Massachusetts 2023-2024 Regular Session

Massachusetts House Bill H2080 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	1 of 1
2	2	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 305 FILED ON: 1/11/2023
3	3	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2080
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	Joseph D. McKenna
8	8	_________________
9	9	To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
10	10	Court assembled:
11	11	The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
12	12	An Act relative to municipal land ownership.
13	13	_______________
14	14	PETITION OF:
15	15	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Joseph D. McKenna18th Worcester1/11/2023 1 of 2
16	16	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 305 FILED ON: 1/11/2023
17	17	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2080
18	18	By Representative McKenna of Webster, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2080) of
19	19	Joseph D. McKenna relative to municipalities that own land that is located within the
20	20	geographical bounds of another municipality. Municipalities and Regional Government.
21	21	[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
22	22	SEE HOUSE, NO. 3883 OF 2021-2022.]
23	23	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
24	24	_______________
25	25	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
26	26	(2023-2024)
27	27	_______________
28	28	An Act relative to municipal land ownership.
29	29	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
30	30	of the same, as follows:
31	31	1 SECTION 1. Chapter 40 of the General Laws, as so appearing in the 2018 Official
32	32	2Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after section 3A the following section:-
33	33	3 Section 3B. (a) Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, no
34	34	4municipality shall own land that is located within the geographical bounds of another
35	35	5municipality.
36	36	6 (b) If a municipality takes possession of land located within the geographical bounds of
37	37	7another municipality for any reason, the municipality shall dispose of such land by private sale or
38	38	8public auction no later than 180 days after taking possession; provided, however, that prior to
39	39	9any sale or other disposition of land, the municipality that owns land located within the 2 of 2
40	40	10geographical bounds of another municipality shall provide written notice, by regular and
41	41	11certified mail, return receipt requested, to the municipality in which the land is located of the sale
42	42	12and offer the municipality in which the land is located a first refusal option to meet a bona fide
43	43	13offer to purchase the land. The municipality shall hold such first refusal option for 60 days after
44	44	14receipt of the notice.
45	45	15 The treasurer of any municipality that takes possession of land located within the
46	46	16geographical bounds of another municipality shall assign and transfer title to such land via
47	47	17private sale or to the highest bidder after a public auction, after having given 14 days' notice of
48	48	18the time and place of such public auction by publication and having posted such notice in 2 or
49	49	19more convenient and public places in each municipality, and may execute and deliver on behalf
50	50	20of the municipality any instrument necessary therefor. The instrument of assignment shall be in a
51	51	21form approved by the chief executive officer or executive body of the municipality and shall be
52	52	22recorded within 60 days from its date.
53	53	23 SECTION 2. This act shall take effect 2 years after its passage.