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S 2729

Relates to waiving certain fees charged for motor vehicle license plates

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Rob Ortt and 1 co-sponsor

Expands Chapter 91 to give an explicit right for the public to pass across private tidelands for running, walking, swimming and snorkeling, affecting owners and regulators.

REFERRED TO TRANSPORTATION
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · S 2729

Summary — S 2729 (Massachusetts, 194th General Court, 2025–2026)

Status: Introduced 9/4/2025; reported favorably by committee 11/24/2025; referred to Senate Rules. (See “Procedural status” for timeline inconsistencies in the available record.)

Purpose

The bill would amend Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 91 (the public tidelands/coastal licensing statute) to expressly permit free passage across private tidelands for certain recreational, non‑motorized activities: running, walking, swimming and snorkeling. It appears intended to reaffirm or expand public access rights along the shore by statute.

Key provision (text inserted)

The bill amends Section 1 of Chapter 91 by inserting, after the word “water,” the following words:
- “and of passing freely across the tidelands by running, walking and accessing swimming and snorkeling.”

That single-line amendment creates an explicit statutory right to pass across tidelands for the listed activities.

Who or what would be affected

  • Recreational users of Massachusetts tidelands (beachgoers, swimmers, snorkelers, runners/walkers) — would have an explicit statutory right to cross tidelands for those activities.
  • Private owners of tidelands adjacent to waterways — their exclusive control over tideland areas could be constrained to allow these forms of public passage.
  • State and local regulators and law enforcement — would bear responsibility for interpreting, implementing, and enforcing the new statutory language.
  • Coastal municipalities — may need to address access points, signage, liability/maintenance, and conflicts between public passage and private uses.

Potential impacts and considerations

  • Clarifies recreational passage rights but is narrowly worded (lists specific activities and does not address other uses such as fishing, picnicking, camping, mooring, or commercial access).
  • Raises legal questions about scope (where passage is allowed, whether movement can be impeded, time‑of‑day or safety restrictions, and how this intersects with existing public‑trust doctrine and Chapter 91 licensing).
  • Could increase disputes between tideland owners and the public; may prompt implementing regulations, municipal policies on accessways, or litigation to define limits and enforcement.
  • Liability and safety (who is responsible for hazards on privately owned tidelands traversed under this right) are not addressed.

Procedural status & timeline (from provided record)

  • 2025-09-04: Introduced in Senate; read twice and referred (record shows referral to Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions).
  • 2025-11-14: Filed.
  • 2025-11-24: Committee on Environment and Natural Resources reported the bill and issued a new draft (noted as a new draft of S598); bill reported favorably and referred to Senate Rules.
  • The record also shows entries dated 2025-01-22 listing referral to Transportation; these dates precede introduction and appear inconsistent with the rest of the file.

Notes on inconsistencies in the provided metadata

  • The top-line “Bill Information” title refers to waiving motor vehicle license plate fees, which does not match the text (which addresses tideland access).
  • Sponsor list supplied appears to be U.S. Senators (federal) and also includes names that are inconsistent with a Massachusetts state bill; this likely reflects erroneous or mixed metadata.
  • Because of these inconsistencies, this summary focuses solely on the actual bill text amending Chapter 91.

If you want, I can:
- Extract the exact statutory caption and show how it would read in context with Chapter 91;
- Prepare likely legal questions and administrative actions state agencies would need to take to implement the change;
- Track the bill’s further procedural steps and provide updates.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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