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SENATE DOCKET, NO. 817 FILED ON: 1/14/2025
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1022
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Pavel M. Payano
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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 maintain stable housing for families with pets.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Pavel M. PayanoFirst EssexSal N. DiDomenicoMiddlesex and Suffolk2/3/2025Michael O. MooreSecond Worcester2/3/2025Michael D. BradySecond Plymouth and Norfolk2/6/2025James B. EldridgeMiddlesex and Worcester2/10/2025Vanna Howard17th Middlesex2/21/2025Patricia D. JehlenSecond Middlesex2/21/2025Manny Cruz7th Essex2/25/2025 1 of 4
SENATE DOCKET, NO. 817 FILED ON: 1/14/2025
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1022
By Mr. Payano, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1022) of Pavel M. Payano, Sal N.
DiDomenico, Michael O. Moore, Michael D. Brady and other members of the General Court for
legislation to maintain stable housing for families with pets. Housing.
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 maintain stable housing for families with pets.
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. Notwithstanding chapter 186 or 239 of the General Laws or any general or
2special law, rule, regulation or order to the contrary, no landlord shall initiate action to evict any
3person from a residential dwelling unit who has a pet without written permission based solely on
4the presence of the pet until one year after a state of emergency, unless the presence of pets is
5causing harm to the safety of other residents.
6 SECTION 2. No hotel, as defined in section 12A of chapter 140, shall unreasonably
7refuse to allow pets during a state of emergency unless the pet has caused a demonstrated noise
8or safety threat.
9 SECTION 3. Section 12 of chapter 183A of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022
10Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting, after the words “master deed”, in subsection
11(d), the following words:- 2 of 4
12 However, no provision in the declaration, bylaws or rules and regulations of the
13organization of unit owners shall prohibit the keeping of certain types of dogs based on breed,
14size, weight or appearance.
15 SECTION 4. Section 1 of chapter 23B of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022
16Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after subsection (xvii) the following
17subsection:-
18 (xviii) establish, conduct and maintain a program of pet ownership by residents of state-
19aided public housing.
20 SECTION 5. Chapter 186 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after
21section 31 following section:-
22 Section 32. A housing provider may require a tenant to pay additional rent for common
23household pets; provided that:
24 (a) The amount of the additional rent charged for each household pet that is a dog may
25not exceed 1 percent of the first full month’s rent charged to that tenant for the dwelling unit per
26common household pet.
27 (b) The amount of additional rent charge for all other common household pets may not
28cumulatively exceed 1 percent of the first full month’s rent charged to the tenant for the dwelling
29unit.
30 (c) No additional rent for household pets may be required for a service or assistance
31animal required by a tenant with a disability as a reasonable accommodation under state or
32federal law. 3 of 4
33 SECTION 6. Chapter 175 of the General Laws is hereby by amended by inserting after
34section 230 the following section:-
35 Section 231. An insurance company offering homeowners insurance coverage or renters
36insurance coverage that issues a policy or contract insuring against liability for injury to a person
37or injury to or destruction of property arising out of the ownership or lease of residential property
38shall not refuse to issue, renew, cancel, or charge or impose an increased premium or rate of such
39a policy or contract based in whole or in part upon the harboring of a specific breed of the dog
40upon the property.
41 An insurance company may not ask or inquire about the breed or mixture of breeds of a
42dog that is harbored or owner on an applicable property except to ask if the dog is known to be
43dangerous or has been designated a dangerous dog pursuant to law.
44 Nothing in this section shall prohibit an insurer from refusing to issue or renew or from
45canceling a contract or policy or from imposing an increased premium or rate for a policy or
46contract if any dog being harbored on the property has been designated as a dangerous dog
47pursuant to law.
48 SECTION 7. Section 32 of chapter 121B of the General Laws, is hereby amended by
49inserting the after subsection (i) the following paragraph:-
50 In determining whether an applicant is eligible for tenancy in a property or if a current
51tenant can remain in a property, no property owned, managed or operated by an authority may
52make such a determination based on the breed, size, weight or appearance of a dog owned or
53cared for by the applicant or household member. 4 of 4
54 SECTION 8. SECTION 5 shall take effect with new leases beginning 6 months of later
55after the effective date of this act.