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H2271 • 2025

An Act relative to non-criminal dispositions of municipal bylaws and acts of nature

An Act relative to non-criminal dispositions of municipal bylaws and acts of nature

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The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor
William C. Galvin (By Request)
Last action
2025-11-24
Official status
Accompanied a study order, see H4776
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

An Act relative to non-criminal dispositions of municipal bylaws and acts of nature

An Act relative to non-criminal dispositions of municipal bylaws and acts of nature By Representative Galvin of Canton (by request), a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No.

What This Bill Does

  • An Act relative to non-criminal dispositions of municipal bylaws and acts of nature By Representative Galvin of Canton (by request), a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No.
  • 2271) of Steven Merrill relative to municipal bylaws for prevention of damage from certain trees.
  • Municipalities and Regional Government.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2025-11-24 House

    Accompanied a study order, see H4776

  2. 2025-06-17 Joint

    Hearing scheduled for 06/24/2025 from 01:00 PM-05:00 PM in B-1

  3. 2025-02-27 House

    Referred to the committee on Municipalities and Regional Government

  4. 2025-02-27 Senate

    Senate concurred

Official Summary Text

An Act relative to non-criminal dispositions of municipal bylaws and acts of nature
By Representative Galvin of Canton (by request), a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2271) of Steven Merrill relative to municipal bylaws for prevention of damage from certain trees. Municipalities and Regional Government.

Current Bill Text

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Bill H.2271

SECTION 1. Section 21 of chapter 40 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out, in line 6, the words “three hundred dollars” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- $1000.

SECTION 2. Said section 21 of said chapter 40, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by inserting after clause (24) the following clause:-

(25) For preventing damage from the falling of unhealthy, damaged, dying, hazardous or neglected trees, within such portions of their limits and to such extent as they deem expedient. The penalty for a violation of such ordinance or by-law shall apply to the owner of the property on which the tree stood prior to its fall, or to their agent having the care thereof. Any fines recovered pursuant to this clause in accordance with section 21D shall be paid as restitution to the person aggrieved by the violation of this clause; provided, that if no specific person was aggrieved by the violation, the fines recovered shall be paid to the municipality.

SECTION 3. Section 21D of said chapter 40, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out, in line 46, the words “three hundred dollars” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- $1000.

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