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The 193rd General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
  1. Session Laws
  2. Acts (2017)
  3. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

AN ACT PROVIDING FOR THE FINANCING OF CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS TO MUNICIPAL ROADS AND BRIDGES

     Whereas, The deferred operation of this act would tend to defeat its purpose, which is to forthwith finance improvements to the commonwealth’s transportation system, therefore it is hereby declared to be an emergency law, necessary for the immediate preservation of the public convenience.

    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.  To provide for a program of transportation development and improvements, the sums set forth in sections 2, 2A and 2B for the several purposes and subject to the conditions specified in this act are hereby made available, subject to the laws regulating the disbursement of public funds. The sums made available in this act shall be in addition to any amounts previously appropriated or made available for these purposes.
     SECTION 2.

MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Highway Division

6122-1720
For grants to municipalities for the construction and reconstruction of municipal ways as described in clause (b) of the second paragraph of section 4 of chapter 6C of the General Laws; provided, that a city or town shall comply with the procedures established by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation; provided further, that a city or town may expend, without further appropriation, for these projects amounts not in excess of the amount provided to the city or town under this item upon preliminary notice of such amount, which shall be provided by the department to the city or town not later than March 1 of each year; and provided further, that the commonwealth shall reimburse a city or town under this item, subject to the availability of funds as provided in section 9G of chapter 29 of the General Laws, within 30 days after receipt by the department of a request for reimbursement from the city or town, which request shall include certification by the city or town that actual expenses have been incurred on projects eligible for reimbursement under this item and that the work has been completed to the satisfaction of the city or town according to the specifications of the project and in compliance with applicable laws and procedures established by the department
$200,000,000

     SECTION 2A.

MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Rail and Transit Division

6622-1787
For the purposes of implementing and supporting the mobility assistance program pursuant to section 13 of chapter 637 of the acts of 1983 that improves transportation for elderly persons and persons with disabilities through vehicle and equipment purchases for regional transit authorities, councils on aging and other transit providers; provided, that not less than $22,000,000 of the monies authorized herein shall be provided for vehicle and equipment purchases for the mobility assistance program; provided further, that funds may also be expended for regional intercity bus and intermodal services and for programming and technical assistance to regional transit authorities and other transit providers;  and provided further, that the rail and transit administrator of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation shall file a report with the clerks of the senate and house of representatives, the chairs of the joint committee on transportation and the chairs of the house and senate committees on bonding, capital expenditures and state assets providing the details for each expenditure of funds from this item for programming and technical assistance not made to regional transit authorities or councils on aging within 90 days of such expenditure
$30,000,000

     SECTION 2B.

EXECUTIVE OFFICE FOR ADMINISTRATION AND FINANCE

Massachusetts Office of Information Technology

1790-3005
For costs associated with planning and studies, the preparation of plans and specifications, purchase, procurement and implementation of information technology-related equipment and related projects for replacing the core operational system at the registry of motor vehicles
$60,000,000

     SECTION 3.  To meet the expenditures necessary in carrying out section 2, the state treasurer shall, upon request of the governor, issue and sell bonds of the commonwealth in an amount to be specified by the governor from time to time but not exceeding, in the aggregate, $200,000,000. All bonds issued by the commonwealth as aforesaid shall be designated on their face, Municipal Ways Act of 2017, and shall be issued for a maximum term of years, not exceeding 30 years, as recommended by the governor in a message to the general court dated February 16, 2017 under section 3 of Article LXII of the Amendments to the Constitution; provided, however, that all such bonds shall be payable not later than June 30, 2052. All interest and payments on account of principal on these obligations shall be payable from the General Fund. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, bonds issued under this section and interest thereon shall be general obligations of the commonwealth.
     SECTION 4.  To meet the expenditures necessary in carrying out section 2A, the state treasurer shall, upon request of the governor, issue and sell bonds of the commonwealth in an amount to be specified by the governor from time to time but not exceeding, in the aggregate, $30,000,000. All bonds issued by the commonwealth as aforesaid shall be designated on their face, Municipal Ways Act of 2017, and shall be issued for a maximum term of years, not exceeding 20 years, as recommended by the governor in a message to the general court dated February 16, 2017 under section 3 of Article LXII of the Amendments to the Constitution; provided, however, that all such bonds shall be payable not later than June 30, 2042. All interest and payments on account of principal on these obligations shall be payable from the General Fund. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, bonds issued under this section and interest thereon shall be general obligations of the commonwealth.
     SECTION 5.  To meet the expenditures necessary in carrying out section 2B, the state treasurer shall, upon request of the governor, issue and sell bonds of the commonwealth in an amount to be specified by the governor from time to time but not exceeding, in the aggregate, $60,000,000. All bonds issued by the commonwealth as aforesaid shall be designated on their face, Municipal Ways Act of 2017, and shall be issued for a maximum term of years, not exceeding 10 years, as recommended by the governor in a message to the general court dated February 16, 2017 under section 3 of Article LXII of the Amendments to the Constitution; provided, however, that all such bonds shall be payable not later than June 30, 2032.  All interest and payments on account of principal on these obligations shall be payable from the Commonwealth Transportation Fund. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, bonds issued under this section and interest thereon shall be general obligations of the commonwealth.
     SECTION 6.  The executive office for administration and finance shall review policies relative to the length of time of issued bonds in the commonwealth and shall file a report with recommendations on those policies, including proposals for amending, if any, to the clerks of the senate and house of representatives, chairs of the joint committee on transportation and the chairs of the house and senate committees on bonding, capital expenditures and state assets by November 1, 2017.

Approved, May 4, 2017