Part ofEnvironment →

The civic record

Read. Follow. Verify.

S 667MASSACHUSETTSSession 194thState Billin committee

Massachusetts bill creates a waterfront oversight commission to approve alternative port development compliance

Original title: An Act providing for alternative DPA compliance

Last action · November 13, 2025: Accompanied a study order, see S2718Sponsor: Bruce Tarr

Bill progressHistory & official text ↓

Introduced

Committee

Floor Vote

Passed

Law

Track this bill to get notified when it advances a stage. One tap to stop, anytime.

What This Bill Would Do

Massachusetts establishes a special waterfront development oversight commission to review and approve proposals for development projects within Designated Port Areas, subject to final legislative approval.

Why it matters

Municipalities and developers seeking to build in port areas face a new review pathway that requires approval from a newly formed state commission and the General Court before projects can begin.

Who It Would Affect

Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.

Directly affected

Municipalities

Municipalities can submit requests for proposals to develop and build in Designated Port Areas through a new alternative compliance review process.

Directly affected

Developers

Development proposals in Designated Port Areas that do not meet strict existing compliance requirements are subject to review and approval by the new commission and the General Court.

Key Facts

You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who serves on the new waterfront development oversight commission?

The 7-member commission includes members appointed by the governor, the secretary of energy and environmental affairs, the president of the senate, the speaker of the house of representatives, the senate minority leader, and the minority leader of the house of representatives.

Can projects with alternative compliance begin immediately after commission approval?

No. Any project approved by the commission must also be submitted to the legislative clerks and committee chairs and requires approval from the General Court before starting.

What else do you want to know?

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

Follow the record

Votes, people, money & the original source

Where This Stands

Currently in committee. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Floor Vote.

Procedural history

4 actions

Nov 13, 2025Senate
Accompanied a study order, see S2718
Jun 23, 2025Joint
Hearing scheduled for 07/01/2025 from 01:00 PM-05:00 PM in A-1
Feb 27, 2025House
House concurred
Feb 27, 2025SenateCommittee
Referred to the committee on Environment and Natural Resources

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

View official text →

Lobbying Activity

No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.

Full breakdown

Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.

Connected Entities

Designated Port Authorities, General Laws, Bruce Tarr and 2 more

OrganizationDesignated Port Authorities“Subject of port development compliance rules”Map →

otherGeneral Laws“Amended by inserting section 5A into Chapter 21A”Map →

PersonBruce Tarr“Primary sponsor of the bill”Map →

OrganizationHouse of Representatives“Receives project approval submissions”Map →

OrganizationSenate“Receives project approval submissions”Map →

Sources

Open source document

malegislature.gov

Analysis Score

0–100

Significance60
How much this matters to a regular citizen
Controversy40
Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
Entertainment10
Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
Buzz25
Current news / social attention level

Publisher tools