| 1 | 1 | | 1 of 1 |
|---|
| 2 | 2 | | HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2701 FILED ON: 1/16/2025 |
|---|
| 3 | 3 | | HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 71 |
|---|
| 4 | 4 | | The Commonwealth of Massachusetts |
|---|
| 5 | 5 | | _________________ |
|---|
| 6 | 6 | | PRESENTED BY: |
|---|
| 7 | 7 | | Natalie M. Blais and Hannah Kane |
|---|
| 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 |
|---|
| 12 | 12 | | proposal for constitutional amendment: |
|---|
| 13 | 13 | | Proposal for a legislative amendment to the Constitution relative to agricultural and horticultural |
|---|
| 14 | 14 | | lands. |
|---|
| 15 | 15 | | _______________ |
|---|
| 16 | 16 | | PETITION OF: |
|---|
| 17 | 17 | | NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Natalie M. Blais1st Franklin1/16/2025Hannah Kane11th Worcester1/22/2025Lindsay N. Sabadosa1st Hampshire1/25/2025Mindy Domb3rd Hampshire1/25/2025Steven Ultrino33rd Middlesex1/25/2025Joanne M. ComerfordHampshire, Franklin and Worcester2/6/2025Erika Uyterhoeven27th Middlesex2/6/2025Samantha Montaño15th Suffolk2/6/2025Rodney M. Elliott16th Middlesex2/6/2025James C. Arena-DeRosa8th Middlesex2/13/2025Natalie M. Higgins4th Worcester2/24/2025Kimberly N. Ferguson1st Worcester3/3/2025Bruce E. TarrFirst Essex and Middlesex3/3/2025 1 of 2 |
|---|
| 18 | 18 | | HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2701 FILED ON: 1/16/2025 |
|---|
| 19 | 19 | | HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 71 |
|---|
| 20 | 20 | | By Representatives Blais of Deerfield and Kane of Shrewsbury, a petition (accompanied by |
|---|
| 21 | 21 | | proposal for constitutional amendment, House, No. 71) of Natalie M. Blais, Hannah Kane and |
|---|
| 22 | 22 | | others for a legislative amendment to the Constitution relative to agricultural and horticultural |
|---|
| 23 | 23 | | lands. Revenue. |
|---|
| 24 | 24 | | The Commonwealth of Massachusetts |
|---|
| 25 | 25 | | _______________ |
|---|
| 26 | 26 | | In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court |
|---|
| 27 | 27 | | (2025-2026) |
|---|
| 28 | 28 | | _______________ |
|---|
| 29 | 29 | | Proposal for a legislative amendment to the Constitution relative to agricultural and horticultural |
|---|
| 30 | 30 | | lands. |
|---|
| 31 | 31 | | A majority of all the members elected to the Senate and House of Representatives, in |
|---|
| 32 | 32 | | joint session, hereby declares it to be expedient to alter the Constitution by the adoption of the |
|---|
| 33 | 33 | | following Article of Amendment, to the end that it may become a part of the Constitution [if |
|---|
| 34 | 34 | | similarly agreed to in a joint session of the next General Court and approved by the people at the |
|---|
| 35 | 35 | | state election next following]: |
|---|
| 36 | 36 | | ARTICLE OF AMENDMENT. |
|---|
| 37 | 37 | | 1 Article XCIX of the Amendments to the Constitution is hereby annulled, and the |
|---|
| 38 | 38 | | 2following is adopted in place thereof:- |
|---|
| 39 | 39 | | 3 Article XCIX. Full power and authority are hereby given and granted to the general court |
|---|
| 40 | 40 | | 4to prescribe, for the purpose of developing and conserving agricultural or horticultural lands, that |
|---|
| 41 | 41 | | 5such lands shall be valued, for the purpose of taxation, according to their agricultural or |
|---|
| 42 | 42 | | 6horticultural uses; provided, that the parcel has been actively devoted to agricultural or |
|---|
| 43 | 43 | | 7horticultural uses for the 2 years preceding the tax year; and provided further, that no law shall 2 of 2 |
|---|
| 44 | 44 | | 8be passed that requires a parcel of land to be greater than 5 acres in area to be valued at less than |
|---|
| 45 | 45 | | 9fair market value under this article. |
|---|