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SENATE DOCKET, NO. 454 FILED ON: 1/13/2025
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2284
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Cindy F. Friedman
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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 relative to the failure to remove existing utility poles.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Cindy F. FriedmanFourth Middlesex 1 of 2
SENATE DOCKET, NO. 454 FILED ON: 1/13/2025
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2284
By Ms. Friedman, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 2284) of Cindy F. Friedman for
legislation relative to the failure to remove existing utility poles. Telecommunications, Utilities
and Energy.
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE SENATE, NO. 2128 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 relative to the failure to remove existing utility poles.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 Chapter 164 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 34B the
2following section:-
3 Section 34C. A distribution company or a telephone company engaging in the removal of
4an existing pole and the installation of a new pole in place thereof that does not complete the
5transfer of wires, all repairs, and the removal of the existing pole from the site within 90 days
6from the date of installation of the new pole shall pay a fine of $200 to the municipality where
7the existing pole is located for every day after 90 days from the date of installation of the new
8pole; provided, however, that for any approved commercial or industrial construction project, the
9completion of which is expected to take longer than one year, said company shall pay a fine of
10$200 to the municipality where the existing pole is located for every day after 6 months from the 2 of 2
11date of installation of the new pole that the transfer of wires, all repairs, and the removal of the
12existing pole from the site are not completed.