Massachusetts 2023-2024 Regular Session

Massachusetts House Bill H52 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. 2311 FILED ON: 1/19/2023
3	3	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No.
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
7	7	COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS
8	8	STATE HOUSE · BOSTON, MA 02133
9	9	MAURA T. HEALEY
10	10	GOVERNOR
11	11	KIMBERLY DRISCOLL
12	12	LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR
13	13	January 19, 2023
14	14	To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives,
15	15	I am filing for your consideration a bill entitled "An Act Financing Improvements to
16	16	Municipal Roads and Bridges."
17	17	This bill authorizes the Commonwealth to borrow $400 million to fund improvements to
18	18	municipally owned roads and bridges through Chapter 90 grants over the next two fiscal years.
19	19	These grants reach each of our 351 cities and towns directly, continuing the strong tradition of
20	20	partnership between the Commonwealth and local communities. I am seeking a two-year
21	21	authorization to enable cities and towns sufficient time to put the funds to work given the
22	22	planning and coordination required to get these critical projects completed.
23	23	Swift passage of this legislation will ensure that the Commonwealth's roads and bridges
24	24	can be kept in or moved toward a state of good repair. Accordingly, I urge you to enact this
25	25	legislation promptly.
26	26	Respectfully submitted,
27	27	Maura T. Healey,
28	28	Governor 1 of 2
29	29	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No.
30	30	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
31	31	_______________
32	32	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
33	33	(2023-2024)
34	34	_______________
35	35	An Act financing improvements to municipal roads and bridges.
36	36	Whereas, The deferred operation of this act would tend to defeat its purpose, which is to
37	37	finance improvements to the Commonwealth’s transportation system, therefore it is hereby
38	38	declared to be an emergency law, necessary for the immediate preservation of the public
39	39	convenience.
40	40	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
41	41	of the same, as follows:
42	42	1 SECTION 1. To provide for a program of transportation development and
43	43	2improvements, the sum set forth in section 2 for the several purposes and subject to the
44	44	3conditions specified in this act, is hereby made available, subject to the laws regulating the
45	45	4disbursement of public funds. The sum made available in this act shall be in addition to any
46	46	5amounts previously appropriated or made available for these purposes.
47	47	6 SECTION 2.
48	48	7 MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
49	49	8 Highway Division
50	50	9 6122-2127. For the construction and reconstruction of municipal ways as described in
51	51	10clause (b) of the second paragraph of section 4 of chapter 6C of the General Laws; provided, that 2 of 2
52	52	11a city or town shall comply with the procedures established by the Massachusetts Department of
53	53	12Transportation; provided further, that a city or town may expend, without further appropriation,
54	54	13for these projects amounts not in excess of the amount provided to the city or town under this
55	55	14item upon preliminary notice of such amount, which shall be provided by the department to the
56	56	15city or town not later than March 1 of each year; and provided further, that the commonwealth
57	57	16shall reimburse a city or town under this item, subject to the availability of funds as provided in
58	58	17section 9G of chapter 29 of the General Laws, within 30 days after receipt by the department of a
59	59	18request for reimbursement from the city or town, which request shall include certification by the
60	60	19city or town that actual expenses have been incurred on projects eligible for reimbursement
61	61	20under this item and that the work has been completed to the satisfaction of the city or town
62	62	21according to the specifications of the project and in compliance with applicable laws and
63	63	22procedures established by the department.................................................................. $400,000,000
64	64	23 SECTION 3. To meet the expenditures necessary in carrying out section 2, the state
65	65	24treasurer shall, upon request of the governor, issue and sell bonds of the commonwealth in an
66	66	25amount to be specified by the governor from time to time but not exceeding, in the aggregate,
67	67	26$400,000,000. All bonds issued by the commonwealth as aforesaid shall be designated on their
68	68	27face, Commonwealth Transportation Improvement Act of 2023, and shall be issued for a
69	69	28maximum term of years, not exceeding 30 years, as the governor may recommend to the general
70	70	29court under section 3 of Article LXII of the Amendments to the Constitution. All such bonds
71	71	30shall be payable not later than June 30, 2058, pursuant to said section 3 of said Article LXII. All
72	72	31interest and payments on account of principal on these obligations shall be payable from the
73	73	32General Fund. Notwithstanding any other general or special law to the contrary, bonds issued
74	74	33under this section and interest thereon shall be general obligations of the commonwealth.