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Read. Follow. Verify.Sandwich Authorized to Enter 99-Year Wastewater Contracts and Issue 30-Year Debt for Joint Base Cape Cod Facilities
Last action · May 7, 2026: Read second and ordered to a third readingSponsor: Steve Xiarhos
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What This Bill Would Do
The town of Sandwich is authorized to enter into up to 99-year wastewater treatment and disposal contracts with private operators at Joint Base Cape Cod, exempt from standard public bidding laws. The town may also acquire property interests and easements, incur debt for up to 30 years outside standard borrowing limits, and partner with neighboring towns through .
Grants the town of Sandwich special legal and financial authorities to secure long-term sewage treatment capacity for local needs, enabling up to 30 years of debt financing exempt from standard municipal caps.
- Joint Base Cape Cod is a multi-service military installation located on Cape Cod, spanning parts of Sandwich, Bourne, Falmouth, and Mashpee. context
- Chapter 30B of the Massachusetts General Laws regulates how local governments purchase supplies, services, and real property. context
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.
Town of Sandwich
The town is granted new legal authority to contract for wastewater services for up to 99 years, acquire land interests, and issue exempt debt.
Town of Mashpee
The town may grant access easements for sewer transmission lines to the town of Sandwich.
Towns of Barnstable, Bourne, and Falmouth
These municipalities are authorized to enter into inter-municipal or joint powers agreements with Sandwich for wastewater services.
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
How long can Sandwich's wastewater treatment contract be?
Are these contracts subject to standard municipal public bidding laws?
Can Sandwich borrow money to pay for facility improvements under this bill?
What else do you want to know?
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Currently passed chamber. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Law.
Procedural history
10 actions- May 7, 2026SenateRead second and ordered to a third reading
- Apr 13, 2026SenateRead; and placed in the Orders of the Day for the next session
- Apr 9, 2026HouseFloorRead third and passed to be engrossed
- Aug 4, 2025HouseRead second and ordered to a third reading
- Aug 4, 2025HouseRules suspended
- Aug 4, 2025HouseCommittee reported that the matter be placed in the Orders of the Day for the next sitting
Show 4 earlier actions
- Jul 16, 2025HouseCommitteeBill reported favorably by committee and referred to the committee on House Steering, Policy and Scheduling
- Apr 1, 2025JointHearing scheduled for 04/08/2025 from 01:00 PM-05:00 PM in A-1
- Feb 27, 2025SenateSenate concurred
- Feb 27, 2025HouseCommitteeReferred 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.
Sponsors
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Exemption from Standard Municipal Bidding
The legislation bypasses standard chapter 30B public bidding requirements to allow direct 99-year contracting with private utility operators at Joint Base Cape Cod.
Connected Entities
Sources
malegislature.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance60How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy15Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz25Current news / social attention level
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