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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1605 FILED ON: 1/18/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 754
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Natalie M. Blais
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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 supporting farm diversification and sustainability.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Natalie M. Blais1st Franklin1/18/2023Vanna Howard17th Middlesex3/5/2023 1 of 2
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1605 FILED ON: 1/18/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 754
By Representative Blais of Deerfield, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 754) of
Natalie M. Blais and Vanna Howard relative to agricultural preservation restrictions.
Environment and Natural Resources.
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 supporting farm diversification and sustainability.
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 23 of chapter 20 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2018
2Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out, in line 84, the words “a maximum of 5 years
3duration” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- a period of at least 1 year.
4 SECTION 2. Subsection (b) of said section 23 of said chapter 20, as so appearing, is
5hereby amended by adding the following 3 sentences:- Notwithstanding the foregoing, the
6department may approve a special permit for a trial period of 1 year to evaluate a proposal for
7nonagricultural activities. If a special permit is issued to a permit holder for a 1-year trial period
8under this subsection, the department shall notify the permit holder of the department’s decision
9to renew, revoke or amend the permit within 1 year of the date of issuance. If the department
10fails to notify the permit holder within 1 year of the date of issuance of a special permit of its
11decision to renew, revoke or amend the special permit, the special permit shall automatically be
12renewed for a period of 5 years.”. 2 of 2
13 SECTION 3. Said section 23 of said chapter 20, as so appearing, is hereby further
14amended by striking out, in line 112, the words “for a special permit authorized in subsection
15(b)” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- any landowner of land subject to an
16agricultural preservation restriction who is subject to and aggrieved by a decision of the
17department relative to a special permit authorized under subsection (b), including a decision
18regarding the renewal, revocation, amendment to or length of a special permit”.