HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 4013
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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The committee of conference on the disagreeing votes of the two branches with reference
to the Senate amendment (striking out all after the enacting clause and inserting in place thereof
the text contained in Senate document numbered 2375) of the House Bill financing
improvements to municipal roads and bridges (House, No. 3547), reports recommending passage
of the accompanying bill (House, No. 4013) [Total Appropriation: $375,000,000.00]. July 26,
2023.
William M. StrausBrendan P. CrightonBrian W. MurrayPaul W. Mark Steven S. HowittPatrick M. O’Connor
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FILED ON: 7/26/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 4013
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_______________
In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)
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An Act financing improvements to municipal roads and bridges.
Whereas, The deferred operation of this act would tend to defeat its purpose, which is to
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:
1 SECTION 1. To provide for a program of transportation development and improvements,
2the sums set forth in section 2 for the several purposes, and subject to the conditions specified in
3this act, are hereby made available, subject to the laws regulating the disbursement of public
4funds. The sums made available in this act shall be in addition to any amounts previously
5appropriated or made available for these purposes.
6 SECTION 2.
7 MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
8 Highway Division
9 6122-2127 For the construction and reconstruction of municipal ways as described in
10clause (b) of the second paragraph of section 4 of chapter 6C of the General Laws; provided, that 2 of 4
11a city or town shall comply with the procedures established by the Massachusetts Department of
12Transportation; provided further, that a city or town may expend, without further appropriation,
13for these projects amounts not in excess of the amount provided to the city or town under this
14item upon preliminary notice of such amount, which shall be provided by the department to the
15city or town not later than March 1 of each year; and provided further, that the commonwealth
16shall reimburse a city or town under this item, subject to the availability of funds as provided in
17section 9G of chapter 29 of the General Laws, within 30 days after receipt by the department of a
18request for reimbursement from the city or town, which request shall include certification by the
19city or town that actual expenses have been incurred on projects eligible for reimbursement
20under this item and that the work has been completed to the satisfaction of the city or town
21according to the specifications of the project and in compliance with applicable laws and
22procedures established by the department...................................................................$200,000,000
23 6122-2128 For a program to support the construction and reconstruction of municipal
24ways; provided, that funds shall be distributed to municipalities based on a formula established
25by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation; provided further, that said formula shall
26provide funding to all municipalities and shall be based on local road mileage, population and
27whether the municipality is considered rural; provided further, that a municipality shall be
28considered rural for purposes of this item if it has a population of less than 10,000 and a
29population density under 500 people per square mile; provided further, that not less than 45 days
30after the effective date of this act, the department shall submit a proposed distribution formula to
31the chairs of the joint committee on transportation who, within 30 days of such referral, may hold
32a public hearing and issue a report to the department on the proposed formula; provided further,
33that if the joint committee provides a report within the 30-day period, the department shall not 3 of 4
34finalize a formula until it has considered any revisions or other information contained in the
35report from the joint committee; and provided further, that funds from this item shall not be
36distributed earlier than 90 days after the effective date of this act……………….…$25,000,000
37 SECTION 3. Item 6121-2157 of section 2A of chapter 383 of the acts of 2020, as
38amended by section 3 of chapter 89 of the acts of 2022, is hereby further amended by striking out
39the figure “$140,000,000” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- $165,000,000.
40 SECTION 4. Item 6121-2118 of section 2B of said chapter 383, as most recently
41amended by section 4 of said chapter 89, is hereby further amended by striking out the figure
42“$125,000,000” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- $150,000,000.
43 SECTION 5. Item 6121-2138 of said section 2B of said chapter 383, as amended by
44section 5 of said chapter 89, is hereby further amended by striking out the figure “$80,000,000”
45and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- $105,000,000.
46 SECTION 6. Item 6921-2111 of section 2I of said chapter 383, as most recently amended
47by section 6 of said chapter 89, is hereby further amended by striking out the figure
48“$75,000,000” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- $100,000,000.
49 SECTION 7. Item 6921-2112 of said section 2I of said chapter 383, as most recently
50amended by section 7 of said chapter 89, is hereby further amended by striking out the figure
51“$75,000,000” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- $100,000,000.
52 SECTION 8. Item 6921-2114 of said section 2I of said chapter 383, as amended by
53section 8 of chapter 25 of the acts of 2021, is hereby further amended by striking out the figure
54“$50,000,000” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- $75,000,000. 4 of 4
55 SECTION 9. Section 33 of said chapter 383, as most recently amended by section 8 of
56chapter 89 of the acts of 2022, is hereby further amended by striking out the figure
57“$2,145,000,000” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- $2,220,000,000.
58 SECTION 10. Section 40 of said chapter 383, as most recently amended by section 9 of
59said chapter 89, is hereby further amended by striking out the figure “$2,315,698,500” and
60inserting in place thereof the following figure:- $2,390,698,500.
61 SECTION 11. To meet the expenditures necessary in carrying out section 2, the state
62treasurer shall, upon request of the governor, issue and sell bonds of the commonwealth in an
63amount to be specified by the governor from time to time but not exceeding, in the aggregate,
64$225,000,000. All bonds issued by the commonwealth as aforesaid shall be designated on their
65face, Commonwealth Transportation Improvement Act of 2023, and shall be issued for a
66maximum term of years, not exceeding 30 years, as the governor may recommend to the general
67court under section 3 of Article LXII of the Amendments to the Constitution. All such bonds
68shall be payable not later than June 30, 2058, pursuant to said section 3 of said Article LXII. All
69interest and payments on account of principal on these obligations shall be payable from the
70General Fund. Notwithstanding any other general or special law to the contrary, bonds issued
71under this section and interest thereon shall be general obligations of the commonwealth.