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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2945 FILED ON: 1/16/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 3449
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Christine P. Barber
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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 to further empower local climate action.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Christine P. Barber34th Middlesex1/16/2025James B. EldridgeMiddlesex and Worcester2/27/2025Patrick Joseph Kearney4th Plymouth1/31/2025Mary S. Keefe15th Worcester3/4/2025 1 of 2
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2945 FILED ON: 1/16/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 3449
By Representative Barber of Somerville, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 3449) of
Christine P. Barber and others for legislation to regulate municipal acceptance into the
demonstration project. Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)
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An Act to further empower local climate action.
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 84 of chapter 179 of the acts of 2022 is hereby amended in
2subsection (c) by striking out, in the first and seventh instance, the figure “10” and inserting in
3place thereof in each instance the following figure:- 20.
4 SECTION 2. Said subsection (c) is hereby further amended by striking the second
5sentence and inserting in place thereof the following new text:-
6 No city or town shall apply for acceptance into the demonstration project until it has
7received local approval as defined in subsection (a) of Section 84 of this act or has submitted a
8home rule petition to the general court on the subject matter of this section; provided, that the
9department shall issue approvals under this section to not more than 20 applications in the order
10in which cities and towns have submitted or submit applications; provided further, that the
11department shall, in the interest of increasing housing production in the commonwealth, withhold
12approval of an application by a city or town applying to participate in the demonstration project 2 of 2
13until such time as said city or town has: (i) met the 10 per cent housing affordability threshold set
14under chapter 40B of the General Laws or has been granted safe harbor status through an
15approved Housing Production Plan by the department of housing and community development;
16or (ii) has approved a zoning ordinance or by-law that provides for at least 1 district of
17reasonable size in which multi-family housing is permitted as of right; provided, that such multi-
18family housing shall be without age restrictions and shall be suitable for families with children;
19provided further, that a city or town that met the 10 per cent affordability threshold as of
20December 21, 2020, shall be deemed to have satisfied the requirements of this paragraph.
21 SECTION 3. Said subsection (c) is hereby further amended by striking out, in the last
22sentence, the following words:- “of home rule petitions to the general court”
23 SECTION 4. The department of energy resources, in consultation with the executive
24office of energy and environmental affairs and the executive office of housing and economic
25development, may promulgate regulations to implement this section. Said regulations shall be
26promulgated no later than July 1, 2026.