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| 2 | 2 | | SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1952 FILED ON: 1/17/2025 |
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| 3 | 3 | | SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1023 |
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| 4 | 4 | | The Commonwealth of Massachusetts |
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| 5 | 5 | | _________________ |
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| 6 | 6 | | PRESENTED BY: |
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| 7 | 7 | | Rebecca L. Rausch |
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| 8 | 8 | | _________________ |
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| 9 | 9 | | To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General |
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| 10 | 10 | | Court assembled: |
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| 11 | 11 | | The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill: |
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| 12 | 12 | | An Act relative to the creation of a chapter 40B commission. |
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| 13 | 13 | | _______________ |
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| 14 | 14 | | PETITION OF: |
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| 15 | 15 | | NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Rebecca L. RauschNorfolk, Worcester and Middlesex 1 of 2 |
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| 16 | 16 | | SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1952 FILED ON: 1/17/2025 |
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| 17 | 17 | | SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1023 |
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| 18 | 18 | | By Ms. Rausch, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1023) of Rebecca L. Rausch for |
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| 19 | 19 | | legislation to create a chapter 40B commission to investigate and study the issuance of permits |
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| 20 | 20 | | and approvals for housing projects. Housing. |
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| 21 | 21 | | The Commonwealth of Massachusetts |
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| 22 | 22 | | _______________ |
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| 23 | 23 | | In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court |
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| 24 | 24 | | (2025-2026) |
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| 25 | 25 | | _______________ |
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| 26 | 26 | | An Act relative to the creation of a chapter 40B commission. |
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| 27 | 27 | | Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority |
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| 28 | 28 | | of the same, as follows: |
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| 29 | 29 | | 1 (a) There shall be a special legislative commission to investigate and study the issuance |
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| 30 | 30 | | 2of permits and approvals for housing projects under section 21 of chapter 40B of the General |
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| 31 | 31 | | 3Laws. The commission shall examine the use of such permits and approvals and their impact on |
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| 32 | 32 | | 4the environment and abutting properties. |
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| 33 | 33 | | 5 (b) The commission shall consist of the following members: the secretary of the |
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| 34 | 34 | | 6executive office of housing and livable communities or their designee, who shall serve as chair; 1 |
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| 35 | 35 | | 7member appointed by the governor; 1 member appointed by the senate president; 1 member |
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| 36 | 36 | | 8appointed by the speaker of the house; 1 member appointed by the senate minority leader; 1 |
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| 37 | 37 | | 9member appointed by the house minority leader; 1 member appointed by the attorney general; |
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| 38 | 38 | | 10the president of the Environmental League of Massachusetts, or her designee; the executive |
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| 39 | 39 | | 11director of the Massachusetts law reform institute, or her designee; the executive director of the |
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| 40 | 40 | | 12Massachusetts area planning council, or his designee; the president of the conservation law 2 of 2 |
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| 41 | 41 | | 13foundation, or his designee; the executive director of the Massachusetts municipal association, or |
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| 42 | 42 | | 14his designee; and up to 3 additional members to be added by the chair, at their discretion, to |
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| 43 | 43 | | 15provide expertise on housing or environmental policy. |
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| 44 | 44 | | 16 (c) Not later than March 6, 2026, the commission shall submit its report and |
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| 45 | 45 | | 17recommendations for proposed legislation to the senate and house committees on ways and |
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| 46 | 46 | | 18means, the chairs of the joint committee on housing, and the clerks of the house and senate. The |
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| 47 | 47 | | 19executive office of housing and livable communities shall publish the report on its website. |
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