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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1371 FILED ON: 1/18/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 3142
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
F. Jay Barrows
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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 municipal light plants.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:F. Jay Barrows1st Bristol1/17/2023Adam Scanlon14th Bristol1/18/2023Bradley H. Jones, Jr.20th Middlesex1/18/2023Kimberly N. Ferguson1st Worcester1/19/2023Susan Williams Gifford2nd Plymouth1/19/2023Donald H. Wong9th Essex1/19/2023Joan Meschino3rd Plymouth1/19/2023Paul W. MarkBerkshire, Hampden, Franklin and
Hampshire
1/24/2023Hannah Kane11th Worcester1/24/2023Patricia A. Duffy5th Hampden1/24/2023Kelly W. Pease4th Hampden1/25/2023John H. Rogers12th Norfolk1/31/2023Edward R. Philips8th Norfolk2/9/2023Kathleen R. LaNatra12th Plymouth2/10/2023Jacob R. OliveiraHampden, Hampshire and Worcester2/10/2023Adrianne Pusateri Ramos14th Essex2/10/2023Alice Hanlon Peisch14th Norfolk2/14/2023 2 of 2
Paul R. FeeneyBristol and Norfolk2/14/2023Patricia A. Haddad5th Bristol2/16/2023Simon Cataldo14th Middlesex2/24/2023Jennifer Balinsky Armini8th Essex2/26/2023James J. O'Day14th Worcester2/28/2023Shirley B. Arriaga8th Hampden2/28/2023Jonathan D. Zlotnik2nd Worcester3/1/2023 1 of 2
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1371 FILED ON: 1/18/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 3142
By Representative Barrows of Mansfield, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 3142) of
F. Jay Barrows and others relative to municipal light plants. Telecommunications, Utilities and
Energy.
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 3257 OF 2021-2022.]
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)
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An Act relative to municipal light plants.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 SECTION 1. Section 4A of Chapter40 of the General Laws as appearing in the 2020
2Official Edition, is hereby amended by deleting in line 8 after the word “selectmen” the words “,
3and ”
4 SECTION 2. Said section of said chapter is hereby further amended by adding in line 9
5after the word “committee” the following words: , in a municipal light plant by the board or
6commission;
7 SECTION 3. Said section of said chapter is further amended by deleting in line 28 the
8word “or” 2 of 2
9 SECTION 4. Said section of said chapter is further amended by deleting in line 29 “.”
10and by adding the following words: , or a municipal light plant established under chapter 164 or
11by special law.
12 Section 4. Section 47B of Chapter 164 of the General Laws as appearing in the 2018
13Official Edition is hereby amended by adding subsection 47b as follows:
14 (b) Any municipality acting by and through its municipal light board may provide
15services and assistance to any municipal or state utility, tribal utility as defined in 25 CFR §
16169.2, or any other publicly-owned or operated utility, whether located inside or outside of the
17Commonwealth, and governmental units as defined in section 4A of chapter 40, to construct,
18install, alter, operate, maintain or repair utility poles and conduit, wires, cables, and equipment,
19and streetlights and traffic signals to the same extent such municipality acting by and through its
20municipal light board may provide such services within its service territory. Any such
21municipality acting by and through its municipal light board may sell, rent, or lease merchandise,
22equipment, fixtures, utensils and chattels of any description related to the provision of such
23services. Any employee providing such services entered into between the municipality acting by
24and through its municipal light board and such other public entity shall be subject to the
25provisions of chapter thirty-two, sections one to twenty-eight, inclusive, and shall have the same
26rights and privileges thereunder, as if performing the same duties within the scope of his
27employment including voluntary assignments.