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| 2 | 2 | | SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1244 FILED ON: 1/16/2025 |
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| 3 | 3 | | SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 623 |
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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 | | Jason M. Lewis |
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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 to update the Middlesex Fells Reservation Fund. |
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| 13 | 13 | | _______________ |
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| 14 | 14 | | PETITION OF: |
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| 15 | 15 | | NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Jason M. LewisFifth Middlesex 1 of 2 |
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| 16 | 16 | | SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1244 FILED ON: 1/16/2025 |
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| 17 | 17 | | SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 623 |
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| 18 | 18 | | By Mr. Lewis, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 623) of Jason M. Lewis for |
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| 19 | 19 | | legislation to update the Middlesex Fells Reservation Fund. Environment and Natural |
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| 20 | 20 | | Resources. |
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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 to update the Middlesex Fells Reservation Fund. |
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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 Section 34F of chapter 92 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, |
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| 30 | 30 | | 2is hereby amended by striking out the first paragraph and inserting in place thereof the following |
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| 31 | 31 | | 3three paragraphs:- |
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| 32 | 32 | | 4 There shall be established and set up on the books of the commonwealth a separate, non- |
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| 33 | 33 | | 5budgeted special revenue fund known as the Middlesex Fells Reservation Fund, which shall be |
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| 34 | 34 | | 6administered by the commissioner of conservation and recreation, who shall consult with |
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| 35 | 35 | | 7relevant stakeholders, including, but not limited to, Friends of the Middlesex Fells Reservation, |
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| 36 | 36 | | 8Inc. and any abutting municipalities. The fund shall be credited with: (i) appropriations or other |
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| 37 | 37 | | 9money authorized or transferred by the general court and specifically designated to be credited to |
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| 38 | 38 | | 10the fund; (ii) funds from public and private sources, including, but not limited to, gifts, grants |
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| 39 | 39 | | 11and donations; (iii) fees generated by permits, licenses, and all other agreements relating to the 2 of 2 |
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| 40 | 40 | | 12use of the Middlesex Fells Reservation that are not directed to the General Fund; and (iii) any |
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| 41 | 41 | | 13interest earned on such money. |
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| 42 | 42 | | 14 Amounts credited to the fund shall be expended, without further appropriation, to |
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| 43 | 43 | | 15advance recreational, educational and conservation interests, including, but not limited to, the |
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| 44 | 44 | | 16construction and maintenance of facilities and infrastructure improvements for the area within |
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| 45 | 45 | | 17the Middlesex Fells reservation. |
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| 46 | 46 | | 18 The unexpended balance in the fund at the end of a fiscal year shall remain available for |
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| 47 | 47 | | 19expenditure in subsequent fiscal years and shall not revert to the General Fund. No expenditure |
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| 48 | 48 | | 20made from the fund shall cause the fund to be in deficit at any point. |
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