SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2163        FILED ON: 1/17/2025

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No.         

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Kelly A. Dooner

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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 ensuring municipal access to state funding.

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PETITION OF:

SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2163        FILED ON: 1/17/2025

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No.         

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 ensuring municipal access to state funding.

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. Section 3A of Chapter 40A of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out subsection (b) and inserting in place thereof the following subsection:-  

(b) Notwithstanding any general or special law, regulation, or policy to the contrary, the executive office of housing and livable communities, in collaboration with the attorney general, shall not condition, restrict, or withhold eligibility for any state funding, grant, or financial assistance including, but not limited to: (1) the MassWorks Infrastructure Program; (2) Community Planning Grants; (3) the Massachusetts Downtown Initiative; (4) Urban Agenda Grants; (5) the Rural and Small Town Development Fund; (6) the Brownfields Redevelopment Fund; (7) the Site Readiness Program; (8) the Underutilized Properties Program; (9) the Collaborative Workspace Program; (10) Real Estate Services Technical Assistance; (11) the Commonwealth Places Program; (12) Land Use Planning Grants; (13) Local Acquisitions for Natural Diversity (LAND) Grants; (14) Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) Planning and Project Grants; and(15) any successor programs or comparable funding initiatives. The executive office shall not condition funding on the basis of a municipality’s compliance or noncompliance with this section.