted or nominal consideration for the purposes of constructing or facilitating the construction of additional cell towers or antenna sites in areas where cellular coverage is currently unavailable. If such commonwealth or municipal-owned land does not exist in certain areas where cellular coverage is currently unavailable, the department of telecommunications and cable, in consultation with the department of capital asset management and maintenance, shall also identify parcels that could be purchased or leased by the commonwealth for the purposes of leasing or licensing the parcel to a cell phone carrier for discounted or nominal consideration.

SECTION 3. Not later than January 1, 2030, the department of telecommunications and cable shall ensure that all residents of the commonwealth are able to access cellular coverage with their mobile device regardless of their location.

SECTION 4. Not later than July 30, 2026, the department of telecommunications and cable shall submit to the clerks of the house of representatives and the senate, the house and senate committees on ways and means and the joint committee on telecommunications, utilities and energy a report including its plan for improving cell tower and antenna site infrastructure, any land identified pursuant section 2 and progress on its goal of improving cellular coverage in the commonwealth.