H2358 • 2025

An Act permitting municipal expenditures for the maintenance of private roads

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

Sponsor: Steven George Xiarhos (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 permitting municipal expenditures for the maintenance of private roads

An Act permitting municipal expenditures for the maintenance of private roads By Representative Xiarhos of Barnstable (by request), a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No.

What This Bill Does

An Act permitting municipal expenditures for the maintenance of private roads By Representative Xiarhos of Barnstable (by request), a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No.
2358) of Andrew Macdonald and Joseph D.
McKenna relative to permitting municipal expenditures for the maintenance of private roads.
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

2025-11-24 House
Accompanied a study order, see H4776
2025-06-17 Joint
Hearing scheduled for 06/24/2025 from 01:00 PM-05:00 PM in B-1
2025-02-27 House
Referred to the committee on Municipalities and Regional Government
2025-02-27 Senate
Senate concurred

Official Summary Text

An Act permitting municipal expenditures for the maintenance of private roads
By Representative Xiarhos of Barnstable (by request), a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2358) of Andrew Macdonald and Joseph D. McKenna relative to permitting municipal expenditures for the maintenance of private roads. Municipalities and Regional Government.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

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Bill H.2358

SECTION 1. Section 6N of chapter 40 of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the following paragraph:-

(a) Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, municipalities may appropriate and expend public funds for the maintenance, repair, and improvement of private roads when the following conditions are met:

(1) The private road serves a minimum of 100 residential properties that contribute property tax revenue to the municipality.

(2) The private road is the primary or sole access for the properties served.

(3) The private road has historical significance or longstanding ties to the municipality, such as having been part of the town’s infrastructure prior to a significant geographical change or reconstruction.

(4) The private road is not maintained by a developer or private entity under an agreement or covenant requiring such maintenance.

(b) Municipalities opting to provide such services shall adopt a bylaw or ordinance specifying the conditions, scope, and process for the maintenance or repair of private roads, including limitations on expenditures and the types of services provided.

SECTION 2.

Municipalities providing maintenance for private roads under this act shall report annually to the Massachusetts Department of Revenue on the expenditures and the number of properties served. Such reports shall ensure transparency and compliance with the intent of this act.

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