H5504 • 2025

An Act authorizing the town of Hingham to grant to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts certain parcels of land in the town of Hingham for highway purposes

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Sponsor: Meschino, Joan
Last action: 2026-07-09
Official status: Referred to Joint Committee on Transportation
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 authorizing the town of Hingham to grant to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts certain parcels of land in the town of Hingham for highway purposes

An Act authorizing the town of Hingham to grant to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts certain parcels of land in the town of Hingham for highway purposes By Representative Meschino of Hull and Senator O'Connor, a joint petition (subject to Joint Rule 12) of Joan Meschino (by vote of the town) that the town of Hingham be authorized to grant certain parcels of land in said town to the Commonwealth for highway purposes.

What This Bill Does

An Act authorizing the town of Hingham to grant to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts certain parcels of land in the town of Hingham for highway purposes By Representative Meschino of Hull and Senator O'Connor, a joint petition (subject to Joint Rule 12) of Joan Meschino (by vote of the town) that the town of Hingham be authorized to grant certain parcels of land in said town to the Commonwealth for highway purposes.
Transportation.
[Local Approval Received.] Status: Referred to Joint Committee on 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

2026-07-09 Joint
Hearing scheduled for 07/14/2026 from 09:00 AM-05:00 PM in Written Testimony Only
2026-06-11 Senate
Senate concurred
2026-06-10 House
Reported, referred to the committee on Joint Rules, reported, rules suspended and referred to the committee on Transportation
2026-06-08 House
Referred to the committee on House Rules

Official Summary Text

An Act authorizing the town of Hingham to grant to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts certain parcels of land in the town of Hingham for highway purposes
By Representative Meschino of Hull and Senator O'Connor, a joint petition (subject to Joint Rule 12) of Joan Meschino (by vote of the town) that the town of Hingham be authorized to grant certain parcels of land in said town to the Commonwealth for highway purposes. Transportation. [Local Approval Received.]
Status:
Referred to Joint Committee on Transportation

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

Bill H.5504

SECTION 1.

Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the town of Hingham, Massachusetts may transfer to the Massachusetts department of transportation for highway purposes certain parcels of land under the care, custody and control of the town of Hingham select board, and located in the town of Hingham, identified on a plan of land entitled, “Massachusetts Department of Transportation Highway Division Plan and Profile of Route 3A / Summer Street / Rockland Street in the Town of Hingham Plymouth County Preliminary Right of Way Plans”, which plan is on file with the Massachusetts department of transportation.

SECTION 2.

(a) As consideration for the transfers authorized by Section 1 herein, the town of Hingham shall transfer to its conservation commission subject to the provisions of Article 97 of the Articles of Amendment to the Constitution of the Commonwealth and M.G.L. c. 3, § 5A, the care, custody and control of an approximately 8 acre portion of the approximately 10.78 acre parcel of land shown as Assessor’s Map 106, Lot 3 and known as 0 Hobart Street, located in the town of Hingham, as shown on a plan on file with town of Hingham town clerk, which land is currently under the care, custody and control of the town of Hingham select board for general municipal purposes.

(b) As additional consideration for the transfers authorized by Section 1 herein, and in addition to the land dedicated in Section 2(a) above, the Massachusetts department of transportation shall compensate the town of Hingham in an amount not less than 110 percent of the fair market value or value in use of the transferred lands, whichever is greater, as determined by a professional appraisal. Any funds transferred under this section shall be deposited in a fund dedicated to conservation of land in the town of Hingham.

SECTION 3. The Massachusetts department of transportation shall assume all costs associated with engineering, surveys, appraisal, deed preparation and other expenses necessary to execute the conveyances authorized by this act.

SECTION 4. This act shall take effect upon its passage.

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