HOUSE . . . . . . . No. 4529
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, April 3, 2024.
The committee on Ways and Means, to whom was referred the Bill
financing improvements to municipal roads and bridges (House, No.
4488), reports recommending that the same ought to pass with an
amendment substituting therefor the accompanying bill (House, No. 4529)
[Bond Issue: General Obligation Bonds: $375,000,000.00].
For the committee,
AARON MICHLEWITZ. 1 of 4
FILED ON: 4/3/2024
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 4529
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 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 6122-2127For 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 6122-2128For the rural road program to support the construction and reconstruction
24of municipal ways established by chapter 27 of the acts of 2023; provided, that funds shall be
25distributed to all municipalities based on a formula with the following weighed factors: 20 per
26cent based on local road mileage; 20 per cent based on population; and 60 per cent based on
27whether the municipality is considered rural; and provided further, that a municipality shall be
28considered rural for the purposes of this item if it has a population of less than 10,000 and a
29population density under 500 people per square mile………………………………$25,000,000
30 SECTION 3. Item 6121-2157 of section 2A of chapter 383 of the acts of 2020, as most
31recently amended by section 3 of chapter 27 of the acts of 2023, is hereby further amended by
32striking out the figure “$165,000,000” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:-
33$190,000,000. 3 of 4
34 SECTION 4. Item 6121-2118 of section 2B of said chapter 383, as most recently
35amended by section 4 of said chapter 27, is hereby further amended by striking out the figure
36“$150,000,000” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- $175,000,000.
37 SECTION 5. Item 6121-2138 of said section 2B of said chapter 383, as amended by
38section 5 of said chapter 27, is hereby further amended by striking out the figure “$105,000,000”
39and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- $130,000,000.
40 SECTION 6. Item 6921-2111 of section 2I of said chapter 383, as most recently amended
41by section 6 of said chapter 27, is hereby further amended by striking out the figure
42“$100,000,000” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- $125,000,000.
43 SECTION 7. Item 6921-2112 of said section 2I of said chapter 383, as most recently
44amended by section 7 of said chapter 27, is hereby further amended by striking out the figure
45“$100,000,000” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- $125,000,000.
46 SECTION 8. Item 6921-2114 of said section 2I of said chapter 383, as most recently
47amended by section 8 of said chapter 27, 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 9. Section 33 of said chapter 383, as most recently amended by section 9 of
50said chapter 27, is hereby further amended by striking out the figure “$2,220,000,000” and
51inserting in place thereof the following figure:- $2,295,000,000.
52 SECTION 10. Section 40 of said chapter 383, as most recently amended by section 10 of
53said chapter 27, is hereby further amended by striking out the figure “$2,390,698,500” and
54inserting in place thereof the following figure:- $2,465,698,500. 4 of 4
55 SECTION 11. To meet the expenditures necessary in carrying out section 2, the state
56treasurer shall, upon request of the governor, issue and sell bonds of the commonwealth in an
57amount to be specified by the governor from time to time but not exceeding, in the aggregate,
58$225,000,000. All bonds issued by the commonwealth as aforesaid shall be designated on their
59face, Commonwealth Transportation Improvement Act of 2024, and shall be issued for a
60maximum term of years, not exceeding 30 years, as the governor may recommend to the general
61court under section 3 of Article LXII of the Amendments to the Constitution. All such bonds
62shall be payable not later than June 30, 2059, pursuant to said section 3 of said Article LXII. All
63interest and payments on account of principal on these obligations shall be payable from the
64General Fund or the Commonwealth Transportation Fund. Notwithstanding any other general or
65special law to the contrary, bonds issued under this section and interest thereon shall be general
66obligations of the commonwealth.