Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Massachusetts House Bill H1476 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. 1307 FILED ON: 1/14/2025
3	3	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1476
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	Tackey Chan
8	8	_________________
9	9	To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
10	10	Court assembled:
11	11	The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
12	12	An Act to codify pet-friendly elderly housing policies and ensure pet parity across housing
13	13	authorities.
14	14	_______________
15	15	PETITION OF:
16	16	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Tackey Chan2nd Norfolk1/14/2025Michael O. MooreSecond Worcester2/3/2025Michael D. BradySecond Plymouth and Norfolk2/6/2025James K. Hawkins2nd Bristol2/10/2025Brian M. Ashe2nd Hampden2/10/2025Marjorie C. Decker25th Middlesex2/18/2025Vanna Howard17th Middlesex2/18/2025Patrick Joseph Kearney4th Plymouth2/25/2025David Henry Argosky LeBoeuf17th Worcester2/25/2025Manny Cruz7th Essex3/4/2025Adam J. Scanlon14th Bristol3/4/2025 1 of 3
17	17	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1307 FILED ON: 1/14/2025
18	18	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1476
19	19	By Representative Chan of Quincy, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1476) of Tackey
20	20	Chan and others for legislation relative to pet ownership for residents of state-aided public
21	21	housing for the elderly. Housing.
22	22	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
23	23	_______________
24	24	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
25	25	(2025-2026)
26	26	_______________
27	27	An Act to codify pet-friendly elderly housing policies and ensure pet parity across housing
28	28	authorities.
29	29	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
30	30	of the same, as follows:
31	31	1 SECTION 1. Chapter 23B of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official
32	32	2Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after section 5B the following new section:-
33	33	3 Section 5C. The executive office of housing and livable communities is hereby
34	34	4authorized, empowered and directed to continue to conduct and maintain a program of pet
35	35	5ownership for residents of state-aided public housing for the elderly, and to institute and
36	36	6maintain a program of pet ownership for residents of state-aided public housing.
37	37	7 For the purposes of this section a pet shall mean any domesticated animal that is
38	38	8commonly kept in a household. A state-aided public housing facility shall not prohibit the
39	39	9keeping of dogs based on the dog’s breed, size, weight or appearance; require pet declawing;
40	40	10require a pet deposit greater than 160 dollars or one month of rent, whichever is less; or evict a
41	41	11tenant based solely on the presence of a pet. 2 of 3
42	42	12 Nothing in this section shall require a dog who has been declared dangerous by a
43	43	13municipality under section 157 of Chapter 140 to reside in state-aided housing.
44	44	14 The department shall update regulations relating to pet ownership in state-aided housing.
45	45	15 Any housing authority that violates this section shall be subject to the penalty established
46	46	16in Section 5C of Chapter 23B.
47	47	17 SECTION 2. There shall be an advisory group that consists of the following members:
48	48	18the secretary of the executive office of housing and livable communities or a designee; a
49	49	19representative of a local housing authority; two representative of a local tenant organization in
50	50	20state-aided public housing; a representative of the Massachusetts commission against
51	51	21discrimination; a representative of a tenants’ rights organization; an animal control officer; a
52	52	22representative of the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals; and a
53	53	23representative of the Animal Rescue League of Boston. The members of the advisory group shall
54	54	24appoint a chair.
55	55	25 The advisory group shall assist with:
56	56	26 (i) updating regulations relating to pet ownership;
57	57	27 (ii) the development of pet policies suitable for various types of housing catering to
58	58	28various residents, including an apartment complex, single-family and multi-family home, and
59	59	29congregate living;
60	60	30 (iii) the creation of guidance for the establishment and operation of a pet committee and a
61	61	31pet grievance panel at housing authorities; 3 of 3
62	62	32 (iv) the determination of any data that should be collected by the executive office of
63	63	33housing and livable communities from housing authorities and participating residents;
64	64	34 (iv) the aggregation of existing pet adoption, ownership, and care resources for housing
65	65	35authorities and participating residents; and
66	66	36 (v) the proposal of any legislative recommendations related to pets in state-aided public
67	67	37housing, to be submitted to the clerks of the senate and the house of representatives and the
68	68	38chairs of the joint committee on housing.