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| 2 | 2 | | SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1337 FILED ON: 1/19/2023 |
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| 3 | 3 | | SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1855 |
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| 4 | 4 | | The Commonwealth of Massachusetts |
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| 5 | 5 | | _________________ |
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| 6 | 6 | | PRESENTED BY: |
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| 7 | 7 | | Edward J. Kennedy |
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| 8 | 8 | | _________________ |
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| 9 | 9 | | To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General |
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| 10 | 10 | | Court assembled: |
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| 11 | 11 | | The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill: |
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| 12 | 12 | | An Act to promote urban agriculture and horticulture. |
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| 13 | 13 | | _______________ |
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| 14 | 14 | | PETITION OF: |
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| 15 | 15 | | NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Edward J. KennedyFirst MiddlesexJames B. EldridgeMiddlesex and Worcester2/22/2023 1 of 2 |
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| 16 | 16 | | SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1337 FILED ON: 1/19/2023 |
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| 17 | 17 | | SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1855 |
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| 18 | 18 | | By Mr. Kennedy, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1855) of Edward J. Kennedy and |
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| 19 | 19 | | James B. Eldridge for legislation to promote urban agriculture and horticulture. Revenue. |
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| 20 | 20 | | [SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION |
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| 21 | 21 | | SEE SENATE, NO. 1893 OF 2021-2022.] |
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| 22 | 22 | | The Commonwealth of Massachusetts |
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| 23 | 23 | | _______________ |
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| 24 | 24 | | In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court |
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| 25 | 25 | | (2023-2024) |
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| 26 | 26 | | _______________ |
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| 27 | 27 | | An Act to promote urban agriculture and horticulture. |
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| 28 | 28 | | Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority |
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| 29 | 29 | | of the same, as follows: |
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| 30 | 30 | | 1 Section 5 of chapter 59 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2018 Official Edition, is |
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| 31 | 31 | | 2hereby amended by adding the following clause: - |
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| 32 | 32 | | 3 Fifty-ninth. Up to 100 percent of the assessed value of real estate in agricultural, |
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| 33 | 33 | | 4horticultural or agricultural and horticultural use, as those terms are defined in sections 1 and 2 |
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| 34 | 34 | | 5of chapter 61A, provided that the real estate or portion thereof in agricultural, horticultural or |
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| 35 | 35 | | 6agricultural and horticultural use is less than 2 acres in area; provided further, that gross sales of |
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| 36 | 36 | | 7agricultural, horticultural or agricultural and horticultural products resulting from such uses |
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| 37 | 37 | | 8together total not less than $500 in the previous year. The exemption provided in this clause shall |
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| 38 | 38 | | 9apply only to the portion of real estate in agricultural, horticultural or agricultural and |
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| 39 | 39 | | 10horticultural use. This clause shall take effect in any city or town upon acceptance of this section; 2 of 2 |
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| 40 | 40 | | 11provided, that such city or town has a population of at least 50,000 inhabitants or meets the |
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| 41 | 41 | | 12definition of a gateway municipality under section 3A of chapter 23A. The legislative body of |
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| 42 | 42 | | 13any city or town that accepts this clause shall establish and may thereafter modify the percentage |
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| 43 | 43 | | 14of the assessed value exempt from taxation and may determine whether rooftop and container |
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| 44 | 44 | | 15farm operations shall be eligible for said exemption. |
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