H3702 • 2025

An Act relative to excavation restoration on public ways

Active

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

Sponsor: Steven S. Howitt
Last action: 2026-02-26
Official status: Referred to House Committee on Bills in the Third Reading
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 excavation restoration on public ways

An Act relative to excavation restoration on public ways By Representative Howitt of Seekonk, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No.

What This Bill Does

An Act relative to excavation restoration on public ways By Representative Howitt of Seekonk, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No.
3702) of Steven S.
Howitt relative to excavation on public ways.
Transportation.

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

2026-02-26 House
Committee reported that the matter be placed in the Orders of the Day for the next sitting
2026-02-26 House
Rules suspended
2026-02-26 House
Read second and ordered to a third reading
2026-01-27 House
Bill reported favorably by committee and referred to the committee on House Steering, Policy and Scheduling
2025-10-24 Joint
Hearing scheduled for 11/04/2025 from 01:00 PM-05:00 PM in A-2
2025-02-27 House
Referred to the committee on Transportation
2025-02-27 Senate
Senate concurred

Official Summary Text

An Act relative to excavation restoration on public ways
By Representative Howitt of Seekonk, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 3702) of Steven S. Howitt relative to excavation on public ways. Transportation.
Status:
Referred to House Committee on Bills in the Third Reading

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

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Bill H.3702

SECTION 1. Chapter 82 of the General Laws as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition is hereby amended by inserting after Section 40E, the following new section:-

Section 40F. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, any public way, including a public road, sidewalk or curb, that has been excavated by a person, corporation or other entity authorized by a permit issued under this chapter or by local government, the person, corporation or entity shall, at its own expense, replace and restore the surface of the public way to its original condition, or better with the same or like materials upon completion of the work. The replacement with the same or like materials shall be done in accordance with the appropriate rules or regulations issued by the Department of Public Utilities. The replacement with the same or like materials shall include the same, if any, surface markings including but not limited to crosswalks, lane lines, bike lanes, and symbols. The person, corporation or other entity shall be responsible for any damages to the replaced surface of the way caused by the excavation for a one-year period after the work has been completed.

SECTION 2. The act shall go into effect one year after its passage.

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