Other Bills MLTC Supports

  • An Act investing in natural and working lands (H.1005/S.549 Rep. Meschino & Sen. Comerford) to promote acquisition and management of natural and working lands to reduce impacts from climate change. Read more about the bill here. On March 19, the House bill was reportedly favorably by the House Committee on Environment and Natural Resources and referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means. The Senate extended the reporting deadline for its bill to June 30, 2026. See testimony submitted by The Nature Conservancy here.
     
  • An Act relative to uniform partition of heirs property (H.1964/S.1239, Sen. Lovely) to increase protection for legal heirs of property owners who die without a will in place. This bill was heard on April 22, 2025 before the Joint Committee on the Judiciary. See a letter of testimony submitted by MLTC here. The bill was reported favorably by the Senate Committee on the Judiciary on December 3, and is now pending before the Senate Ways and Means Committee. On March 26, the House bill was sent to study, effectively ending its consideration for this session.
     
  • An Act accelerating wetlands restoration projects (H.1052/S. 557, Rep. Shand and Rep. Kassner; Sen. Crighton) to facilitate expanded wetlands restoration. This bill is the centerpiece of a Mass Audubon to Accelerate Wetland Restoration across Massachusetts. Learn more about the bill here. The bill was reported favorably by the Senate Committee on Environment and Natural Resources on November 24, and is now pending before the Senate Ways and Means Committee. On March 19, the House bill was reportedly favorably by the House Committee on Environment and Natural Resources and referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means. See a joint letter of testimony that MLTC supported here. While action on the bills is pending, aspects of this measure bill were included as an outside section in the Environmental Bond Bill (S.2542, aka “The Mass Ready Act”) filed by the Governor and pending in the legislature. Mass Audubon continues to lead a campaign to streamline permitting for wetland restoration projects which, ironically, can be hung up in lengthy and costly permitting despite their clear benefits to the environment.
     
  • An Act to reimburse the George L. Darey Inland Fisheries and Game Fund (S.579, H.1066), Sen. Durant, Rep. Vieira) to consistently reimburse MassWildlife for revenue lost from providing free hunting and fishing licenses. On December 18, 2025, the Senate bill was reported favorably and referred to the Senate Committee on Ways and Means. On March 30, the House bill was sent to study, effectively ending its consideration for this session.
     
  • An Act relative to Urban Farmland, (S.61/H.121, Sen. Gómez, Rep. Duffy) to support conversion of vacant lots and underutilized land in environmental justice communities into urban farms, community gardens, and other agricultural enterprises. A hearing before the Joint Committee on Agriculture was held on September 16th. See written testimony submitted by MLTC here. On December 31, the Senate bill was reported favorably and referred to the Senate Committee on Ways and Means. On December 31, the House bill was redrafted as H. 4855. and reported favorably to the House Ways
    and Means Committee.
     
  • Proposal for a legislative amendment to the constitution relative to agricultural and horticultural lands (S.11/H.71, Sen. Comerford, Rep. Blais) to authorize lower tax rates for agricultural land regardless of the size of the agricultural parcel. A hearing on this bill was held before the Joint Committee on Revenue on March 25, 2025. See our written testimony in support here. The Senate bill was reported out favorably on May 1, 2025, but on the same day, the House bill received an “ought not to pass” decision. Supporters are currently exploring next steps.
     
  • An Act to reform payments in lieu of taxes for state-owned land (S.1939/H.3032, Sen. Comerford, Rep. Blais) to improve equity in the distribution of state payments in lieu of taxes (PILOT) to municipalities that host state land and facilities. The bill would revise payment formulas to provide additional reimbursement for the value of ecosystem services provided by state-owned land, such as drinking water protection, habitat for endangered or threatened species, outdoor recreation, carbon sequestration, and landscape connectivity. The bill was reported favorably by the Senate Committee on Revenue on November 20, and is now pending before the Senate Committee on Ways and Means. On March 16, the House bill was sent to study, effectively ending its consideration for this session.