H 97 Massachusetts House · 193rd Legislature (2023-2024)

An Act relative to agricultural crop and property destruction

This bill amends Massachusetts law to hold individuals legally responsible for damages caused to crops or agricultural property by off-highway or recreational vehicles. It specifically targets people who operate these vehicles in a way that destroys another person's field crops or who intentionally remove or damage agricultural property without the owner's permission. Under the new rules, anyone found guilty of these actions would be required to pay the property owner for the resulting losses. The legislation aims to provide clearer legal recourse for farmers and landowners whose agricultural assets are harmed by unauthorized vehicle use.
Bill status passed 3 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2023
Committee Review
Feb 2024
Senate Passage
Feb 2023
Governor
Introduced Feb 16, 2023 Last action Feb 20, 2024
Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate. No roll call record of that vote is available.
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
7
Key actions
3
Committee
3
Feb 20, 2024
Lower · Passed
Committee reported that the matter be placed in the Orders of the Day for the next sitting
lower
Jan 29, 2024
Lower · Passed
Bill reported favorably by committee and referred to the committee on House Steering, Policy and Scheduling
lower
Feb 16, 2023
Upper · Passed
Senate concurred
upper
Feb 16, 2023
Committee
Referred to the committee on Agriculture
lower
0 primary · 2 co-sponsors

Sponsors

No sponsor information available.