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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1623 FILED ON: 1/18/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 761
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_________________
PRESENTED BY:
Tackey Chan
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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 expanding pleasure boat access to Boston Harbor.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Tackey Chan2nd Norfolk1/12/2023 1 of 2
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1623 FILED ON: 1/18/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 761
By Representative Chan of Quincy, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 761) of Tackey
Chan for legislation to expand pleasure boat access to Boston Harbor. Environment and Natural
Resources.
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 865 OF 2021-2022.]
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 expanding pleasure boat access to Boston Harbor.
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. Notwithstanding any General Law or Special Law to the contrary, all state
2and municipal public agencies and authorities owning or controlling property within the City of
3Boston, including but not limited to the City of Boston and the Massachusetts Port Authority, are
4hereby authorized and directed to identify and cause the establishment of mooring and docking
5facilities for pleasure boats within the City of Boston, with a particular emphasis on improving
6the availability to the general public of multiple useful locations for mooring or docking on a
7short term (hourly or daily) basis. Said agencies or authorities shall issue one or more public
8Requests for Proposals to solicit provision to the general public of the necessary or appropriate
9capital facilities and operations and maintenance services, with a particular emphasis on
10establishing new mooring or docking facilities available to the general public for short term 2 of 2
11usage as well as on a seasonal basis. According to their respective authorizing Acts or Charters,
12said public agencies or authorities may lease property, purchase property and/or enter into
13memoranda of agreement with private entities or other public agencies or authorities to improve
14public navigational access to Boston Harbor and the Harbor Islands for pleasure boating and to
15facilitate creation of boat landing, mooring or docking facilities available to the general public.
16Public agencies and authorities owning or controlling property within the City of Boston may
17charge or cause to be charged reasonable, market rate fees to defray the cost of creation and
18maintenance of any mooring or docking facility made available to the general public. Nothing in
19this section shall be construed to limit the provision of boating facilities to the general public by
20private or non-profit service providers. The City of Boston may expend funds from any account
21created under section 5G of chapter 40 of the General Laws for fulfilling this section. All state
22and municipal public agencies and authorities owning or controlling property in the City of
23Boston jointly or separately shall file a report with the Joint Committee on Natural Resources
24and Agriculture, the Commission of the Department of Conservation and Recreation, and the
25Public Access Board on or before January 1 of each year reporting on the locations for public tie
26up, mooring or docking within the City of Boston, including but not limited to the Inner Harbor
27of the Port of Boston and including but not limited to non-seasonal, transient, short term public
28facilities.