Status:	Normal
Date/Time:	7/27/22 1:30 PM
Location:	Virtual Hearing
Committee:	Joint Committee on State Administration & Regulatory Oversight (JSA)

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Matters concerning land bills.

• Please be advised that the schedule and agenda are subject to change at the discretion of the chairs. Further, the Chairs may schedule an executive session to coincide with this hearing. Per Committee Rules, Joint Committee members will be given any advance notice and materials to review.
• ORAL TESTIMONY REGISTRATION: Legislators, public officials, and the public must register to participate in the virtual hearing. To register to testify, please provide the contact information requested in this  form  by 9:00 AM on Wednesday, July 27th. Once registered, you will receive further instruction on how to participate virtually.   
• WRITTEN TESTIMONY: Written testimony can be submitted via email to Jordan Latham at jordan.latham@mahouse.gov or Mary Wasylyk at mary.wasylyk@masenate.gov. The deadline to submit written testimony is Wednesday, July 27th at 9:00 AM. 
• A livestream of this hearing will be available on the legislature’s website. 
• You may contact committee staff with any questions by emailing jordan.latham@mahouse.gov  or mary.wasylyk@masenate.gov. 

Speaker List:

• Rep Cabral
  Chair of the Committee

• Rep Pease
  Legislator

• Jim Pacheco
  Member of the committee (implied)

• Sen. Velis
  Legislator (implied)

Bill List:

• HB 5069
  An act authorizing the division of capital asset management and maintenance to convey a certain parcel of land

• HB 5087
  An act authorizing the commission of capital asset management and maintenance to grant an easement in the town of Wellfleet

• HB 5102
  An act authorizing the release of a certain sewer easement in the town of Norfolk

• SB 3060
  An act relative to the sustainability and resiliency in the Dorchester section of the city of Boston

Synopsis:

During the legislative committee hearing, key discussions centered around several bills concerning land and easement issues in Massachusetts. The session began with discussions led by Rep Cabral, who introduced the first bill, HB 5069. This bill calls for the transfer of a land parcel currently believed to be under the National Guard’s control to the city of Westfield. Rep Pease supported this initiative, noting that the city mistakenly assumed ownership since the 1950s, which only recently came to light during the construction of a new elementary school. Pease mentioned that the National Guard has agreed to the conveyance, urging a favorable vote for resolution before the session’s end.

The conversation briefly shifted when Rep Cabral sought clarification on the current ownership, emphasizing that the land is state-owned but administered by the National Guard because of its proximity to an armory. Cabral highlighted the importance of distinguishing state responsibilities from federal ones regarding airbases, ensuring no misunderstanding persists about oversight and ownership.

Next on the agenda was HB 5087, another land-related issue, concerning granting an easement in Wellfleet. Following this, Cabral introduced HB 5102, which addresses the release of a sewer easement in Norfolk. Although these bills were listed, there was less detailed discussion about them compared to HB 5069.

The meeting concluded with a mention of SB 3060, focusing on sustainability and resilience measures in Boston’s Dorchester neighborhood. This bill, intended to bolster the city’s preparation for future environmental challenges, reflects a commitment to urban resiliency, although specific elements of the proposal were not heavily scrutinized in the session.

Overall, the hearing heavily focused on transfer and management of land and easements tied to state and local interests, ensuring that governance aligns with current uses and ownerships, to support infrastructure and community development effectively.