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S 2437

Requires disclosure of social media posts that are paid for by a campaign

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Liz Krueger and 1 co-sponsor

Reforms Chapter 90 funding by using resurfacing costs and local wealth to set allocations, with a weighted municipal match and a 12.5%–200% state contribution range.

REFERRED TO CODES
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Bill Summary · S 2437

Summary — S.2437 (Commonwealth of Massachusetts): "An Act to modernize and enhance the distribution of Chapter 90 funds"

Status: Referred to Codes (committee); Filed/Introduced in Senate (filed Jan 17, 2025 / docket no. 1976); Sponsor: Sen. Pavel M. Payano (First Essex). Hearing scheduled (as of record) for 10/14/2025.

Note: some supplied metadata (an alternate title about social‑media disclosure and additional federal senator names) appears inconsistent with the bill text. The legislative text provided is a Massachusetts bill to revise how Chapter 90 (state aid for municipal roads/bridges) funds are allocated and matched.

Purpose / Intent

Modernize and clarify how the Commonwealth allocates Chapter 90 funds to municipalities for maintaining, repairing, improving, and constructing municipal ways and bridges and other eligible municipal projects. The bill updates allocation factors and the municipal match formula to more closely reflect local need and capacity.

Key provisions

  • Amends Section 4 of Chapter 6C by inserting new subsections (c)–(e) after existing subsection (b).
  • Allocation factors (new subsection (c)):
    • The Department commissioner shall allocate expenditures among municipalities based on:
    • The cost to resurface 2.0% of all municipally owned (but not state‑numbered) roads within the municipality; and
    • The cost to resurface 3.3% (three and three‑tenths percent) of all municipally owned and maintained state‑numbered routes within the municipality.
  • Municipal Match Program (new subsection (d)):
    • The municipal match factor used under Chapter 90 will be determined by an equally weighted combination of two measures for each municipality:
    • Aggregate property values; and
    • Aggregate personal income.
  • Maximum and minimum Commonwealth match (new subsection (e)):
    • Maximum Commonwealth match: 200% of the municipality’s allocation (subject to the caveat “not to exceed said sum of local apportionment” as drafted).
    • Minimum Commonwealth match: 12.5% of the municipality’s allocation (also “not to exceed said sum of local apportionment” as drafted).

Who is affected

  • Municipal governments across Massachusetts that receive Chapter 90 allocations for road and bridge projects.
  • Municipal budget and public works planning: allocation and required local matches could change by municipality depending on local property values and incomes and the road‑inventory resurfacing cost measures.
  • The Executive Office/Department responsible for administering Chapter 90 grants (commissioner’s allocation role).

Potential fiscal and operational impacts

  • Shifts in allocations: municipalities with differing property values and personal incomes may see increases or decreases in state support under the new weighting and resurfacing‑based cost measures.
  • Match variability: allowing up to a 200% state match could increase state expenditures for some projects; the 12.5% floor changes minimum local contribution requirements.
  • Administrative: requires the department to implement new allocation calculations and possibly update reporting/accounting systems.

Procedural / timeline notes

  • Filed as Senate Docket No. 1976 and presented by Sen. Pavel M. Payano.
  • Recorded legislative actions show movement between committees (Transportation; Election/Elections noted in the log) and status entries indicating passage/reviews in 2025; current recorded referral is to the Committee on Codes. A public hearing was scheduled for Oct 14, 2025 (records show rescheduling/virtual location changes).
  • Because the provided metadata contains conflicting items (different titles, sponsors), consult the official Massachusetts legislative website (malegislature.gov) or the Senate Clerk for the authoritative, current bill text and status before relying on this summary for decision‑making.

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

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