An Act further regulating the amendment of a conservation restriction in the town of Hanson

194th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Mike Brady

S.2895 transfers land from Hanson to the Conservation Commission as compensation to amend the Hanson conservation restriction for wildlife, recreation, and forestry.

Enacted and laid before the Governor

Overview

S 2895 is a Massachusetts Senate bill that seeks to modify how a conservation restriction in the town of Hanson may be amended. The core mechanism in the bill is a negotiated change to a conservation restriction that is tied to a specified land transfer. The bill provides a specific exchange: in return for approval of the change to the conservation restriction, Hanson would transfer ownership and control of designated land parcels to the town’s Conservation Commission for purposes related to wildlife, recreation, and forestry.

Bill number: S 2895

Title: An Act further regulating the amendment of a conservation restriction in the town of Hanson

Sponsor: Tim Sheehy (primary)

Status: Read; referred to the committee on House Steering, Policy and Scheduling (as of the latest status update)

Introduced: September 18, 2025

Effective date: Upon passage

Version note: The Senate substitution (for S 1425) occurred on December 18, 2025

Key Provisions

Section 1 – Land transfer as consideration for the conservation-restriction change

The bill would amend Chapter 133 of the acts of 2022 (as applied to the Hanson conservation restriction) by replacing the existing Section 3 with a new provision.

As consideration for the authorized change to the conservation restriction, Hanson must transfer:

Care, custody, and control of approximately 25.403 acres of land (Map 49, Parcel 1-1A) from the Hanson Board of Selectmen to the Hanson Conservation Commission.
An additional parcel of approximately 3,922 square feet (Map 105, Parcel 6) from the Board of Selectmen to the Conservation Commission.

The purpose of the transferred land is to be managed by the Conservation Commission for wildlife, recreation, and forestry.

Section 2 – Effective date

The act takes effect upon its passage.

Who Is Affected

Town of Hanson: The Board of Selectmen (retains initial ownership); the bill requires the transfer of specified parcels to the Conservation Commission as part of the consideration for amending the conservation restriction.

Hanson Conservation Commission: Receives custody and control of the two specified land parcels to oversee wildlife, recreational uses, and forestry management.

Conservation restrictions/land-use framework: The change in restriction is linked to a compensatory land transfer, affecting how the restriction can be amended in Hanson.

Procedural and Timeline Details

Initial action: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation (as of the 2025 actions listed).

Introduced: September 18, 2025.

2025 House actions: Read; referred to the Committee on House Steering, Policy and Scheduling (by December 24, 2025).

Legislative path noted: A new draft for S 1425 (Brady) was created on December 22, 2025, indicating potential cross-referencing or consolidation of related provisions.

Additional Notes

The bill references authority under Section 3 of Chapter 40 of the General Laws and the Governance framework established by Chapter 133 of the Acts of 2022.

The text frames the land transfer as “consideration for the change in the conservation restriction,” tying land ownership/control changes to the modification of the restriction rather than a unilateral amendment.

Bill