Bill
H 3785
Creates a Special Commission to identify historic MA roadways and recommend preservation and commemorative actions, reporting findings and legislative ideas by 12/31/2026.
Status: Introduced (filed Jan 16, 2025); Referred to House Committee on Transportation (Feb 27, 2025). Hearing scheduled Nov 4, 2025. Sponsor: Rep. Todd M. Smola. Classification: bill to establish a special commission (text labels it “An Act…”).
Note on document contents: The material provided also includes a separate South Carolina House resolution congratulating the Palmetto Concert Band on its 25th anniversary. That resolution is a distinct, unrelated item (South Carolina) and is not part of the Massachusetts commission bill described below.
Purpose and intent
- Establish a special, time-limited commission to identify historic roadways in Massachusetts and to develop recommendations for preserving and commemorating those roadways. The commission’s work is intended to inform future preservation, planning, and legislative actions.
Key provisions
- Creation of the Special Commission to Identify, Preserve and Commemorate Historic Roadways in Massachusetts.
- Membership (by appointment and ex officio):
- 2 members of the Massachusetts Senate (one appointed by the Senate President; one by the Senate minority leader).
- 2 members of the Massachusetts House (one appointed by the Speaker; one by the House minority leader).
- Secretary of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) or designee.
- Representative of the Massachusetts Historical Commission — this representative shall serve as chair.
- Commissioner of the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) or designee.
- 1 representative of the Massachusetts Municipal Association.
- 1 representative of the Massachusetts chapter of the American Planning Association.
- 1 gubernatorial appointee who is an expert in Massachusetts history.
- Charge: Identify historic roadways across the Commonwealth and develop means to preserve and commemorate them; prepare findings and, if appropriate, legislative recommendations.
- Report deadline: The commission must report its study results and any legislative recommendations to the clerks of the House and Senate no later than December 31, 2026.
Who would be affected
- State agencies involved in transportation, historic preservation, and park/conservation management (MassDOT, Massachusetts Historical Commission, DCR).
- Municipal governments and planners (municipal association, planning professionals).
- Historians, preservation advocates, cultural heritage organizations, and communities with historically significant roadways.
- The Legislature, if the commission recommends statutory changes or funding.
Procedural/timeline notes
- Filed/presented: Jan 16, 2025 (House docket entry shows Rep. Todd M. Smola as the petitioner).
- Referred to Transportation Committee: Feb 27, 2025.
- Hearing scheduled: Nov 4, 2025 (per docket).
- Report due: Dec 31, 2026 (final deliverable to the Legislature).
Potential impact
- The bill itself creates a study body rather than imposing regulatory or funding changes. The commission’s recommendations could lead to future legislation, preservation programs, commemorative markers, or changes in planning and maintenance practices for historically significant roads.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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