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| 2 | 2 | | HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 396 FILED ON: 1/12/2023 |
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| 3 | 3 | | HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 3685 |
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| 4 | 4 | | The Commonwealth of Massachusetts |
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| 5 | 5 | | _________________ |
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| 6 | 6 | | PRESENTED BY: |
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| 7 | 7 | | Josh S. Cutler |
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| 8 | 8 | | _________________ |
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| 9 | 9 | | To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General |
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| 10 | 10 | | Court assembled: |
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| 11 | 11 | | The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill: |
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| 12 | 12 | | An Act ensuring solar energy access. |
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| 13 | 13 | | _______________ |
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| 14 | 14 | | PETITION OF: |
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| 15 | 15 | | NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Josh S. Cutler6th Plymouth1/12/2023Brian W. Murray10th Worcester1/25/2023Jack Patrick Lewis7th Middlesex1/31/2023Aaron L. Saunders7th Hampden2/23/2023Vanna Howard17th Middlesex2/27/2023 1 of 2 |
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| 16 | 16 | | HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 396 FILED ON: 1/12/2023 |
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| 17 | 17 | | HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 3685 |
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| 18 | 18 | | By Representative Cutler of Pembroke, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 3685) of |
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| 19 | 19 | | Josh S. Cutler and others relative to ensuring solar energy access. Telecommunications, Utilities |
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| 20 | 20 | | and Energy. |
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| 21 | 21 | | The Commonwealth of Massachusetts |
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| 22 | 22 | | _______________ |
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| 23 | 23 | | In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court |
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| 24 | 24 | | (2023-2024) |
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| 25 | 25 | | _______________ |
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| 26 | 26 | | An Act ensuring solar energy access. |
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| 27 | 27 | | Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority |
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| 28 | 28 | | of the same, as follows: |
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| 29 | 29 | | 1 SECTION 1. Chapter 184 of the General Laws is hereby amended by striking out section |
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| 30 | 30 | | 223C and inserting in place thereof the following section:- |
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| 31 | 31 | | 3 Section 23C. (a) For the purposes of this section the following terms shall, unless the |
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| 32 | 32 | | 4context clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings: |
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| 33 | 33 | | 5 “Association”, a homeowners’ association, condominium association, property owners |
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| 34 | 34 | | 6association, community association, housing cooperative or any other nongovernmental entity |
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| 35 | 35 | | 7with covenants, bylaws and administrative provisions with which a homeowner is required to |
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| 36 | 36 | | 8comply. |
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| 37 | 37 | | 9 “Solar access”, the access of a solar energy system to direct sunlight, as defined in |
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| 38 | 38 | | 10section 1A of chapter 40A. 2 of 2 |
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| 39 | 39 | | 11 “Solar energy system”, a device or structural design feature, a substantial purpose of |
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| 40 | 40 | | 12which is to provide daylight for interior lighting or provide for the collection, storage and |
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| 41 | 41 | | 13distribution of solar energy for space heating or cooling, electricity generating or water heating, |
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| 42 | 42 | | 14as defined in section 1A of chapter 40A. |
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| 43 | 43 | | 15 (b) Any provision in an instrument relative to the ownership or use of real property which |
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| 44 | 44 | | 16purports to forbid or unreasonably restrict the installation or use of a solar energy system or the |
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| 45 | 45 | | 17building of structures that facilitate the collection of solar energy shall be void. |
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| 46 | 46 | | 18 (c) No association shall forbid or unreasonably restrict the installation or use of a solar |
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| 47 | 47 | | 19energy system. An association shall review requests by homeowners regarding solar access or |
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| 48 | 48 | | 20the installation or use of a solar energy systems and reach a decision within a reasonable time, |
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| 49 | 49 | | 21which shall not exceed 60 calendar days. An association shall explain any restrictions on solar |
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| 50 | 50 | | 22access or the installation or use of solar energy systems in writing to the homeowner. |
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| 51 | 51 | | 23 (d) Unreasonable restrictions include, but are not limited to, restrictions that: (i) increase |
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| 52 | 52 | | 24the cost of installing or using the solar energy system by more than 10 per cent, or by more than |
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| 53 | 53 | | 25$1,000, whichever is lower; (ii) decrease the efficiency of the solar energy system by more than |
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| 54 | 54 | | 2610 per cent of its originally specified efficiency; and (iii) substantially curtail or burden solar |
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| 55 | 55 | | 27access. |
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| 56 | 56 | | 28 (e) A person claiming to be aggrieved by a violation of this section may institute a civil |
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| 57 | 57 | | 29action for injunctive relief and any damages incurred. A person so aggrieved who prevails in |
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| 58 | 58 | | 30such an action shall be awarded the costs of the civil action and reasonable attorneys’ fees. |
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