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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 564 FILED ON: 1/10/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 905
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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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 Norfolk1/10/2025 1 of 2
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 564 FILED ON: 1/10/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 905
By Representative Chan of Quincy, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 905) 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. 761 OF 2023-2024.]
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 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 Notwithstanding any General Law or Special Law to the contrary, all state and municipal
2public agencies and authorities owning or controlling property within the City of Boston,
3including but not limited to the City of Boston and the Massachusetts Port Authority, are hereby
4authorized and directed to identify and cause the establishment of mooring and docking facilities
5for pleasure boats within the City of Boston, with a particular emphasis on improving the
6availability to the general public of multiple useful locations for mooring or docking on a short
7term (hourly or daily) basis. Said agencies or authorities shall issue one or more public Requests
8for Proposals to solicit provision to the general public of the necessary or appropriate capital
9facilities and operations and maintenance services, with a particular emphasis on establishing
10new mooring or docking facilities available to the general public for short term usage as well as 2 of 2
11on a seasonal basis. According to their respective authorizing Acts or Charters, said public
12agencies or authorities may lease property, purchase property and/or enter into memoranda of
13agreement with private entities or other public agencies or authorities to improve public
14navigational access to Boston Harbor and the Harbor Islands for pleasure boating and to facilitate
15creation of boat landing, mooring or docking facilities available to the general public. Public
16agencies and authorities owning or controlling property within the City of Boston may charge or
17cause to be charged reasonable, market rate fees to defray the cost of creation and maintenance
18of any mooring or docking facility made available to the general public. Nothing in this section
19shall be construed to limit the provision of boating facilities to the general public by private or
20non-profit service providers. The City of Boston may expend funds from any account created
21under section 5G of chapter 40 of the General Laws for fulfilling this section. All state and
22municipal public agencies and authorities owning or controlling property in the City of Boston
23jointly or separately shall file a report with the Joint Committee on Natural Resources and
24Agriculture, the Commission of the Department of Conservation and Recreation, and the Public
25Access Board on or before January 1 of each year reporting on the locations for public tie up,
26mooring or docking within the City of Boston, including but not limited to the Inner Harbor of
27the Port of Boston and including but not limited to non-seasonal, transient, short term public
28facilities.